A4mkii + Akai MidiMix

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

Hi folks :grinning:,

:star2: There’s a great video on Youtube of a Digitone controlled by an Akai MidiMix without using any DAW or computer.

The user (Kablehead) uses a USB to Midi converter : the Mode Machines Cerebel https://www.modemachines.com/cerebel-usb-v2 and it works pretty well!

:boom: :boom: So I’ve been trying to hook up my A4mkii with my Akai MidiMix with another USB to Midi converter the Doremi : Amazon.com

And well, after spending 3 hours, I can’t find a way to make it work :exploding_head: :exploding_head: :exploding_head:

Here’s what I did:

1/ Read the A4mkii manual to check the CC implementation charts

Screenshot 2021-02-21 at 15.36.53
Screenshot 2021-02-21 at 15.36.532230×1964 506 KB

2/ Install and use the MidiMix Editor on my mac to edit the Akai MidiMix parameters

Screenshot 2021-02-21 at 15.36.14
Screenshot 2021-02-21 at 15.36.141878×1500 319 KB

3/ Plug the Akai MidiMix to the Doremi and then plug it tho the A4mkii through Midi In

4/ Set the right midi channel to the right track on the A4mkii

But It doesn’t work. Nothing. No signal! :exploding_head: :exploding_head: :exploding_head:

Have you folks tried or experience a similar setup?
How to make it work?
Am I using the wrong USB to Midi converter?

Gonna continue trying but if someone has a solution, I’m all ears!!!

Peace :dizzy: :dizzy: :dizzy:

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#2

Do you have a Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 kicking around? I use this image on a Raspberry Pi and it works brilliantly as a USB MIDI Host and router. Literally just flash to an SD card and put it in your rPi.

Edit: Do you have the A4 setup to receive MIDI? Through a most bizarre turn of events, I no longer have my A4 MKII as of Friday so I can’t check. I’m near certain you have to enable MIDI receive of some sort in the MIDI settings. Also, what channel are you using? If you are using the auto channel (10 by default I think) that only sends MIDI to the active track. There are specific channels for each track apart from the autochannel and you’ll need to setup the Akai accordingly.

#3

Nice!
I have a Raspberry Pi , can try it out! But how do you send the MIDI signal from the Raspberry Pi to the A4mkii? with a USB cable or a MIDI cable?

(I’m already using the A4mkii 's USB plug with a tablet with Kaola Sampler)

#4

You can plug in the A4 and Akai into the rPi. You might even be able to plug the Mipad into the rPi as well. It might charge it too! Just not sure if that age of Android will work with a MIDI hub. It might need some USB OTG settings configured on it.

Make sure the A4 USB mode is set to MIDI at the very least.

The other option with that rPi MIDI hub is it has MIDI over Bluetooth. If the Mipad supports it, that could be an option to get Koala Sampler working and be able to charge it at the same time.

#5

Awesome!

#6

So, I’ve tested this for you. I am using my old old old Samsung Galaxy S7 that is running Android 8.0. I purchased Koala Sampler, connected my phone to the USB hub, swiped down from the top so I can change it from ‘File Transfer’ mode to ‘USB MIDI Device’ mode. Went into the MIDI mapping for Koala Sampler and successfully mapped a knob from my MIDI Fighter Twister. It’s just another MIDI controller with USB that is plugged into the hub.

I used the Android app from the Play Store “USB OTG Checker” to see if my device was OTG ready and it was. If yours says it’s not, do a search on the play store for USB OTG driver and install it then check again.

The rPi hub will work with the A4, Akai controller, and any other USB MIDI devices you plug into it. The issue might be the Mipad’s age, a setting on the A4 to use USB MIDI (and receive MIDI data etc), or the MIDI channels you’re setting up on the Akai. Not sure what is and is not supported on Android 6 either.

This setup also charges my phone BTW :wink:

#7

Starting the test tonight.
I can’t thank you enough for the tips!
Thanks a lot!

#8

No worries. The rPi hub is install and go. I’ve only run into one issue that I needed to log into to it to address and it’s such an odd thing that people are rarely going to run into it. The Ruby script just wasn’t coded to accommodate this scenario.

This should be the cheapest headache-free MIDI Host/Hub/Router you can find. I would wager that if the Akai and A4 don’t work right away, it’s any of the device MIDI config issues I mentioned above.

Good luck! :slight_smile:

#9

Well… I did the “easy” install on the raspi and it’s working like a charm! :dizzy: :dizzy: :dizzy:
Now the A4mkii and the Akai MidiMix are sync! :boom: :boom: :boom:

Since I have a little screen, I tried the “hard” install… Got some issues but will find a way through!

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