Steven Miller

I'm considering purchasing, and just wondering if any body has had any experience with, the Novation ReMOTE ZeRO SL controller, or any of the other related ones in the line up. I'm particularly interested in experience using it with MaxMSP, but general use would be of interest.

I'm interested in general opinions, likes/dislikes, etc. but also VERY interested if anyone has been able to control the LCD readouts externally from Max (changing/updating text, etc.) and how flexible this is. I can't find any info on the website or downloadable user manual that addresses this aspect.

novation-remote-zero-sl-midi-controller

Yes, the RemoteSL is fantastic! I have the Remote SL61, it 

gets along very well with Max. You can write to the 

LCD display on the RemoteSL via sysex commands from Max.

Works like a charm. Details can be found here...

https://cycling74.com/forums/index.php?t=msg&goto=165302&rid=2274&S=4ce2fc3960c18a11aebcadb1ce06d99c&srch=remotesl#msg_165302

Yes, the RemoteSL is fantastic! I have the Remote SL61, it 
gets along very well with Max. You can write to the 
LCD display on the RemoteSL via sysex commands from Max.
Works like a charm. Details can be found here...https://cycling74.com/forums/index.php?t=msg&goto=165302&rid=2274&S=4ce2fc3960c18a11aebcadb1ce06d99c&srch=remotesl#msg_165302


Oh cool, I have the remote sl 37, and I didnt' know you could do that. Ill try it out! I also have a nord modular g2, I wonder, can you write to the leds in there? Do you have a demo patch of

Ive recently been playing with my kaoss pad 3, and making a really cool sequencer with it. you can set it up to work like a multislider with 8 sliders, and then use the various buttons to toggle through different modes or channels. Its pretty awesome for something that only cost me like 200 bux.

Oh cool, I have the remote sl 37, and I didnt' know you could do that.  Ill try it out!  I also have a nord modular g2, I wonder, can you write to the leds in there?  Do you have a demo patch of

Ive recently been playing with my kaoss pad 3, and making a really cool sequencer with it.  you can set it up to work like a multislider with 8 sliders, and then use the various buttons to toggle through different modes or channels.  Its pretty awesome for something that only cost me like 200 bux.


Anthony Palomba wrote on Thu, 12 March 2009 21:14

I can't get this to work at all. Which port? What could I be doing wrong?

Anthony Palomba wrote on Thu, 12 March 2009 21:14Yes, the RemoteSL is fantastic! I have the Remote SL61, it 
gets along very well with Max. You can write to the 
LCD display on the RemoteSL via sysex commands from Max.
Works like a charm. Details can be found here...https://cycling74.com/forums/index.php?t=msg&goto=165302&rid=2274&S=4ce2fc3960c18a11aebcadb1ce06d99c&srch=remotesl#msg_165302

I can't get this to work at all.  Which port?  What could I be doing wrong?

More specifically, I believe that if I bang this object to a midiout set the the correct port, I should see some reaction.

[sxformat 240 0 32 41 3 3 32 2 3 0 1 1 247]

No dice. Live works fine with automap, so I guess the connections are good.

More specifically, I believe that if I bang this object to a midiout set the the correct port, I should see some reaction. 

No dice.  Live works fine with automap, so I guess the connections are good.

I am using firmware 4.1 and it works for me. It looks like

you are trying to write ASCII value 0, 1, 1, to slot 3.

I am pretty sure 0 and 1 are not printable characters.

I am using firmware 4.1 and it works for me. It looks like
you are trying to write ASCII value 0, 1, 1, to slot 3.
I am pretty sure 0 and 1 are not printable characters.

Anthony Palomba wrote on Tue, 19 May 2009 06:27

The sysex string I quoted was copied directly from your patch. It's supposed to put Automap online. Not for me. Is shouldn't the device say MOTU DP online, or something?

Anthony Palomba wrote on Tue, 19 May 2009 06:27I am using firmware 4.1 and it works for me. It looks like
you are trying to write ASCII value 0, 1, 1, to slot 3.
I am pretty sure 0 and 1 are not printable characters.

The sysex string I quoted was copied directly from your patch.  It's supposed to put Automap online.   Not for me.  Is shouldn't the device say MOTU DP online, or something?

Putting it online mode does not do anything, at least on my

SL61. There should be another statement that writes "foo"

Putting it online mode does not do anything, at least on my
SL61. There should be another statement that writes "foo"
to the screen. Does it a least do that?


I had ansl37 for a while, but i sold it. the vst wrapper seemed over complicated, and didnt work properly with pluggo.

i use kenton control freaks which are cheap, and very flexible

I had ansl37 for a while, but i sold it. the vst wrapper seemed over complicated, and didnt work properly with pluggo.
i use kenton control freaks which are cheap, and very flexible


I didnt really like the way it worked, i like to have controllers dedicated to a particular parameter. if you have two control freaks you can have one controlling the other, so you can have one as a mixer and one controlling multiple effects for each channel. you can buy about 4 control freaks on ebay for the price of an sl37. you can program them to send sysex, and they have a cv input!

Anthony Palomba wrote on Tue, 19 May 2009 17:18

I am clicking the buttons from top-to-bottom on your test patch, and see nothing.

I've tried setting the ports to any of the 3 ReMOTE ports, as well as Automap MIDI. Does the Automap app need to be open?

Anthony Palomba wrote on Tue, 19 May 2009 17:18Putting it online mode does not do anything, at least on my
SL61. There should be another statement that writes "foo"
to the screen. Does it a least do that?

I've tried setting the ports to any of the 3 ReMOTE ports, as well as Automap MIDI.  Does the Automap app need to be open?

