1

Ok so my problem is this: I’m currently sequencing my HW with the Octatrack and I want to sometimes sequence with the DAW instead without having to rewire my MIDI cables. So I have a MIDI channel on the OT set to send to midi channel 1 (my MS-20), then I send MIDI from the DAW on channel 11 which is the auto channel. All this works great but I want to sequence multiple instruments at the same time and don’t want to select the correct channel every time, so how do I do this without using the auto channel?

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Don’t think you can. Elektron units don’t have MIDI thru.

You could try a midi switch box

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Last time I checked both my OT and DN had a Midi Thru socket.

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4

Model samples has, I route my keyboard trough it, to the pc.
I try to find a workflow that limits daw use to mixing and mastering.
But it’s going to be a loooooong road, many options, many things to learn, many things to test.

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Oh yes mine too. Oops. I was confused with the A4’s sync out

Then just pass through the signal

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Great thing is, it can serve as a hub between clasic midi and USB midi because it sends out on both. which means you could send to an additional synth like the NST-1 who only has USB in. And still run a VST or record your keystrokes or sequences.

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Yes the OT has midi thru but that signal doesnt contain the midi created in the OT I’m pretty sure, so to do what I want I would need to merge the OT midi out and midi thru into one cable. Unless someone has a better solution? I was hoping I would’nt need to buy anything to get this working

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That’s not the point of a MIDI Thru. It just passes on the data from IN to Thru bypassing the device’s data.

I’m not sure to understand your issue. It seems to me you could avoid using the auto channel (in my sense auto channel is mostly good if you use a keyboard and wanna swap synths using only one keyboard).

Why not using the midi channels corresponding to each synth?
Can you be more detailed about your current routing?

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He has to swap the out and thru for each case. If he wants pc to sequence gear, he needs to switch the midi cable from out to thru. OT = sequencer -> midi cable in out socket

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Yeah you got it right. I just dont want to switch midi cables each time I want to switch sequencers

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Then build a switch box as there is no other way, I dont think. Or midi patchbay or something

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Ah ok, so PC > MIDI IN > Thru > MS20
OT > MIDI OUT > MS20 ?

I don’t know what are the other instruments he wants to sequence and if one is exclusively sequenced by OT/DAW.

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Yes.

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If you wanna use the same MIDI IN with both cables, indeed that’s why merging box are for.

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That might lead to troubles on the MS-20. Some kind of midi overload could happen in some situations. Best to use a switch box

OUT —->
…………… ……|
…………… …… | Switch box —> MS-20
THRU—>

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Current setup is just pc > ot midi in > ot midi out > ms20 mini. I thought it was weird I couldnt sequence the midi tracks from the pc like I can with the audio tracks, I wouldnt need some external merge box if I could do that.

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As simple as it is: you have 1 instrument with 1 input and you wanna use it with 2 different sources. You need to merge somehow.

It starts to be exotic enough to have to invest in a dedicated box :wink: A blokas Midi Hub would bring other interesting features.

1 Like
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Appreciate the help. I’ll look into it!

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Octatrack midi out can be soft thru if you send midi data with the same channel as a midi track. (This channel must be different from audio tracks in MIDI > CHANNELS).
It merges midi in with midi out.

They ALL have thru or soft thru ! :content:
A4 also has thru by default, Sync 24 is an option. :wink:

3 Likes
21

I am using 2 iConnectivty mioXM for connecting my hardware and DAW and it runs very smoothly.
The Mio is a midi interface with 4x4 DIN MIDI, 8x USB hub and network Midi.
The good thing here is that with presets, pre-patched config can be activated with the touch of a button.
It’s about 250,- but buying a few merge/split boxes might be even more expensive.

I love patchbays Midi & Audio. It is so much helping my creativity not to spend so much time with rerouting things while losing inspiration.