Befaco CV Thing is a compact CV to MIDI converter that is fully mappable.Based on the company's VCMC, this unit is suitable for building small-scale live systems.The simple and intuitive interface implements eight CV inputs that can be easily mapped to any MIDI message. You can easily control MIDI gear from a modular system with configurable messages such as CC / Program Change / V / Oct Pitch / Clock.
Class compliant USB MIDI and TRS connector
Includes TRS to DIN 5 adapter (Type A)
8 CV inputs
Controls can be mapped to any MIDI message
Settings can be saved via internal memory and Sysex
HOW TO USE
Connection with external equipment
The CV Thing offers two types of MIDI connectivity: USB and TRS.Both connections send all MIDI messages generated by the module and select each one according to the device it controls.
USB:The USB port is the most convenient way to connect your Cintiq to your computer. Simply plug it into your computer's USB port using a USB Type-B cable and the CV Thing will automatically be recognized as a MIDI device.From now on, you can select this unit from the MIDI connection settings of your DAW or other software that supports MIDI.
TRS MIDI:A lot of external gear uses DIN5 connections for MIDI control. CV Thing ships with a TRS to DIN5 adapter, so if you want to use the Thing to control external gear, use a standard MIDI DIN cable and the included adapter to connect the TRS MIDI output to the external gear's MIDI input. Connect.
Basic Structure - Input and Performance Screens
The Performance Screen is the first level of menus in CV Thing.This screen provides a quick view of the state of each input via the LEVEL BAR.You can also use the encoders to browse the 8 inputs, and to access more detailed information on each input, click on the encoder to enter each input's settings menu.
CV setting
Each of the CV Thing's eight inputs has individual CV settings menus that allow you to configure how they operate. To bring up the CV Edit screen, select Input from the Performance screen and click on the encoder.
Function Select the MIDI message mapped to the input.Move the cursor and click to enter the MIDI Mapping screen.
DC:Send a CC message.Once selected, you will be prompted to select a CC number to be sent.
V/Oct to Note:In this mode the two inputs are linked so CV+Gate messages can be converted to MIDI notes.This mode is available for odd-numbered inputs, and subsequent even-numbered inputs are automatically mapped to gates.For example, if input 2 is set to this mode, input 1 will be mapped to the gate. When the gate goes HIGH, a Note ON message is sent with a value proportional to the CV input, and when the gate goes LOW, a Note OFF message is sent.Note that only 120 MIDI notes are sent over the entire range to preserve the V/Oct range. 12 semitones = 1 octave, 10 octaves = 120 notes. All notes represented by CV Thing assume that MIDI NOTE 0 is C2. When Note mode is selected, new scale and chord options become available.See below for details on these.
V/Oct Poly: This mode allows you to send multiple notes with a single gate.When selected, Gate 8 will automatically be set as a gate that sends notes for each similarly configured channel.You don't need to manually set this gate and if you send multiple CVs as V/Oct Poly, Gate 8 will send a MIDI note for each CV that is set.
When Note mode is selected, new scale and chord options become available.See below for details on these.
Notes: This mode will generate MIDI notes on the selected MIDI channel according to the V/Oct ratio, with or without a gate.The note length is set immediately after selecting the mode, so to set a fixed note length, edit the original, or send Note OFF before sending a new note, set I can. No auto OFF, 500ms, 1000ms, 1500ms, 3000ms, Edit Auto OFF
Velocity: CVs are mapped to Velocity messages representing selected notes on MIDI channels.
Pitch Bend: CVs are mapped to Pitch Bend messages.
Program Change: A Program Change message proportional to the CV value will be sent.
Channel Pressure: This option converts CVs/faders into Channel Pressure messages, also known as channel aftertouch.This message affects all notes received on that MIDI channel.It is up to the receiving device how it responds to incoming Channel Pressure messages.
Digital functions: Digital Functions can be selected in the same way as the Gate input described later.
Chord Functions: This submenu provides options for controlling chord parameters.After selecting one of the options, you will be prompted to select a bank.If you select Note mode for this bank, the CV will affect any chords generated within the bank. *Scale, Root Scale, Chord Type, Chord Voicing. See below for details.
