BeatBuddy MIDI Control Program

[Joe_southern]

Rockindaddy and others - Thanks so much. Since I did this for free - ego feeding is my only reward (: It is great to know that people are using it.

I looked at the open source that BB provided. It’s in C++ and I got it to compile with a few changes, but man - that’s a mess to work with for me anyway. My programs are windows C# only and so I can just roll through it. I’ve worked with that forever. So, I can appreciate how difficult it is for the BB people to make changes in their project. I’ve developed sw forever, and as they say the devil is in the details. I wish I could provide this to IOS people, but it just raises the level of complexity for me. I don’t know the answer to the BB Manager, but glad my program provides a ‘work around’ as we say in the biz.

Again, in the spirit of the giving people have done here with their drum tracks and such, I’ve got a new one to give back. First the boring backstory.

I purchased the complete collection to add to all the ones I already can’t play that I’ve picked up from the forum, and then found two things.

1. I’m old and don’t want to bend over to pick my song from BB and

2. I’ve got too many songs to sort though. It’s too hard to find something.

So, I saw where there were some MIDI solutions, but man they seemed complicated to use. One on Youtube I was like WTF. I understood it but wondered how many others would. Then I read the comments. Someone said you had to be a rocket scientist.

I had made something some time back for incorporating my Boss RC300, but it just became to complicated for what I’m doing now and so I rewrote it to be more simplistic. It’s actually pretty nice in my humble opinion.

Basically, you pick you song - push the button to set BB to your song. There’s a Find tool also. And you can start or stop the BB from the program. No bending over (:

It makes all of the songs I’ve got on there way more manageable. I don’t play any better, but it’s more manageable (: and there’s always a chance I’ll get better.

I’m looking for a couple of testers for it before I make it available to anyone that wants it - like I did with the other program - Printing of songs.

I think the main thing is the midi - I won’t claim to be an expert in midi (or anything), so someone with tons of midi stuff - I’m not sure how it would work. The setting of the song is based on the channel BB is set to, and the start and stop are SysEx messages to all devices. So, pretty straight forward.

Basically, I didn’t want something super complicated to use or setup. I read a lot of messages about this. I wanted to find songs quickly and organize them more effectively. I also wanted to set the BB to a particular song.

I’ve read about people struggling with the midi stuff. This should be plug and go, but there are some nuances with Midi. I can’t debug all that stuff on your system. I can say that I have the BB Midi plug and have it hooked into my computer including a keyboard and it works fine.

If BB changes their formats and file structures, then this won’t work.

So, drop me a message and I’ll send you a link if you’d like to try it. Windows only as I said. Sorry. Note. to be clear, I’m note including any songs - it’s to help you with the songs you have.

This is a new program and does not take the place of the prior program to allow printing of songs that I provided earlier. There are now 2 different programs I’ve offered up.

Here’s some screen shots to give you a concept of it. I’m hopeful it could be helpful to some of you guys and gals.

[gnomico]

I am interested. Thank you.

[Joe_southern]

gnomico -

That’s great. I’ll message you a link to it.

I was going to do a video on it but it’s taking more time than I thought (: It’s pretty straight forward though. I hope you find it helpful - and easy to use. Let me know of issues or things that could be helpful or aren’t working. I can look at making some changes.

If you used my Printing of Songs list program in this thread - this is a similar theme in design and operation. I considered combining the two programs and maybe someday, but for now, they are two separate programs with two different functions.

I kind of wondered if I should have started a separate thread since this is a different program, but didn’t…

Thanks for testing it gnomico!

Joe

[gnomico]

I tested it and it works great. However, and I think this might be an issue with my USB to Midi cable. I cannot get the Beatbuddy to recognize any folder above 127. I use Mobile Sheets Pro on Android and it does the same thing. I think it is the USB to Midi cable and I probably need a USB Midi Host. Can you access the folders above 127? Again, thank you. This is an awesome program.

[gnomico]

To clarify: I can get to the folders above 127 on the Beatbuddy. It is just the commands to send to the Beatbuddy aren’t recognized when they they are sent to the Beatbuddy.

[Joe_southern]

gnomico

Two things.

One - I believe that there is a 99 folder limit for Beat Buddy as well as a 99 song limit in each folder. Why I don’t know. But I think I read that in their docs recently.

I was over 99 folders, and was a little worried BB Manager would blow up so I rearranged mine in order to get under the 99 limit. I never really tested it over the 99.

Two - The actual midi command in my program to set the song will go will go up to 127, so I can see how that would work. That’s interesting.

I do not know how to get over 127. The Midi docs for BB show values up to 127. If anyone has a workaround I could put that in there, but it’s a basic Midi limitation as far as I know - not really a BB limitation. I mean there are things they could do but that would be some project for them.

