I would use the Digitakt’s 8 MIDI Tracks to sequence the Timeline, Big Sky, Juno 2 and D-50 (Possibly the JDXI)
I would use the Octatrack to sequence the DP-4 and K2000RS.
I would make the Octatrack the Master (Analog4, Digitakt,….possibly JDXI and K2000RS).
I need the Juno 2(possibly others) to be hooked up to the BCR200.
I need the JDXI to be hooked up to the AKAI MPD24 (for playing drums).
I currently only have a 4x8 Midi patch bay. I am wondering if I were to add everything to an 8x8 MIDI patch bay, and had two cables hooked up to the other patch bay, could I get them all to play along?
Setups:
Octatrack > INPUT/OUTPUT 3 to All Outputs. Master Sequencing Mode @Juno 2 > OUTPUT 2 to INTPUT 8(BCR2000) and INPUT 5 (DIGITAKT)
JDXI > OUTPUT 6 to INPUT 7 (MPD24 for drums CH 10) and INPUT 1 or 2 (Better Keys)
DIGITAKT > INPUT 5 to OUTPUT 7 –Midi cable to second Patch bay INPUT 1 to Output 2 and 3 (Timeline and Big Sky to Plock CC events)
OCTATRACK > INPUT 3 to OUTPUT 8 –Midi cable to second Patch bay INPUT 2 to Output 1 and 4 (K2000 and DP-4 for prog changes and sequencing the K2000)
Hooking up something to a MIDI patch bay to a second patch bay to get to more gear… is that a good idea or a bad idea?
Is there something else that I have not thought of?
From my experience midi hardware is almost always very reliable and tight. To combine midi-patchbays will create no problems, if the hardware is okay (boxes, cables etc.).
The only thing I would recommend is, to consider, do you really need all those flexible everything to everywhere connections? This would be necessary only, if each of the ins must connect to each of the outs at any time and very individual and providing all the 16 midi-channels at single routings.
As far as I understand your gear, I would say … it might not be necessary. Particulary not for gear, which is not multitimbral or does not send multi-channel midi (like midi sequencers do).
Important is that you connect the master clock to each device, which has to be synchronised. This can be done by simple daisy-chaining or by midi splitters.
If you have some keyboards, which you might want to play and to control any other device, those could also be connected via a midi-merger and this merger connected to a single patchbay in.
This said, you could create a quite complex midi network with your 4x8 midi-patchbay and some well thought out routings using midi-splitter/merger and save much money.
Thank you very much for replying. I do agree with you that I could do with saving money. The problem I see in this setup is that I need more inputs in my patchbay to make it all work.
For example: I need to have the @Juno 2 MIDI IN go to Digitakt MIDI Out for Sequencing and the BCR2000 MIDI OUT to be able to use it at the same time. Every attempt to use THRU or the YME8 were unsuccessful.
If there was such a thing as a MIDI in to 2 MIDI OUT… a couple of those might solve everything… I can only find the opposite. Reverse connecting a pocket merge does not work.
Maybe I am simply not seeing how to connect it all and do all of the things I wrote down.
I think I have it all sorted out. One additional Midi Merge device and some creative daisy chaining will do the trick. Thanks forhelping me think this through.
honestly I would not recommend any merge- or thru-devices i a complex (studio-)setup where your needs will change constantly. More sooner than later you’ll need port redirection, channel filtering or CC-reassign. Not to talk about different sync options depending on standalone or DAW, or both.
IMHO there are only two devices available on the market that fit to have a lot of origin midi-ports, support USB, USB-midi as host or client, and will be stackable if needed - the Motu and the Mio10.
I run a setup with currently 10 devices. If I only had to change one assignment and had done it with a few clicks, without plugging and searching for a midi cable, I knew my Mio10 was one of my best decisions.
as far as I did my research you are wrong. It is a MIDI patchbay - the only difference to the XT is that the XT has 16 presets / buttons to change them on the front and all the SMTP/House clock/Timecode stuff for old analog audio/video equipment iirc
The MOTU is okay …but I’d prefer the mio10 since you can do so much more with it (i.e. it’s MIDI compliant for a starter so you can use it with an iPad for example)
