I’m trying to run my KeyStep into DN and then into ST so I can control both with keyboard and still have sync.
I can only get the KS controlling both using thru which doesn’t allow me to sync on play.
If I use midi out from DN I can get sync, but can no longer control the ST with keyboard.
I imagine I need some kind of midi splitter situation.
Can someone please assist?
I just recently picked up a MIDI Merge box to address this same situation — I’m using it to merge incoming MIDI from a controller (in my case, the Launchpad Pro) and MIDI clock from an Elektron box (for me, it’s Digitone sending sync and transport). Both of those MIDI signals go into the MIDI Merge box, then out into the destination box’s MIDI input.
There might be a more clever way to do this without the Merge box, but I found a cheap one used so I went for it. There are also more feature-rich MIDI boxes you could use if you plan to incorporate more machines or controllers (this one looks pretty sweet, read the thread for comments from its creator) but for simple setups, a basic Merge box works fine.
KS -> DN -> ST - you have to use one of the DN midi channels and point that to the ST auto channel (or wherever else you want to go).
Thanks for the helpful replies! Midi merge box sounds like the way.
Its your money of course, but you might not need a midi merge box. You set one of the Digitone midi tracks to output to the Syntakt auto channel, and then when you want to address the Syntakt with the keyboard, set the keyboard to output to that Digitone midi track, using the Digitone midi track as a bridge of sorts.
Edit: this way it is troublesome to pass on modwheel and pitchbend, but otherwise it works.
I don’t think it passes modwheel or pitchbend at all.
I’m assuming the DN is the master clock in this situation. You could run Keystep into a MIDI THRU box with one going into DN and the other into a MIDI MERGE box. Merge the MIDI OUT of DN with an output fo the THRU box. You’d get control of both from the Keystep with pitchbend and modwheel while keeping the DN as master clock and the ability to use its MIDI tracks to send additional LFOs to the ST.
If the Keystep is running master clock then just use a MIDI THRU box and split the signal into DN and ST.
You could also use a MIDI host device and use USB MIDI for all of them. If you have a Raspberry Pi kicking around, you can make a MIDI host device quite easily. Article and image here:
You should be able to sync through midi thru? Alternatively, you take the midi out of your master clock device and run it back into your Keystep (make sure to send clock only to avoid midi loops).
If you want to spend some money, you could get a midi merge box and merge the thru and out of one of your boxes, but I don’t see this as necessary at all.
Last option would be to clock from your Keystep?
As always, a great community with well thought out suggestions. Just for context, my real over-all goal of this was to have velocity sensitive input from the KS for programming the Syntakt. In the end I guess I am happy with just using midi out from DN, having sync and using an LFO on volume to get a more natural feel on hi-hats etc.
Anyone have some other techniques they use to get velocity on a track? Other than adjusting each trig, of course.
Unfortunately, I am unable to sync when using midi thru. It does allow me to use the KS control both the DN and ST that way.
cant you use USB midi out of keystep for one, and its DIN for another?
my KS37 came with a small dongle that separates power and midi signal
(so you can still power it up and use usb port to send midi elsewhere)
it can output signal to both at the same time, then u just have to choose right channels
(im using a similar approach to control both DN and BB at the same time, but i dont have to use that dongle since BB provides usb power)
You definitely don’t need any kind of midi box
If you use midi thru you need to have KS send clock and transport and then you switch between DT/ST by changing channel. This should give you mod & pitch bend.
If you pass the midi through the Digitone midi channel like I suggested, I’m confident it DOES pass through velocity, but not mod wheel and pitch bend. Are you sure it is failing to pass velocity through?
I was not even considering my Kenton USB midi host for this scenario. I am now going from the KS to the Kenton and then using a USB hub off of the Kenton to send to the individual Elektrons. This gets me all of the control, sync and transport I was after. Thank you all for your help!
I use a keystep into octatrack then to digitone, and a rack of analogue synths.
I use the elektrons Auto channel function.
No need for any extra boxes or gadgets.
Can confirm pitch and modwheel data is sent to all devices.
No need for extra boxes or gadgets? What are you, completely immune to GAS? The hell has happened to this forum…
(Jokes aside, lots of helpful responses in here. I’ve tried many of the suggested approaches myself and still prefer the Merge box, it’s just simpler to set up. But certainly good to have options.)
I had all of that working without any other equipment as well, but it was not possible to have transport and sync using midi thru.
Works fine on my set up. Weird.