With new 4MS MM expander, we have buttons. Can we map VCV “right click” parameters such as [Randomise] and/or choose a specific pre-determined preset such as a particular [Scale] and [wavetable file] or Sample, etc. Or how about quick utility functions such as this button will zoom into current module with no text, etc. or this button will zap into this knob set, etc. I’m getting ahead here, how about Macro faders as well as momentary use of buttons.
I don’t think there is a release date for the button expander (or the Knobs and Gate/MIDI/I2C expanders) or any information on the order in which the additional modules will be released.
Have been wondering about the forthcoming eight button expander for the Meta and was speculating on its functionality. I’d like to share my thoughts…
-
This really will be a dedicated performance expander module for the Meta.
-
I presume it will come with a virtual vcv equivalent so that we can set it up offline using VCV Rack.
-
I hope it’s like the DMDM Droid module (I.e P2B8) in that the buttons have a coloured LED so they can have multiple functions that can be quickly understood at a glance so you’re not having to peer that the Meta screen all the time.
i.e Red buttons = Gate Sequencer A mode
Blue buttons = Gate Sequencer B mode
Green buttons = Clock Run / Reset / Randomise / and other Clock Div/Mult preset modes
Yellow buttons = it would be great if there was a special mode where full Meta preset patches could be ‘instantly’ loaded depending which button is pressed in that mode. I realise there would be delays sometimes as a patch loads but it would really enhance the Meta’s performative use.
The other thought, again from the Droid P2B8 is having some control logic that interprets:
Long Button Presses
Multiple Button Press conditions
Toggle Buttons vs Immediate Buttons behaviors
Button cycling - press once - Red, press again Blue, press again Green, press again Red etcl
Maybe a double tap recognition mode
Perhaps there could be a special control mode where by long pressing and holding the bottom button, you could enter a mode where by turning the main control knob on the Meta, you can dial through a range of button presets/colours, enabling you to switch between different button panel modes without having to peer at the Metas screen.
My other thought is that perhaps there would be an automatic ‘hardwired’ Midi Note equivalent for each button, (Midi Channel 16 - first button is D1, second is D#1 etc.) so that users who did not have the button expander would still be able to use patches shared by other users who incorporated the button expander into their patches. One of the frustrations of the Droid is installing another users patch and then discovering that you dont have the same hardware configuration. If the user button preset patch was automatically mirrored in Midi, with zero user interaction, this would make sharing patches easier.
Anyway apologies if this seems very pedestrian but though it might be interesting to hear what other users are seeking in the forthcoming button expander.
Yes, exactly.
Unfortunately, no, the buttons don’t have lights.
We could/might make a button expander that has full-color lights but that would be a different module. It gets complicated and confusing pairing buttons and lights and the more we pursued that way of doing it, the more complicated the user interface got (e.g. you have to manually create “Light mappings” separate from “Button mappings” since buttons and their corresponding lights aren’t paired in any consistent way across modules). The cost would be higher as well, so we opted to make something that hits most use cases: just buttons.
We do have support for this. When you make a button mapping, it’s the same as when you make a MIDI button mapping: you can choose between toggle mode or normal (press=on, release=off).
These are possible… though a lot of questions how this works, but in theory you could map Long-Press button to something different than normal tap. You would have to sacrifice latency of course since when you press a button there’s no way it can know if this is the start of a Long Press or if this is going to be a short press or double-tap etc. So the buttons would not be responsive until a certain time has passed and the MM can determine what kind of press this is. So, obviously not suitable for triggering drums, but probably OK if the buttons are used for change modes or selecting the active bank or something.
That’s a pretty good idea. Also – you can make a MIDI map and a normal button map to the same control, so even without any new features if you wanted to share a patch that has button expander mappings then you could layer MIDI mappings on top.
But some way to automatically do this would save time.
Thanks for the comprehensive response.
Of all the points you’ve made, the only one that is disappointing is the decision not to include lights in the buttons. Having used the Droid system I can say that having a button light up really helps users to see at a glance if the button/switch is on or off and maximises their potential utility.
Anyway, maybe next time…
1 Like
For future reference, @stoermelder has recently published an update for the VCVRack PackOne plugin MIDI-CAT module that has tried to solve the button light state problem , looks very promising for those modules that use standard vcvrack LED button widgets. There may be code in that update that could be adopted in a future MM firmware to send back MIDI messages and even light up buttons on a future button expander+ module….
1 Like
OTOH, Droid is also scripting your own interface from scratch. It’s for sure a smart and nice module, but figuring out knob scaling and building other ’low-level’ stuff from components is a very different experience from what MM is doing.
On the MM, I can see how the blinkenlight buttons could get unwieldy.
Totally agree about the problems of working with Droid. I just wanted to share my experience with the hardware and my thoughts about why some aspects work very well and why they might usefully apply to the Meta.
1 Like
Totally fair 
good thoughts all round! 