This layout by iOS-music evangelist from Apptronica takes a performance-oriented approach to Egoist from Sugar Bytes. This layout was designed for the iOS version of Egoist, but should be usable for the desktop version as well. Check out the video and instructions before using.
This layout takes a performance-oriented approach to Egoist from Sugar Bytes. This layout was designed for the iOS version of Egoist, but should be usable for the desktop version as well.
Here's a video demo showing some usage and setup details:
Pattern & Slice Pages
The first set of pages are used to switch patterns in standard mode or to trigger individual slices within a pattern in "slice key mode". In slice key mode, you can change patterns using the Pattern page or using the Pattern up and down buttons on the Slice page. If you're not familiar with Slice Key Mode, you turn it on by tapping the button with the keyboard icon in the lower left corner.
In standard mode, selecting a pattern will start playback. Choosing a different pattern will change patterns either immediately or with a slight pause if "Direct Pattern Change" is deselected on the Egoist settings page.
Main & Bass Pages
Next up, the Main page contains level controls and toggle switches for the Slicer, Bass and Beat sections, as well as a master volume slider. The Bass page maps the bass filter cutoff and resonance to an X/Y pad, while offering knob controls for the other main bass parameters.
FX & Beat Pages
The FX page maps all of the parameters for the effects matrix to sliders and X-Y controls. Note that I swapped the dimensions for the X-Y pads in relation to how they are set up in the app. If you're used to using the pads as they're laid out in the app, you may want to map them that way.
The Beat page contains all of the main controls for the drum section. Note that Max Out is part of Egoist's built in Limiter feature and is not the same as the Beat master level, which is on the Main page of this layout. If you're not familiar with the Attenuate control, it controls the difference in volume between the instruments in the sequencer when you use the small icons vs. the large ones. Unlike the in-app controls, the tune knobs in the layout actually show the intervals from -12 to 12.
The drum sound selector switches work exactly like the ones in the app. You don't need to map the Drum Set selector knob as it simply changes the values of the other 3 knobs.
Presets & Quickmap Pages
The Presets page allows you to call up presets stored in the "Midi Programs" directory. I also added a "QuickMap" page to make it easier to map the CC's for the X-Y pads.
Mapping
Before starting the mapping process, make sure (!!!) that "CC Preset Isolate" is checked on the Egoist settings page. It conveniently turns itself off every time you close and re-open the app, so you'll want to pay attention to that if you find that your layout isn't working. I suggest turning it on, making your mappings, and then saving a safety preset so you can reload your mappings. If you find that your mappings aren't showing up, just enable "CC Preset Isolate", load your safety preset, and you should be good for that session.
To actually map the controls, double-tap a control in Egoist to bring up the Midi Learn menu and then tap "Midi Learn". (You'll be able to see if a control is already mapped next to the "Clear" option.) Next, move the control on the MIDI Designer layout to assign it, and you should see it start working immediately.
Here's the layout file: http://mididesigner.com/qa/?qa=blob&qa_blobid=6519617911730246942
Notes
The Preset and Slice pages work by sending actual MIDI notes to Egoist. If you are running other apps, you may need to adjust connections or MIDI channels if the layout is triggering unwanted notes. A useful side effect if you own SECTOR is that you can configure the MIDI note range in SECTOR to match the one used by Slice Key Mode in Egoist (notes 60-75), and trigger both simultaneously from the same layout.
I ran into some bugs in the Egoist MIDI implementation as I was putting this together, which I've communicated to Sugar Bytes. I'll list them here because you may encounter the same issues:
1. In the MIDI Learn popups, if there is a CC number already assigned to a control, the CC number appears next to the "Clear" option. The value displayed is off by one (e.g. displaying 58 for CC 57).
2. Sending program changes to Egoist works, but the order the presets are called up doesn't correspond to their position in the list.
3. The MIDI note numbers mentioned in the manual for triggering Patterns and Slices seem to be off by an octave. These are the ranges that work for me:
- Pattern Keys: C2 thru D#3 (36-51)
- Slices (slice key mode): C4 thru D#5 (60-75)
4. When copying presets to the MIDI Programs folder, if you're selecting multiple programs while scrolling, checked presets that scroll out of view are automatically unchecked.
As always, let me know if you have questions or encounter any issues using this layout. Enjoy!
