I’m a little lost, are you syncing it all to a DAW? If not, then no need for the RME
Octatrack - Has a sequencer, and MIDI Thru
Xbase 999 - Has a sequencer, and MIDI Thru
Ambika - Has a sequencer, and possibly MIDI Thru
Shruthi - No sequencer or MIDI Thru
x0xb0x - Has a sequencer, and MIDI Thru
I would go:
Octatrack - Master
999 - Sync from OT, uses its internal sequencer
x0xb0x - Sync from OT (via Thru from 999), uses its internal sequencer
Ambika - Sequenced from OT via x0x’s Thru
Shruthi - Sequenced from OT via Ambika’s Thru
But if you’re actually needing the RME, it looks like it has two MIDI Outs?
Octatrack - Sync from RME Out1, uses its internal sequencer
999 - Sync from RME Out2, uses its internal sequencer, or sequenced via DAW
x0xb0x - Sync from OT via Thru from OT, uses its internal sequencer
Ambika - Sequenced from DAW or OT via x0x’s Thru
Shruthi - Squenced from DAW or OT via Ambika’s Thru
Just one way to do it that should get the job done.
The Shruthi does have MIDI thru. It can be enabled in the device config. It also has a sequencer.
However…
The internal sequencer is rubbish, more or less impossible to create a groove with it. One of the reasons I got the Octatrack was to sequence devices like Shruthi.
I too reccomend that the shruthi goes at the end of your midi chain because of the way MIDI thru has been implemented. It needs to be processed by the 20mhz processor and as a result creates more than usual lag.
I’d put the Ambika before the drum machines because it’s 6 part multi-timbral. You’d probably be best off triggering program changes in the 999 from the OT but using the interal sequencer- it’s really simple and saves you OT tracks. For sure also use the 303 clone sequencer, as you can’t sequence 303 patterns on the OT.
OT MIDI OUT to AMBIKA MIDI IN (you need to adjust the MIDI settings in the SD card menu to not be filtering any MIDI messages and to have the OUT set as a THRU)
Since you can mix and do EQ/FX from the internal engine using nothing but the controller (no computer):
I’d want to hear the clean signal of all my instruments before the OT’s FX get to them after sampling.
So get the break out box for inputs and outputs and give all your synths their own channel, then use the Octatrack as a send on 1 stereo channel for Ambika and 2 mono channels for the Shruthi and x0x… You’ll produce better mixes for re sampling into the OT in the RME anyway.
Also, you’ll be monitoring your mix from the RME - you’ll be more accurate using the OT as a send instead of introducing a touch of latency by monitoring the synths through the OT into the RME.
I’ve thought about getting one of those many times =)
when u use the ot as the (main) sequenzer, please do yourselfe a favorite and buy a midimerdger!
we have lots of midigear hooked “behind” the ot (ana4, slim phatty, minitaur, mbase, mbrane, volca beats, some digital synths…) besides there are several “dead ends” in the midi-chain with devices without throughs u will receive remarkable latency, depending on the devices in ur midichain!
we use an old “musicquest 8port 8/8 io” (cant remember exact name) which spreads the midiword over our entire setup. works fine and with minimal latency! unfortunally companies stopped producing good (standalone) midimerdger for some reason. maybe u get one used.
I use the octatrack to sequence everything, including things that have internal sequencers, because it has the best interface and so I can control everything in one place. I have the octatrack connected to 2 daisy chained midi solutions quadra thru’s, which the octatrack can power via midi, so I can sequence 7 devices total if needed with no latency or messing around with midi thru ports. The quadra thrus are an extra expense but the build quality is great and once you have them you have them. If you have a device that you want to sequence with the octatrack, or control with something else sometimes like a keyboard for example without pulling out midi cables, then you might want to get a merger (midi solutions make those too). I find it much neater that way
thank you very much for your experience as a feedback for me.
@RyanElektric
with your configuration that you mention, i have one problem.
I don’t can buy more external Hardware or i have to expand my In-/ Outputs with a new Soundcard or via Adat.
@DamnDan, vaisly
I think i will invest to this, it make sense:
hmm, think wisely! maybe u want to hook up several masterkeyboards or controller or something like that in the future! therefor you´ll need more than just on midiin in your setup (which the ot provides)!
we´ve hooked up a doepfer r2m, a qunexus, a quneo and an ultranova, mangling everything with everything for this cenario we need 4 midiins… ok, three in merger, on in ot
i thought, we´ll never reach the 8 in 8 out limit of our merger, but this was just stupid the outs are all gone… ins weve got 4 left.
hooking merger behind merger will produce latency! but i asume not very much… depending on devices and ur addiction to sync! for me as a drummer/percussionist, sync is everything. other people probably wont notice latency @ all… u can easily “messure” ur latency by recording several tracks at once, with defined (synth) hits on quater, than zoom in ur daw until u see the gap between the hits.