MIDI Goblin

  • 5 pin MIDI connectivity

  • Hardware patch librarian for user defined synthesizers and MIDI controllers

  • Arpeggiator for received note messages

  • Chord and scale generator

  • 32 step, semi-polyphonic sequencer

  • MIDI CC LFO

  • Re-mapper for MIDI CC messages

  • Monitor for received CC, NRPN and Note messages

  • A fully programmable MIDI controller

  • Patch Morpher

  • Completely Hackable

  • Open source

FEATURES

USER DEFINED PATCH LIBRARIAN

Rather than being designed to save patches for specific synthesizers or midi controllers, users define what devices MIDI Goblin can save patches for.

MIDI Goblin can save patches consisting of CC and/or NRPN message types.

You can add your synthesizer or midi controller to MIDI Goblin by using MIDI Goblin Wizard.

Name your device, list its parameters, copy a folder to the MIDI Goblins micro sd card - its pretty easy.

Note: If your synth does not use CC or NRPN for controlling its parameters, MIDI goblin will not be able to save/load patches for it - BUT - you may still find the program change, arpeggiator, sequencer, arp-note and auto-chord features quite useful

Arpeggiator

If your synth or midi controller can send/receive midi note messages MIDI Goblin can arpeggiate them! Its quite useful. You can arpeggiate notes messages received from synthesizers or midi controllers and send the arpeggio to the midi channel of your choice.

You can change the speed, direction and switch between latch or hold mode.

Polyphonic synths can take advantage of the “maximum length” option - this allows you to play your synth while the arpeggio plays. Its sweeet….

Oh yeah! The arpeggiator can be synced to the SEQUENCER

MIDI Goblin has an easy to use, semi-polyphonic, 32 step sequencer.

The sequencer is quite simple and can be programmed using a synth, midi controller or by pressing the MIDI Goblin’s encoder (knob) and giving it a twist. If you twist the encoder without pressing it first, it controls the playback speed.

A simple, fun, sequencer

Sequences can consist of notes or chords and if you think the steps feel a little bit too robotic, you can give each individual step it’s own swing.

You can edit sequences during playback and If your synth is polyphonic, you can play overtop the sequence while its playing and of course you can save your sequences to MIDI Goblins removable micro SD card.

Patch morphing

Have a patch that sounds cool? Want to hear something cool? Try patch morphing!

The MORPH app analyzes your synths current values and the values within a patch file - as you turn your encoder(knob) MIDI Goblin automatically transitions all your parameters to the values in the patch.

No midi output connection? Just load a patch before you morph. From there MIDI Goblin will know what your synths settings are and will be able to morph. It. Sounds. Cool.

For a more in-depth video on how patch morphing works, check this video of me rambling for a few minutes…its got a good thumbnail image

Play scales with the press of a single key using ARP-NOTE.

Press a key, and MIDI Goblin will automatically play a scale in major or minor keys, of the length you choose, the speed you want, in the direction you want.

It’s legitimately awesome and extremely satisfying.

ARP-NOTE

Ever move a slider or turn a knob and think “that sounds cool…why cant I hook this up to an LFO?”

MIDI Goblin’s LFO app can mimic the behaviour of analog LFO and oscilate the values of any CC parameter.

Like the way it sounds? Save your patch with the LFO app turned on and your LFO settings will automatically load when that patch is loaded

Note: LFO app only works with CC parameter types.

MIDI CC LFO

Auto-Chord

Press a key on your synth - MIDI Goblin plays a chord!

It’s pretty basic right now but theres potential in the future for this one.

You can switch between major and minor chords and also set the chord size - useful if you have a poly-synth and want to play a lead over a lazy chord.

MIDI CONTROLLER

MIDI Goblin has a flexible midi controller app as well. You can manually add any CC parameter you want. Give it a name, fiddle with the values. You can control the values using the midi goblin’s encoder knob, midi controller or synthesizer. Using the MIDI Controller is a quick way to create patches for synths with no midi output connection. Any value you edit in the controller that matches the synths CC parameter numbers can be saved in patch files.

Want to use your synthesizer’s parameter list instead of manually entering all the values - you can! Just hit the menu button and set USE DEVICE to yes. Any values you edit are incorporated into subsequently saved patch files - basically, this makes it possible to save patches for synths with no midi output. Hooray!

Have an old midi controller that cant change its parameter CC numbers?

Want to use a synth as a midi controller for rompler or another synth?

MIDI Goblin allows you to remap received CC mesages! It’s quite basic, and quite useful and if you can save and load sets of remapped values to MIDI Goblins removable micro SD card.

CC REMAPPING

USER DEFINED BUTTONS

MIDI Goblin has three helpful little buttons that you can set to functions of your choice. Turn on/off apps, load patches, sequences or send a big ol’ panic message - the user buttons are quite handy!

MIDI triggers

3 user buttons not enough? How about 99 of them?!

MIDI Goblin’s TRIGGER works similarly to the user defined buttons but rather than relying on your fingers pressing a button, it works by waiting for MIDI CC messages of your choice. When the chosen message value is received, it does the button stuff!

This allows you to load patches, sequences, toggle on/off apps and send panic messages using buttons, sliders or knobs on your synth or midi controller - nice.

DEVICE SPECIFIC SETTINGS

MIDI Goblin save’s your settings for each device you add to it individually. This way your user button setup, trigger setup, default speed of the arpeggiator, sequencer and ARP-NOTE as well as the statuses of each app can all be saved and loaded up automatically when you select your device from the device menu.

You can also set what channel each of MIDI Goblin’s apps transmit to. So if you have a midly complicated set up with multiple synths connected to MIDI Goblin’s output, don’t worry - you wont have to reset this every time you turn on your goblin.