I doubt any midi program could get you over that limit with BB.

Based on their midi docs, I’d say that in theory it could go to 127 songs in a folder too (vs 99), but again, I don’t know why they had the 99 limit so until I know that I’d be hesitant at over their 99 limit. Seems like it’s been fine for you. Maybe someone had something against 3 digit numbers ha ha.

I’m not sure where the 99 limit came in or why it was significant, but as I said it made me nervous so I rearranged mine. I just put more in each folder. I had some folders with 2 songs so I just combined some. Took me a little while to do it. I used a blank song for sections like a name of ----- Neil Young -------- and then later — Gregg Allman ------ that kind of thing. I had to create a blank midi file for it.

Anyway, at over 127 folders, you’re the kind of person that I hope the program will help. It’s a lot to try to sort through. For me, the program and the Find key - what a timesaver, and I don’t have to bend over to pick a song. (:

Thanks gnomico

[persist]

@Joe_southern

there is a 99 folder limit for Beat Buddy as well as a 99 song limit in each folder

Support tells me that folders are not limited to 99, however, there is a 99 song/folder limit. The premium collection projects hold ≥135 folders.

[gnomico]

I appreciate the response. I absolutely do not need all the songs I have on the Beatbuddy. I need to organize and get rid of the songs I don’t play. Your program has given me the impetus to get that project going! Again, thank you for both programs.

[Joe_southern]

persist

Great info.

Interesting. That gives me more flexibility in my personal arrangement in giving me more folders - up to 127.

I believe the midi limition of 127 would still apply. Let me know if someone has other thoughts on that.

gnomico - awesome! I appreciate your feedback.

I suspect it will be fine for whoever would like to try it - please backup your BB project directory first though. Also, as with the other program you need to point it to the Songs folder in your BB project. That folder is hidden so change your setting if needed or just type in the Directory rather than browsing for it.

Let me know if someone has questions. Or that it’s working and helpful (:

Here is the Download link -

ASW_BB_MidiSelect

[Joe_southern]

The following is a summary on this thread as of Jan 21,2021. As I said, I probably should have done a new thread for the new program.

I have two Windows programs free for BB users -

1. One program is to print songs in a folder or folders (or generate an html file you can print - or text or csv) based on selected folders you choose. It also will search for songs with particular drum sets.

I’ve made a short video for it - https://youtu.be/xsY2u8GpcT4

And to download the most recent version (V5) use this link -

ASW_BB_BeatsRecap_V5.zip

Here are a couple of screen shots -

2. The other program allows you to select a song and then via midi it will select it on the pedal. It’s easier than other solutions I’ve seen. You can also search your songs for titles that contain particular words or portions of words. There are also some favorite tabs to organize your songs.

I’ve made a short video for it - https://youtu.be/hOJVJHkR5EQ

And to download the most recent version (V1) use this link -

ASW BB Midi Select V1.zip

Here are a couple of screen shots -

[Midimannz]

Your programs are absolute time savers, is there a way to show the midi sysx in the midi one so I can copy and paste permanently into OnSong?

[Midimannz]

If you had 26 ‘favourites’ tabs could you could sort songs alphabetically A-Z, then each ‘favourite’ could contain 127 songs?

[Joe_southern]

Midimannz

Glad my programs are working well for you and helpful.

The sysex commands are

Start 0xF0, 0x7F, 0xFA, 0xF7

Stop 0xF0, 0x7F, 0xFC, 0xF7

I assume that’s what you are asking. The others for folders, songs and tempos are Control Changes.

Interesting idea on expanding the number of Favorites. That’s very doable. My favorites would not be limited to 127 though. Only your actual BB Manager project folders. In theory the favorites could be beyond that.

Also, I’ll take this opportunity to point out that my Midi program ‘saves’ the favorites upon exit. So, if you’ve done a bunch of work setting up your favorites, you might want to exit and restart the program to save your work.

To backup your work - just make a copy of the Data directory just under the exe file. That’s where the favorites data is saved along with references to your BB Project.

I’ve not had any issues, but power outages which I experience a lot here, etc. I’m keen on backups (:

Thanks again for your kind words.

[Midimannz]

Thanks for the prompt reply.

You are correct, it’s the control changes CC I was looking for assistance with to set up FOLDER and SONG

CC-0 [0-127] Bank (Song folder) Select MSB
CC-32 [0-127] Bank (Song folder) Select LSB

In the use of your Favourite’ folders I have considered song with titles 0-9 as ‘Favourite’ folder CC00 (songs with titles like ‘500 miles’ would go here) - this allows midi control change 0 to fit into the sequence. ‘Favourite A’ could be the songs with alphabetical ‘A’ occupying CC01?

