MIDI Masterclass - The Dark Art of MIDI Routing Explained ! 

@@GuidoGautsch Thank you, really appreciate that 🙂

Those were the days! Cables that you could plug in and use in either direction, and those good 3 holes on the back, device to device.

I still use them.

@@els1f don’t underestimate the usefulness of the old DIN-MIDI. It doesn’t have much advantages to USB but there are some: it does not need any drivers, it is simple to debug, but above all, it is optocoupled, which means unlike USB it never ever can add hum to the sound. And that can be a great advantage in a studio.

@@newignis Let's not forget that you can actually play your instuments without needing a computer running - something that pains me about USB-MIDI only synths like Behringer JT-4000 for example (even if that is really just a toy).

@@lucemiserlohn true, allthough some midi routers like the Mio do interchange the Midi traffic between DIN and USB which is awesome. Some Midi routers apparently have both DIN and USB but they don’t interact. Always check

@@TheJohnniegolden Thanks, glad it was helpful 🙂

@@1BitFeverDreams Gotta love MIDI, it may be old tech but it still does the business. Many thanks for the comment and for recommending it to others 🙂

@@moolder If I play the Keystep37 via my MODX, I effectively have a Keystep 88 !!! 🙂

Yep - works well in my little set up but am pushing the little midi solution boxes to the max really and as noted on the bottom of the slides everything is also connected back to the PC via USB cables/usb hubs and imagine something like the MioXL would tidy things up and reduce the need for some of the cables. It or something like it is most likely something I may end up getting in the future. Cheers 🙂

I was also going to suggest the MioXL. So easy to set up and has phenomenal power. No problems it can't solve.

Ugh, I thought I was done with MIDI gear!

@@GuidoGautsch Sorry 😉😂

@GuidoGautsch that's probably the reason @splootyvision called it 'a dark art' 😳

Thanks 🙂

@@28mmRPG There’s prob various routes could go down. Simplest would be get the drummer playing to a click track with the synths synced to the click as well. This could be as simple as a cheap drum machine with the drummer listening to a ‘click’ from the drum machine and the drum machine sending its clock to the synths via midi. Or you could have one synth as the master and set the tempo there, sending its clock to the other synths and a clock signal to something like the ‘Beat Indicator’ from MIDI solutions, which is a little box with a flashing led in time with the clock signal that the drummer can use to keep tempo. Or if, as you say, you want the drummer to initiate the tempo. There’s something like the Disaster Area Micro Clock. This could sit by the drummer to tap in the tempo as he counts in the song, that tempo could then be sent as midi clock to the synths either through a Thru Box, or if all the synths have midi thru capability then could just daisy chain the 3 synths with midi cables so they all get the clock signal. www.andertons.co.uk/disaster-area-microclock-tap-tempo-controller-guitar-pedals/?gad_source=4&gbraid=0AAAAADujoUrRapof1koQGG_KSI4SZyW65&gclid=Cj0KCQjwo8S3BhDeARIsAFRmkOMq0pAf0yYe_aavLUT89xBqXKcZW8wkbLXLOwbhUb7ulEqUhNhpoDcaArgBEALw_wcB Just some thoughts, hope it helps 🙂

@@splootyvision thanks, I'm getting a pair of MRCC 880's coming in to aid me...

@@rjadamz9117 Hi and thanks. Think I may have to do a follow up on the audio. Someone else asked same question 🙂. In lieu of doing such here’s the basic gist. Basically all the hardware synths go into a mixer (Behringer 1202FX) which has 4 mono and 4 stereo inputs. The MODx, DM, Matrixbrute and Polybrute all run into the stereo inputs, the pro-1 and neutron each go to a mono input and the TR-8S l+r outputs go to two mono inputs both panned l+r. The main outputs from the mixer then go into inputs 1+2 on the audio interface. The TCHelicon Voicelive goes direct to input 3 on the audio interface and my electric guitar goes direct into input 4. The main outs of the audio interface then go to both my studio monitors and the Yamaha PA system (there are 2 pairs of main outs, xlr and jack) 🙂

@@Boehmrunner1 Am with you on the Spark, it’s a great bit of kit 🙂, how’s the mini freak ? been tempted many times but not sure if need it with both Polybrute and Matrixbrute ? (but then again it’s never really about need 😂😂😂)

@@splootyvision Def not abut meed. It's a slightly different feel and sound. . . at least that's what I tell myself. :-) it's a seriously fun bit of kit though, and really handy for taking away. I feel like the Minibrute is in its own league and is my general goto just because it's so easy to dial in. The other two you can get a bit more create with, though.

