Orbita

Getting started

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Troubleshooting

Orbita is a rotating MIDI sequencer — it does not produce sound on its own

Orbita is a rotating color MIDI sequencer. It sends MIDI signals that trigger sounds on a connected device — but you will need a sound source to hear anything. This can be:

• 📱 A smartphone or tablet running a compatible app (such as Koala Sampler, Dawnbeat, or King of FM)
• 💻 A laptop with a DAW or any MIDI-compatible software
• 🎹 A MIDI-compatible synthesiser or sound module

Each color magnet triggers a different MIDI note or signal as the disc spins. Place and move the colored magnets to create rhythms and melodies you can see, touch, and hear — once connected to your sound source.

Orbita is still in beta mode. If you need any help, advice or support, please contact Sasha (WhatsApp) +491788067884

How to get started

1. Connect Orbita with USB or MIDI.

2. Place color magnets on any track.

3. Press start, rotate to adjust speed.

4. Press buttons R, B, I, T to mute tracks.

5. Long press A to record Mute states or Speed changes. Press A again to play your recording. Press A again to reset.

Web settings page

https://playtronica.github.io/WebMidiOrbita/

Note mapping

Orbita has four magnetic tracks (circles) and magnets of seven primary colors. Each color can be mapped to a note; every track can have a different color mapping. By default, Orbita will sound in C major, with 4 octaves. That means the same color on a different circle will represent the same note in different octaves. If you are working with a sampler app like Koala, you can reset to Chromatic mode or set the MIDI note numbers manually (MIDI numbers are a generic standard; see them here).

Track parameters

For each track, you can specify the note length and velocity. Each track can be remotely muted and unmuted. You can also set a probability parameter. If it is set to 100%, it will play all the notes, and 50% will play only half of the notes, randomly selected, different on each revolution. That is, if you want to avoid repetitiveness of your sequence and collaborate with chance.

Motor controls

You can turn on and off the motor and even change its speed. Also remotely using CC midi mapping

Save settings

You will be able to save settings to Orbita so that it will work in the same manner next time you turn it on, even without the web remote controller.

Experimental features

One of the new features of Orbita is the ability to translate colors into MIDI CC values instead of MIDI notes. CC values allow you to control various effects or instrument parameters, such as echo amount or volume. When activated, the selected channel sends CC values based on the scanned color's HUE (red=0 to purple=127 on the color wheel). You can create any color sequence on paper, a collage, a 3D print, or sticky notes attached to Orbita's turntable and interact with your music in a new way. In this mode, the CC values are continuously transmitted even when there are no magnets present and Orbita is stationary.

For example, here… https://www.instagram.com/p/DF_lHKfI45L/

Another experimental feature is to have the velocity changed by chance. https://www.instagram.com/p/DF_lt45oAdM/

Looper

The Orbita looper lets you record when each track turns on or off, so you’re not stuck with the same short loop repeating. This way, you can create longer, more interesting sequences that change over time instead of just playing the same thing over and over. Press (A) button to enter the Looper mode and start recording mute/unmute gestures. Press (A) again to stop recording. Pressing the third time will cancel the Looper mode.

Select Global Midi Channel

Touch O button for nore than 3 seconds. All midi channels will reset to channel 1. Now you can enter the channel you want Orbita to send midi notes. Please take a look at this table to enter the number properly. You can also set individual channels to each track.

Help! I have no MIDI out…

All good. You may have accidentally switched to MIDI CC mode. To confirm, press and hold any of the R, B, I, or T buttons for more than 3 seconds. The O light will begin blinking rapidly. If the R, B, I, or T light is on, the device is in MIDI CC mode; if the light is off, it’s in MIDI Note mode.

Tablet / iPad app

koala Home » Koala Sampler

App Store ‎King of FM: DX Synth/E Piano

Web piano https://dotpiano.com/

More web MIDI resources

https://synth.playtronica.com/