User Interface
- Globals Tab
- Devices Tab
- Buttons Tab
- Button Edit Page
- IA Cycle
- Presets Tab
- Songs Tab
- Setlists Tab
- Sysex Tab
- Macros Tab
- MIDI Tab
- Audio Tab
- Expression Pedal Edit Page
Globals Tab
The Globals tab is the first thing you see upon starting the editor. It contains system-wide parameters that aren't specific to any song, preset or setlist.
System Settings
Model - Chooses which model of Mastermind you are working with. You will be asked whether you wish to revert to factory settings for the model. In most cases, it's best to answer Yes to start with new settings.
Current Set List - selects which setlist is currently active. Possible values are:
- None - no setlist is active, the normal preset and bank mode is active.
- All Songs - setlist mode is active, and the setlist is made up of all all available songs, in numerical order.
- 1...64 - setlist mode is active, and the selected setlist is loaded.
- Same - does nothing special - just selects the same preset again
- Previous - selects the previously selected preset
- Global - selects the Global Preset
- Reload - reloads the current preset, resetting all IA buttons and PC messages to the state that is stored in the preset
- IA - runs the IA actions that are specified on this button
- Alternate - recalls this preset's Alternate Preset
Startup Macro - Specifies a Macro that will be executed on startup. This macro can send MIDI messages, change audio features on the Mastermind PBC, etc.
First preset is number 0 - when checked, the first preset in the system is numbered preset 0. When not checked, the first preset is numbered preset 1. This setting is primarily used to have the Mastermind's preset numbering match an external effect device's numbering scheme.
Instant Bank Switching - in the normal (not checked) setting, when Bank Up or Bank Down are pressed, the preset buttons flash, waiting for the user to select a preset. No preset is loaded until a preset button is pressed. When this setting is checked, pressing Bank Up or Bank Down result in an immediate preset change. The preset selected in the new bank is in the same position as was selected in the previous bank. For example, if the third preset button was selected, and Bank Up was pressed, the third preset in the new bank will be selected.
Auto Page Select - when checked, each preset change will also trigger a button page change. Each preset can have a page number specified with the preset's settings, and this is how the button page is selected. Turning this setting off will prevent the button page from changing automatically when the preset changes.
Page Preview (GT Only) - when checked, pressing Bank Up or Bank Down will switch button pages to the page specified in the first preset of the bank. This allows you to see not only the presets in the new bank, but also the button layout for the first preset in the bank, before actually selecting a preset. This setting only has an effect if Instant Bank Switching is turned off and Auto Page Select is turned on.
Show Page Names (GT Only) - When checked, the upper half of the main display shows the current button page's name, if any is defined.
Start on last preset - when checked, the last selected preset is loaded when the device powers up. When not checked, the device always powers up on preset 1 (or preset 0 if First preset is number 0 is turned on).
Show Tempo - When checked, the current tempo will briefly be displayed in the main LCD display when the tempo changes.
Ignore Preset Tempos - When checked, tempos specified in each preset are ignored. Only tempos specified in songs and ones tapped in manually will have any effect.
Show Exp Pedal Pos (PBC/LT Only) - When checked, the current expression pedal position will be displayed as a bar graph on the right side of the main LCD display.
MIDI Settings
This section applies only to the Mastermind GT. On the Mastermind PBC and Mastermind LT, the MIDI settings are located on a separate MIDI Tab.
MIDI Receive Channel - selects which MIDI channel the Mastermind responds to. Incoming Program Changes and Bank messages on this channel will cause the Mastermind to switch to the indicated preset. This setting also enables incoming CC (Continuous Controller) messages, which are set in the right side of this tab. Can also be set to None which makes it ignore all incoming Program Changes and Continuous Controller messages.
This setting is typically used when controlling the Mastermind from a computer or other MIDI controller.
You should not set MIDI Receive Channel to be the same channel as one of your other MIDI devices. This includes devices with bidirectional MIDI communication such as the Axe-Fx and Kemper Profiler. When using these devices, you don't need MIDI Receive Channel to be set to anything other than None.
MIDI Clock - selects how the Mastermind PBC handles MIDI clock messages. Possible values are:
- None - does not transmit or receive MIDI clock
- Transmit - transmits a MIDI clock signal. The tempo can be set using tap tempo button, or can be programmed in any song or preset.
- Receive - receives a MIDI clock signal. It will also send the incoming clock signal out the MIDI output.
- Auto - If an incoming MIDI clock signal is detected at the Remote In or USB port, act as if Receive was selected. If no incoming MIDI signal is detected, act as if Transmit was selected.
Clock Pulse Limit - If set to 0 (the default), MIDI clock will be sent normally - as a continuous stream of MIDI messages. If set to a number higher than 0, the Mastermind will send that many MIDI clock messages every time the tempo changes, then stop sending. This is similar to tap tempo, but is faster.
Bidirectional MIDI - when turned on, makes the MIDI Out and Remote In ports bidirectional. Pins 1 and 3 are used for the second communication channel. This is used for Remote Mode or to communicate with bidirectional MIDI devices like the Axe-Fx.
Remote Mode - when enabled, allows you to link two or more Masterminds together and have them all operate in unison. This makes it possible to use one Mastermind as a remote controller for another. When using this mode, the MIDI Out of each device connects to the Remote In of the next MIDI device. The last device's MIDI Out is used to connect to the rest of your MIDI devices.
Bidirectional MIDI should be turned on when using Remote Mode, and all Masterminds need to have the same exact settings on them in order for Remote Mode to work correctly.
Expander - when checked, allows you to link two Masterminds together and use them as one unit. This is different from remote mode in that you can use the audio loops in each unit independently and you can have different button configurations on both units. Remote Mode needs to be turned on for this parameter to be visible. Bidirectional MIDI needs to be on when using expander mode.
