26 Jan
2014
26 Jan
'14
12:15 a.m.
Slightly off topic of linux audio, but I need some MIDI advice and this is
the only list I currently monitor with electonic musicians.
I have a few hardware synths that I would like to begin using with my
computer music setup. The last time I had them all set up I did not have
a computer included in the system, so I had somewhat simpler connection
needs.
I have a MIDI interface with one port, and wondered if there is a better
way of managing the MIDI connections than daisy chaining in and through
ports on the synths. Especially for the input of the computer card, I now
have more than one controller that I would like to alternate as the MIDI
generating device.
I think the essence of my question is what is the best arrangement for
something like a patchbay for MIDI.
There is a company called MIDI Solutions which has merge and splitter
devices powered from the MIDI connection:
http://www.midisolutions.com/products.htm
That is the only current device I found. All the previous manufacturers
of MIDI patch/merge devices seem to have stopped making any devices
similar to the Roland A-880, Kawai MAV-8, Digital Music MX-8, etc. that I
have found searching ebay.
My first instinct is to buy or build a real physical patch bay, with a row
of DIN connectors and patch cables to let me patch any device to computer
in, computer out to any device in, and through from any device to any
other device. Sounds like a pain now that I write it out, and something
that should be done from an electronic interface rather than connectors
and cables.
What is everyone else with a large collection of MIDI hardware doing?
Stacking up USB MIDI interfaces on a USB hub? Just hanging on to the
vintage MIDI patch bays? Is there a current production model I have
missed?
--
Chris Caudle
26 Jan
26 Jan
12:26 a.m.
On Sat, Jan 25, 2014 at 6:14 PM, Chris Caudle <chris(a)chriscaudle.org> wrote:
Slightly off topic of linux audio, but I need some
MIDI advice and this is
the only list I currently monitor with electonic musicians.
I have a few hardware synths that I would like to begin using with my
computer music setup. The last time I had them all set up I did not have
a computer included in the system, so I had somewhat simpler connection
needs.
[ ... ]
speaking personally, i am holding on to my "vintage" Ensoniq KMX-16 16x16
physical MIDI patch bay. I also own a "computer"-based MIDI patch bay at a
studio but I forget its name - functionally it is the same basic idea, but
happens to have a more sophisticated (programmable) configuration. It dates
to the early 2000's, and is German. The Ensoniq works great.
4:50 a.m.
On Sat, 25 Jan 2014, Paul Davis wrote:
On Sat, Jan 25, 2014 at 6:14 PM, Chris Caudle
<chris(a)chriscaudle.org> wrote:
I'm using the Ensoniq KMX-16 patchbay also. It lets you setup up to 99
presets defining what can talk to what, which is really handy for those
times when you'd like to temporarily reverse the direction of the chain
so you can send sysex dumps back into the computer.
To provide the actual midi hookup to the computer, I have an Edirol
UM-3EX USB midi adapter, which has 3 in/out pairs that all show up in
Linux and work great. Each of the three ins and outs get a port on the
KMX, and it can route from there so that you can either sequence on your
computer, or sequence from hardware if you want.
--
+ Brent A. Busby + "We've all heard that a million monkeys
+ Sr. UNIX Systems Admin + banging on a million typewriters will
+ University of Chicago + eventually reproduce the entire works of
+ James Franck Institute + Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet,
+ Materials Research Ctr + we know this is not true." -Robert Wilensky
Slightly off topic of linux audio, but I need
some MIDI advice and this is
the only list I currently monitor with electonic musicians.
I have a few hardware synths that I would like to begin using with my
computer music setup. The last time I had them all set up I did not have
a computer included in the system, so I had somewhat simpler connection
needs.
[ ... ]
speaking personally, i am holding on to my "vintage" Ensoniq KMX-16
16x16 physical MIDI patch bay. I also own a "computer"-based MIDI
patch bay at a studio but I forget its name - functionally it is the
same basic idea, but happens to have a more sophisticated
(programmable) configuration. It dates to the early 2000's, and is
German. The Ensoniq works great. 
9:30 a.m.
