ALLEN & HEATH SQ-6 User manual

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MIDI Protocol –ISSUE 1
MIDI Protocol
Issue 1
SQ Firmware V1.4.0 or later

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MIDI Protocol –ISSUE 1
Contents
1. Introduction and setup...............................................................................................3
1.1 Connection.........................................................................................................................3
1.2 MIDI channels ....................................................................................................................4
1.3 Types of message..............................................................................................................5
1.4 DAW Control Driver ............................................................................................................6
2. MIDI Faders and Soft Controls...................................................................................7
2.1 MIDI faders.........................................................................................................................7
2.2 Soft Keys and Footswitch...................................................................................................8
2.3 Soft Rotaries.......................................................................................................................8
3. Control to and from the Mixer ....................................................................................9
3.1 Scene change ....................................................................................................................9
3.2 Soft Keys..........................................................................................................................10
3.3 Mutes ...............................................................................................................................11
3.4 Levels ...............................................................................................................................12
3.5 Panning/Balance..............................................................................................................13
3.6 Mix Assignments ..............................................................................................................15
3.7 Getting values ..................................................................................................................16
4. Reference Tables .....................................................................................................17

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MIDI Protocol –ISSUE 1
1. Introduction and setup
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a standardised communication
protocol that enables digital devices to communicate and allows one piece of
equipment to control another.
The SQ sends and receives MIDI over USB (via the USB-B port) as well as
over ethernet (using MIDI over TCP/IP via the network port).
These can be broken down into two sets of bi-directional messages. Those
that are used with SQ mixing parameters (i.e. level control of SQ audio
channels), and those used to control external software or equipment (i.e. to
control a DAW).
1.1 Connection
When connected to a computer using the USB-B port, the SQ will appear as a
MIDI input and output device. This can be used with software directly or
through use of the DAW Control Driver for translation.
To connect a computer to the SQ over a network, the DAW Control Driver can
be used.
All other clients used for network communication should be configured to send
messages to the SQ’s IP address and use port 51325.
MIDI over TCP/IP (via network)
MIDI over USB (direct to computer)

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MIDI Protocol –ISSUE 1
1.2 MIDI channels
There are 16 MIDI channels available, and the SQ makes use of 2 of these,
one for mixer control and one for use with the DAW Control Driver.
Press the ‘Utility’ screen key, then touch the ‘General’ tab followed by the
‘MIDI’ tab to view and adjust the MIDI channel setting. This screen also
displays MMC (MIDI Machine Control) buttons for control of computer
sequencers and DAW’s.
•Touch the ‘MIDI Channel’ value and use the touchscreen rotary to adjust.
•Touch the ‘Apply’ or ‘Cancel’ buttons to apply or disregard changes.
The channel used by the Allen & Heath DAW Control Driver (and therefore all
MIDI fader strips) is always one higher than the MIDI Channel the rest of the
SQ is set to use. To use MIDI channel 1 for the DAW Control Channel, set the
main SQ MIDI channel to 16.
Touching any of the MMC Controls sends standard MMC transport messages
to all channels. These are also used by the DAW control driver to send
transport messages for the control surface emulation being used.
MMC controls
MIDI channel selection
MIDI DAW Control channel

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MIDI Protocol –ISSUE 1
1.3 Types of message
MIDI messages can be presented in different ways in various hardware and
software, including plain text, binary, decimal and hexadecimal.
As an example, here are four representations of the same message:
Plain text
MIDI Channel 1, C-1, Note on
Binary
1001 0000 0000 0000 0111 1111
Decimal
144 0 127
Hexadecimal
0x90 0x00 0x7F
This document uses the representations you are most likely to come across
for each kind of message when communicating with the SQ.
Note On/Off –The SQ uses a note on followed by a note off for any key press.
MMC –MIDI Machine Control is used to send transport control messages
from the SQ.
MMC messages are ‘Real Time Universal System Exclusive’ messages and are sent to
all connected devices rather than being assigned to a single MIDI channel.
CC (Continuous Controller) –For each MIDI channel there are 128 continuous
controllers, each of which can have a value between 0 and 127 (128 steps).
These are used by MIDI strip faders, MIDI on Soft Rotaries and other
parameters with more than just an on or off state.
NRPN (Non-Registered Parameter Number) –For high resolution control
(16384 steps) and access to many more parameters, NRPN messages are
used to communicate with SQ to control levels, panning, mutes and
assignments.
NRPN messages can be thought of as a specific string of CC messages, with
MSB (Most Significant Byte) and LSB (Least Significant Byte) representing a
parameter number and data bytes representing parameter value.
NRPNs can be used to set the absolute value of a parameter, or to increment
or decrement a parameter.
These are displayed as hexadecimal values in this document and it should be
noted that the ‘0x’ prefix has been removed for brevity.