I just checked again, it is working here for me.

One things I am doing is that I am not running the automap 

client. I am also selecting "2- ReMOTE SL" as my port.

I can not think of anything other than that.

One things I am doing is that I am not running the automap 
client. I am also selecting "2- ReMOTE SL" as my port.

Hi does anyone know if this patch works with the MK2?

I wrote an abstraction a while ago for writing text to the displays on this unit. Download below if anyone would find it useful.

http://www.theimpersonalstereo.com/downloads/imp.sltext.zip

Hi David thanks for posting this, I've given it a quick try and I'm finding only the clear commands do something, it seems the text command is ignored. I've tried outputting to both ports.

Hi David thanks for posting this, I've given it a quick try and I'm finding only the clear commands do something, it seems the text command is ignored.  I've tried outputting to both ports.


Hmmm, I haven't tested it for a while. I'll give it a go later and report back.

Just tested and everything working fine on my end. Are you testing using the help patcher?

yes I am, I am opening the help patch and clicking the text messages. I can see the traffic hitting the SL2 in midi monitor. Must I put the SL2 in a certain template mode? I've tried a couple of templates already.

yes I am, I am opening the help patch and clicking the text messages.  I can see the traffic hitting the SL2 in midi monitor.  Must I put the SL2 in a certain template mode?  I've tried a couple of templates already.


Aha, there's the problem. The abstraction only works with the original Zero SL, not the Zero SL2.

OK thanks for trying anyhow. I guess I could contact Novation, hopefully it's just a case of altering the sysex codes you have in your patch.

OK thanks for trying anyhow.  I guess I could contact Novation, hopefully it's just a case of altering the sysex codes you have in your patch.


Can anybody tell me how I upload the MAX_MSP.syx file so that I can use all levers and knobs with Max?

Can anybody tell me how I upload the MAX_MSP.syx    file so that I can use all levers and knobs with Max?

Yeah hopefully. I've been meaning to try and get in touch with them for a while to see if I can get a copy of the full manufacturers SysEx API, so I can access things like the light above the record button.

doh just realised, I have the full api actually, I ventured down this path when I first got my MK2 about a year ago and was looking at doing something with the LEDs so contacted Novation. Just searched my mail and found a pdf. I think I felt a bit out of my depth at the time so never followed it up.

I Will see if I can cross reference your patch with the new codes in this PDF.

PS the button above the record is re mappable on the MK2, the 5 buttons down the left however are a bit of a pain to intercept but I manage by way of an intermediary max patch.

doh just realised, I have the full api actually, I ventured down this path when I first got my MK2 about a year ago and was looking at doing something with the LEDs so contacted Novation.  Just searched my mail and found a pdf.  I think I felt a bit out of my depth at the time so never followed it up.

PS the button above the record is re mappable on the MK2, the 5 buttons down the left however are a bit of a pain to intercept but I manage by way of an intermediary max patch.


F0 00 20 29 03 03 12 00 02 00 02 02 04 01 09 01 04 42 75 74 74 6F 6E

20 32 00 01 09 03 04 20 20 20 31 00 01 12 01 04 42 75 74 74 6F 6E 20

F0 00 20 29 03 03 12 00 02 00 Sysex Header

01 09 01 Cursor Posn XY = Char 9, Top Line

04 42 75 74 74 6F 6E 20 32 00 Text = “Button 2 “

01 09 03 Cursor Posn XY = Char 9, Bottom Line

01 12 01 Cursor Posn XY = Char 18, Top Line

04 42 75 74 74 6F 6E 20 33 00 Text = “Button 3”

01 12 03 Cursor Posn = Char 18, Bottom Line

OK this is a sample LCD command, how would I put this in the sxformat object? Do I have convert from hexadecimal?

Example LCD Text Message:
Short LCD sysex message:
F0 00 20 29 03 03 12 00 02 00 02 02 04 01 09 01 04 42 75 74 74 6F 6E
20 32 00 01 09 03 04 20 20 20 31 00 01 12 01 04 42 75 74 74 6F 6E 20
33 00 01 12 03 04 20 20 20 4F 4E 00 F7
Breakdown:
F0 00 20 29 03 03 12 00 02 00 Sysex Header
02 LCD Commands
02 04 Clear Entire Left Display
01 09 01 Cursor Posn XY = Char 9, Top Line
04 42 75 74 74 6F 6E 20 32 00 Text = “Button 2 “
01 09 03 Cursor Posn XY = Char 9, Bottom Line
04 20 20 20 31 00 Text = “   1”
01 12 01 Cursor Posn XY = Char 18, Top Line
04 42 75 74 74 6F 6E 20 33 00 Text = “Button 3”
01 12 03 Cursor Posn = Char 18, Bottom Line
04 20 20 20 4F 4E 00 Text = “   ON”
F7 End of Sysex 

Button2    Button3
            1                 ON

OK this is a sample LCD command, how would I put this in the sxformat object?  Do I have convert from hexadecimal?


Does anyone has any experience with embedding a patch into Zero SL MKII? I'm currently working on this sampler-like module in max, I'll try to embed it into MKII including lcd, 8 different track, configured EQ and effects. I believe I need to deal with sysex connection first, anyway I'll keep you posted with progress if anyone is interested, any suggestions are welcome.

Hey there, I'm busting my SL controllers out of retirement to try some stuff.

Anyone still have any of their things for sending data to the screens?

all the links I'm finding in this thread are long dead

Hey there, I'm busting my SL controllers out of retirement to try some stuff.

Anyone still have any of their things for sending data to the screens?
all the links I'm finding in this thread are long dead

Novation ReMOTE ZeRO SL MIDI controller