Volkaoss Arduino firmware BETA1 is here - VolcaSample and Kaosscilator as true synths

"Volkaoss" (VK if you don't speak Klingon) is a MIDI controller / converter allowing you to play MIDI notes on your Kaossilator Pro 3 as a mono synth, and to use the Volca Sample as a GM drum machine on the MIDI channel 10.   This is a totally plug and play solution, without soldering, based on the famous Arduino platform.

Quick setup :

Arduino hardware

You can search on Ebay for "Aduino Uno" and "Arduino MIDI SHIELD".
For example : Arduino Uno from UK  and Arduino Midi shield from HK .
It should cost less than 15 €, shipping included.
You simply have to put the Midi shield into the Arduino Uno socket. That's all you have to do !!

Firmware (sketch) download and uploading to the Arduino.

Download the Volkaoss binary firmware BETA1 for Arduino Uno here.  This is a beta version, so you know what it means !   To push the bin firmware to the Arduino, you will need the excellent XLOADER utility , from Russemoto.  Arduino is usually found on COM 4 or COM 5 after you have plugged the USB cable.

Sources can be found on the Github project here : https://github.com/TheKikGen/Volkaoss

MIDI setup

The kaossilator must be set to 4 octaves, scale must be chromatic. The Key is usually better fixed to C minus. The receiving MIDI channel is 11 by default. It must be set to 11 in Midi / MSSG / GL.CH else the koassilator will not receive messages from Volkaoss.  The bank A,B,C,D buttons must be configured to  C2, C#2, D2, D#2.  This is the default configuration.
Kaossilator pro Control change # are (corresponding to Kaossilator default factory) :

• 92  pad on/off control change
• 12  pad X control change
• 13  pad Y control change
• 90  GATE ARP on/off control change
• 91  GATE ARP speed Control change
• 93  GATE ARP time  Control change

You can change these in the Kaossilator Midi setting menu.

TIPS : If you want to store permanently your Kaossilator configuration,  set your key, scale, and range , and store them in to a program bank.  Then save programs to bank 0, and again ALL to bank 0. At the next boot, you kaossilator will be ready to use with Volkaoss.

The firmware covers both Kaossilator Pro 3 / Pro 3+ and the Volca Sample. You need a splitter cable to control the 2 devices at the same time. Otherwise, simply use a classic midi cable if you own only one of these devices.

• Plug the MIDI OUT of your keyboard to the Midi IN of the Volkaos. 
• Plug the splitter cable to the MIDI Out of the Volkaoss.
• Plug first out of the splitter to the Midin In of the Kaossilator pro, and the second one to the Midi IN of the Volcasample.
• Plug a +5V power supply or a USB cable to the Arduino board, then choose some samples on parts 1-10 of the Volca Sample.

Testing

On the kaossilator, choose the piano patch (A42), and send notes to the channel 1, beyond C1. You should hear a piano sound and see the green light on the pad.
Send notes from C2 to the channel 10 : you should hear the Volca sample sounds.

VK global commands

You can use the following commands on the channel 16, dedicated to VK configuration.:

• Save current configuration permanently to the EEPROM
• Reset to factory default : Midin 1, Out 11, transpose 36, PAD Y 64 for the Kaossilator. No activated midi in channels for the Volca sample. Debug mode off.
• Toggle Debug : activate/ inactivate debug mode. The debug mode sends messages to a terminal connected to the serial port at 115200 bauds.  If you need to boot this debug mode activated, you must save the current configuration.  When debug is on , your midi equipment could react to what is sent to the serial port, especially at boot time, because midi out and terminal are sharing the same serial port.  So don't forget to set debug OFF in normal conditions.
• Soft reset : reboot Volkaoss (soft reboot is not exactly the same as pushing the reset button).  You can use this command to apply what you saved, or simply to reset the Volkaoss remotely from your MIDI keyboard when necessary.

Debug mode display at boot time on terminal, 115200 bauds :
VOLKAOSS - MULTI-DEVICES MIDI CONTROLLER
Build number : 1.071216.0040
================================================
Parameters retrieved from EEPROM
================================================
Version                             : 0.00
Debug Mode                          : 1
VK Midin                            : 16
Kaossilator Midi In                 : 7
Kaossilator Midi Out                : 11
Kaossilator transpose               : 36
Kaossilator  PAD default value      : 64
Volca Sample midi in channel status : 0
================================================

VK for the Kaossilator Pro 3 / Pro 3 +

• Map midi notes to specific pad press and X, Y control changes 
• Manage holded note on while playing another as a mono synth do 
• Pitch bend handling relatively to the note currently pressed on the keyboard 
• Map Cutoff, Reverb level or Modulation Wheel to PAD Y 
• Map Resonance to a totally free PAD X 
• Velocity sensitivity 
• Commands on the C0 octave (C0 beeing the "command key") : 
• Start/stop bank A, B, C, D. 
• All banks on / off (2) 
• ARP/GATE start / stop 
• ARP speed increase / decrease (cyclic) 
• Change Midi In channel (between 1-15.  Beyond 15 stays at 1 whatever the #)
• Change Midi out channel

To enter a command, you must hold both the command key (C0) and the key corresponding to the function you need to use. If a midi clock is received, the banks, and the ARG/GATE are started synchronously with the BPM. The ARP/gate speed increase/decrease are cyclics.

If you need to change the midi in channel for the Volkaoss, you must tap the "Change midi in key " a number of time corresponding to the channel number.  Beyond 16, it stays at 1. The channel will change only after you release the command key. So, don't forget to adjust the midi out channel in your midi keyboard.  Same behaviour for the Midi out change.

VK for the Volca Sample :

• Map notes on channel 10, C2 octave to Volca Sample parts on midi 1 to 10, and play chromatically the last part played (not used for recording) beyond C2 
• Velocity sensitivity 
• Commands on C0 to toggle midi IN for parts (5-9) to use them for specific Volca controls or playing chromatically when recording with a DAW 
• Reset controllers values 

Notes are starting with part 1 at C2, part 2 at C#2, etc... on the channel 10 (as the General Midi drums standard). All commands must be sent from the channel 10, at the C0 octave.

Enabling MIDI IN channels will allow you to tweak part in real time, like the knobs of the Volca Sample. Only channels from 5 to 9 can be enabled. To activate/inactivate (toggle) the part midi in channel, you must first select it, by emitting the note on the channel 10 corresponding to that part. For example, if you need to tweak a Kick drum, choose a sample at the part #5, press the corresponding note on the midi keyboard (E2) at the channel 10, then Command key + Toogle Midi In.  You just enabled the midi in on channel 5.  Then use your midi controller to tweak values.

The "Reset all CC" command will initialize all CC values to their original value for the selected part.

Issues reporting

If you find any issue, you can report it here, in the comments.