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Drehbank Controller Documentation

Complete guide for using the Doepfer Drehbank with this web application

CC MIDI Reference

Complete list of MIDI Control Changes standards and recommended free CCs

SysEx Protocol

Technical documentation of the Doepfer Drehbank SysEx protocol

Testing Guide

Testing procedures with real hardware and debugging

README

Project overview, features and usage instructions

šŸŽÆ Quick Start - CC MIDI Recommendations

Main Advice:
To avoid any conflicts, use CCs in the range 102-119. This range is undefined by the MIDI standard and rarely used by manufacturers.

CC by Category

CC Range Status Recommendation
102-119 SAFE Best range - No conflicts
80-95 SAFE Mostly free, some rare effects
12-31 SAFE Rarely used, safe for general use
70-79 CAUTION Sound controllers - Varies by synth
1, 7, 10, 11 STANDARDS Mod, Volume, Pan, Expression - Use if needed
0, 6, 32, 38, 64, 96-101, 120-127 AVOID System - NEVER use

Recommended Templates

Template 1: Universal Safe (No Conflicts)

Row 1 (Pots 1-16)   : CC 102-117
Row 2 (Pots 17-32)  : CC 12-27
Row 3 (Pots 33-48)  : CC 80-95
Row 4 (Pots 49-64)  : CC 36-51

Advantage: Compatible with all devices, no possible conflicts.

Template 2: Synthesizer Control

Row 1 - Synth Standards:
  Pot 1  : CC 74  (Cutoff)
  Pot 2  : CC 71  (Resonance)
  Pot 3  : CC 73  (Attack)
  Pot 4  : CC 72  (Release)
  Pot 5  : CC 1   (Modulation)
  Pot 6-16 : CC 102-112 (Custom)

Row 2-4 : CC 12-59 (avoid 32, 38, 64)

Advantage: Standard controls in first row for quick access.

Template 3: Multi-Device (4 devices on 4 MIDI channels)

Device 1 (Channel 1) : Pots 1-16  ā†’ CC 102-117
Device 2 (Channel 2) : Pots 17-32 ā†’ CC 102-117
Device 3 (Channel 3) : Pots 33-48 ā†’ CC 102-117
Device 4 (Channel 4) : Pots 49-64 ā†’ CC 102-117

Advantage: Same mapping repeated, easy to remember.

šŸŽ›ļø Using the Application

Individual Editing

  1. Click on a pot
  2. Change the CC (0-127)
  3. Change the Channel (1-16)
  4. Changes are immediate

Bulk Editing

  1. Select multiple pots (check the checkboxes)
  2. The "Bulk Edit" panel appears
  3. Choose an action:
    • Set CC: Apply the same CC to all
    • Set Channel: Apply the same channel to all
    • Increment CC: Sequential CCs (e.g., 20, 21, 22...)
  4. Click "Apply"

Send to Drehbank

  1. Configure all pots as desired
  2. Click "Send to Device"
  3. Wait for confirmation (64 messages sent)
  4. Test by turning the physical pots

Bank Management

The Drehbank has 2 independent banks (Bank 1 and Bank 2), each with 64 slot configurations.

  1. Click "Bank 1" or "Bank 2" to switch active bank
  2. The active bank indicator shows green border
  3. Click "Query Bank" to check current active bank from device
  4. Each bank stores independent CC and channel assignments
  5. Use snapshot after switching to synchronize external devices

Send Snapshot

The Snapshot function instantly sends all 64 current pot values as MIDI CC messages.

Use Cases:
ā€¢ After bank switching (to sync external devices with new bank)
ā€¢ Scene recall (send all pot positions for a specific setup)
ā€¢ Initial synchronization after connecting external gear
  1. Click "Send Snapshot" button (orange/warning color)
  2. Confirm the action
  3. All 64 pot values are sent instantly as individual MIDI CC messages
  4. External devices receive and update to match Drehbank state

Manual Knob Control āš” NEW

The editor now supports direct manual control of knobs from the browser interface!

Control Methods:
ā€¢ Vertical Drag: Click and drag knobs up/down to change values
ā€¢ Mouse Wheel: Scroll up/down on knobs for precise adjustments (Ā±1)
ā€¢ Touch Support: Works on mobile and tablet devices
ā€¢ MIDI Output: Automatically sends MIDI CC when connected
  1. Hover over any knob (cursor changes to grab hand)
  2. Click and drag vertically:
    • Drag UP = increase value
    • Drag DOWN = decrease value
  3. OR use mouse wheel for fine adjustment (Ā±1 per scroll)
  4. The knob rotates in real-time (300Ā° total rotation)
  5. MIDI CC is sent automatically if output device is connected
Virtual Mode:
You can use the editor as a virtual MIDI controller without physical Drehbank!
Connect MIDI output to your DAW or synths and control them directly from the browser.

Save to Permanent Memory

Important: The sent configuration is in RAM (lost on restart).

To save permanently to the Drehbank's EEPROM:

// In the console (F12)
const storeAll = [0xF0, 0x00, 0x20, 0x20, 0x13, 0x00, 0x36, 0x00, 0x00, 0xF7];
window.drehbankApp.midi.send(storeAll);
// Wait ~80 seconds

šŸ’¾ Preset Management

Save a Preset (Browser)

  1. Click "Save Preset"
  2. Enter a name (e.g., "Ableton Live Session")
  3. The preset is saved in the browser

Export/Import (JSON File)

Tip:
Name your exports clearly: drehbank-ableton-2025.json, drehbank-live-set.json

šŸ”§ Troubleshooting

Drehbank is not detected

No response to SysEx commands

Pots are not sending the correct CCs

Doepfer Drehbank Controller - Version 1.0

Documentation updated: 2025-01-07

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