Tascam US-428 Specification

US-428 Four Control Banks Specification

These two control protocols are intended to provide better control of software synthesizers and
samlpers by allowing the US-428 to generate scores of MIDI controller messages, not just a
dozen or so. It does this in several ways, most importantly by supporting four independent
“banks” of control surfaces.

The two protocols, which are listed in the US-428 control panel as “Four Control Banks (Pots)”
and “Four Control Banks (Encoders)”, are almost identical. They only differ in how the rotary
encoders are interpreted. Each protocol is described in detail below. There is also a .GIF file
included which summarizes controller and note numbers, and gives a graphical representation of
the control banks.

The purpose of this protocol is to provide an operational mode in which users can program the
US-428 to work with software synths and other applications requiring the mapping of a large
number of messages. The ability of the US-428 to work in this mode will enable users to create
their own templates for use with virtual synths and other applications.

Banks

There are four banks, or sets, of controls. Think of each bank as a “layer”….the US -428’s control
surface sends out a different set of messages for each bank. The active bank is indicated by its
associated AUX LED (e.g., AUX1 is lit for Bank1; AUX2 is lit for Bank2, etc.). Banks can be
selected directly by pressing one of the AUX buttons; they can also be selected sequentially with
the BANK button. (When you first selec t the Banks protocol, it opens with Bank1 active.)

MIDI Notes and Controllers - Nomenclature used in this document

Some button presses result in the US-428 sending a MIDI Note On message to the application
via the US-428 Control Port, while other actions may send a MIDI Controller message. The note
or controller number sent depends, in most cases, on the currently active bank. For example,
Fader 1 is listed as:

Fader 1 MIDI Controller (0 + 32*B)

The “B” here means the Bank number minus 1. When Bank 1 is active, B = 0; when Bank 4 is
active, B = 3. This means that moving Fader 1 sends the current fader position as a MIDI
controller message (a value of 0…..127), with the MIDI controller number being 0 in Bank1, 32 in
Bank2, 64 in Bank3, and 96 in Bank4. This allows the single physical Fader 1 to act as four
different controllers, one in each bank.

MIDI messages are always sent and received on channel 1 of the US -428 Control Port, except for
“Global Controls” (described below), which are sent and received on channel 2.

MUTE Buttons

Pressing a MUTE button sends a MIDI Note On message with a velocity of 127. Releasing the
button sends a Note On message with a velocity of 0. The SOLO button acts like a shift/modifier
key for the MUTE buttons. Pressing the SOLO button (SOLO LED is lit) causes the MUTE
buttons to transmit a different note than when the SOLO LED is not lit.

When SOLO LED is off:

MUTE 1 button sends MIDI note (0 + 32*B)
MUTE 2 button sends MIDI note (1 + 32*B)
MUTE 3 button sends MIDI note (2 + 32*B)
MUTE 4 button sends MIDI note (3 + 32*B)
MUTE 5 button sends MIDI note (4 + 32*B)
MUTE 6 button sends MIDI note (5 + 32*B)
MUTE 7 button sends MIDI note (6 + 32*B)
MUTE 8 button sends MIDI note (7 + 32*B)

When SOLO LED is on:

MUTE 1 button sends MIDI note (8 + 32*B)
MUTE 2 button sends MIDI note (9 + 32*B)
MUTE 3 button sends MIDI note (10 + 32*B)
MUTE 4 button sends MIDI note (11 + 32*B)
MUTE 5 button sends MIDI note (12 + 32*B)
MUTE 6 button sends MIDI note (13 + 32*B)
MUTE 7 button sends MIDI note (14 + 32*B)
MUTE 8 button sends MIDI note (15 + 32*B)

SELECT Buttons

In much the same manner as with the MUTE and SOLO buttons, the SELECT buttons can also
send one of two possible MIDI note messages. The REC button acts like a shift/modifier key for
the SELECT buttons. The note sent depends on whether the REC button is lit or not.

When REC LED is off:

SELECT 1 button sends MIDI note (16 + 32*B)
SELECT 2 button sends MIDI note (17 + 32*B)
SELECT 3 button sends MIDI note (18 + 32*B)
SELECT 4 button sends MIDI note (19 + 32*B)
SELECT 5 button sends MIDI note (20 + 32*B)
SELECT 6 button sends MIDI note (21 + 32*B)
SELECT 7 button sends MIDI note (22 + 32*B)
SELECT 8 button sends MIDI note (23 + 32*B)

When REC LED is on:

SELECT 1 button sends MIDI note (24 + 32*B)
SELECT 2 button sends MIDI note (25 + 32*B)
SELECT 3 button sends MIDI note (26 + 32*B)
SELECT 4 button sends MIDI note (27 + 32*B)
SELECT 5 button sends MIDI note (28 + 32*B)