Iconnectmidi4+ to a4 via usb?

pxlxr · 2014-07-16T20:08:36.000Z

My MOTU MTP AV 8x8 midi interface has started bugging out, so I am awaiting delivery of an iconnectmidi4+.

I have the original iconnectmidi, so I know most of what they can do, but the 4+ can act as a midi host, so I am wondering if anyone has had luck sending midi from the 4+ to A4 via usb?

I use multiple input sources, so freeing up a DIN socket would be a great advantage.

I would also love to hear from any power users of the 4+, anyone using/live switching midi snapshots, midi over ethernet, complex routing/filtering and whatnot.

patrick_j · 2014-07-16T21:01:42.000Z

I don’t have an A4, but I do have the following setup with a 4+:

Connected to USB host via a hub:
[ul]
[li]DSI Tempest[/li]
[li]Nord Lead 4[/li]
[li]Access Virus TI2 Desktop[/li]
[li]Moog Slim Phatty[/li]
[li]Moog Minitaur[/li]
[li]Arturia KeyLab 25 as a midi controller[/li]
[/ul]

Connected via straight USB:
[ul]
[li]Macbook Pro[/li]
[/ul]

Connected via DIN:
[ul]
[li]Octatrack[/li]
[li]DSI Prophet 08[/li]
[li]Nord Micro Modular[/li]
[li]Akai Midi Controller[/li]
[/ul]

I also have an Ableton Push and Maschine Studio hooked up directly to the Mac via an different USB hub.

I gotta say, I frickin love the 4+. Originally I bypassed the Mac and had everything driven by the sequencer on the Octatrack, and I didn’t need any filtering, but I’ve since moved a little bit back ITB and have set up a bunch of filtering and port remapping.

The 4+ is so flexible, it’s insane. I have each hardware device listening on Ch 1, just to keep things simple, but on the 4+ I have a bunch of port remapping so I can select a different MIDI Channel on one of the controllers and it will only go to the specific synth. In Ableton, I just created a bunch of External Instruments mapping to the 4+ port on Ch.1 so those are very easy to add to a session and get up and running.

The only filtering I’ve done so far is to filter out program changes and CC events on each of the synths for each of the other synths (if that makes sense). Basically what was happening was that I’d change a preset on one synth, and it would change the preset on all of the others.

Haven’t done much with snapshots or MIDI over Ethernet though.

It’s pretty sweet, and very easy to configure. Have fun!

pxlxr · 2014-07-17T23:31:27.000Z

Thanks for the reply, Patrick_J. I just got home to find it waiting on my doorstep along with another midi goodie (guitar wing from Livid Instruments), feels like Christmas!

I can’t wait to get everything plumbed in and try it out. Should free up some space in the cockpit.

I am working solely with hardware atm, but am excited to have such easy midi communication with laptop land, as Ableton is a very powerful midi routing tool, and I haven’t yet found as good a way to modulate arps live as I play them with Octatrack as I have done with Ableton.

I am running-

Octatrack as master, feeding-
A4
BS2
TR8
Ipad on an Akai EIE running Loopy HD
Strymon Timeline
Boss SL20 Slicer
Boss SE50 fx

Feeding Octatrack midi-
BS2- main midi cntrlr
Fishman Triple Play gtr to midi
KMI Softstep
FCB1010 pedalboard

Josh_iConnectivity · 2014-07-17T23:45:12.000Z

The iConnectMIDI4+ ‘host port’ will support any class compliant MIDI device. If the MIDI interface does not require a special driver from MOTU, you should be good using the ‘host port’. Just keep in mind that the iConnectMIDI4+ is actually hosting the device, so you would not be able to use any integrated software or editor MOTU may have for the interface - since the hardware will not show as physically being connected to the computer.