PC and Mac editor available here !

Yep and yep ;-)
Here you go : http://ctrlr.org/hughes-kettner-grandmeister-36/
Supported by H&K, check the "Grandmeister Remote Goes Desktop" link on their homepage : http://hughes-and-kettner.com/

I bought the cheap usb2midi mentioned above, something like a vicsting.
I'm running Win7 32 bit Dell Latitude.

Version = 5.3.83, Build date = Fri Feb 13 12:42:21 CEST 2015, Branch = Nightly, Juce = 3.1.0,
GM Remote 2.2

Intermittent at best results.  The cable seems to work both ways, depending on how many times I toggle the input/output MIDI settings in GM-R and/or reboot.  The GM36 is in factory midi default mode.

I run the Ctrlr Midi Monitor.  Initial can see GM-R send a msg every second, probably a poll.  No response from the GM36.  If I toggle the midi channels in GM-R away from channel 1 and back to ch1 (GM-R is still polling the GM36), then change the GM-R preset to the same preset the GM36 is running, and then turn the GM36 Volume knob, GM-R then changes to Preset Amp mode (yay).  But GM-R stops polling, and all the other settings displayed by GM-R do not match the GM36 - only the  Volume knob setting matches.  Changing an amp setting in GM-R does nothing to GM36.  That might be because I'm supposed to save - but the other settings for this preset displayed in GM-R do not match what is in the GM36 for that preset - only the Volume knob I turned.  So saving at this point might wipeout my other current settings in the GM36.

Basically, GM-R never seems to successfully poll the GM36 status, as this link implies should happen at startup http://ctrlr.org/hughes-kettner-grandmeister-36/

Any ideas?  Am I burned by the cheap cable (although it seems to sometimes pass data)?  I'm a midi nube - are there some buffer size settings I should change?  Or?

Thanks,
-Bob

And I forgot to mention...
Once I get GM-R to receive the Volume knob change from the GM36 and GM-R is then in Preset Amp mode, selecting preset change + or - in GM-R will change preset on GM36.  But at this point, GM-R is no longer polling the GM36.  So even though GM-R is talking to GM36, all the settings are wrong in GM-R.

Well you're the second person reporting troubles with the cheap USB/MIDI interfaces, so I'm starting to wonder if it was a good idea to suggest using them...

Just to give you more details on how the the editor works, it's normal that it stops sending a midi message every second once it receives a message from the amp. The polling is just used to detect the connection to the amp and get the current amp state.

What's not normal is that the amp does not seam to respond to the status request, hence preventing the editor from being able to synchronize it's state with the amp.

It's not normal either that the amp parameters do not update when you change things on the editor. It should be the case real time, even if you don not hit the store button. E.g. if you change the channel on the editor, the channel should change on the amp too.

I would have thought that the issue was a one way communication only (no Amp -> editor communication), but if you say that you managed to have the editor's volume knob updated when moving the amp's knob, it means that you do have an Amp -> editor communication.

So everything seems to point to an unreliable USB/MIDI interface that sometimes messes up messages.
The GM 36 uses almost only SYSEX messages to communicate with the editor (except for changing presets, which seems to work properly in your case). SYSEX messages are a special kind of MIDI messages that sometimes are not well supported by MIDI interfaces. It might be the case of your interface.

All in all, I would suggest trying with a known brand like M-Audio (you can get the MIDISPORT 1x1 or the UNO for like 35 bucks) and see of you have more success with it.

After sleeping on it, it definitely lines up that the SysEx msgs are not passing thru - just Program Change and Control Change.  I paid a whopping $7 - I paid cheap, I got cheap.
So to clarify

DO NOT USE THE CHEAP MIDI CABLE FROM VicTsing

I'll get the m-audio on my next Amazon order...

Thanks for Fredo for help - the GUI looks good...

-Bob

Hi guys,
+1 from myself on the cheapo USB MIDI cable.....AVOID!!!!
I had all kinds of connecting issues with 2 cheap cables, but finally (after some excellent support from fredo!) I got a M-Audio Midisport 2x2, and everything immediately worked.
Thank you so much again fredo!!  Both for your program, and for your help.

DJ

Finally got a midisport and it all works great.
Is there a trick to turning the soft knobs? I'm having trouble with a mouse turning the knobs. I find myself selecting and entering the value directly. One suggestion, after a knob is touched with the mouse, allow arrow keys (up down or left right) to adjust the knob.
Thanks!