MIDI bank selects song - This setting changes how the Mastermind responds to MIDI bank messages. Refer to the External MIDI Control section for more details.
Use Song Index - This setting, along with the above setting, controls how the Mastermind responds to MIDI bank messages. Refer to the External MIDI Control section for more details.
Merge (In / Out / USB) - when one or more of these checkboxes are checked, the Mastermind takes any MIDI messages received at that port and forwards them out the MIDI Out port.
MIDI Forward - when enabled, the Mastermind takes any MIDI messages received at the USB Device port and forwards them out the MIDI Out port. And, any MIDI messages coming in to the Remote In port are forwarded out the USB device port. This allows you to use the Mastermind as a MIDI interface for a computer.
Display Settings
This section applies only to the Mastermind GT
Show Only Song Name - when checked, displays only the song name on the main display (not the preset name).
Show Page Names - when checked, displays the current button page's name in the upper line of the main display. If the current page has no name, it is not displayed.
Bold Fonts - when checked, sets all fonts to bold.
Show Tempo - When checked, the current tempo will briefly be displayed in the main LCD display when the tempo changes.
Auto Tap
Auto Tap allows you to send tempo taps to devices that support them. When the Taps parameter is set to a number other than zero, it will send the specified number of taps every time the tempo changes.
Auto Tap uses a Macro to specify what it does. On the Mastermind PBC and LT, you can use a System / Fn Switch action to send taps through a function switch output - this will work with any pedal that has a tap switch input jack. You can also use a CC, PC, Note or Sysex action to send MIDI messages for each tap.
Some devices accept momentary taps, some accept latching. If your tempos are not coming out correctly, try changing the function switch's momentary setting. If you're sending a CC message, change the action from CC Toggle to CC Momentary or vice-versa.
Each preset can specify a different a different tap division, which allows you to change from standard quarter note taps to other note types. This is described in the Presets Tab section.
For more information about Auto Tap and Tap Tempo, please see Mastering the Mastermind episode 22, Tempo
Timing Settings
First repeat - sets the number of milliseconds needed to hold a button before the button starts repeating
Next repeat - sets the number of milliseconds between button repeats
Hold time - sets the number of milliseconds needed to hold a button before its Hold Function is activated
Bank time (PBC/LT Only) - when you press a Bank Up or Bank Down button, the Mastermind will enter bank selection mode. The main display will scroll through all of the presets in the currently selected bank, displaying the name of the presets in the bank one at a time. This parameter sets the number of milliseconds that each preset name is displayed.
Name time (PBC/LT Only) - If Show Button Names is turned on, this controls how many milliseconds each button name is displayed on the screen.
Function Switch Settings
This section applies only to the Mastermind PBC and LT
In this section, there's one block for each function switch. Each block has a lock icon and an on/off switch. The on/off switch next to the lock icon allows you to select the state of the function switch. This state will be used for the function switch unless it's overridden by a button press or a preset change.
The lock icon controls whether it's possible to override the global on/off setting. It has three states:
- Unlocked (open lock icon) - This function switch can be changed by IA button presses and preset changes. This is the default setting.
- Locked (closed lock icon) - This function switch is locked. It can't be changed by IA buttons or preset settings. The function switch will always stay in the specified state.
- Independent ("I" icon) - This function switch is independent. It will not change automatically when changing presets, but will allow you to change states by pressing an IA button.
FNx Inv (invert) - when checked, the selected function switch will be inverted - when the function switch is 'on', the relay is open, when the function switch is 'off', the relay is closed. This is also known as a 'normally closed' switch. When not checked, the switch is not inverted and 'normally open'.
FNx Mom (momentary) - when checked, the selected function switch will be momentary. That is, each time the function switches' state changes, the relay will turn on for a short period of time and then turn off. When not checked, the function switch will be latching - it will turn on or off and stay that way until the next time the function switches' state changes.
FNx On Only - this parameter is designed to be used in conjunction with the Momentary setting. When this setting is turned on, the function switch output will only pulse when the switch is turned on, not when the switch is turned off. This setting is used when controlling channel switching on certain amps, but should be left turned off in most cases.
Momentary Time - sets the number of milliseconds that momentary switches stay on before they automatically turn off.
For more information about Function Switches, see Mastering the Mastermind episode 17, Function Switches
Expression Pedals
This section contains buttons that bring up the Expression Pedal Edit Page to edit a pedal's global settings. These are the settings used for each expression pedal, unless the settings are overridden by the current preset or using an ExpPedal action. Expression pedal overrides are specified in the Presets Tab.
The section has settings for each button group. On the left, there's a list of groups. You can select a group there, and edit its parameters:
Name - Sets the group's name. This name is only used for reference
Send Off msgs - selecting a button contained in a group will result in messages being sent by the button that's been turned on. When this setting is checked, the button that was turned off as a result of the button press will also send its messages.
There is also an action list associated with each group. This action list is run when you switch from no buttons turned on to 1 button turned on, or vice-versa. This feature requires that Allow all buttons off is turned on. Example: you have three buttons grouped together, each of which selects a different preset on an effect device. You can set up a group action to bypass the pedal when all of the buttons in the group are turned off, and to enable the pedal as soon as one of the buttons in the group is turned on.
Devices Tab
The Devices Tab is where you tell your Mastermind about each device it needs to control. All of the devices' MIDI parameters are defined here.
Device List
The left column contains a list of the 16 possible device slots. Select one of these to edit its parameters.
Device Type
In the Device Type group, you can select a Manufacturer and Model for each device. The editor has a built-in database of popular devices, and if your device is listed, the editor will fill in all of the other parameters for you (except MIDI channel, which you'll need to configure yourself).
Settings
Name - Sets the device's name
MIDI Channel - Sets the MIDI channel number that the device is on. This number needs to agree with the channel number that the device is set to (in its own settings menu).
