Ryan Flemmer

Got an old Roland SH-201, trying to use it with Windows 10, which doesn't support the USB drivers. So, I've been mapping the controls in Ableton, and am trying to make a control plugin in M4L. Able to map most of the controls through CC but several functions are only usable with messages through Roland's Editor. They are displayed as hex codes, so I think they are SysEx messages, but not sure. This is what they look like:

F0 41 10 00 00 16 12 10 00 01 00 00 6F F7

Is there a way to send something like that from M4L to my device via MIDI? Thanks!

Got an old Roland SH-201, trying to use it with Windows 10, which doesn't support the USB drivers. So, I've been mapping the controls in Ableton, and am trying to make a control plugin in M4L. Able to map most of the controls through CC but several functions are only usable with messages through  Roland's Editor. They are displayed as hex codes, so I think they are SysEx messages, but not sure. This is what they look like:

Is there a way to send something like that from M4L to my device via MIDI? Thanks!


sending-midi-hex-messages

Don't know about M4L, but max sends Sysex without problems.

Just convert the hex string into decimal numbers and send the line

You can capture roland editor output in max with sysexin .

Don't know about M4L, but max sends Sysex without problems.
Just convert the hex string into decimal numbers and send the line
via sxformat / midiout.
You can capture roland editor output in max with sysexin .


Ok, another stupid question. What does the decimal format look like? Is it one large number, like 1595470569289169015? Or is it the same format as the MIDI message, like 240 65 116 0 0 22 18 16 0 1 0 0 111 247? To send it to the midiout it would just be "sxformat __#___"?

You can use the prefix 0x to express numbers in hexadecimal format. So, for example, 0xF0 is the same as 240. Try typing it into sxformat as an argument and you'll see. If you look at the sxformat help file, you'll see how to format the sysex message. Connect the outlet of sxformat to the inlet of a midiout object.

You can use  the prefix 0x to express numbers in hexadecimal format. So, for example, 0xF0 is the same as 240. Try typing it into sxformat as an argument and you'll see. If you look at the sxformat help file, you'll see how to format the sysex message. Connect the outlet of sxformat to the inlet of a midiout object.


Yes, it seems to be a sysex-message and probably that's the main problem.

When I last checked (about 1.5 years ago), Ableton Live filtered out all sysex-messages. Simply deleted it from any midi stream. Here's a thread , with some workarounds:

https://cycling74.com/forums/sysex-and-live-9-is-it-now-possible

But the 3rd party objects mentioned there seem to be available only for mac.

Yes, it seems to be a sysex-message and probably that's the  main problem. 

But the 3rd party objects mentioned there seem to be available only for mac.


Sorry to say so, but if Ableton Live is doing something like filtering all sysex messages,

than just don't buy it. It is just nonsense.

It states to be audio midi workstation...

Sysex is just as important part of midi as notes and CC are, at least for people having

As I understand, You are on windows, which makes things more complicated.

On Mac we have at least IAC driver which allows for interapplication midi routing.

But on Windows Yoy have to look for other options.

And, hex to decimal is a simple thing, just read somewhere what hexadecimal is.

Sorry to say so, but if Ableton Live is doing something like filtering all sysex messages,
than just don't buy it. It is just nonsense.
It states to be audio midi workstation...
Sysex is just as important part of midi as notes and CC are, at least for people having
any external midi gear.

As I understand, You are on windows, which makes things more complicated.
On Mac we have at least IAC driver which allows for interapplication midi routing.
But on Windows Yoy have to look for other options.
And, hex to decimal is a simple thing, just read somewhere what hexadecimal is.


consecutive decimals ints: 240, 65, 116, 0, 0 , ... that is what midiout understands.

consecutive decimals ints:   240, 65, 116, 0, 0 , ... that is what midiout understands.

Sending MIDI hex messages