I have a Digitakt that I would like to use to sequence my Sub 37 and Rev 2. However, I find entering notes (especially chords) to be tedious without a keyboard controller. Is it possible to set things up so that each keyboard both sends midi to and receives midi from the DT?
For example, I would like to be able to improvise a bit, hear what’s going on, record midi into the DT sequencer and then have the DT play it back with each keyboard on its own midi track. The DT is currently receiving clock from a Rytm that I have had for a long time and has all my pattern bpms saved on it, so the DT would have to be able to receive clock for the setup to work. Could I pull this off with a midi interface/any comparable devices/in general? I have never used midi for anything other than basic sync/sequencing and am feeling confused after reading up on this.
It certainly is, although you might find the setup to be marginally simpler if you were to assign only one of the synths to be a keyboard controller. The Sub 37 has a slightly more flexible MIDI specification than the Rev 2 for this purpose.
You can, although you are complicating things by having the clock transmitter not being the main MIDI sequencer. Is there a particular reason why you couldn’t set the pattern tempos in the DT instead of the AR, such as you using the AR’s Song mode?
Once you establish you preferences then it is fairly straightforward to design a MIDI configuration, and you may well not need any additional hardware to get it going.
Good to know this sounds like it could be workable. If possible, I would like to use both keyboards since as you noted the Prophet isn’t particularly well suited as a controller (IIRC changing channels/turning off local control is kind of buried in the menus so a set it and forget it approach might be better) and I enjoy having the extra keys available in general. However, if this makes it much more difficult to achieve I am open to other options.
I agree that using the AR as a clock transmitter is not optimal but it is necessary since I have so many pattern bpms stored on it and I do use song mode very frequently.
I multitrack record through my Qu 32 into ableton for mixing but otherwise a computer is not involved.
I have been researching midi mergers and it seems I may have figured out a way to route the cabling. Forgive me for its laughable quality but I quickly sketched out this image here that demonstrates my idea. I am aware that the thru box is unnecessary but I sometimes collaborate with friends and its nice to have the extra outs available.
Appreciate your help!
Edit: Turns out I have an opportunity to trade a friend an old guitar for an Analog Keys that I’ve had my eyes on. Maybe using that as a controller could work. Oh well, I’ll get this set up working sooner or later.