Does this make sense?

Once your fantastic program has sorted my alphabetical song list, currently over 600 songs, I could place the CC into OnSong to call it up on BeatBuddy Pedal.

This would add real value (time saving ) in my time to search to choose a requested song, and then to get the BeatBuddy to start

[Joe_southern]

I don’t know OnSong so I can’t help you there.

Yes, for the midi change for picking a song you send the folder and song number in that folder. That’s what I’m doing in my program.

If you look at the Favorites tab, or even the All Songs tab in my program it shows the folder and Song number. That’s what I use in my program to select the songs. That’s all that’s really needed to select songs.

[Midimannz]

Thanks again, I’m wanting to capture your CC’s from the ‘Favorite folders’ and insert them into OnSong as a midi event. I use Onsong on ipad
If your lovely timesaver can display the CC it would do the job perfectly
This way when I call up the song select, it will change BeatBuddy Pedal (as you can do on the PC)
It’s proving difficult to work out the ‘Folder’ and ‘Song number’ in BBManager

[Midimannz]

I note in my system that the excel spreadsheet rolls across the top.
Using the txt file, however, can insert into columns and rows to give me the folder and song number.
It’s not far from here until I get 600 songs exactly midi as I need them
Thanks again for the program

[Joe_southern]

Midimannz

I’m not sure if I’m totally following you.

As I said, I don’t know OnSong but I did find that for OnSong they have a way to feed it multiple commands so that’s good. (For a song change I use 3 different commands)

https://onsongapp.com/docs/features/formats/onsong/metadata/midi/

I also found a video that shows them putting in a song change into OnSong.

Controlling BeatBuddy

Honestly, both the page and video seemed very confusing. It should be pretty simple.

Relating to my program -

1. I’ve added a display to show midi output - I’ve done that before - I first had it as integer but also now as Hex. But I’m just not sure how either one will help you.

The way this works is that the bytes are packed before being sent out. I’m doing that in my program and I’m not a byte expert. Shifting bits left, etc - I get by but that’s about it. I’m not sure how to get it in a format you could realistically use other than whats already available.

I agree that BB Manager doesn’t make getting Folder number and Song number easy. I didn’t see where it showed the folder number at all.

In my program - just look - it shows Folder and song number clearly on each line. Just remember that to MIdi folder 47 is actually folder 46 because counting starts at zero. So, Folder 1 is actually folder zero. Same with the songs. Song 1 is actually song zero.

From what I read in OnSong they want it split up as in MSB and LSB, etc. I also saw where they had a ‘listen’ function so maybe it can listen to the commands my program sends out. Maybe that could work for you.

In any event, I’m adding a box to show midi output. It might be helpful to you or others.

2. I’m adding more tabs - I think perhaps 30 or so. I plan to make it to where you can just select how many tabs you want. So, if you want just the 8 fine - or any number up to 30 or whatever limit I put in. It crowds the top of the screen a little but I kind of like having more tabs available.

Presumably, I’ll have that done sometime in the near future.

[Midimannz]

Hello, thanks for the update. I’m a very new user of BeatBuddy and have been learning all I can in the past couple of months.
I have more than 20 years midi experience using Cakewalk (now Cakewalk by Bandlab) and prior to my BeatBuddy purchase have been creating backing tracks for OnSong using midi files.
Using your midi program I’ve got the folder/Song title list sorted and will now just need to assign the correct ‘midi designation’ to it. BeatBuddy Manager not displaying Folder Numbers was the block in the learning curve.
I will then add the correct midi command to OnSong to locate the correct song in BeatBuddy and all is well with the world.
I like that your program will correctly identify future folder/song file if I add any new BeatBuddy files to my repertoire without having the song file stored in a particular folder, with that in mind I have also decided that Alphabetical A-Z folders is clumsy. The 100 song file limit is an easy work around because your program identifies the correct midi ‘output’ in the ‘Find’ field. This means the song file can be stored in any folder
Best regards.

[Joe_southern]

That’s great that it’s been so helpful. I’ll still include these items (more favorites and midi output) in my next update of my program. I’ll also include an option on font size for the grids.

I too am a long time Cakewalk - Sonar - X3 - and now back to Cakewalk user and glad that it is free. I paid a lot for earlier versions and updates and it’s the same program I was using except updated. I was able to carry over my vst’s that aren’t available in the native free version. It’s a great program as far as I’m concerned. I was a little fretted when it became free as if - what’s next - but thus far - it’s still been great. Certainly fits my needs and I know it quite well.

Thanks for your info and illustration on how you’re using my program.