High Resolution MIDI:CC 14 BitsIn mode, the CV Thing sends a 2-bit CC message treated as two CC messages.The upper 14 bits are sent on the selected CC, the lower 7 bits have a value of 7 higher. If you select 32 Bit CC#14, the high bit will be sent on CC#2 first, then the low bit on CC#2.NRPNmode converts CVs to NRPN messages.When set to this mode, you will be prompted to select an NRPN number. Two NRPN modes are available, 7-bit and 14-bit.
MIDI CHANNEL Select the MIDI channel used by the CV input.
CV DELAY Sets the delay when reading CV, which is especially useful in V/Oct mode.Some sequencers introduce a delay between sending the gate high and sending the CV, so this feature can be used to avoid sending old messages.
RANGES This screen shows the operating range in which the CV input and MIDI output work.can be set.You can also calibrate the CV input here.
In Range +10:The CV input expects a voltage range of 0 to 10V and converts each voltage to a concrete MIDI value. A voltage of 10V is the maximum value for MIDI messages. +5:The CV input expects a voltage range of 0 to 5V and converts each voltage to a concrete MIDI value. A voltage of 5V is the maximum value for MIDI messages. -5/+5:The CV input can also handle negative voltages.Linking the fader as a SUM is useful because in this mode a voltage of 5V translates to a MIDI value of 64, -5V to -64, and negative values are clipped to 0.
Out range MIDI RANGE: Select the minimum and maximum MIDI values to scale the input to that range. MIDI TRIM:These values will limit the MIDI so that it will not send messages that exceed the set value.This function clips the range, not the scaling. Rotate and click the encoder to set each range value.Click Cancel to return to the previous screen without saving changes, or click End to save.
Calibration Perform a two-point calibration of CV Things.This screen asks me to send 2V and 2V and tells me which MIDI notes they relate to.If you choose 8V for the input width, the two voltages will be 5V and 2V respectively.Calibration is useful when the CV source used is offset, which prevents note drift during conversion.It also corrects scaling if the V/Oct linearity of the source CV is not perfect.
Calibration procedure: Before selecting calibration, make sure V/Oct to Note mode is selected on the CV input you want to calibrate.If not selected, you will be prompted to enable it. Once the mode is set, connect the CV signal from your sequencer or CV source, set it to send 2V, and check the voltage meter at the bottom of the screen.If there is no problem, it should be displayed as C0/2V.Turn the encoder until the first row (2V 24 C0) is selected and click the encoder. Repeat this procedure for the 8V and click End to finish the calibration.Click Cancel if you do not want to save your changes.
Digital function
The CV input of this unit also functions as a gate input.These can be accessed from the Digital Functions submenu.
Note Gate Raises the note each time the Gate input receives a gate signal.Press the encoder to select the note number and click again to confirm the action.Send Note ON message at gate HIGH and Note OFF at gate LOW.
Note Latch This mode is also basically the same as Note Gate mode, but the Note OFF message is not sent until the Gate signal goes HIGH again.
CC Gate A CC message is sent whenever the Gate input receives a gate signal.Press the encoder to select the CC number, press again to select the CC Value, and finally click again to confirm your action.Gate HIGH sends a CC message with the selected value, Gate LOW sends a second message with CC Value 2.
CC Latch Similar functionality to CC Gate, but CC Value 2 is not sent until the second gate goes HIGH.
Clock A clock message is sent.Click the encoder to open the clock setting screen.Here you can see the multiplication and division of the incoming clock signal as well as the BPM.
ST/SP Opens a menu for configuring Start, Stop, and Continue messages.Several combinations are available, depending on the sequencer used. -ST/SP Gate: A gate HIGH sends a START message and a gate LOW sends a STOP message. -ST/SP Latch: A START message is sent when the gate goes HIGH and a STOP message is sent when the gate goes HIGH again. - START: A START message is sent at gate HIGH. -STOP: A STOP message is sent at gate HIGH. -CONTINUE: A CONTINUE message is sent at gate HIGH.
Panic Sends an ALL NOTE OFF message on all channels, similar to the general panic function of MIDI devices.
Global settings
Access global settings by holding the encoder for 5 seconds while viewing the performance screen.On this setting screen, you can save and load presets, etc.
PANIC: Send Note OFF message on all channels.Click if the message is not working properly.
