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Controling Synthesizers separate over same MIDI channel number

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Koos
 Koos
Posts: 4
Active Member
Topic starter
 

The hardware:
4 Synthesizer rack modules (all same brand)
1 synthesizer with keyboard
1 Behringer MIDI interface (4 audio inputs, 4 audio outputs, 1 MIDI in, 1 MIDI out, 1 USB type B)
1 MIDI thru box (1 MIDI in and 4 MIDI out)
1 Computer (further on called DAW)

Audio connections:
All audio outputs from my synthiesizes connected to my 16 channel mixer.
Audio master out from my mixer to the audio in from my MIDI interface.
Audio out from MIDI interface to a set of monitor speakers.

MIDI connections:
Synthesizer with keyboard to my DAW by USB cable.
DAW to MIDI interface by USB cable
MIDI-out from my MIDI interface to MIDI thru box in.
MIDI thru from my thru box to synthesizer rack modules.

Question:
Is there a way that you can send midi data for eg. MIDI track 1 in my DAW using midi channel 1 to my synthesizer rack modules 1 and from the midi track 2 in my DAW using midi channel 1 to synthesizer rack module 2?

If you need more information please let me know.

Koos

 
Posted : 03/08/2023 4:56 am
Geoff
Posts: 1040
Noble Member
 

The only way that I can see that you could get anywhere would be if enough of your devices support Ports, but you don't mention that.

So I have a question. Do any of your devices support Ports?

You'd need a 'set' of devices that did so, i.e. a device that creates the midi data that is entering the system, any devices within the system, and then any devices that are going to receive/play the midi data.

You would not need everything to be so, just sufficient to create a separate system within the system. Specifically, to handle that data that is to operate on (say) Ch 1 but NOT interfere with any other data also playing on Ch 1.

For example, I have two playing devices, my Yamaha MU90r and a Korg NS5r, that eah can receive data on Ports A and B (using a separate cable) with 16 Ch on each port, but I have no way of creating such data, or of transporting it. Everyything works OK using the Port A as the normal midi As your system may well do?

As I understand it, the new Midi 2 will not alter this, except that accessing the ports directly may become easier.

Geoff

 
Posted : 03/08/2023 2:33 pm
Koos
 Koos
Posts: 4
Active Member
Topic starter
 

Hello Geoff,

Thank you so much for your response.

The 'Ports' thing is totally new for me.

I don't think my synthesizer modules will support something like that because in the manual there is no mention of it. But my Roland XV5080 have a midi-IN A and a midi-IN B. Both 16 midi channels. If you mean something like that by 'ports' then yes.

If you mean something else then a little bit of help on how to check that I would really appreciate it.

 
Posted : 06/08/2023 4:08 am
Geoff
Posts: 1040
Noble Member
 

Yes, one of my devices refers to IN A and IN B as well, so it sounds like your Roland XV5080 does support separate ports.

I've never tried with my device, I think it's the Yamaha MU90r, to send data to the In B instead of the In A as I usually do. Looking at the manual, this suggests that the device would treat anything incoming as being on B Ch 1 to 16, i.e. quite separate from the normal A Ch 1 to 16.

So, do you have anything that can send data to B? The implication is that whatever would not need to know anything about it. Just use a normal DIN cable to connect OUT from one device to IN B on the XV, and the data received by the XV would appear to be on B and not A, and there would be no conflict of channerls.

Geoff

 
Posted : 06/08/2023 7:06 am
Koos
 Koos
Posts: 4
Active Member
Topic starter
 

Hello Geoff,

Thank you for your effort and time you put in my midi problem.

So there is no solution for the other 3 devices, because they have only one midi-in DIN cable connection.
The midi data on channel 1 goes from my DAW to all my synthesizers rack modules now. And that gives a cacophony of sounds.

It's only the XV which have a midi A and a midi B DIN cable connection.

 
Posted : 06/08/2023 10:12 am
Geoff
Posts: 1040
Noble Member
 

Could be.

Your XV may well have the ability to receive data on two ports, i.e. some data on Ch 1 on one Port, and other data on Ch 1 but on the other Port. So it would not interfere. No cacophony.

BUT, you've got to get the data into that form, with an appropriate split, and maybe you cannot do it.

I assume that none of the 'connection' devices can help? The appearence of the Ports is fairly recent, the two devices I have go back to just before 1990, but even so not all devices are so equipped. In some cases, the Ports seem to be part of the USB connection rather than the DIN link so if you have any newer devices with USB then check those.

Geoff

 
Posted : 06/08/2023 12:03 pm
Koos
 Koos
Posts: 4
Active Member
Topic starter
 

Your right. On the XV it won't be a cacophony because of the separate ports but on the other devices it will. The devices don't have USB, only DIN.

But I discovered on the internet a device called a MIDI patch-bay. I'm not familiar with such devices. Maybe that can give me the solution.

Thank you very much for your help.

Koos

 
Posted : 07/08/2023 11:24 am
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