MIDI Port - Sets which MIDI port is used when sending MIDI commands to this device
- MIDI Out - This is the default setting, and the one you should use in most cases
- Remote In - The Remote In port is bidirectional, and can be used as an additional MIDI output with an appropriate adapter cable
- USB - Sends the MIDI data over the USB port. This allows the GT or PBC to communicate with a computer
PC Offset - Sets whether the first preset on the device is numbered 0 or 1
Max PC - Sets the maximum PC (program change) number the device accepts. On devices that support MIDI banks, this determines the number of presets in each bank. Typically this is set to the maximum (127), but can be lower on some devices.
Bank Type - Sets the type of MIDI bank selection the device accepts
- No Banks - The device does not support MIDI banks
- LSB - The device uses CC32 to select banks
- MSB - The device uses CC0 to select banks
- MSB:LSB - The device uses CC0 and CC32 to select banks
Flat Numbering - On devices that support MIDI banks, this setting controls how device presets are specified in the Presets Tab. When Flat Numbering is turned on, banks and PCs are combined into a single preset number. The Mastermind does all of the calculations to figure out bank and PC numbers. When Flat Numbering is off, you can specify PC and bank numbers separately. Any device can use either setting; you should choose the setting that best matches how your device works. If your device has bank and preset numbers, you should turn flat numbering off. If the device only has preset numbers, you should turn flat numbering on. The exception to this is Strymon pedals - they use their own bank scheme that doesn't match the standard MIDI bank scheme. Turn on Flat Numbering for Strymon pedals and Axe-Fx.
# of Presets - Sets the total number of presets on this device
Send PCs - When checked, the GT or PBC will send PC messages to the device. When not checked, no PC messages will be sent to the device.
Send Redundant PCs - When not checked, the GT or PBC will not send the same PC message to a device twice in a row, assuming that a second PC message would be redundant. This feature exists because some effect processors' audio drops out when a PC message is received, even if it's already on the requested preset. Turning this setting off disables this feature and allows all PC messages to be sent.
Send CCs on preset change - When checked, any IA buttons that control this device are allowed to send their MIDI messages to the device automatically when you change presets. Please note that the IA buttons have to have Send on Preset Change and Update on Preset Change turned on for this to work. When this setting is turned off, the IA buttons will only send their messages to this device when the IA buttons are actually pressed.
Ignore Incoming PC - Some devices that support bidirectional MIDI can send program changes back to the GT or PBC. Examples are the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx and Kemper Profiling Amp. When this setting is disabled, manually changing presets on the front panel of the device will result in a preset change on the GT or PBC. Turning this setting on disables incoming PC messages and prevents the GT or PBC from changing presets automatically.
Ignore Incoming CC - Some devices that support bidirectional MIDI can send CC messages back to the GT or PBC. Examples are the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx and Kemper Profiling Amp. These messages can update the state of IA buttons to reflect the state of effect blocks in the device. Turning this setting on disables incoming CC messages and prevents IA buttons changing under the control of the effect processor.
Direct Send PCs/CCs - When this is off, actions sent to a device are filtered - CC messages are sorted and duplicates are removed. This helps reduce the number of messages sent, but it also can change the order that messages are sent. Turning this on disables all filtering for the device. Messages will be sent exactly in the order specified in action lists.
Auto Names - Turning this on enables real-time display of preset and bank names from a connected device. This is only supported on the Kemper Profiling Amp in Performance mode. Preset buttons will be displayed with the rig names in the current performance and bank names will be displayed as the name of the current Kemper performance.
Sync Names - Turning this on enables real time downloading of preset names from a connected device. This is only supported on the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx and Kemper Profiling Amp. As each preset is selected, the preset's name will be downloaded and saved to the preset list. This differs from the Auto Names feature in that Auto Names does not change the internal preset list.
Set Preset PCs
- Set Preset PCs to -None- - Sets all presets in the system to send no PC messages to this device
- Set Preset PCs to 0 - Sets all presets in the system to send PC0 (the first preset) to this device
- Set Preset PCs to Sequential - Sets all presets in the system to send sequential program changes. For example, preset 0 sends PC 0, preset 1 sends PC 1, etc.
Buttons Tab
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| PBC Buttons Tab | GT Buttons Tab |
You can perform functions on these buttons simply by clicking on them in virtual display.
Please note that in the Mastermind GT editor, you click the displays over each button to work with them. In the Mastermind editor, you click on the button itself.
Double clicking on a button opens up the Button Edit Page, where you can edit all of the button parameters in detail.
Right-click menu
There is also a context menu that you can use by right-clicking on a button (on a Mac, use Ctrl-click). This menu is used to provide quick access to certain settings. It has the following options:
Type - Sets the type of the button
Group - Sets the button group number for this button
Assign CC - Allows you to choose a CC (continuous controller) message that controls a function on one of your devices. Any device that was chosen by manufacturer and model in the Devices Tab will have its CC messages available here
Assign Default Buttons (GT Only) - Sets the currently displayed button page to a page of buttons specifically designed to control one of your devices. Any device that was chosen by manufacturer and model in the Devices Tab will be listed as an option here. Please note that non-IA buttons such as presets and bank up/down will not be overwritten with new functions, but will change the buttons' IA Mode functions
Copy and Paste - Allows you to copy and paste individual buttons from one location to another, even if they're on different pages
Copy from Page - Overwrites this page with a copy of the selected button page
Copy to Page - Copies this page to the selected button page, overwriting it
Swap This Page with - Swaps this page with the selected page
Copy Page from Preset - Overwrites this page with a copy of a preset's local button page. A dialog will pop up, requesting the number of the preset you wish to copy.
Button Edit Page
Double clicking on a button in the Buttons Tab pops up the Button Edit Page. This is where you can edit all of a button's parameters.
