Midi Routing Question

I’d like to get a couple midi companion synths (hopefully a Parva and ehx vocoder) for my trinity setup and want to set up the ideal midi routing. If you have any experience, success, or failure setting up something similar please let me know.

The main goal is to have the OT midi sequence the 2 external devices, passing on the note data it’s getting from an analog keys. This is peripheral to an existing trinity plus Slim Phatty setup. The SP is already sequenced via CV.

I’d like to sequence both the vocoder (has midi in only) and the Parva (has in and out/thru), using key presses on the AK and trig presses on the OT. Ideally I’d have the ability to toggle which of the two instruments receives live notes from the AK simply by selecting midi tracks on the OT.

here’s what I have in mind:

OT out to AR in (program change, transport, clock, midi sequences)
AR thru to AK in (program change, transport, clock)
AK out to Slim Phatty in (notes (for tuning only), program change, clock)
Slim Phatty thru to OT in (notes only)
*OT thru to Parva in (program change, clock, (AK’s) notes, OT’s midi sequence 1)
Parva thru to EHX Vocoder in (AK’s notes via channel 16, OT’s midi sequence 2)

I’ve never setup anything remotely this complicated in my life. Can it work?

Only one AK out is going to sequence from OT with this configuration.
I highly recommend something like a Motu Midi Xpress XT.
You can find an old one like this, cheap.

It doesn’t need a computer or anything.
It has a built in preset called, “Live Keyboards.”

Basically you would plug the OT to in/outs 1
AR in/outs 2
AK in/outs 3
Parva in/outs 4
SlimPhatty in/outs 5
EHX Vocoder to out 6

Now you just set the midi channel on each one to be unique and they will all play nice together.

You could also find a midi thru cable with 3 outs, run that from the AK thru B to the SP, Parva, and EHX.
However this wont get you the AK midi out because the Thru doesn’t send midi from the AK.

Think of Thru as whatever is coming into the IN port.

Ah! A whole other way. Cool.

Yeah I think I typoed and wrote AK instead of OT, …I’ll edit with a *.

Thanks for this though! I’m hoping for a cable only solution but unless there’s a way that covers everything I’m looking for I’ll look into one of these.

Does it make sense with the edit or I am I still missing something?

You can get Merge and Thru cables or boxes, but for that price you could just get the Motu.

You’ve got the right idea Analogic. It’s a long chain but I can’t think of a better solution than what you already proposed. The MOTU midi interface would be an easier solution but it’s not the only option.

If I were approaching this setup I would look to restrict the receiving MIDI channel on each device, especially those at the end of the chain. You’d have to consult the manual of each device for the exact setting but with all listening to a designated MIDI channel you could control them independently with the corresponding OT track assignment. It sounds like you’re already doing that so this is more encouragement.

Cheers!

Nice! That’s awesome to hear. I wasn’t excited about buying another box. Yes I have encountered midi feedback loops before and they can be nasty. I haven’t done any midi sequencing from the OT yet so that’s a whole other learning curve. Just glad to know my plans are possible once everything’s set up properly. Thank you!

Can you program those at all? I’ve always ignored them in favour of aMidi TimePiece… but there is on local cheap…

maybe the BomeBox is also worth checking out.
You could attach some Midi-USB cables via a Hub and connect all the hardware and add USB controllers into the equation.

Also you can restrict and allow the Send and Receive of certain channels and Messages to/from certain hardware. Very versatile and small little Box :slight_smile:

http://www.bome.com/

You want OT out AK in, AK out OT in. Set AK to the Auto Midi number in OT. You might have to configure OT and AK midi settings.
Then your OT thru is your out. Your AK will control the midi channel of the track you select on OT. You might have to set the AK keys to not be direct sometimes called “external”. I don’t have an AK.

OT thru to Slim Phatty, SP thru Parva in, Parva out EHX in. It would be cool if you can configure Parva’s out to be thru.
AK thru EHX might work, but it might be weird. Try it out.

This is the cheapest way to extend your Midi out options. It’s even powered by midi. Edit: you should be able to find a lower (<$50) price.

I’m not trying to be rude, but I see these Midi solutions Thru and Merge boxes recommended all the time, and when you compare that price to what an old Motu costs, it’s obviously a waste of money with limited functionality.
Even at 50 bucks.
I’ve see the old Motus go for $40-$60 ¯_(ツ)_/¯

You can if you have an older computer, or the proper connection.
Personally I never felt the need to program one.
My mind tells me if I want to program some heavy midi routing just get the BomeBox

Doing a quick lookup, I didn’t find any or a price that low for the Motu Midi Xpress XT. I found them closer to $150. I can see someone would want to just get rid of them. I like to say “alternative” when $50 will fix the problem right away without waiting for a MOTU to be sold at a comparable price.

I got mine for $60, and I’ll sell it for the same if anyone’s interested.
Also, I found these.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTU-Express-xt-non-usb-/262880375070?hash=item3d34e4311e:g:o6wAAOSw6DtYU2Dy

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTU-Express-xt-non-usb-/262878343619?hash=item3d34c531c3:g:X1YAAOSwfVpYnOAl

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motu-Micro-Express/222426602310?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D41375%26meid%3D38f47981bbc04e4f814e44b1af3fbaf0%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D112294340566

Thanks :slight_smile:

The Midi Timepiece you can program from the front panel. I borrowed one once, and liked it. Been on the “to get / wishlist” for a while now …

1 Like

Hey an update and things are going almost perfectly! No Parva in the mix yet but that’s not for right now.

One remaining issue and I think it’s something simple that I can’t wrap my head around.

I can only get AK’s notes to register down the chain by having keyboard dest. set to int/ext. This has me triggering notes all the time instead of ONLY when I hit the MIDI ext button. So, when I have int/ext set, playing the vocoder is fine and so is sequencing via AK key presses and OT trig presses. Midi sequence playback on the vocoder is fine as well. Really cool! …but…

Once i set keyboard dest. to int. only, the MIDI Ext button gives me nothing. (No right-hand side pixel flash in the OT’s midi track either btw) Switching MIDI Ext channel between auto and 16 hasn’t helped.

I think I’m missing something simple about the Auto channel, which I don’t fully understand. Anyone know the fix for this?

As a possibly related aside, I noticed the OT’s midi channel’s left side (midi in) pixel flash is solid ON, doesn’t change, no matter what I’ve done so far. The right side pixel (midi out) flashes when I play keys and keyboard dest. is int/ext, but stops when I hit the Midi ext button. The keys keep working/sounding though…

The current setup:
OT out to AR in (program change, transport, clock, midi sequences)
AR thru to AK in (program change, transport, clock)
AK out to Slim Phatty in (program change, clock only)
Slim Phatty thru to OT in (notes only)
AK thru to EHX Vocoder in (AK’s notes plus OT’s midi sequence)

Auto channel is 16 on all 3 elektrons. Prog Ch. channel 15.

Any midi pros out there with an easy answer? I’m so close! I think all that’s missing is to restrict midi notes going out to ONLY when I Midi Ext. is on.