Please help me figure out the MIDI workflow for my hardware setup

J

jeadado

New member
hey guys,

I'm pretty confused right now because I did everything in the computer till now and cannot figure out a decent MIDI workflow.

the plan:
I wanna have some mashines running, synced, without a computer, for a live-setup.


alesis sr18, boss dr660, akai 20 sampler, microbrute, etc.
there will be more stuff, little experimental mashines that have only MIDI IN.
8 channels would be enough.

now I thought: I buy a MPC500 to sequence and programm the patterns for all the other mashines.

but I was told a midi-splitter can only send the same midi signal to all the mashines (so every mashine plays the same thing).

but of course I want them to play different stuff (f.e. the sr18 drums on channel1, the microbrute bass on channel2, etc.)

I was told I need a standalone midi patchbay (like the motu midi express XT)

other possibility would be a master clock. like the ACME-4. but then I can only connect mashines that got their own patterns. the microbrute doesn't have its own patterns, or my arduino HDD that only receives midi-in.

I would use a hardware sequencer, but now and then I want to move a midi-pattern from the computer to the hardware-sequencer (I think the mpc500 can do it), to be played by some connected synths. again, the sequencers I found only got one midi out...


I cannot figure out a decent workflow, how do I connect it all?

can you help me?

did everybody have a midipatchbay back in the days?
 
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As far as I know (and I'm admittedly a bit of a "MIDIot"), yes, you need a MIDI patchbay, and yes, that's how everybody did (does) it.

Another way you could go would be to get small units that have their own sequencers on-board, and just daisy-chain sync them (rather than a separate sequencer or clock situation). This works fine if you don't have a ton of hardware to sync (at a certain point, you have to deal with latency and misfiring, but with a handful of pieces you should be a-ok). For instance, I've got the Volca Keys and the Monotribe, and an SR-16 drum-machine. The Volca has MIDI In only, the Alesis has In & Out, and the Monotribe has Sync In and Out (as does the Volca). So I've been going SR-16 MIDI Out to Volca MIDI In, then Volca Sync Out to Monotribe Sync In, and everything locks great. I'm pretty sure I could add another two Volcas or any other Sync In synths with no problem. But that's for limited 1-4 bar loop syncing; if you want real complex stuff with more pattern making ability, you need a proper sequencer and MIDI set-up, not just a few step-sequencers with only 8 or 16 notes...

Anyway, I hope you figure it out, or someone with a lot more fluency in MIDI connectivity chimes in.

GJ
 
a midi splitter (known as a midi thru box) transmits all 16 channels simultaneously, so there is no problem with using one or two of these to achieve your outcomes

If you wanted to get a patchbay instead (storage of different configurations for quick selection in the future, although based on what you say there is no need for this functionality) get something like the following

Akai Me 30P 11 MIDI Programmable Patch Bay | eBay - I have tow of these and have used one since 1986/87

midi patchbay | eBay

note that some of these are not up to the requirements of connecting to your computer as well unless you you use one of the inputs/outputs to connect via your interfaces mdi i/o
 
thanks alot rhythmgj for telling your workflow. in the beginning I'll stick with that!

so, bandcoach, you say I do not need a midipatchbay? why are people telling me that it is not possible with thru-boxes to let the mashines play different things?

if it works, how can I tell if a mashine is able to pick the relevant channel? like the akai s20...
 
you set the output channel for each track in the mpc 500 to a different channel and you set your individual devices to received on a the required channel - i.e. you have the channels in the mpc 500 set up to map to the individual boxes

for example (the MIDI channel numbers are an example only and you can use any numbering scheme (1-16) that works for you)

the mpc500 is set to drums no doubt
the channel for brute would be 1 so the track(s) channel(s) (on the mpc500) with the brute data would also be set to 1
the channel for the dr660 would be 2 so the track(s) channel(s) (on the mpc500) with the dr660 data would also be set to 2
the channel for the s20 would be 3 so the track(s) channel(s) (on the mpc500) with the s20 data would also be set to 3

and so on

as there is no duplication of channels for each device they can flow across any midi transmission network including through multiple thru boxes
 
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