Daisy-Chaining Multiple MIDI Keyboards with Multiple Elektron Boxes

[qbf]

Hallo,

Just wondered if anyone had any advice for the set-up of multiple Elektron Boxes with multiple MIDI controller keyboards - what works for you, tips and tricks etc. I have a set-up that barely works, and feel like I’m missing something.

Essentially, I want to Daisy-Chain three Elektron Boxes (Digtakt, Analog 4, Digitone), with the first one as the ‘master’; but give each one its individual keyboard (should’ve bought Analog Keys and Digitone Keys, right? )

Easy enough to Daisy Chain without keyboards: DTK MIDI out > A4 in > A4 thru > DTN in.

Previously, I’d put a single midi keyboard at the start of the chain as a ‘master keyboard’, and switch channels to control the different Elektron boxes, but I felt each box having its own keyboard would work better when playing with other people (and for space/movement/remembering-midi-channel reasons).

But this proves a challenge when you want to simultaneously pass MIDI thru the keyboard into the next box (so you have a master clock/sequencer) AND you want to ADD MIDI to that signal (notes from the keyboard).

I have a few Behringer Swing’s (used to be the original Arturia Keysteps, but they’ve all broke and I was broke and Behringer is cheaper hashtagsorrynotsorry) and what I’ve settled on is:
Digitakt as master clock/sequencer → MIDI out → MIDI in → keyboard → MIDI out (with ‘thru’ enabled) → MIDI in → A4 → MIDI thru → MIDI in → keyboard → MIDI out (with ‘thru’ enabled) → MIDI in → DTN
(I’m going to try and add a picture to this, but apologies if it doesn’t work, I’m new to this):

So this just about works - Behringer keyboard only has a ‘MIDI’ out socket, but you can add ‘thru’ data to it (in a way - it seems to forward notes but not transport/program etc.)

BUT it feels a bit clunky and sometimes you need to hit play stop play to get them all singing together, so I thought someone here must have a better solution for this kind of thing?

NOTE: this is a computer-less set-up – I’m aware if I’m using a DAW as a master, it’s super easy to have multiple dedicated MIDI keyboards per synth, but I feel this shouldn’t be that tricky to function DAWlessly?

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(For the Synth-nerds - above is actually a simplified version of the set-up just to highlight the problematic bits with the keyboards, the actual chain is:

Keyboard → MIDI out → MIDI in → Digitakt as master clock/sequencer → MIDI out → keyboard → MIDI out (with ‘thru’ enabled) → MIDI in → Syntakt…
Syntakt → MIDI out → MFB-301 Pro
Syntakt → MIDI thru → keyboard → MIDI out (with ‘thru’ enabled) → MIDI in → A4…
A4 → CV out → CV in → MS20
A4 → MIDI thru → MIDI in → keyboard → MIDI out (with ‘thru’ enabled) → MIDI in → DTN (sequencer for 4 synths)…
DTN → MIDI thru → Volca Drum
DTN (sequencer for 4 synths) → MIDI out → MIDI in → MIDI Splitter → MIDI outS → Moog Grandmother / ASM Hydrasynth / Korg WaveState / “floating keyboards” (whatever other people bring to the studio or whatever’s not set-up that takes my fancy.)

& you should see the audio routing… - still, much more important to focus on the set-up than actually making music as always )

[shigginpit]

I’d consider purchasing a midi merger. I think that you’re coming up on the limit of what can be daisychained without issues.

[Kultschar]

Wowser - got to be a easier way then that and that is one long MIDI chain.

[qbf]

I’m a - totally forgot about mergers

Rather than Daisy-Chaining everything, would it make more sense to have something like:
Master box (Digitakt) + multiple midi keyboards → merger → splitter → each individual synth?

[shigginpit]

Chaining what you had previously is fine, but I’d consider (not brand specific) a merger that has 3 or 4 input lanes and 1/2 outputs.

If it has 1 output, use 3 lanes for your keyboards and one cable to the other boxes, if it has 2 outputs, I would probably split them to 2 on one side and 1 on the other unless they all need to be connected for some specific reason.

You could do it other ways, but I think that this would be my suggestion. It’s worth the investment in a merger with your specific setup.

All you’ll need to do is make sure you have all your channels configured correctly.

[qbf]

Thanks so much shigginpit. I KNEW I was doing things backwards

Live, I use much less much equipment (so no insane daisy chain), and in studio I used to use a DAW to keep everything playing nice with each other – but recently I’ve been feeling that (oh, so common) drive to make everything work with each other without a computer and ended up with this insane daisy chain.

Mergers - I’ll be hitting myself for that brain blip for weeks

[GurtTractor]

I strongly recommend getting one of these -

Midihub – MIDI Interface & Stand-Alone MIDI Processor

Not much more expensive than a simple merge box, but can do a whole lot more. Routing/filtering is trivial, and it enables you to do more advanced or creative stuff if you need it.

[shigginpit]

I paid about $35 usd for my merger, secondhand, on reverb, the midi solutions box pictured above is a bit nicer than what I have.

[qbf]

Thanks GurtTractor! I will investigate.

[qbf]

Yasss shigginpit, I’ve looked at a few mergers on Reverb and other places – it’s pay-day tomoz, so I think problem be solved very soon

[shigginpit]

Good luck! Let us know how it works out for you, I think the problem will solve itself once you have the merger lol

[qbf]

Thanks! I’ll report back, but I think it’ll be easy days with the merger. TBH, the system DOES work with this insane daisy chain (with occasional glitches) – but it definitely feels like a macgyver solution to (what has turned out to be) a simple problem

[g3o2]

JMK Pedals Plexus 4 has exactly 3 ins and 3 outs plus usb in/out. No computer required for configuration. Not cheap but pretty powerful.

Plexus 4 MIDI Router, MIDI Hub, MIDI Filter

(just note that it needs 9V centre negative DC power)