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| Button Edit Normal Mode | Button Edit Hold Mode |
General Settings
The General Settings section contains parameters that affect all buttons.
- Bank Down - moves to the previous bank of presets
- Bank Up - moves to the next bank of presets
- Device PC - - Decrements the current program number of a specific device. This allows you to scroll through the list of presets on a specific device without affecting the other connected devices. The button will always display the device’s current PC number (and bank number if appropriate)
- Device PC + - Increments the current program number of a specific device. This allows you to scroll through the list of presets on a specific device without affecting the other connected devices. The button will always display the device’s current PC number (and bank number if appropriate)
- Get Preset Names - displays a menu that allows you to read preset names from a supported device (currently, only Fractal Audio and Kemper products)
- IA (instant access) - a general purpose button that can execute a list of actions
- IA Mode - Reveals the IA buttons “underneath” non-IA buttons (see IA Mode section)
- IA Store - Stores the current on/off state of all IA butons to the current preset
- Page/IA Store - moves to the next button page, or, when held for 2 seconds, stores the current IA state to the current preset
- Page Down - displays the previous button page
- Page Up - displays the next button page
- Preset - preset selection button
- Preset + - moves up one preset
- Preset – - moves down one preset
- Previous Preset - switches back to the previously selected preset
- Setup Mode - activates setup mode
- Update Preset Name - reads and updates the name of the current preset from a supported device (currently, only Fractal Audio and Kemper products)
Global - Sets this button to be global. This is discussed further in the Buttons and Pages section.
Flash w/Tempo - When checked, makes this button flash in time with the current system tempo.
On Device PC - and Device PC + buttons, you can also use the following parameter:
Device ID - Allows you to select which device this button affects.
IA ID - ID number used to identify this button. For use with the Set IA action.
On Bank Up, Bank Down, Page Up, Page Down and Page/IA Store buttons, you can also use the following parameters:
Min, Max - Sets the lower and upper limits of which banks or pages this button can scroll through. If Min and Max are set to the same number, the limits are ignored.
Note on Bank Up/Down buttons: This is typically used in song and setlist mode, where Min and Max limit which songs can be selected
Note on Page Up/Down buttons: If Min and Max are set to the same number, then the buttons will scroll from page 1 through the Max Page settings on the Globals Tab, plus the local preset button page if there is one.
Preset Index - Sets the Preset Button Index which controls how the presets in each bank are assigned to preset buttons.
IA Settings
The IA Settings section contains settings for buttons that are set to type IA. These settings also apply to non-IA buttons when in IA Mode.
Group - sets the button group number. This is described in detail in the Button Groups section.
IA Link - Enables the IA Linking feature on this button.
Send on Preset Change - when checked, this button will send its MIDI messages and perform any other Actions in its list every time a new preset is selected. If not checked, the button will only send its messages when the button is pressed.
Only ON Msgs - when checked, this button will only send messages on preset change when the button is on. If the button is turned off after a preset change, it will not send its messages. Turning the button off by directly pressing the button will still send its messages. This parameter is only available when Send on Preset Change is turned on.
Update on Preset Change - when checked, you will be able to store the state of this button in every preset and have the button automatically change states when you select a new preset. The IA Store button is used to store the current button state to the current preset. You can also set the state of each IA button in the Presets Tab. When this setting is not checked, this button will only change states when it's pressed. This setting needs to be turned off in order to allow this IA button to be controlled by an external device like an Axe-Fx or Kemper Profiling Amp.
Note: In most cases Send on Preset Change and Update on Preset Change are both set to On, or both set to Off.
CC Link - enables CC Linking on this button, where incoming CC messages can control the state of the button.
Momentary - when checked, the button will turn on while it is held and will turn off when released. Turning this setting off returns the button to its normal setting (pressing the button toggles the button between on and off states).
IA Cycle - enables IA Cycle support on this button. IA Cycle buttons can switch between four different settings sequentially when pressed.
Remote Control - disables local control of this button's visible state. When turned on, pressing the button will make the button send its messages but will not switch the button from off to on or vice-versa. This is typically used in conjunction with CC Link when working with a computer application - the GT or PBC sends messages to the computer, and the computer sends messages back indicating what the button's new state should be.
Normal Mode
The Normal Mode section controls the appearance of the button when in normal mode (not IA Mode). On the Mastermind GT, it will display a visual representation of the button's LCD.
On Color - Sets the color of the button to be displayed when the button is on.
Off Color - Sets the color of the button to be displayed when the button is off.
IA Mode
The IA Mode section controls the appearance of the button when in IA Mode. This section is not shown if the button's type is set to IA.
IA Name - Sets the name of the button when in IA Mode. This name is displayed on the Mastermind GT, but is only for informational purposes on the Mastermind PBC and LT.
IA On Color - Sets the color of the button to be displayed when the button is on in IA Mode.
IA Off Color - Sets the color of the button to be displayed when the button is off in IA Mode.
IA Actions
This section allows you to assign Actions to the button. These Actions are executed when an IA button is pressed, or when any button is pressed when in IA Mode.
Hold Functions
Most of the settings available for the normal button function are also available for the hold function.
The hold function of a button has two colors you can set: On Color and Both Color. On Color is the color displayed when the normal function is off and the hold function is on. Both Color is the color displayed when both the normal function and hold function are on. You can specify None for a color to disable the color and show the normal function's color instead.
IA Cycle
When IA Cycle is checked, the IA Actions box at the bottom of the window gets a second tab labeled IA Cycle Steps. Clicking on this tab displays a box for each of the four steps. In each step's box, you can select a name and color for the step.
