Arturia SparkLE Remote Codec+Map

Hey all :)

I've been asked last week to share my Arturia SparkLE Codec so here it is :)

ReDrum: Added Drum Channel selection support through the Dial encoder
Edit Flam with Select+Loop Button
Flam Amount with Select+Tempo Encoder
Shuffle On/Off through Loop Button

Actually, this has been sitting on my Remote projects folder for 2 years now (and far from being alone in there, eh), waiting for me to complete the rest of the Remote Map, because my initial need for it was really just to control Kong, Dr.OctoRex and ReDrum, that's why those are really the ones that got some partial love on the included map.

Early this year, due to the improvements added to the ReDrum remoteables since Reason 8.2, I ended up making some editing to support the new ReDrum remoteables :)

I'm hoping that anyone wanting to extend it or complete it has enough examples already in the partial map I'm providing to customize it for their own purposes.

There are a few simple tricks both on the Codec and Map side that may help some users wanting to get into feedback-aware MIDI controllers to get up to speed without going too deep in Lua programming.


Probably I'll be sharing a few more simple but useful Codecs+Maps namely a generic one that allows MIDI Channel selection for those that have a multi-channel MIDI source of notes and need to route (lock and/or record) them independently in Reason, like... the new Arturia BeatStep Pro (which I'll end up doing a specific Codec for it, obviously, when/if I find the time to do it properly)... but until then, that generic one is working fine.

Along these "utility" simple Remote Codec+Maps, I also have one for the Arturia MiniBrute with an optional "Local Off" mode, easily decoupling its keyboard from the synth section, allowing it to work as a generic MIDI keyboard while Reason uses it as a keyboardless synth module through EMI.
If anyone's interested on that one, drop me a comment and I'll share that too :)


2022/06/20: After years of providing this Codec+Map for free, I've decided to try providing it through an "e-shop" platform to see if there's any incentive to improve/upgrade/update it any further. like adding some Remote Maps for the Rytmik Drum Machine, Reason Drum Kit or the UMPF Club Drums and Retro Beats :)

Comments

  1. Very very good work!!! I have spark le and i would use with redrum for step sequencer and pattern programming . Please help me! My mail for rapid contact is : faxesperlenbacher@gmail.com

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  2. Hi,

    Then simply install this Codec. It's already working for the ReDrum.

    If you don't know how to install, check the Readme.txt inside the Zip.

    Good luck! :)

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  3. you are my GOD!!!!!! It's ALL PERFECT!!!!!! I Love You!!!!!! I have also M-Audio Trigger Finger Pro, Can You Make A Remote Map Like Sparke LE? Sorry For My Bad English , I'm Italian

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  4. Cool, glad to know it works for you :)

    I don't own a Trigger Finger Pro, so it'll be very unlikely that I'll try to do a Codec+Map for it, sorry!

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  5. if i can help you , are here ^_^,

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  6. i'used your map in Reason with SparkLE and at moment there's no error for me, very good work. As soon as possible i'll donate almost 40/50€.

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    1. That's great to hear! :)

      I've been thinking of making some kind of tutorial on how to make a Codec from scratch but haven't quite figured out a simple way to do it.

      If I ever figure it out, it might help you make your own Trigger Finger Pro Codec+Map :)

      Delete
  7. By accident I deleted you last comment, sorry about that, so here's its transcription:

    «Posted by Faxe Sperlenbacher at April 14, 2016 at 12:27 AM:

    Very Special Thank, My Friend! Ah, If A Some Suggestions For Your SparkLE Map, Can I Tell You? »

    My answer being: Of course, suggest away :) ...if it's something quick to change/tweak/add, I'll surely add or explain how to do it :)

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  8. Good Mornig, How Can I Send Some images with my suggestions? Do You Have Facebook? ^_^

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    1. eh, if you need to send pictures, I guess email will be the fastest way with me then :)

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  9. YEAH! Now the select drum is TR-808 Style! You are very very very great!!! Now i would the featuring in the credits of this map ahahaha, i'm joking ^_^

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  10. Another little modify : gthe button on the SparkLE "on" , i would like the on/off "shuffle" on the Redrum , Can you do this? ^_^

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  11. Good work. I really appreciate your time mapping this. Thanks.

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    1. Always good to know ones work is appreciated, thanks ;)

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  12. Hi Kosh Dukai ,
    i' m so happy i finally found someone that cares about Reason ...
    i was trying to use your patch on reason's Redrum (after the DAW detected the Arturia) but it "only" allows me to use the 8 pads to play the samples without letting me write in the sequencer ... i just don't what am i doing wrong ... i've put you files into reason's folder and then opened it and then auto-detected the spark ... Can you please Help me understanding ????? thank you in advance !