My PCIe RME sound card has got a MIDI IO and in addition I use 2
TerraTec EWX 24/96 Envy24 cards, each one has got a single IO too. I
bought one of those Envy24 cards at Ebay for around 30 EUR.
For SysEx only I use an elCheapo swissonic USB device, this can't be
used for MIDI notes, since it does cause too much jitter for my taste.
For MIDI out I in addition use a MIDI thru box, 1 input, 4 outputs. This
is a do it ourself product. Assumed you don't have the knowledge how to
build such devices, there are likely many howtos in the Internet or
perhaps http://www.doepfer.de/home_e.htm provides a assembly kit.
JFTR to my ATARI ST I added an extra MIDI in, by simply using a toggle
switch and I used it with 4 additional outs provided by a Steinberg
SMPTE interface.
You should avoid MIDI thru chains from one synth to the other. The delay
might not be an issue, but there is a limit for the data you can send
using just one output. A MIDI thru box won't help either. You need
several individual outputs, especially for real-time SysEx data.
JFTR PC MIDI is disgusting, don't expect the "relatively painless" MIDI
usage you know from working with synth only, or old stand alone gear,
the C64 or Atari ST.
4:37 p.m.
Hi, I use a Midisport 4x4 on me pc over 10 years and a midi merger Yamaha
ymm2. I like the easy way to connect all synthes, keyboards and my old
ataris with qjackctl.
Some years ago I use a Motu midi time av piece.It's a great device, but it
takes me too much time to make all setups with the small display.
@ Ralf Mardorf, nice to read that are other musicians on this list using
Atari. :-)
2014-01-26 Ralf Mardorf <ralf.mardorf(a)alice-dsl.net>
My PCIe RME sound card has got a MIDI IO and in
addition I use 2
TerraTec EWX 24/96 Envy24 cards, each one has got a single IO too. I
bought one of those Envy24 cards at Ebay for around 30 EUR.
For SysEx only I use an elCheapo swissonic USB device, this can't be
used for MIDI notes, since it does cause too much jitter for my taste.
For MIDI out I in addition use a MIDI thru box, 1 input, 4 outputs. This
is a do it ourself product. Assumed you don't have the knowledge how to
build such devices, there are likely many howtos in the Internet or
perhaps http://www.doepfer.de/home_e.htm provides a assembly kit.
JFTR to my ATARI ST I added an extra MIDI in, by simply using a toggle
switch and I used it with 4 additional outs provided by a Steinberg
SMPTE interface.
You should avoid MIDI thru chains from one synth to the other. The delay
might not be an issue, but there is a limit for the data you can send
using just one output. A MIDI thru box won't help either. You need
several individual outputs, especially for real-time SysEx data.
JFTR PC MIDI is disgusting, don't expect the "relatively painless" MIDI
usage you know from working with synth only, or old stand alone gear,
the C64 or Atari ST.
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5:12 p.m.
New subject: Full-OT: MIDI management for physical synths
On Sun, 2014-01-26 at 16:37 +0100, Chris Bungue wrote:
@ Ralf Mardorf, nice to read that are other musicians
on this list
using Atari. :-)
I used the Atari, since I lost some of the needed hardware. Gene (a
young boy from this list ;) was willing to sell me his Atari gear for
peanuts, but unfortunately he lives across the ocean and AFAIK shipping
isn't for peanuts :(. If possible, I still would use the Atari today,
because Linux for MIDI sometimes is very time consuming/annoying. FWIW,
it isn't better when using Microsoft.
2:53 a.m.
On 01/25/2014 06:14 PM, Chris Caudle wrote:
What is everyone else with a large collection of MIDI hardware doing?
Stacking up USB MIDI interfaces on a USB hub? Just hanging on to the
vintage MIDI patch bays? Is there a current production model I have
missed?
Keeping a Yamaha MJC8 alive here. It isn't programmable, but it works
for my needs.
Ebay lists them for ~$55US.
Best,
dp
3746
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6 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
-
Brent Busby -
Chris Bungue -
Chris Caudle -
Dave Phillips -
Paul Davis -
Ralf Mardorf