To use these steps, switch back to the IA Actions tab. Insert Actions in the list like you normally would, but use a System / Step action as a divider between steps. (You can press the Add Step button to quickly add a Step action to the end of the list.) You should not put a Step action at the end of the list - it would be interpreted as the beginning of another step. If you put more than three Step actions in the list, that will result in more than the maximum of four steps. Any step after the fourth is ignored.
When using an IA Cycle button, only the On values of each action are used - the Off values are ignored.
The images on this page show an example configuration that switches between pedals in the first three loops of a Mini Effect Gizmo. Pressing the IA cycle button switches from one pedal loop to the next. Only three steps are defined in the action list, so the name and color settings for the fourth step are ignored. Note that each step turns on one loop and turns off the previously selected loop. This prevents the case where more than one loop is on at the same time.
IA Cycle Menu (GT Only)
On the Mastermind GT, there's an additional option that appears to the right of the IA Cycle checkbox simply called Menu. Checking this changes the behavior of the IA Cycle button. When checked, pressing the button pops up a menu in the GT buttons, with each button representing a cycle step. This allows you to see all of your cycle steps at the same time, and select from them with a single button press.
For more information about IA Cycle buttons, please see Mastering the Mastermind episode 13, IA Cycle Buttons
Presets Tab
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| Preset Tab - IA Buttons View | Preset Tab - Preset Actions View |
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| Preset Tab - Scenes View | Preset Tab - Audio View (PBC Only) |
The Presets tab allows you to configure each of the 768 presets on your Mastermind.
Preset List
In the left column, there is a list of all of your presets, including the Global Preset. Selecting a preset in this column displays all of the preset's parameters in the other sections of the window.
Reordering and Copying Presets
You can rearrange presets within the Preset List by dragging and dropping them.
If you right click on a preset within the list (or Ctrl-click on a Mac), you will be presented with a popup menu with two options: Copy to Preset and Copy from Preset. This will allow you to copy the currently selected preset to another preset, or overwrite the current preset with settings copied from another preset. When you select an option, a dialog box will pop up, requesting a preset number that will be where the selected preset will be copied to or copied from.
General Settings
This is where you set up the most basic settings for each preset.
Name - Sets the preset's name
Local Page - When checked, activates a button page that is specific to this preset. When the preset is selected, the page is loaded and replaces button page 16.
Alt Preset - Allows you to set an alternate preset for this preset. You can specify a preset number here, or you can also choose one of the following special values by pressing the "..." button to the right:
- Global - Recall the Global Preset
- None - This preset has no alternate preset
- Previous - Switch to the previously selected preset instead of selecting a specific alternate preset
Show Page - Selects which button page should be displayed when the preset is loaded. Please note that this setting has no effect if Auto Page Select in the Globals Tab is not turned on. Possible values are:
- 1-16 - Displays the selected page
- Local Page - Displays the local button page (if the Local Page checkbox is turned on)
- Same Page - Stay on the same page - don't change pages
Off Color - Selects which color a preset button displays when this preset is not active. It can be set to any color or None, which means this preset doesn't have a special color - it uses the preset button's default Off Color setting.
Tempo - Sets the tempo of this preset. if MIDI Clock is set to Transmit or Auto, then this new tempo will be transmitted to connected MIDI devices. If Auto Tap is active, this will also result in a new tempo being sent. You can also specify one of these special tempo values:
- Off - Don't send tempo for this preset
- Same - Keep the same tempo
- Song - Use the current song's tempo
Auto Tap Div - Sets a tap tempo division for the Auto Tap feature. The tap division changes the rate at which the taps are sent to the connected device. The default setting, Qtr means that the tap tempo is processed as quarter notes - the taps are sent at the exact BPM rate specified in the preset. The other settings speed up the taps to match the new note type. Possible values are Qtr, Dot8th, QtrTrip, 8thTrip and 16th.
MIDI Clk Div - Sets a tap tempo division for the MIDI clock output. The tap division changes the rate at which the MIDI clock signal is sent to the connected devices. The default setting, Qtr means that the tap tempo is processed as quarter notes - the taps are sent at the exact BPM rate specified in the preset. The other settings speed up the clock to match the new note type. Possible values are Qtr, Dot8th, QtrTrip, 8thTrip and 16th.
PC Messages
This section is where you specify the PC and (optionally) bank messages that are being sent to your MIDI devices. Any MIDI devices defined in Devices Tab that have Send PCs turned on will be listed here.
Each device has a checkbox. When the checkbox is not checked, no PC or bank message will be sent to that device for this preset.
If the checkbox is checked, you can specify a program or PC number for each device. If the device has bank support, you will also be able to specify a bank number. These will be sent to your device when the preset is loaded.
Some devices have flat numbering, where the PC and bank number are combined into one preset number. These devices will not have a space for entering the bank number, and will allow you to type in a PC number that's larger than 127 (the standard MIDI limit for PC numbers). For these devices, the Mastermind GT and PBC will automatically calculate the correct PC and bank numbers for you. You can set a device to use flat numbering (or not) using the Flat Numbering setting on the Devices Tab.
When the selector at the top of the box is set to IA Buttons, you can edit your IA buttons and local button page. The Edit Local Buttons checkbox selects which mode you are in.
When Edit Local Buttons is not checked, you are editing the state of your IA buttons. Click on any IA button to turn it on or off. That state will be stored in the currently selected preset, and the button's state will be automatically recalled when the preset is loaded. Only buttons that have Update on Preset Change turned on will be able to be edited in this mode.
When Edit Local Buttons is checked, you are now editing the buttons in the local button page. Double click on any button to edit it. The editor screen works exactly like the Button Edit Page, but changes only apply to this preset's the local button page.
Checking Edit Local Buttons will automatically enable the local button page for the preset and set the Show Page parameter to button page 16, which is the local button page.
