Complex MIDI Routing - How to connect everything in your studio
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- čas přidán 21. 01. 2024
- Hi all, a short video on how all the MIDI is routed in my studio, showing how it's all connected, why it's routed that way and what it all does. I hope you enjoy the video and that it sparks some ideas on how you can connect your own gear.
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#MIDI #studiosetup #midisolutions - Hudba
Thanks for the explanation, it helps with my thoughts regarding MIDI routing for my own setup.
Man, I've been thinking about how to do this for years, and I've never found a class like this. Thank you very much and congratulations! You got me signed up with this. Where I live unfortunately I don't have midi input boxes like this Quadra Marge, but there are sold with one input and several outputs, including a box with sync output to regulate the general clock. I'll see if I can buy more than one then, since you need more inputs before you can distribute the midi outputs. I want a 100% hardware setup, without PC and DAW. Will record with Zoom H6 on a mixer. I have a JDXA which is a great slave for the Loopstation 505 mkii, and I'm using Circuit Tracks to sync beats on Roland synth to the Loopstation clock. None of this needs midi boxes to work. But if I'm going to use racks/modules like Neutron, Behringer Pro One or Roland SE, I'll need to use the JDXA's midi output, which isn't yet being used today, to mix sounds (if these racks have midi trhu). Whenever, if you can demonstrate more specific and less systemic configurations like this great achievement, please share! Health and peace in your heart.
Good lad. Cheers for this. Done the audio routing in/out of my mixer, midi was next so all praise the algorithm.
Facts
That's a pretty clever setup! It gets the job done and isn't complicated or costly. I can't say the same for my setups but they do get the job done just in a more complex and expensive fashion.
I have two different studio desks setup with two different arrangements for MIDI routing. One desk uses a MIDIPlus 16x16 USB MIDI interface with 16 in/out pairs addressable from my DAW. I can route any of my controllers or synths with keyboards to any others by assigning routing in my DAW, including multiple controllers to one synth/module or multiple modules from one controller. This enables me to use all 16 MIDI channels per port so my multitimbral synths and modules can use all their power with no overlap on channels.
My second desk setup uses the MRCC (MIDI Router Control Center) from Conductive Labs. It's a pricy piece of gear that gives me both a USB MIDI interface as well as direct assignable MIDI (5 pin DIN and USB host) routing right on the devices front panel. I can select what I want to route to in real time or save routing configurations for later recall. The MRCC also has per port MIDI message filtering, channel mapping, arpeggiation and other out-board MIDI functions. I can also use the DAW to map anything to anything even across USB MIDI and 5 pin DIN MIDI that may or may not be routed through the MRCC. It's a complicated setup, but it does allow for some powerful options when both studio desks combined are controlling 25 synths/modules, drum machines and samplers! I have a few MIDI ports available between the two desks so I guess there is more gear coming in the future. GAS is a real thing and I definitely have it.
Blimey, that's quite a set up. I'm a fan of the little MIDI solutions boxes, but just having looked up the specs on the MRCC - what a piece of kit !. Its like all the different midi solutions boxes; mergers, thru boxes, event processors, routers and filters etc, but all in one piece of kit. Might be pricey as you say, but tbh by time you'd bought all the separate 'little' boxes that MRCC works out way more cost effective (and the beauty of it is you've still got some spare connections for more gear 🙂)
This does not look confusing at all. Nice gear.
Awesome. Thank you for such a clear explanation. Midi foot controller looks useful too. 🎉
Thanks, yep the midi foot controller is a handy bit of kit. I’ve done some separate videos on how you can use it - I have it set up to control things like scenes on my MODX with the foot switches so I can change things like drum patterns and arps etc on the fly and and then use the foot pedals to control things like the superknob or mod/pitch bend wheels 🙂
I am using 4 x MOTU MIDI Timepiece AV, which provides 32 MIDI Ins and Outs. These MIDI interfaces can operate in stand alone mode with programmable patches, and also interface via USB to my Mac. Unfortunately these legacy MIDI interfaces are no longer sold by MOTU, but there are more modern equivalents today.
Very informative.. thanks!
I went the simpler option & got a MOTU MIDI Express XT, with 8 in's and 8 out's. Having a separate unique In/Out for each device, rather than daisy chaining.
Hi there, not familiar with the MOTU, but is that just a MIDI interface to send MIDI data to/from the computer ? If it is, then it would possibly save running individual USB cables to the PC - but not sure it would do what this set up does ? i.e. if I connected a midi controller to say MIDI 1 on the MOTU, could it then control all the synths on channels 2-8 ? Just interested 🙂
@@splootyvision What happens if your setup sends streams of CC data to multiple MIDI channels? Doesn’t your MIDI get “bogged down”?
Maybe it’s just my idea workflow; Don’t you use your DAW to define MIDI tracks/hardware, then switch to a different MIDI DAW track to play a different device? Or is your setup for more ‘LIVE’ playing/performance?
@@Anamnesia Hi, not experienced any issues and yes I think everyone works differently and its whatever work best for you. The main purpose of this set up is so that I can play everything without using the PC - so if I just want to turn it all on and jam, everything is connected to everything, so in a way yes it's sort of a 'live' set up. When recording, as you do I would define all the MIDI tracks in my DAW 🙂
I use an original MOTU midi express (the cheap one with the old parallel printer port) as an 8 in 8 out midi merge.
It’s not connected to a computer, all you need to do is select ‘merge all’ from the front panel.
I send midi out from a Digitakt which acts as a master sequencer and midi clock sync provider.