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1.4 DAW Control Driver
The SQ has 32 MIDI fader strips and options for Soft Keys that enable it to be
used as a control surface for all major Digital Audio Workstations through use
of the DAW Control Driver.
The DAW Control Driver is a program that connects to the SQ via MIDI over
USB or TCP/IP and creates virtual MIDI ports in the computer. It can then
translate MIDI messages from the SQ into either HUI or MCU control surface
messages for use with a DAW.
In addition to the translations, a ‘MIDI Thru’ option is provided which allows
MIDI messages to pass through unaffected. This is the easiest way to
communicate with an SQ on a network by using MIDI over TCP/IP.
Visit the Allen & Heath website (www.allen-heath.com) to download the latest
version of the DAW Control Driver and read the DAW Control Help document
for information on setup and configuration.
SQ-5 / SQ-6 / SQ-7
A&H DAW
Control Driver
DAW
PC / mac
MIDI OVER USB
MIDI OVER TCP/IP
DAW Control MIDI 1 to 4

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MIDI Protocol –ISSUE 1
2. MIDI Faders and Soft Controls
2.1 MIDI faders
The SQ has 32 freely assignable MIDI fader strips. Refer to the SQ Reference
Guide for information on strip assignments.
Each strip sends and responds to the following messages sent on the ‘MIDI
DAW Control Channel’:
MIDI
Strip
Mute Key
Sel Key
PAFL Key
Fader
1
C-1 Note ON/OFF
G#1 Note ON/OFF
E4 Note ON/OFF
CC#0
2
C#-1 Note ON/OFF
A1 Note ON/OFF
F4 Note ON/OFF
CC#1
3
D-1 Note ON/OFF
A#1 Note ON/OFF
F#4 Note ON/OFF
CC#2
4
D#-1 Note ON/OFF
B1 Note ON/OFF
G4 Note ON/OFF
CC#3
5
E-1 Note ON/OFF
C2 Note ON/OFF
G#4 Note ON/OFF
CC#4
6
F-1 Note ON/OFF
C#2 Note ON/OFF
A4 Note ON/OFF
CC#5
7
F#-1 Note ON/OFF
D2 Note ON/OFF
A#4 Note ON/OFF
CC#6
8
G-1 Note ON/OFF
D#2 Note ON/OFF
B4 Note ON/OFF
CC#7
9
G#-1 Note ON/OFF
E2 Note ON/OFF
C5 Note ON/OFF
CC#8
10
A-1 Note ON/OFF
F2 Note ON/OFF
C#5 Note ON/OFF
CC#9
11
A#-1 Note ON/OFF
F#2 Note ON/OFF
D5 Note ON/OFF
CC#10
12
B-1 Note ON/OFF
G2 Note ON/OFF
D#5 Note ON/OFF
CC#11
13
C0 Note ON/OFF
G#2 Note ON/OFF
E5 Note ON/OFF
CC#12
14
C#0 Note ON/OFF
A2 Note ON/OFF
F5 Note ON/OFF
CC#13
15
D0 Note ON/OFF
A#2 Note ON/OFF
F#5 Note ON/OFF
CC#14
16
D#0 Note ON/OFF
B2 Note ON/OFF
G5 Note ON/OFF
CC#15
17
E0 Note ON/OFF
C3 Note ON/OFF
G#5 Note ON/OFF
CC#16
18
F0 Note ON/OFF
C#3 Note ON/OFF
A5 Note ON/OFF
CC#17
19
F#0 Note ON/OFF
D3 Note ON/OFF
A#5 Note ON/OFF
CC#18
20
G0 Note ON/OFF
D#3 Note ON/OFF
B5 Note ON/OFF
CC#19
21
G#0 Note ON/OFF
E3 Note ON/OFF
C6 Note ON/OFF
CC#20
22
A0 Note ON/OFF
F3 Note ON/OFF
C#6 Note ON/OFF
CC#21
23
A#0 Note ON/OFF
F#3 Note ON/OFF
D6 Note ON/OFF
CC#22
24
B0 Note ON/OFF
G3 Note ON/OFF
D#6 Note ON/OFF
CC#23
25
C1 Note ON/OFF
G#3 Note ON/OFF
E6 Note ON/OFF
CC#24
26
C#1 Note ON/OFF
A3 Note ON/OFF
F6 Note ON/OFF
CC#25
27
D1 Note ON/OFF
A#3 Note ON/OFF
F#6 Note ON/OFF
CC#26
28
D#1 Note ON/OFF
B3 Note ON/OFF
G6 Note ON/OFF
CC#27
29
E1 Note ON/OFF
C4 Note ON/OFF
G#6 Note ON/OFF
CC#28
30
F1 Note ON/OFF
C#4 Note ON/OFF
A6 Note ON/OFF
CC#29
31
F#1 Note ON/OFF
D4 Note ON/OFF
A#6 Note ON/OFF
CC#30
32
G1 Note ON/OFF
D#4 Note ON/OFF
B6 Note ON/OFF
CC#31

