Currently Step listens to all MIDI channels. This is a problem because it will inadvertently respond to PC and CC messages meant for other devices in the MIDI chain. In other words, Step basically cannot be used with any other devices which accept MIDI input.
What should this feature achieve?
By selecting a single MIDI channel to receive on, Step can coexist with other devices and receive its own PC and CC messages. In other words, each device can have its own MIDI “lane” and be individually addressable, which is how MIDI was intended to work.
Are there any workarounds?
If your MIDI controller has multiple MIDI output ports it may be possible to dedicate one of those ports only to Step, if the controller software has the flexibility to only send some commands to specific ports. For a MIDI controller with only one MIDI output, there is no workaround.
Any links to related discussions?
Any references to other products?
Instead of receiving PC messages across all MIDI channels to overcome the 128 preset limit, Step should support bank select messages as documented here:
I agree, this is so important. I control several effect pedals and synths with a Morningstar MC6 while passing by the Step which is the dream drum machine that I have been waiting for several years. That’s why I was really surprised not to be able to assign a midi channel to it, this function seems so basic and obvious to me that I had not even checked this point before buying it, I was convinced that it was possible since all midi devices work this way.
For example, in the current configuration, if I want to ask my looper to start recording a loop on the channel dedicated to it, the Step - which listens by default to all midi channels - will interpret this order in its own way and change (for exemple) the drum pattern at the same time when I obviously don’t want that. For a machine in this price range, it’s a real shame not to be able to easily integrate it into an elaborate midi setup.
I hope that this request will be heard and this possibility implemented. In the meantime, I will have to rethink my setup. Thank you, Polyend team, you really did a great work with this amazing piece of gear. You are one step away from making the Step the perfect machine
