Forefront Technology FT4 Midi Filter

[John Otters]

Hello,

Bit of a shot in the dark.... has anybody got a Forefront FT4 from 90s that can send me instructions for setup?
It's a little midi filter box with 1 button but able to do a load of different filtering by sending it info from a midi keyboard.
I found an archived 1998 site but there's no instructions on there.
I hope to filter out info from all midi channels bar 1 so I can control an annoyingly Omni receiving synth.

Thanks for your help

[BillB]

John, firstly, welcome to the forum and secondly, sorry, don’t have an answer. Probably like you and others here, I googled, but nothing came up for this FT4 model. It’s a shame, it does sound like a very useful little device.
Didn’t want you to think no one was interested, it’s just not easy to find an answer.

[John Otters]

Thanks very much for having a look Bill and getting in touch. I've actually worked out how to get it working by sending it sysex. I'm going to write up some 'instructions' and post on here in case anybody else comes across one.

[BillB]

Well done for figuring it out! Thank you for offering to share your findings. Anything you post here will have value. SOS has very good search engine credentials, so any relevant material posted here will be found and used by others.

[John Otters]

In response to my own post......

Here is some info on this along with some badly written instructions for use. Hopefully this helps out anyone who has one or gets hold of one and has no instructions.
The box only has 1 button and an LED so it's not obvious how to get it to work.
It is powered by the MIDI cable. It needs no battery but remembers it’s programming.

You’re supposed to be able to program from MIDI Keyboard, MIDI Program Change or special software (out of date).

I managed to change it’s settings by accident using midi notes/program changes, played about for ages using trail and error and finally worked out how could send sysex to program. Once I worked out the SysEx route and got it doing what I wanted, I gave up trying to find out more.

Short press button to cycle between:
- Slow Flashing light = Filtering
- Solid Light = Bypass

Hold Down button until fast flashing to program
- Send program SysEx e.g. with Midi Event in Logic
- Fast flash will stop when program received.

You can send SysEx from FT4, keep holding down or long press button from fast flash.
This allows you to see the current state of the FT4.

Editting the SysEx..

Example below Filters Channel 1
00 F0 00 20 11 00 04 00 3C 00 5E 7E 7E 7E 7E 7E 5E 10 7E 7E 7E 7E 7C 7E 7E 7E F7

This example filters Channels 1, 5, 6 & 10
00 F0 00 20 11 00 04 00 1C 00 5E 7E 7E 00 00 7E 5E 10 7E 00 7E 7E 7C 7E 7E 7E F7

Example Filters all but Channel 16
00 F0 00 20 11 00 04 00 1C 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 7E F7

To write sysex to control filtering:
Leave 1st 9 codes as is. 00 F0 00 20 11 00 04 00 1C
Edit the following 8
Leave the '10'
Edit the following 8
Leave the F7 at the end

I guess 5E / 7C etc. could be changed to filter different aspects out of each channel. I assume 00 lets nothing past. I only needed to pass note info on 1 channel so I've given up investigating, I’ve seen Filter out Clock & MTC Quarter Frame though.

I used ’SysEx Librarian’ to ‘record’ the sysex coming back from the FT4. This also allowed me to check what was being filtered by the FT4 whilst I sent it info on different channels.

Info from the archived website found via Internet Archive:

The FT4 Filter is an ultra-compact unit (74 x 55 x 25mm), providing comprehensive programmable options for the filtering of MIDI data. The unit is powered by the MIDI input, and so does not require batteries or external power supply.

The following data types can be filtered on any MIDI channel, or any combination of channels:
- Note On/Off
- Channel Aftertouch
- Poly Aftertouch
- Program Change
- Pitch Bend
- Controllers

Additionally, any combination of the following "system" messages can be filtered:
- Clock
- Start, Stop & Continue
- Active Sensing
- Time Code
- System Exclusive

The filters can be programmed by three different methods: using a MIDI keyboard, using MIDI Program change messages, or via System Exclusive messages using the free FT4 Editor program for the PC.

[Martin Walker]

Wow - thanks for all that detail John!

It's going to be a godsend to anyone who gets hold of one in future

With helpful posts like that, even after only three posts here you can now claim to be a full member of the SOS Forums, whose members are likely to buy you a drink if they ever bump into you in person

[BillB]

Steady on, Martin. There are several members of this forum who hail from Yorkshire!

[Martin Walker]

Ah of course - I should have said excepting SOS Forum members in Yorkshire

[skipper01]

I’ve got the manual for that which you are welcome to have.
Just send me a message and I’ll send you the pdf
Regards

[skipper01]

Oops - it’s the FT3 I have the manual for actually - apologies!

[John Otters]

Thanks for the welcome and nearly the manual!