Newbie questions on an M4

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vjd3

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Just a couple of quick questions about my new-to-me M4, which sounds terrific, in the few minutes I had to fire it up today.

1) The manual is a little cryptic on a couple of points; it mentions something about holding down the channel switch to set a "preset" but it doesn't clarify what that is exactly ... what is it saving? Whether A or B is in use on a given module? The module settings themselves from A-B -- tone, bright, bass switches, etc.? It seems to hint that you can save 128 of them, but that doesn't make a lot of sense.

2) I have a GCX and Ground Control Pro, how can I get the channel changes happening via MIDI? Can I step through both sides of each module? The manual sounds like you can only get four total channels via MIDI.

3) How do you folks typically run the master volume on the M4? With the Groove Tubes Trio, I run the Clean channel wide open on both gain and volume and use the volume on the power amp as master volume. Do you typically run the master volume on the M4 pretty wide open, and does it change the tonal character to, say, set it fairly low, and crank up the volume on the individual modules? Most of the time when I'm gigging I'll be running a fairly clean tone, through the T/D module.

Any help appreciated ... thanks.
 
The MIDI programming on the M4 is really simple.

Select the channel you want (module and a or b)

Send a MIDI program change to the M4 with the program number you want that channel assigned to.

Hold the channel select button for a few seconds.

That's it!

I have mine setup really simply: slot 1 channel A = PC0; slot 1 ch b = PC1; slot 2 ch a = PC3; etc.

I usually run my master at about half.
 
More accurately, press the button on the GCX Ground Control foot pedal of where you want your first sound to be. Let's say you want midi program #1 of the foot pedal to be channel A on your clean module. Press the footswitch first, and then use the channel selection button on the M4 to rotate through the channels until you arrive at module 1/channel A. THEN hold the button down for two seconds and while you are holding it down it will blink. You are done. Now every time you hit the #1 footswitch on the GCX Midi foot controller, that channel on that module will be stored and instantly called up. Move on to program #2 on the footswitch, select it and rotate through the channels until you come to channel B of the first module. Hold the button down again for two seconds and it is also now stored at footswitch midi program #2. Toggle between footswitch #1 and #2. You should now be switching between the A and B channel of the first module. Proceed another 126 times while also setting up effects programs (reverb on this, chorus on that, delay on ... everything!) until you have it set the way you want.

Midi cables from foot controller to effects and the to M4 should have all of them talking to each other. If not try midi controller to M4 to effects. If not then start checking midi channel receive and send numbers as per the manual to get them in sync.
 
This is great info ... thanks.

Since both the Ground Control and the M4 are new to me, I'm still a little puzzled, though.

On the Ground Control, you have four buttons on the bottom ... 1 2 3 4 ... are these the ones that would control the M4, as well as whatever of the other 8 buttons I have depressed (for the loops)?

Then you would use the bank switches to go to 4 5 6 7 and so forth? And use the other 8 buttons to turn off loops (pedals) individually as needed?

Thanks for helping the newbie :)
 
Yea, the Ground Control can do some wild shit. I just use a straight up midi foot controller (no loops etc) so I can't really comment inteligently on that part. Ther are some midi nuts on here (John?) who might be able to shed more light on that part. Sounds like you have that correct but you would need the GCX Audio Switcher to activate the loop features I beleive.
 
Yep, I have the GCX as well. I also have it MIDI'd to a Roland GP-100 and want to use the GCP to control changes on it, as well.

Man, this is confusing!

Thanks!
 
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