Help with Midi Hardware Connections - Midi in but no out.

[serge_a_storms]

Hi all,

I have a various bits of hardware that I want to run from live at the same time. I understand the basic in/out/thru of midi but what to do when your kit only has midi in? How do I chain to the next bit of kit. Would a 1 in 4 out midi thru box be in the answer?

These are the boxes I want to connect together.
Ableton 9.7 > Saffire 6 USB sending midi to;

Deepmind 12 Synth (in/out/thru) Although I have tis connected by USB at present.
0 Coast Synth (midi in)
Microbrute Synth (Midi in)
Korg Volca FM (midi in)
Korg Volca Sample (midi in)
RYTM (in/out/thru) Outs are for sync only I believe)

I also have an arturia keystep which has been quite useful for sending clock to the Volcas.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Richie Witch]

Yeah, you've got the right idea. You need some sort of MIDI splitter or MIDI hub.

[serge_a_storms]

Thanks.

Any suggestions for splitters or hubs I should look at?

[Richie Witch]

Personally, I use the MOTU MIDI Express XT, but if you don't need all the custom routing and preset functionality, you can get a simpler (and cheaper) configuration with a MIDI Express 128.

iConnectivity came out with a more modern MIDI hub, called the mio10, but I prefer the MOTU models because they don't require your computer to be on to use them. Often times, I like to just sit down and play without having to boot up.

I have one keyboard synth that I use as the MIDI controller for all the other synths, so the MIDI hub keeps all the channels and ports organized. For example, let's say I want to layer a couple of synths, so that both synths play when a note is pressed. But, I don't want both synths to respond to changing knobs and sliders, or preset changes. The preset "Merge Some" on the MOTU hub lets me do that. So they both use the same note data and clock, but ignore any CC data transmitted from any other synth.

[serge_a_storms]

Thanks for the info!

I'll look into the motu. It sounds perfect.