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MIDI Protocol –ISSUE 1
2.2 Soft Keys and Footswitch
The SQ-5 features 8 assignable Soft Keys, while the SQ-6 and SQ-7 both
feature 16 assignable Soft Keys and all SQ models feature a dual footswitch
input. Any of these can be assigned the following MIDI functions:
Function
Option 1
Option 2
MMC
-
Rewind, Play, Pause, Stop, FFwd, Record
DAW Control
-
Bank Up, Bank Down
MIDI note On/Off
MIDI Channel 1 to 16
C-1 (0) to G9 (127)
Program Change
MIDI Channel 1 to 16
0 to 127
Refer to the SQ Reference Guide for information on assigning Soft Key and footswitch
functions.
2.3 Soft Rotaries
The SQ-6 and SQ-7 feature 4 and 8 Soft Rotaries respectively, with options
for these to send the following messages:
Function
Option 1
Option 2
Key Option
MIDI Absolute
MIDI Channel
1 to 16
CC# 0 to 127
Unassigned,
Note On/Off C-1 (0) to G9 (127)
MIDI Relative
MIDI Channel
1 to 16
CC# 0 to 127
Unassigned,
Note On/Off C-1 (0) to G9 (127)
Program Change
MIDI Channel
1 to 16
0 to 127
Sends MIDI
Refer to the SQ Reference Guide for information on assigning Soft Rotary functions.

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3. Control to and from the Mixer
3.1 Scene change
A scene change uses a bank change followed by a program change.
Bank
Program
BN00 BK
C0 PG
Where: N= MIDI Channel, BK = Bank, PG = Program
The bank change (BK) selects between three ranges of scenes:
Scenes 1 to 128 = Bank 1 = 00
Scenes 129 to 256 = Bank 2 = 01
Scenes 257 to 300 = Bank 3 = 02
The program change (PG) is then a value between 00 and 7F (decimal 0-127),
which selects a scene in that range.
Note that there is an offset of -1 between the SQ values and the MIDI values due to the
SQ counting from 1 to 128 and MIDI counting from 0 to 127.
So scene 96 is bank change 00 (1) and program change 5F (95) and scene
264 is bank change 02 (3) and program change 07 (8).
The scene being recalled must exist as a saved scene in the SQ, blank
scenes cannot be recalled.
Examples:
Scene, MIDI Ch
Message
Scene 7, Ch1
B0 00 00 C0 06
Scene 120, Ch1
B0 00 00 C0 77
Scene 156, Ch1
B0 00 01 C0 1B
Scene 156, Ch3
B2 00 01 C0 1B

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3.2 Soft Keys
The SQ Soft Keys can be controlled using standard MIDI Note On/Off
messages, allowing the control of many more internal functions of the SQ by
proxy.
The SQ does not send note on/off messages when a Soft Key is pressed unless the Soft
Key is set to a MIDI note on/off function. See the Soft Keys and Footswitch section for
more details.
A key press is triggered with note on and a release is triggered separately with
a note off, this means it is possible to replicate a held key (i.e. for use with the
talkback function).
Each Soft Key is controlled with a different sequential note starting at C3 (30).
Note On (Soft Key press)
On Note Velocity
9NSK 7F
Note Off (Soft Key release)
Off Note Velocity
8NSK 00
Both where: N= MIDI Channel, SK = Soft Key Note
The SQ will respond to both MIDI note off standards, i.e. a specific note off message or a
note on message with zero velocity.
Examples:
Soft Key, MIDI Ch
Message (Press)
Message (Release)
Soft Key #1, Ch1
90 30 7F
80 30 00
Soft Key #7, Ch5
94 36 7F
84 36 00
SoftKey Note HEX SoftKey Note HEX SoftKey Note HEX SoftKey Note HEX
1C3 30 5E3 34 9G#3 38 13 C4 3C
2C#3 31 6F3 35 10 A3 39 14 C#4 3D
3D3 32 7F#3 36 11 A#3 3A 15 D4 3E
4D#3 33 8G3 37 12 B3 3B 16 D#4 3F