Octatrack: USB Midi or not?

[Microtribe]

@tendingtropic

The octatrack was never updated to be able to receive midi over usb right?

Correct.

@tendingtropic

Ofcourse I could buy a usb to midi din hub/converter.

Yes.

@tendingtropic

could I also send midi over usb to the syntakt, and midi thru from syntakt to OT, and still be able to play chromatically on the OT?

Yes.

[tendingtropic]

thanks!

[sezare56]

@tendingtropic

could I also send midi over usb to the syntakt, and midi thru from syntakt to OT, and still be able to play chromatically on the OT?

AFAIK you can’t use Syntakt as USB to MIDI DIN interface.
I’d like to be wrong. @Humanprogram may confirm…

Are you sure you can send midi USB to Syntakt from OP1 ? I guess you need an USB HOST like an iOS thing or computer.

[tendingtropic]

hmm the verdict is out there then, who can confirm who’s right here?

[tendingtropic]

Op-1 Field and Syntakt- Mallet vibe

someone succeeded in part 1 here (connecting the op-1 field and syncing the ST to it via usb midi). Just not sure if you can then use the midi thru of the syntakt to sync the OT next

[tendingtropic]

if it doesn’t work: something like this should do the trick I assume:

iConnectivity mioXC

[Bloop]

@tendingtropic

and still be able to play chromatically on the OT?

Maybe it’s possible to receive ST auto channel via USB then set up a dedicated ST MIDI track to control OT auto channel via ST MIDI out?

I think I once tested something similar with DT but I don’t use usb enough to recall if it worked

[dokev]

@tendingtropic

Just not sure if you can then use the midi thru of the syntakt to sync the OT next

I’m 95% sure this isn’t possible. I’ve tried it myself on other Elektron boxes and researched it on here when it didn’t work - I’m pretty sure the MIDI Thru DIN port and the USB port do not and cannot communicate on any Elektron device. Don’t have a Syntakt so maybe there’s something different there, but I wouldn’t bet on it. I’ve used a cheap MIDI <-> USB cable to connect Octatrack MIDI din to a USB port in the past (in fact, just yesterday) so this is probably the best option.

[sezare56]

I don’t know OP1 Field specs but something seems required…

How To Midi Control The OP-1 Field & OP-Z into Any Controller and OG Op-1! 2022

[tendingtropic]

I can confirm:

1. connecting op-1 field to syntakt via the regular elektron usb cable works with ST (clock/transport/midi), but the thru port o the ST does not send the signal thru to the OT. So the ST does not ‘convert’ the usb midi signal to midi DIN (so is not a usb host).

2. when connecting the op-1 field to syntakt with the iconnectivity mioxc (usb host cable), thereby converting the usb midi to midi din before hitting the syntakt, the syntakt DOES send the clock/transport/midi over to the OT. Great stuff!

[sezare56]

@tendingtropic

but the thru port o the ST does not send the signal thru to the OT

Normal. ST Thru should send what comes in midi DIN In only. (Or DIN SYNC if set so).

BUT :

If you send clock/transport to ST via USB, I suppose ST can send clock/transport via midi DIN. (Check clock/transport SEND and RECEIVE on ST).

If you send USB midi to an ST midi track (send channel 1 for track 1 for instance, and set any chanel in TRIG page), I wonder if it sends midi messages with DIN Out.

I think it should.

[sezare56]

So I sent clock to Syntakt via USB (from iPad Drambo), and it sent clock to OT.

I also could send notes and ccs to OT, from iPad USB, using an ST midi track, as I explained above.

iPad > Camera Kit USB > ST USB
ST Midi Din Out > OT Midi Din Out.

So @tendingtropic you just have to use ST Midi Out instead of Thru to make it work with OP1.

[sezare56]

It works the other way, OT can send clock, notes, CCs to USB via the Syntakt.

[Microtribe]

This is exactly how I get octatrack to talk to my iPad. Via my digitone. Works fine.

[tendingtropic]

thanks all, will definitely try out and report back