Preset Actions
When the selector at the top of the box is set to Preset Actions, you can edit the list of Actions associated with this preset. Each preset can have up to 10 Actions associated with it. These Actions are executed when the preset is loaded. The preset actions are executed after the PC messages are sent, but before the IA buttons send their messages.
Preset Actions only have On values, and those values are sent when the preset is loaded.
Audio
On the Mastermind PBC, you can use the Audio section of the Presets tab to specify overrides to the global audio settings found in the Audio Tab. To override the settings for a loop, buffer, etc., simply click the override ">" icon to enable it, then click the button next to it to set the desired state. You can override the on/off state of any audio feature. You can also set the series/parallel setting for loops that support it, and set the phase invert state for the B output.
Settings made in this section only affect the currently selected preset.
Function Switches
On the Mastermind LT and PBC, you can use the Function Switches section to specify overrides to the global function switch settings found in the Globals Tab. To override the settings for a switch, simply click the override ">" icon to turn it on, then click the button next to it to set the desired state.
Settings made in this section only affect the currently selected preset.
Exp Pedal Overrides
This section allows you to override the global settings for the expression pedal and specify new settings that affect only this preset. To override settings, check the checkbox for the pedal, then click the edit button, which will pop up the Expression Pedal Edit Page and will let you provide new settings.
Ext Switch Overrides
This section allows you to override the global settings for one or more external switches and specify new settings that affect only this preset. To override settings, check the checkbox for an external switch, then click the edit button, which will pop up the Button Edit Page and will let you provide new settings.
Songs Tab
The Songs Tab is where you can edit songs and assign presets to those songs. See the Songs and Setlists section for more information on how songs and setlists work.
Song List
The leftmost column contains a list of all of the songs in the system. Select a song in this list, and you can edit the song using the fields on the right side of the screen. You can also change the order of your songs simply by dragging and dropping songs within this list
General Settings
Name - Assigns a name to this song
Tempo - Sets the tempo of this song. if MIDI Clock is set to Master or Auto, then this new tempo will be transmitted to connected MIDI devices. You can also specify one of these special values:
- Off - Don't send tempo for this song
- Preset - Use the current preset's tempo
- Same - Keep the same tempo
Presets in this Song
This is a list of presets that are in the currently selected song. There are 16 slots, each of which can have a preset assigned, or no preset assigned. When this song is selected on your Mastermind GT, these presets will be displayed over your preset buttons. The Preset Button Index section describes how the presets are assigned to the preset buttons.
If your song has more presets than the number of preset buttons on the current button page, the extra presets will not be displayed.
Similar to the Song List, you can drag and drop presets within this list to change the order of presets within the song.
Available Presets
This is a list of all presets in the system. To put a preset into your song, select a slot in the Presets in this Song list, then select a preset from the Available Presets list. There's a None option at the top of this list you can use to create an empty slot.
For more information about songs and setlists, see Mastering the Mastermind episode 11, Songs and Setlists
Setlists Tab
The Setlists Tab is where you can edit setlists and assign songs to those setlists. See the Songs and Setlists section for more information on how songs and setlists work.
Setlist List
The leftmost column contains a list of all of the setlists in the system. Select a setlist in this list, and you can edit the setlist using the fields on the right side of the screen. You can also change the order of your setlists simply by dragging and dropping within this list.
General Settings
Name - Assigns a name to this setlist.
Songs in this Setlist
This is a list of songs that are in the currently selected setlist. There are 100 slots, each of which can have a song assigned, or no song assigned. On the Mastermind GT or PBC, pressing the Bank Up and Bank Downbuttons move through the songs within the current setlist using the order shown in this list.
Similar to the Setlist List, you can drag and drop songs within this list to change the order of songs within the setlist.
Available Songs
This is a list of all songs in the system. To put a song into your setlist, select a slot in the Songs in this Setlist list, then select a song from the Available Songs list. There's a None option at the top of this list you can use to create an empty slot.
For more information about songs and setlists, see Mastering the Mastermind episode 11, Songs and Setlists
Sysex Tab
The Sysex Tab allows you to define Sysex messages. Sysex messages are a special type of MIDI message that are specific to a particular product or manufacturer, and are usually defined as a string of hexadecimal digits (numbers where each digit can be 0-9 or A-F). These messages are often listed in a product's user manual or MIDI specification, and are usually used to access advanced features of a device that aren't available when using standard MIDI messages.
In actuality, the messages defined in this tab aren't limited to being Sysex messages - they can be any MIDI message at all. No error checking is done on these messages, so it's important to get the numbers right.
To send one of these messages, use the System / Sysex action on your button or preset. You will be able to specify up to two messages from this list to send - one to send when the button is turned on and one to send when it's turned off.
Sysex List
The leftmost column contains a list of all of the Sysex messages in the system. Select a Sysex message in this list, and you can edit the message using the fields on the right side of the screen. You can also change the order of your Sysex messages simply by dragging and dropping within this list.
General Settings
Sysex Message Name - Assigns a name to this Sysex message
Sysex Message Contents
This is where you specify the contents of your message. Enter the message as a string of hexadecimal digits separated by spaces. For example: F0 00 01 5B 00 F7
You can add as many as 16 bytes (in this case, a byte is a 2-digit number). If you need to send a longer message, you can create multiple Sysex entries and break up the message into pieces. Use multiple System / Sysex actions to send all of the pieces in a row. Using a macro is a convenient way to group multiple Sysex actions so that you can send them all at once with one System / Macro action.
Macros Tab
The Macros Tab allows you you define macros. Macros are action lists that can be called from another action lists. If there are certain sequences of MIDI messages you need to use repeatedly, a macro saves time - you only need to define your MIDI messages once and use the macro wherever you need that sequence of messages. It also makes it much easier to make changes. If you need to change a value in one of your MIDI messages, you can just edit the macro once, instead of having to edit the value every place you use it.
You can define 128 macros, each of which can have 32 actions.