@@hany-tawfik Thanks 🙂

@@underwatersunlight3795 Thanks. Yes, each of the synths are set to different midi channels in their own internal settings. For the midi keyboards (the Keystep 37 and the Keylab 61) the midi ‘send’ channel can then by quickly changed on the fly to change which synth they are triggering. Cheers.

@@WoodyAki Thanks (and good catch, I’ve now added it to the MIDI playlist 🙂)

Hi and thanks. In a way the answer is both Yes and No. If the MODX is in 'MIDI' mode in the Utility section there are no problems and Local Control can stay on. If I have the MODX loaded as a MIDI track in my DAW to record it and have the MODX in 'USB' mode in the utility section, then I turn Local control off as otherwise there is a very slight duplication/echo of notes when listening to what your playing live on headphones or monitors.

Maybe you need a kind of "connector" like the Roland UM-One

I hear very good things in the comments about the iConnectivty mioXL. It appears to work very well either with or without the computer. Tbh if I was starting again from scratch it’s probably something I’d look at, but for now this set up does what I want it to (plus the miOXL is fairly pricey at about £350) Cheers.

For many years now, I have used an ancient 8x8 Motu MTP AV (non-usb version!) for all of my hardware. At the price you can pick them up for, they're amazing because you can save scenes to make complex re-routes at the touch of a button. It really makes working with midi a lot less stressful.

Hi - in my set up as well as everything connected to each other via 5 pin MIDI...each synth is also connected back to the PC via individual usb cables, running through some usb hubs back into the pc to record the midi data from synths into the DAW. In addition all the audio from the synths runs into a mixer that then goes into my audio interface. Basically I have a template set up in Cubase with MIDI tracks set up for all my hardware synths with routings and channels all ready configured, but with all tracks 'disabled' - along with a main audio track which is recording the output from my audio mixer. When I want to record into the DAW (Cubase) I just open up the template and enable whichever instrument/midi tracks I want to record as well as the main audio track which is capturing the total audio output of all synths from the mixer onto one audio track. So what I get is a single audio tracks of what I've been jamming - but also the midi data from each synth recorded to individual midi tracks. Hope that helps/answers it 🙂

@@splootyvision Hi! Thank you for your reply. Is there any chance you could actually demonstrate what you are talking about?

@@matissev2530 Hi - planning to do so in near future (hopefully next couple of weeks). A few people have asked for a video on audio routings and how to record set up external synths in DAW etc, so plan to do something demonstrating all that soon 🙂

@@Chris87videos Hi - it’s a Midi Y splitter cable like this: amzn.eu/d/7z6xIf2. It allows me to connect the midi out from the Fcb1010 to both the midi merge box and also back into the audio interface. The only real reason to split it was everytime I wanted to program the fcb1010 with software editors I had to go under the desk and unplug it from the merge box and into the audio interface so it could communicate with the pc (as the fcb1010 doesn’t have usb at all and the audio interface acts as a midi interface) now thought it’s all permanently plumbed in 🙂. Hope that answers it. Cheers.