Turning a knob is done by dragging it up or down (click on the knob and without releasing the button, move the mouse up to increase the value or down to decrease it).
You can also use the mouse wheel once the knob is selected.
I'll see if I can manage the use of +/- or arrow keys to change the selected knob value.

fredo wrote:Turning a knob is done by dragging it up or down (click on the knob and without releasing the button, move the mouse up to increase the value or down to decrease it).
You can also use the mouse wheel once the knob is selected.
I'll see if I can manage the use of +/- or arrow keys to change the selected knob value.

Ah, I am wiser now - I'll try these tips soon.

Thanks!
-Bob

I bought my GM36 last summer and am finally getting around to trying the PC editor (better late than never right?). Yesterday I bought the M-Audio 1x1 Midisport and the required midi cables. So, I believe I am all set...

I would just like some basic instruction before I dig in. I already have my GM programmed the way I want it, and with my luck, I'll wipe it all out the moment I fire up the editor So, if someone could be kind enough to get me started on the right foot, I'd be super grateful. Specifically, the device settings in the editor (input/output/etc), and how to avoid wiping out my amp's current settings.

Current status: the Midisport is installed and recognized by Windows, and I see that it appears in the editor as selectable input/output device. I don't have any other midi equipment in my setup. So, do I simply select the Midisport as the input and output device? And controller? Channel numbers?

I would just like to tweak the amp's existing parameters, and save them.

Thanks for your help!

Well it seems like you're good to go ;-)
Just select the Midisport in the Midi / Input Device and Midi / Output Device menu (you can forget about the Controller menu, it's not used), plug the Midisport Midi Input to the GM 36 Midi out and the Midisport Midi output to the GM 36 Midi in (yes it has to be input to output and vice versa), switch the GM 36 on, and the "connected" and "sync" leds of the editor should light up after a little while.
You can now change the settings on the editor and ear the changes on the amp ; or move the knobs on the amp and see the changed on the editor.
You will not overwrite your amp settings by mistake, unless you hit the "store" button on the editor.
If you want to backup your amp's presets, just hit the "backup" button and choose a filename.

Have fun !

Fredo.

Thanks Fredo! It works great!

An awesome side-benefit of this... it is invaluable to sit 15-20 feet away from the amp and tweak the settings (as opposed to the usual, sitting 3 feet from the amp!). I feel this is a much more accurate way to setup an amp for live shows etc.

I noticed that when I change presets, the change is not reflected on the FSM. Likewise, when I change presets via the FSM, nothing happens. This isn't a big deal but I just found it curious - made me wonder if I have everything hooked up correctly?

Thank you so much for this awesome tool! It's amazing!

I got this working with my desktop using the roland UM-ONE midi to usb. works a treat to say the least.
couldn't get it working at all with windows surface rt. but that is due to it only being able to run ARM programs/apps. If you have a newer generation (Pro2 or 3) this should all work quite nicely. giving you a tablet that you can have on stage mounted on your mic stand for example.

I know it is not here yet. but what do you think the chances of getting this to work with the new wireless system h&k have developed. I heard from them that it is currently only programmed to work with the ipad. as requires an additional app. Do you think you will crack this in the future too?

Cheers
Birk

Hi birkenhall,

I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to do anything for the wireless midi interface, but I'm sure H&K will work on a solution for Windows users in the near future.

Fredo.

Hi Fredo,
I downloaded the Windows .exe file, do i need to install anything else on my PC for the program to work?

I'll be using your program with an M-Audio Fast Track Ultra MIDI sound card...

And thanks so much for developing this program, this is an outstanding way to setup patches!

Is there any way to use the editor while in Stomp Box mode?

I don't see why you could not.
I don't own a FSM though, so I did not test it.
Are you having any issue ?

Hi Fredo,
Tap Tempo issue you may have the answer too…
 
Several of us here on the GM 36 forum are using MIDI foot controllers other than the H & K FSM-432.  A few of us are using the Line 6 HD500X multi-effects/MIDI foot controller which has a dedicated Tap Tempo button/foot-switch; however none of us can get the Tap Tempo to work at all regardless of which MIDI foot-controller we’re using.
 
**Interesting note: I also own the H & K FSM-432 and Tap Tempo works fine with it.  I did a test with a MIDI learn software program on the FSM-432 so I could see which CC# its Tap Tempo switch was transmitting.  When I press the Tap Tempo foot-switch on the FSM it transmits the CC# 36, however the manual says CC# 4 should be used to set delay times.  The manual DOES NOT mention any additional values needed other than CC#4.  Since you wrote the PC/Mac software which is an excellent tool (Thank you!) we here on the forum are all hoping you can shed some light on how to get Tap Tempo working as you did in the software app.
 