Using the MOTU everything is connected to everything else. Works like a charm, the MOTU stuff was pretty high spec back in the day.
Good afternoon, I'm Paulo and I'm a little lost on the midi issue.
I've seen a lot of videos about midi connections, but I still have a lot of questions about how to do them in my case.
I saw some examples of data in your video, but I still have doubts, so I'm going to ask my question how I should connect my equipment.
and configured without software such as Native Instruments, KOMPLETE KONTROL.
My hardware is:
- Native Instruments Kontrol s88 MK3- Midi keyboard.
- M-Audio Code 61 MK2 -Midi Keyboard.
- Clarett +4 Pre - Audio Interface.
- Erica Synths Midi THru Box- Split Midi 8 Thru Midi ports.
- Novation Launch Pad Pro Mk2 - Daw Controller.
- Marantz microphone model MPM-3500R with phantom power.
This equipment is to connect to the PC but I want to use the midi ports for communication, only the Audio Interface connects to the PC via USB.
I've tried but something I'm doing wrong I don't have sound on the Midi keyboards.
That's why I'm asking for your help to solve the problem.
If possible, a diagram of how to make the connections and configure the software.
Hi Paulo, I’ve emailed you directly, let me know if that helps you out 🙂
Thank you! 🙂👍
Right in time. I was looking up this subject just a week ago. I'm worried about MIDI loop. Just learned about it and not sure how it happens.
Tbh I’ve never had any problems with midi loops/feedback with my set up and like yourself not really clear how it happens.
I have a keylab 61 essential mk3 and I thought it was just as simple as the yamaha prs's using quarter inch cables connected directly to a speaker and its done... but the hole on the back is "control, usb and midi out" I'm struggling on setting it up as well as getting a sound from a speaker. I downloaded all the software (analog lab, midi control center etc.) but I think it's on the cable connections.. It will be a big help of you could make a video of it sir..
Hi there, you can't hook speakers direct to the Arturia as it is purely a midi keyboard and doesn't make any sounds on its own, all it is doing is triggering the VSTs (analog Lab etc) presumably within some sort of DAW (so you can record what you're playing). So, you need to hook your speakers to your PC to get the sound out of your DAW. You can in principle connect the speakers direct to your PC and use its built in sound card using a Y cable with Left +Right RCA (or whatever connectors on your speakers to a single mini jack that would then go into the headphone socket on your PC. In your DAW you would then choose the PC sound card as your output. The better way though is to use an audio interface, hooked to your PC via a USB cable and then your speakers are connected to the audio interface. Hope that helps 🙂
Just to clarify on my previous reply. You need to connect the Keylab to your PC via USB so that it can talk to Analog Lab etc. Then either connect your speakers to your PC, or.....connect the PC to an audio interface via USB and then connect the speakers to the audio interface. Then you need to make the correct settings either in the 'Audio/MIDI settings of the standalone Analog Lab, or within your DAW to make sure the sound is being routed to the correct place. If having problems let me know and see if I can help further. It all really depends on what equipment you are using e.g are you using Analog lab inside of a DAW (like Cubase) or just in standalone mode, do you have an audio interface or are you just monitoring sound directly out the computer, what the connections on the back of your speakers/monitors (assuming RCA) 🙂
...and i am still confused how to hook up studio speakers to Arturia mk2.......
Realised never responded to this (not sure if you were joking, apologies if you weren't). You can't hook speakers direct to the Arturia as it is purely a midi keyboard and doesn't make any sounds on its own, all it is doing is triggering the VSTs (analog Lab etc) presumably within some sort of DAW. So you need to hook your speakers to your PC to get the sound out of your DAW. You can in principle connect the speakers direct to your PC and use its built in sound card using a Y cable with L+R RCA (or whatever connectors on your speakers to a single mini jack that would the go into the headphone socket on your PC. In your DAW you would then choose the PC sound card as your ouput. The better way though is to use an audio interface, hooked to your PC via a USB cable and then your speakers are connected to the audio interface. Hope that helps 🙂
@@splootyvision oh...Thank you so much for replying....yes...in the meantime i decided to jump into the deep end as usual and bought the Arturia 88 mk 2, speakers and minifuse 4....... managed to get it right and learning more from your nice video tutorials.... really appreciate what you are doing helping others learn.....thats very noble I say...! thks again
👍i LoVe !
💙⚪❤
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buy a Conductive Labs Mrcc make life so much easier
You're the second person to mention the MRCC. I hadn't heard of it before, but when looked at the specs it does look a great piece of gear - something for the future I think 🙂
Sorry but the graphic is not very helpful if one doesn’t recognize all of the synths from a little picture. I am lost…
Hi, sorry about that, not something anyone else has commented on, but appreciate the feedback. If it helps these are the bits of equipment, starting from the top left hand corner and going clockwise round the outside we have; Arturia Keylab61, FCB1010 Foot Controller, UMC404HD Audio Interface, Yamaha MODX8+, Behringer Neutron, Behringer Deepmind 12, Arturia Matrixbrute, Arturia Keystep37. In the middle of the picture the two 'boxes' are form MIDI Solutions - the top one is a Quadra Merge and the bottom one is a Quadra Thru. Hope that helps 🙂
I use a Novation 49SL MK III controller keyboard output to an AKAI MPC ONE acting as a sequencer, and out from the AKAI to a JL Cooper SYNAPSE 16 in x 20 out midi routing box to control all my synths.
Nice set up 👍🏻