Send a MIDI start message to an external synthesizer?

I have a synthesizer (x0xb0x) which I'm trying to control with Logic Express (9.16). With the synth's own sequencer I can create chains of patterns called tracks, and the synth will start playing these tracks when it receives a MIDI start message, according to the synth's manual.

If I start playing my Logic project from the beginning, the synth starts playing from the beginning of the track like it should. I guess the start message is sent then. But if I start playing the project at some other point in time, the x0xb0x also starts playback from some other point in the track instead of the beginning. So I think I should get that midi start message sent somehow? I have checked the midi event lists in Logic, and couldn't find a midi start message anywhere...

So, does anyone know how can I accomplish this? Or if it's not possible to send those start messages directly, is there some alternative solution?

Prefs -> MIDI -> Sync: Is "Allow to send Song Position Pointer while playing" checked?

Yes, and I have tried both checked and unchecked, but it doesn't make any difference.

There's the "Send Byte to MIDI" Meta Event Num = 47. Whether these meta events still work or not is something you'll have to test out on your own...

From the manual:

47 (Send Byte to MIDI): This sends the track instrument any byte value (Val) between 0 and 255 ($00-$FF). As a usage example of this meta event: if you send 246 as the byte, this is equivalent to a MIDI tuning request message. The display will show Send Byte $F6. Only use this meta event if you know what you’re doing—if you don’t, your sound modules and synths may start to behave very oddly.

So in this case you'd want to send a MIDI Start command ($FA) or decimal 250. You could also try Continue ($FB), decimal 251. Start and continue commands are supposed to be followed by MIDI clock bytes. However, if your external sequencer is running from its own clock, the Start or Continue commands on their own should suffice to get it running. One caveat: there's no guarantee that the ext. sequencer will stay perfectly sync'd with Logic over time.

Repeat caveat from the beginning of my post: none of this may work at all! But it's all worth experimenting to see what happens!

Start = $FA

Continue = $FB

Stop = $FC

Repeat caveat from the beginning of my post: none of this may work at all! But it's all worth experimenting to see what happens!

Yeah, that meta event looks like the thing I was searching for. But, it doesn't work... nothing seems to happen when I create the meta events. Well, it was worth a try anyway, thanks

I guess the problem can be solved with 'MidiPipe' triggering Start from the Continue message.

In the 'Message Factory' tool, set Continue (251) as trigger and Start (250) as message.

I guess the problem can be solved with 'MidiPipe' triggering Start from the Continue message.

In the 'Message Factory' tool, set Continue (251) as trigger and Start (250) as message.

Yes, I discovered MidiPipe myself a couple of days ago, and for a while have been trying to figure out how it works. Actually I only today noticed the AList element (which shows the midi data going through the pipe), which makes debugging the pipe a million times easier...

So I managed to create a pipe which converts certain CC messages into Start and Stop messages, and then filters out everything except those converted Start, Stop and midi clock messages.

Then I created a couple of midi regions in Logic, one with each of those cc messages, which I can just toss anywhere on my midi track to start and stop my x0xb0x. It works perfectly! So, problem solved. Thanks for the help, everyone!

Hi Horse! I've the same identical problem. I'd like to trigger my xbox only in particular points of my song in Logic.

Could you help me to solve it like you did?

I'm not very able in midi programming, so I'm afraid I can't do it on my own.

Thank you in advance!

Cristian.