[LAU] MIDI Routing/Mixing (Korg X50)

Simon Williams simon at systemparadox.co.uk
Sun Dec 7 18:20:36 EST 2008


Hello everyone.

(Are there any other Korg X50 users on the list?)
I have an X50, and an Evolution MK-461C MIDI controller board.
What I'm trying to do is use the knobs on the MK (and the X50, actually) 
to control the parameters on the X50, but I've got a major problem.

It seems that the only way of getting either of the two keyboards (that 
is, the actual white and black keys) to control more than one sound is 
to assign all the sounds to the same channel. The problem with this is:

Say I assign a synth pad and a piano sound to channel 1. Then I try to 
change the volume of the synth pad (using MIDI control 7), using the 
knobs on either the X50, or the MK (it doesn't matter which). What I 
find is that the piano, being on the same channel, also has its volume 
adjusted. Sure, I can use the MIDI filter feature on the X50 to say that 
the piano ignores volume changes, but then I can't fade out the piano if 
I want to.

Anyone got any suggestions on how to overcome this? Currently the only 
way I can think of is to send all MIDI events via my laptop and get it 
to duplicate the note on/off events and send them to all the relevant 
channels. Is this my only option? Surely the X50 has a better way than this?

Also, how well would MIDI cope with this? I have heard people mention 
that MIDI doesn't work so well if you send lots of data down it (like 8 
duplicates of the each note on/off message?).

If this is my only option, does anyone know of any better MIDI 
router/mixer software? Currently the only one I know of is 
soundfontcombi, but it's not very flexible, and doesn't work so well 
with JACK's auto patchbay connections.

Thanks in advance.
Simon



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