I’ve attached a screenshot of the HD500X edit software which shows the parameter fields available.
*MIDI Channel – currently set to 1
*Message Type – currently set to CC
*CC# – currently set to 004 (per the manual to set delay times)
*Value – (range goes from 000 – 127) not sure what to put here?  Also, is this the only other item that needs to be set for Tap Tempo to work?
 
Lastly, I’m assuming that it shouldn't matter which MIDI controller someone uses as long as all values are correct, is that a fair assumption?  Some guys are using the HD500X as I am, others the Voodo Lab Ground Control, etc.
 
Thanks so much for any guidance you can provide us…
Mike Middei

Hi there !

I tried to give some answers about the tap tempo implementation on the dedicated thread : https://handkusers.forumotion.com/t77-how-do-i-set-tap-tempo-with-a-3rd-party-controller#1040

Cheers,

Fredo.

Wow!  Just got my GM36 working with the app in Windows.  Took a while because of the "cheap Chinese interface" issue.  I have it linked up through my Lexicon Lambda now and can say that it is working without any identified issues.  It's on a generic laptop running WinXP SP3 and I had to manually install the drivers for the Lambda but it was a one step and restart process.  The app then worked first time.

The only frustrating thing is that, when I select one of the factory presets, which are very well thought out and varied, the Power Soak jumps to 36W as the preset dictates.  I could reset each preset to 5W say and resave but that would take time and I lose the original for full power work.  A nice touch would have been to have the ability to lock the Power Soak setting so it doesn't change with the preset selection.

I am assuming the Setting:  Power EQ Mode - Preset/Global, is simply setting the Presence and Resonance controls in this way, either to the preset value or "Stay As You Are And Do Not Change With Preset".  Am I correct in my thinking here?

Also, is Fredo's code for his application freely available or is it his private property and kept exclusive to him?  I'm not trying to steal any of his work, only curious because it would be interesting to have a look at it and see how he has approached things.  If it is private I fully understand and respect that of course.

(EDIT: I have looked into it on the Ctrlr site and found that the source code is public now and I have a copy of it. Many thanks.)



Anyway, fabulous application, Lexicon Lambda tested and working in Windows XP SP3.

Hi bordonbert,

Glad to ear that you find the editor useful :-)
Yeah Power EQ mode only affects Presence and Resonance (it's a feature of the amp).
The Grandmeister does not support global mode for power soak :-/
I could implement it in the editor, but it would not work when using the amp alone.
I'll see if I can manage it when I find time to work on the editor again, but sadly I'm very busy at work lately and I have absolutely no time to spend on the editor...

The source code is not closed : you can download it using the "Ctrlr Panel" link on the editor's page.
You need to download the Ctrlr application to use it and edit it (it's Lua code).

Best regards,

Fredo.

Can anyone explain this odd menu behaviour in Fredo's Windows app?  I seem to have an additional unnamed menu item between "View" and "MIDI" which drops down when I roll over it.
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Here are screenshots of the menus in action and you can see the additional one in the middle.

Well that's a "feature" of Ctrlr, the platform that the editor is built on.
Basically the editor is just a custom panel for the Ctrlr MIDI editor software.
If you go to the download page of the editor and use the third link ("Ctrlr Panel") you'll get the panel file that can be loaded into the Ctrlr software.
When I generate the standalone Windows and Mac versions from Ctrlr, the tool hides some developer menus to make it less confusing for standard users.
It's one of those (not se well ;-) hidden menu that you see on the above screenshot.

Thanks for the heads up Fredo.  It makes sense with what I have now found.  I have Ctrlr installed and your Panel open in it and I'm having great fun fiddling about destroying all your good work. I haven't built Ctrlr locally, just downloaded the binary.

I've added a second switch in the Settings dialogue for 'Power Soak Mode - Preset/Global' under the Power Eq Mode switch and I'm digging into the code now.  First thoughts were to hack in everywhere that powerEqMode is used and parallel what that does to the Presence and Resonance controls, but this doesn't seem to be useful.  I had thought there should be somewhere that I would see changes to Presence and Resonance levels being ignored if powerEqMode was set to Global but that doesn't seem to offer anything I would see as useful.  Things are never as simple as you hope of course but it's a way of getting used to the new strange environment and the language.

I can see how much work you've put into this panel Fredo, and because it's reasonably accessible to someone looking at it for the first time, it's beautifully written.  It's a shame there is no design documentation available to make it easier to see the overall structure and flow.  My hat is off to you my man!    I hope you don't mind me poking about in your code, it's a great learning process and I'm seriously impressed.

Has anyone any info on using this app on a tablet running Windows RT?