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    1. Hi Mirko,

      I'm glad you've been able to make the SparkLE's Remote Codec work on your Reason.

      To record your pad playing, simply select the sequencer track with the instrument (ReDrum, Kong, etc), make sure "Record Enable" button in the sequencer track is enabled too, then press on SparkLE's Record button (or click the Record button on Reason's transport bar) and start tapping the pads. It should be recording those notes in a sequencer clip.
      (I just did the above steps while writing this and it worked as described)

      To access the pads beyond the 1st 8 you press SparkLE's "1-8/9-16" button.

      ReDrum has 10 channels, so in 9-16 mode, you'll only be able to play the last channels with the 1st 2 pads.

      Kong, having 16 pads, allows you to access the 1st 8 in "1-8" mode and the other 8 in "9-16" mode.

      Hope this helps :)

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  13. hi kosh ,
    thanks for the rapid answer !
    yeah , that's the way it works ... but i wanted to know if there was the possibility to control the step sequencer of the redrum with the step sequencer of the Spark le with your mapping ... cause right know it doesn't work !!!

    thank you in advance

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    1. Ah, to program ReDrum's step sequencer!
      Have you tried setting the step buttons to Sequencer mode with SparkLE's Seq button?
      It's almost like with Spark, you need to choose in which mode those step buttons are in.

      Simply pressing the "Bank" button allows choosing ReDrum ABCD banks with the 1st 4 step buttons;
      Pressing the "Patt." button allows choosing ReDrum Patterns;
      and just pressing the "Seq." button allows you to use the step buttons to program the ReDrum pattern sequencer steps.

      The Dial also has multiple functions. Press the "Kit" button to set it to Channel mode, and use the Dial to choose which ReDrum channel is selected.

      Pressing both "Select"+"Play" starts/stops the ReDrum sequencer.

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  14. oh yeah ! i Tried ... it works perfectly when i have to switch between bank and pattern (select + bank or select + patt.) i also have a visual response on the sparkle that makes me understand it's working , but when i chose the sequencer (select + seq.) none of the buttons i play seems to control anything and jogwheel + kit doesn't allow me to switch between the channels (when i use the jogwheel + instrument it works fine, allowing me to switch between the drum kits) ... i'm so sad about it , you did such a great job man ! but it must be something that i'm doing wrong ... p.s. i was able to download just the map v. 1.0.2 cause the other file tells me it's corrupted , could this be the problem ? .
    Anyway ,
    Thank you so much for your kind answer !
    greetings

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    1. That's strange.

      V1.0.2 is fine, it's the latest version and the one I'm using too.

      Oh, wait, are you using Reason 8.2 or newer? Because ReDrum's step buttons only became "remoteable" since Reason 8.2!

      On older Reason versions, that's not available, I'm afraid :/

      Maybe that's the issue.

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  15. here we are ... that's the problem , i own reason 7 :( ...
    Thank you so much

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    Replies
    1. Ah that explains it then :/

      Well, now you know, if you upgrade to the latest Reason, you'll be able to take advantage of that "little" improvement with ReDrum :)

      All the best!

      /<osh

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  16. Hi Koshdukai,

    It's been a while since you posted this article, but I am still very thankful for your work. I just bought a SparkLE and I downloaded your codec to properly play Redrum etc. I tested it on Redrum tonight, and all the buttons and encoders work as programmed in the codec! The only strange thing is, I can't play the pads. Pad 1 and 9 (using the pad switch button) do play instrument 1 and 9 in Redrum, but the other ones are not aligned with the rest of the instruments in Redrum. The same holds for Kong and Octorex, although pads 4 and 7 on the SparkLE play instrument 15 in the Kong. Do you have any idea what's going on here? (The pads do light up properly when played in Reason btw).

    Kind regards,
    Tim

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    1. Hi Tim,

      I just tried SparkLE with Kong and I'm able to play the 1st and 2nd set of 8 pads (1-8 & 9-16 by toggling the 1-8/9-16 button on SparkLE)
      Same with ReDrum, I'm able to trigger all Drum channels with the pads.
      On Dr.OctoRex, I'm able to trigger the 1st slices of the selected loop with the pads too, as expected.

      Can't really think of a reason why it would not work for you.

