Xternal scene control via MIDI CC (85/83/84) — mapping shifts with scene count, and CC83/84 seem to require a sustained value

Hello, all. I’m trying to remotely switch which instrument/kit plays on a track by recalling different Scenes from an external sequencer, using the CCs listed in the official MIDI CC reference table (CC82/85 = Scene, CC83/84 = Previous/Next scene). I’ve run into two behaviors I can’t fully explain and wanted to check if others have seen the same.

  • OP-XY (firmware version: 1.1.33

  • External sequencer: OXI One MK2, connected via TRS

  • Testing done entirely in Arrange mode (not Song mode)

Issue 1 — CC85 (Scene, immediate) value-to-scene mapping shifts depending on total scene count

Per the official reference table, CC85 is documented as a fixed 0-based index (value 0 = Scene 1, value 1 = Scene 2, etc.), independent of how many scenes exist.

In practice, across three separate tests (adding one scene/instrument at a time, N = total scenes at time of test), the actual mapping I observed consistently follows:

CC85 value = (Scene number − 2) mod N

N Value 0 Value 1 Value 2 Value 3 Value 4
3 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 1
4 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 4 Scene 1
5 Scene 2 Scene 3 Scene 4 Scene 5 Scene 1

12/12 data points across three scene counts matched this formula exactly. This means any fixed value-to-scene mapping breaks every time a scene is added or removed — not ideal for a live/performance workflow driven entirely by an external sequencer.

Reproduction steps:

  1. Build Scene 1 (e.g. drums), select it (Shift + accidental key 1).
  2. Build Scene 2 (e.g. synth key), select it (Shift + 2).
  3. Build Scene 3 (e.g. synth bass), select it (Shift + 3).
  4. From an external sequencer, send CC85 with values 0, 1, 2 in turn and note which scene/instrument plays.
  5. Add a 4th and 5th scene the same way and repeat.

Issue 2 — CC83/84 (Previous/Next scene) don’t seem to latch; the scene reverts unless the CC value is held

Separately, I tried using CC83 (Previous scene) / CC84 (Next scene) instead, since they don’t depend on scene count. These didn’t appear to do anything while OP-XY was in Arrange mode — possibly because, per user reports elsewhere, the physical Plus/Minus buttons this CC pair likely mirrors only function in Song mode, not Arrange mode.

When I did get a response from these CCs, the scene change only held for as long as the CC value stayed non-zero — sending a single “spike” (e.g. 127 then immediately back to 0) reverted to the previous scene almost immediately, rather than latching until the next explicit change. I haven’t been able to confirm from the documentation whether this is intended (momentary) behavior or something else.

Questions:

  1. Has anyone else observed the scene-count-dependent offset with CC85?
  2. Do CC83/84 require Song mode specifically, and if so, do they behave the same way (latching vs momentary) there as CC85 does in Arrange mode?
  3. Is there a more reliable way to remotely address a specific Scene by number from an external sequencer, without depending on total scene count?