FACTORY RESET: Reboot the module to factory defaults.
SAVE CONFIGURATION: Saves the module's current configuration in one of two available banks.At the same time the module saves settings in internal memory and sends SYSEX messages via MIDI output.
LOAD CONFIGURATION: You can choose between settings stored in one of the two user banks or factory presets.
GLOBAL CV CALs: Calibrate all CV inputs simultaneously.This is especially useful when working with multi-channel CV sources such as sequencers.
OUT OF THE BOX CONFIGURATION:By default, the CV Thing is preconfigured for a quick look at some of the module's features, with each CV input assigned to CCs 14-21.
CHORD mode
When you select a mode that uses Gate to send MIDI notes, a new option appears in the first level of the Bank Settings menu.These can send codes instead of single notes.This new Chord mode lets you choose which scale and root note of the scale to use, as well as what kind of chord you want to send. CV modes, NOTES and digital functions are not affected by the Chords option.
SCALE MODE This option allows you to choose the scale in which the CVs are quantized.If the CV does not match the selected scale, send the previous lowest note in the scale.
ROOT SCALE Select the tonality of the scale.
CHORD TYPE Select the type of code to send.When you select a scale, the chord types are preset for each scale.If you choose scale, You can choose No Chord (send one note), Dianic Triad (three notes), Diatonic Triad +1th (four notes including a seventh). If no scale is selected (Full Scale), you can choose from a wide list of chords.
CHORD VOICING This option allows you to select chord inversions, open chords, and drop voicings.These provide extra flexibility by moving specific notes within a chord.Drop voicings are created by lowering one of the notes by an octave.When the second note from the top is lowered it is called drop 1, when the third note from the top is lowered it is called drop 1. Open chords are also created like drop voicings, but instead of lowering the notes they are raised an octave. A chord inversion is a chord that does not have the root note as the lowest note of the scale, and each inversion is made by holding the root note and lowering each note by one octave.So the available 1-note chords are Drop4, Drop3, Inversions, Open2 and Open2.Each one is a root chord and three inversions, opening up and down the scale around the Closed Chord.
SYSEX function
In CV Thing, you can save and load setting presets externally via SYSEX (System Exclusive Messages).This process can be done in many applications (DAWs, certain MIDI apps, etc.) and is not a new term for those with older digital gear.Here's a very easy and fast method using MIDI OX.
Saving Preset MIDI OX is free software for Windows (and Linux via Wine-HQ) that can play *mid/*syx files and upload them to a CV Thing.First, connect the module to your PC via the USB connector (Tyoe A to Type B).Next, start MIDI OX, click [Options] on the menu bar, select CV Thing in the MIDI input of [MIDI Devices...], and click [OK]. Then go to [View] >> [SysEx...] and in the new window (SysEx View & Scratchpad) click [SysEx >> Receive Manual Dump...].The program waits to receive a SysEx message.In this state, open the CV Thing Global Settings screen (hold the encoder for 2 seconds on the performance screen), select [Save Conf.], select a bank, and check MIDI OX again.If there are no problems with the procedure, check the message indicating the file size received by MIDI OX and click [Done]. Go to [Display Window]>>[Save As...], name the file and save it in any folder.
Loading Preset Start MIDI OX, select CV Thing in MIDI output of [Options]>>[MIDI Devices...] in the menu bar, and click [OK].Then go to [View]>>[SysEx...] and in the new window (SysEx View & Scratchpad) click [File>>Send SysEx File...], select the SysEx file to load and click [Open ]Click.As soon as the status bar progresses, a dialog will appear on the module's screen. Press [Load SysEx], select a bank and click Discard to finish.
firmware Update The source code of CV Thing isVCMCIt's based on modules, so the code is in the same repository as VCMC.
Download the latest firmware file from CV Thing folder on github.
Connect the module to your computer using a USB cable.
Start Teensy uploader and load hex file.If the app asks for it, press the button on Teensy to start the transfer.
WEB Editor web editorcan be used to easily set up a CV Thing.The linked page allows you to generate a configuration and send it to the CV Thing.It also has a live feature that shows the changes you make on the page in real time.The page will only work in Web MIDI enabled browsers. https://www.befaco.org/VCMCconfig/