      The only think I can think of is that maybe you're using the SparkLE controller in Spark mode ?
      There's a small MODE section at the top, right, between Volume and Instrument Parameters. It should have a blue LED above "Spark". If it's in "MIDI" mode (White LED) then toggle it back to Spark mode by pressing the Global Filter+Slicer+Roller buttons at the same time.
      You should only need to do this once.

      After doing this, the controller needs to receive some settings again from Reason, so go to Edit, Preferences, Control Surfaces, look for the "Arturia SparkLE /<" entry and toggle off and on the "Use with Reason" to re-establish the connection correctly.

      I really hope this helps, because I can't replicate your issue(s) on my setup and it's really the 1st time I hearing of such an issue, so I'm kinda of puzzled and curious :)

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  17. Hi Koshdukai,

    Thank you for the quick and elaborate answer. Somehow it did work properly today! I did restart Reason yesterday a couple of times, likewise I unplugged and replugged the SparkLE a couple of times and changed the mode back and forth to Spark and MIDI; it didn't work then. I guess a fresh PC restart always does the trick:)

    You did a very nice job with the codec by the way, I am amazed. I try to understand what's going on (to learn, and finetune other instruments besides Redrum), and lots of it is clear, but some things I just don't get. For example, in Redrum you programmed:

    Map Dial Selected Drum KitMode

    and

    Map Pattern Previous Button Previous 16 Remote Start Step
    Map Pattern Next Button Next 16 Remote Start Step

    but I am just not able to find those parameters (Selected Drum, Pattern Previous Button, Pattern Next Button) in Reason. For me, everything listed when in Remote Override Edit Mode is assignable, but I guess there is more to it?

    Is there a good tutorial somewhere online where I can learn the basics and maybe even more?

    Regards,
    Tim

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    1. Glad to hear that it's working now.
      Just remember to that tip about "resetting" the connection to the controller, each time you (dis)connect it or change its mode (i.e. the part about «Edit, Preferences, Control Surfaces, look for the "Arturia SparkLE /<" entry and toggle off and on the "Use with Reason" to re-establish the connection correctly»).

      Yes, it's possible for a device to have more "Remoteables" than the ones showed in the visual Remote Override option.
      Usually output only (that don't make sense showing for control override) but the native devices may have more, like the ReDrum.

      Fortunately, since a few versions, we've been given a precious tool/option to list them all per device. Just select the device you want to investigate and go to File, Export Remote Device Info.

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    2. ...oh, about tutorials, erm... well, I guess there's nothing really deep about it (that I know of, at least), just what you can find when searching for Reason Remote tutorial, tricks, etc.

      What I know started by understanding the early factory Codecs/Maps, then applying for the SDK, allowing me to study the documentation (though extremely sparse in detailed and deep examples) which basically gave me access to a proper list of the existing Lua functions for the Codecs, but in truth, it's been mainly about doing it with some trial'n'error and inspecting/checking those early existing factory codecs and coming up with my own solutions.

      That was my main "education" regarding Remote Codecs and Maps.

      Probably nowadays there's even some videos tutorials :)

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  18. Thank you very much for this education Koshdukai:) I have been experimenting with lua and remote codecs today, and I am getting a hang of it. I also bought an Arturia MiniLab MKII. For this controller, I couldn't find a remote codec so I am trying to write my own. I even got the ShiftState to work (which you implemented in the SparkLE codec), so now I got 32 encoders instead of 16! Very cool haha

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    1. That's great! :)

      I do have a Codec for all the controllers I own but those are my testbeds for all the ideas I want to try, so I have them the KL, KL mkII and even for the original Spark controller. All these use the display for visual feedback and in the mkII's case, it also has an emulation of the MCU mode for the DAW control, but I'm really not happy with that part yet and haven't had any spare time to perfect it.

      Maybe someday I'll be able to finish that part and share them here too :)

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  19. If I can get the MKII working the way I want, I could share it with you as well if you are interested?
    And could you explain what the MCU mode has to offer? I have been searching the internet and understand that there is an HUI and MCU protocol, and that the latter is more advanced (functions buttons? more transport controls?), but it still sounds a bit vague to me; do you have specific examples?

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    1. No need, I already have them working for me :)

      MCU/HUI is just a (MIDI based) "comms" protocol so both ends (controller<->DAW) know how to send/receive certain controls and how to send feedback, "speaking" the same language (or dialect... because in truth, I've seen some "MCU/HUI compatible" stuff not actually 100% compatible with eachother)

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