Multiple Midi Controllers at Once?

[m-laboratories.net]

Sorry, this may be a stupid question, but:

can I use two different midi devices via USB at once?

I have a percussion controller I want to use to trigger samples (works fine on its own) and I am considering getting a second controller. But I want to be able to use them simultaneously.

Anyone know if this is possible, or if it is not due to midi protocol, ableton implementation, or what?

Thanks....

-Chris.

[jdg not logged in]

yup.. do it all the time.. (two controllers max tho)

[Guest]

if your devices have midi thru, you can concievably chain many, many midi devices together (from the first devices midi out to second devices midi in, from second devices midi out/thru to third devices in......until the final devices midi out/thru goes to you midi interface and then into the usb port. I have a percussion controller (drum Kat), keyboard (novation k station) and footcontroller (behringer fcb1010) all plugged one into the other and going into my singular midi in on my RME soundcard--works great. Also, depending on what you are trying to accomplish, the free software "midi ox" and "midi yoke" allow you to create 8 virtual midi ports on your computer. With lots of midi filtering options, it allows you to use one device to control mulitple apps, and also to choose which app gets what type of midi info--very cool, very flexible.

Good luck

Ryan

[dirtystudios]

i'll be the helpful one. go into live's preferences and under the midi/sync tag, you'll find the 'midi control' section right on top with two 'midi input' dropdown menus. just choose your controllers and away you go. this only works with version 2. previous versions do not support multiple controllers.

k

[mlabs]

Thank you all for the help!!!!

I really appreciate this; never met a more helpful community of users.

I am psyched - I just got an MPD-16 to control Live, and the remote 25 is on it's way to control Reason.

Sounds like Midi Yoke will let me use them both to control the two separate apps - and perhaps even to map the sliders on the R25 to Live, while using some knobs for Reason and others for Live.... at least, if I understood you all right, it should be possible.

Thanks again for the help.

-Chris @ M Labs

[HajoCorsten]

the free software "midi ox" and "midi yoke" allow you to create 8 virtual midi ports on your computer.

Ryan[/quote]

Hi Ryan,
do you run "midi ox/yoke" under WinXP ?
Haven't tried so far but overheard that these progs are MME-based while XP neglects this interface in favor of Direct-X.

[Guest]

the free software "midi ox" and "midi yoke" allow you to create 8 virtual midi ports on your computer.

Ryan

Hi Ryan,
do you run "midi ox/yoke" under WinXP ?
Haven't tried so far but overheard that these progs are MME-based while XP neglects this interface in favor of Direct-X.[/quote]

Yes, using midi ox and yoke on xp pro based laptop with RME multiface card that uses ASIO. Never had a problem with ox/yoke, and have yet to come close to using all of the flexible routing and filtering options--staggering possibilities. It loads and closes quickly, and doesn't seem to take any processing power . And yes the remote 25 will be awesome for controlling live and reason, and you'll be able to set up the control scheme to your hearts content with the ox/yoke live and reason combo.

One more free midi software shoutout-- bome's midi translator. It allows you to translate midi commands to computer keyboard commands. you can use it to assing keys, knobs, or midi footpedals to keystroke commands. It is essential for me performing live doing bass and guitar loops, so that i can hit a midi footpedal (fcb 1010) patch that acts as a delete button. If (and when) i mess up a clip that i'm recording, i can hit delete and the recording stops but the sound doesn't. Then i can just start recording again and get my shit together and play the part right. Without that delete, I'd have to take a hand off my instruments, and would soon be out of work

Ryan