To use a Macro, add a System / Macro action to your button or preset. The Mastermind will run the macro as an extension of its own action list.
Please note that you can't call a macro from another macro. System / Macro actions in a macro are ignored.
The example above shows a Macro that will turn on loops 1, 5 and 8 on an Effect Gizmo.
Macro List
The leftmost column contains a list of all of the macros in the system. Select a macro in this list, and you can edit the macro using the fields on the right side of the screen. You can also change the order of your macros simply by dragging and dropping within this list
General Settings
Macro Name - Assigns a name to this macro
Force State To - Normally, when a macro is run, the on/off state is passed from a button to the action. If the macro is activated by turning a button on, the macro will use the on values of each action. If the button was turned off, the macro will use the off value of each action. When this checkbox is checked, you can force the state to be on or off, ignoring the on/off state of the button that was pressed. When checked, a dropdown selector will appear, allowing you to select On or Off as the desired state.
Macro Actions
This is where you can edit the macro's actions. Please refer to the Editing Actions section for more details.
MIDI Tab
Note: The MIDI Tab is only available on the Mastermind LT/PBC editor. On the Mastermind GT, the MIDI settings are on the Globals Tab.
The MIDI tab is where you can edit various MIDI parameters for the Mastermind LT and PBC.
MIDI Settings
MIDI Receive Channel - selects which MIDI channel the Mastermind responds to. Incoming Program Changes and Bank messages on this channel will cause the Mastermind to switch to the indicated preset. This setting also enables incoming CC (Continuous Controller) messages, which are set in the right side of this tab. Can also be set to None which makes it ignore all incoming Program Changes and Continuous Controller messages.
This setting is typically used when controlling the Mastermind from a computer or other MIDI controller.
You should not set MIDI Receive Channel to be the same channel as one of your other MIDI devices. This includes devices with bidirectional MIDI communication such as the Axe-Fx and Kemper Profiler. When using these devices, you don't need MIDI Receive Channel to be set to anything other than None.
MIDI Clock - selects how the Mastermind PBC handles MIDI clock messages. Possible values are:
- None - does not transmit or receive MIDI clock
- Transmit - transmits a MIDI clock signal. The tempo can be set using tap tempo button, or can be programmed in any song or preset.
- Receive - receives a MIDI clock signal. It will also send the incoming clock signal out the MIDI output.
- Auto - If an incoming MIDI clock signal is detected at the MIDI input or USB port, act as if Receive was selected. If no incoming MIDI signal is detected, act as if Transmit was selected.
Clock Pulse Limit - If set to 0 (the default), MIDI clock will be sent normally - as a continuous stream of MIDI messages. If set to a number higher than 0, the Mastermind will send that many MIDI clock messages every time the tempo changes, then stop sending. This is similar to tap tempo, but is faster.
Bidirectional MIDI - when turned on, makes the MIDI Out and MIDI In ports bidirectional. Pins 1 and 3 are used for the second communication channel. This is used for Remote Mode or to communicate with bidirectional MIDI devices like the Axe-Fx.
Remote Mode - when enabled, allows you to link two or more Masterminds together and have them all operate in unison. This makes it possible to use one Mastermind as a remote controller for another. When using this mode, the MIDI Out of each device connects to the MIDI In of the next MIDI device. The last device's MIDI Out is used to connect to the rest of your MIDI devices.
Bidirectional MIDI should be turned on when using Remote Mode, and all Masterminds need to have the same exact settings on them in order for Remote Mode to work correctly.
Expander - when checked, allows you to link two Masterminds together and use them as one unit. This is different from remote mode in that you can use the audio loops in each unit independently and you can have different button configurations on both units. Remote Mode needs to be turned on for this parameter to be visible. Bidirectional MIDI needs to be on when using expander mode.
MIDI bank selects song - This setting changes how the Mastermind responds to MIDI bank messages. Refer to the External MIDI Control section for more details.
Use Song Index - This setting, along with the above setting, controls how the Mastermind responds to MIDI bank messages. Refer to the External MIDI Control section for more details.
Merge (In / Out / USB) - when one or more of these checkboxes are checked, the Mastermind takes any MIDI messages received at that port and forwards them out the MIDI Out port.
MIDI Forward - when enabled, the Mastermind takes any MIDI messages received at the USB Device port and forwards them out the MIDI Out port. And, any MIDI messages coming in to the MIDI In port are forwarded out the USB device port. This allows you to use the Mastermind as a MIDI interface for a computer.
Incoming CC Messages
This section allows you to set which incoming CC messages control each audio function of the Mastermind. Each loop, buffer, output, signal and function switch is listed here and has a space where you can select which CC number controls that function. MIDI Receive Channel needs to be set to something other than None for the Mastermind to respond to incoming CC messages.
All of the possible CC messages for the Mastermind series are displayed. When configuring a Mastermind LT, all of the CCs relating to audio features such as loops, buffers and outputs will be visible and able to be edited, but these CCs will have no effect.
Control using incoming CC messages is explained in more detail in the External MIDI Control section.
Audio Tab
Click Stopper Settings
The Click Stopper is a mute circuit that helps to mute the click or pop that the loop relays make when they switch.
It's only found on the Mastermind PBC/10
Clickstopper L7 - enables the Click Stopper that is located before loop 7.
Clickstopper L10 - enables the Click Stopper that is located after loop 10.
CS Pre Time - sets the number of milliseconds that the Click Stopper is activated before the relays are allowed to switch. Default is 4 milliseconds.
CS Post Time - sets the number of milliseconds that the Click Stopped stays on after the relays switch. Default is 8 milliseconds.
Tuner Settings
Enable Tuner - When checked, the internal tuner is enabled, when not checked it is disabled. This is useful when using an external, MIDI capable tuner in an Axe-Fx or Kemper Profiling Amp.
