Hardware MIDI Routing...Help sort the spaghetti?

Homebelly · Post by **Homebelly** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:33 am

Okay..
So here is what i got..

A nord modular G2 with MIDI I/O/Thru
A Novation NOVA laptop with MIDI I/O/Thru.
A presonus FIREBOX. with MIDI I/O
One midi merger with TWO Ins and ONE OUT.

I want to create a loop that will allow me to use the keyboard on the NM to control both the NM and the Nova. No problems here.. every thing is sweet.
I have the out of the nord going to the in of the presonus.
The out of the presonus is going to the in of the NOVA.
I then have the OUT and the Thru of the nova merged into the in of the Nord.

The issue now is that i can send and receive note on/off and program change but i am unable to record any nob moves from the NOVA.
My guess is i need another Merge box to merge the out and the thru of the nord before it goes to the Presonus

I used to be good at this stuff...

Any one able to help???

Cheers.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:48 am

I usually draw flow diagrams on paper to work this stuff out.

Does that work? You'd need to have the Nord and the Nova set to receive on different MIDI channels, and you would assign the "destination" by selecting the relevant MIDI track/channel in Live (or other sequencer).

But now both synths should record their MIDI output, and receive the correct channel-ized MIDI from Live.

Not sure how many channels multi-timbral your two synths are, but you would have, say, the Nova receiving on ch 1-8, and the Nord receiving on ch 9-16. (Both synths in MIDI LOCAL OFF mode)

(I think...)

HTH

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:25 am

current PB MIDI:

amoeba · Post by **amoeba** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:54 pm

the first reply looks good, with one caveat...

you do not want LOCAL OFF on the hardware if you are recording knob tweaks from them, but you need to make sure the comp/DAW is set to hear and record them, but NOT pass that back out (midi feedback can be a nightmare, but fun sometimes).

if that workaround is too clunky to do in the DAW, use bohm's (PC) or midipipe (mac) to manage the midi streams during your input and output phases. essentially you'd have a separate config for in and out that you could easily swap between.

it can be tricky for sure, but overall that diagram looks perfect!

UKRuss · Post by **UKRuss** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:13 pm

Jebus PB! Thats one hell of a routing map...

Homebelly · Post by **Homebelly** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:04 pm

Mr. Black.
I'll try that set up..
I think that might have been one of the methods i used.
I also draw diagrams.. except they aren't as well set out as yours.
I think the problem was the "local off" that amoeba mentions.

Does any one know if LIVE can be made to filter midi messages?
If not..
Would i need to set up MIDI pipe?

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:53 pm

deffo suck it and see...

My reasoning was that both synths, in LOCAL OFF mode, become "controllers" that are always sending MIDI to Live. No problems so far.

You then re-direct the outgoing MIDI from Live to the correct synth "sound module" by choosing the necessary output MIDI channel on your Live MIDI track.

The idea being that you have 2 "controllers" and 2 "sound modules" that are always connected/routed thru Live.

but if it works, it works...

Homebelly · Post by **Homebelly** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:57 pm

Pitch Black wrote:deffo suck it and see...

My reasoning was that both synths, in LOCAL OFF mode, become "controllers" that are always sending MIDI to Live.No problem there.

You then re-direct the outgoing MIDI from Live to the correct synth "sound module" by choosing the necessary output MIDI channel on your Live MIDI track.

The idea being that you have 2 "controllers" and 2 "sound modules" that are always connected/routed thru Live.

but if it works, it works...

cheers..
I'll try nutting this out this afternoon...
Its another rainy day in my part of Auckland.
Best kind of day to stay in side.. watch a movie... play with midi cables.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:44 pm

UKRuss wrote: Jebus PB! Thats one hell of a routing map...

Thank Christ for this thing!

It's complex, but the upshot is that pushing one button between songs moves the entire rig (all controllers, Live, Akai Sampler, Video) to the next song. No mess, no fuss. To quote the other Messiah (Iggy Pop) "The more you think, the more you stink"