Tuner Mode - Allows you to select the operation mode of the tuner. Allowable values are Chromatic and Guitar. Guitar has additional options specific to tuning a guitar.
Tuner Frequency - Sets the center frequency of the internal tuner. Allowable values are 432 to 445 Hz.
Guitar Mode Parameters
These parameters are only available when Tuner Mode is set to Guitar.
Capo - Allows you to set a tuning offset for the whole guitar. The offset is specified in semitones.
String Offsets (1-6) - Allows you to set a tuning offset for each string. The offsets are specified in cents.
Audio Features
This is where you can specify the default settings for each audio feature: loops, buffers, inputs, outputs and signals.
Each audio feature has an On/Off button and a padlock icon. The On/Off button sets the default state of the audio feature. The factory default is that all loops are off, and everything else is on, but a click on this page can change that.
Defaults
The default settings on this page affect all presets on the PBC, except those that have overrides set. You can set up an override in a few ways:
- On the PBC itself, use the buttons to turn a loop, buffer, etc. on or off and hold the Loops button to store (or the Function button on the PBC/6X). This will store the new state as an override for the current preset.
- On the "Buttons" section of the Presets Tab, click the button that controls the desired loop, buffer, etc. This changes the state of the audio feature and saves it as an override for the current preset.
- On the '"Audio" section of the Presets Tab, click the override ">" button to activate the override, then click the on/off button to set the new state of the audio feature.
You can remove overrides from a preset in two ways:
- You can remove the overrides on every preset for a specific audio feature. On the Audio Tab, hold the Shift key and click the On/Off button for the desired audio feature. The editor will ask for confirmation, then if you respond yes, will clear all overrides.
- On the '"Audio" section of the Presets Tab, click the override ">" button to turn it off. This disables the override for the current preset.
Global Lock
The padlock icon turns on the global lock for an audio feature. This sets the audio feature to ignore all preset overrides - the audio feature will stay in this state and no button press, MIDI message or anything else can change that state. Turning off the lock icon will re-enable any user specified overrides in your presets and allow the audio feature to be turned on or off once again.
Independent Loops
Loops can also be be set to be independent. Independent loops ignore preset overrides like locked loops do, but you can still change the loop manually by using Instant Access buttons. Clicking the padlock icon for a loop will cycle through three states: unlocked, locked, and independent. Independent mode is indicated by an "I" icon.
Other Settings
In addition to setting the on/off states of each feature, you can also set the series/parallel state of loops that support parallel routing, and can also select whether those loops preserve delay and reverb trails when switching the loop off. The trails setting only has an effect when the loop is set to parallel.
Output B has an Invert setting that allows you to set the phase inversion of the output.
For more information about audio settings, please see Mastering the Mastermind episode 12, PBC Audio Settings
Expression Pedal Edit Page
This page allows you to edit the settings of each expression pedal in the system. You can edit global settings on the Globals Tab, and can override those settings in certain presets using the Presets Tab. You can also use Expression Pedal Settings Blocks to change expression pedal settings with a button press.
General Settings
Name - Allows you to name this pedal.
Taper X, Taper Y - these settings allow you to compensate for the taper of a volume pedal. See the Expression Pedal Taper section below for all the details. The default is Taper X = 0, Taper Y = 0, which should be used for all typical expression pedals, or volume pedals that have an expression output. When connecting a volume pedal with an insert cable (connected to the pedals' input and output), you would need to set these numbers differently. X=80, Y=20 or X=65, Y=30 are good starting points.
Send Current Value On Preset Change - when this is checked, the Mastermind will send CC message(s) based on the expression pedal's current position every time you change presets. If this is not checked, the Mastermind will only send CCs when the expression pedal is moved.
Continuous Controllers
This section is where you specify which CC (continuous controller) messages are sent by this pedal. You can send CC messages to two devices simultaneously. Each device has the following parameters:
Device - Chooses which device you are sending to.
CC Number - Chooses which CC number is sent. You can type in the number manually, or if your device is listed by name in the device database, you can pull down a menu that contains the names and numbers of known CCs for the device.
Min Value - Specifies the CC value that will be sent when the pedal is in the heel down position.
Max Value - Specifies the CC value that will be sent when the pedal is in the toe down / heel up position.
Position Switch Actions
The expression pedal port has a position switch that can trigger Actions when the pedal goes above or below a certain position. This is separate from the built-in toe switch found on the Mission Engineering SP1-RJM pedal, which works as an External Switch and is edited using the Button Edit Page. You can use both the position switch and the toe switch at the same time if desired.
The actual position at which the switch happens has to be programmed on the Mastermind GT or PBC, using the Set Switch Position option in the Expression Pedal menu. The action list can be edited on this page using the standard action editor.
Invert Position Switch - When this checkbox is not checked, the position switch is considered to be on when the pedal is between the switch position you specified and the heel up position. The position switch is considered to be off when pedal is between the specified switch position and the heel down position. When this checkbox is checked, it's reversed: heel up is off and heel down is on.
Expression Pedal Taper
Volume pedals have a logarithmic taper, which means most of the change in its value happens at one end of the pedal. This sounds natural when using a volume pedal, but usually sounds wrong when used as an expression pedal.
The Mastermind can compensate for this to make the pedal's response feel more natural. A volume pedal typically has one range where the value changes slowly and another where it changes quickly.
The red line indicates a linear taper - it's a straight line all the way across. The green line is a logarithmic taper. Note that it has a "knee" where the line breaks and heads upward at a steeper slope. This is where the Taper X and Taper Y values come in.
The green line's knee is at 50% across the graph, and 10% up. So, to compensate for this pedal, you would type in X=50, Y=10. Typical volume pedals have the X set to somewhere between 65 and 80 and Y set somewhere between 20 and 30.