@@ET1O1 Hi - nothing via midi as that’s just sending midi data, not any audio signal. However, having a quick look, both the K station and the Virus have an ‘External Input’ which means you can run the audio signal from another synth into the back of them and process it using their filters / effects. This is simply done with a standard 1/4 inch jack cable from the audio output/s of one synth to the ‘External in’ of the other. The K station appears to be a mono external in only, so you could run an audio cable from the ‘L’ output of the Virus into the K station external in and then use the K station effects on the sound it is receiving from the Virus. You could also do vice versa and run the outputs of the k station into the external in on the Virus and process the K station sound using the Virus filters and effects. If you wanted to run both the TD-3 and Virus into the K station, you would need a small mixer to combine the audio and then send the output of the mixer to the external in on the K station (likewise you could connect the K station and Td3 to the mixer and then into the Virus). Hope that all helps 🙂

@@splootyvision That is extremely helpful! You have saved me about 3 weeks of being dumb! Thank you so much! I'm very glad I subscribed to your channel, you're a Star! Thanks again! 🛸

Hi, no problem. It's actually what they call a 'Soft Thru' where you can get the MIDI out port to act as a thru port. A lot of synths employ this now rather than having a dedicated thru port. To do so, you need to dive into the Utility menu. 1. Press Utility button 2. Turn Value knob till get to MIDI:Soft Thru 3. Press enter (cursor will move across) 4. Turn Value knob to change to 'ON' 5. Press Write button ( display will say System*) 6. Press Enter (display will say System Write? and be flashing on 'OK' 7. Press Enter (will say 'Write Completed!') 8. Press Utility to go back to main display. Cheers 🙂

@@splootyvision 😺👍

@@JimJWalker So true 🙂 The only thing I can think of that is comparable is COBOL programming language. That’s over 60 years old and approx half the world’s banking systems still run on it 😳

@@splootyvision COBOL! Yes, that is one. I couldn't think of another.

@@jjrusy7438 Hi - all works fine playing simultaneously, not had any glitches. I can have everything running and works fine e.g I can have the Keystep sending out a sequence triggering say the Pro-1, play some chords on the MODX and a solo/lead on the Keylab triggering say the Deepmind, all at the same time. All the signals are going into the midi merge box and go in and come out clean as a whistle 🙂. Hope that helps. Cheers.

One of those might be on the cards in the future, the little midi solutions boxes are pretty much maxed out now 🙂

Blokas Midihub is a very good option.

@@jumpstar9000 Came across that in an article was reading the other day - definitely looks like a really flexible bit of kit 🙂

@@jumpstar9000 yes, came here to agree with this. It has 4 x MIDI in and 4 x MIDI out, and works out cheaper than buying separate merge and through boxes. Plus you get all the cool features like being able to filter out certain MIDI messages to/from certain devices, for example I use my Digitakt as the master clock, so I had to filter out the clock messages coming from my KeyStep 37, otherwise some of the synths would see both clocks and run at double tempo. Also thanks to the virtual busses inside the box, you can choose what gets merged with what and what gets routed to where; it's not everything to everything like it would be if you used separate merge and through boxes. If that's not all enough, it also has 4 bidirectional USB MIDI ports carried over a single USB cable, if you want to combine USB MIDI devices with your traditional DIN-based ones.

@@Hakucho64 even better, you can connect it to the PC via ethernet, that means it does not need to be close to the DAW and you can transmit multiple bundles of 16 channels to and from the PC. By using a hub on one of the USB ports you can connect up to 10 (I think) USB devices to the MIO each of which you define its routing separately. And also you can define 4 preset routings. That is ideal for avoiding rewiring when for instance you want to swap between a DAW centered or a DAW MIDI set-up.

Hi - if you go to the playlist in the description there’s some links to a few other videos with similar but less complex diagrams with less gear, that may be worth looking at as a starting point, also a couple of videos that look specifically at the midi thru and midi merge boxes. Hope that helps a little 🙂

@@splootyvision I’m sure they will. Many thanks. 👍🏻

Hi - it’s effectively so that I can play the Keystep using other keyboards with more keys and take advantage of some of its functions like the chord and strum modes or its sequencer but using a larger keyboard (like the 61 keys on the Keylab or the 88 on the MODX) For example I have the receive channel on the Keystep set to to Channel 6. If I set the Keylab to send on channel 6, it will trigger the Keystep which in turn will trigger whatever it’s send channel is set to - so I basically get a Keystep 61 or if I trigger it via the MODX, a Keystep88 ! Just adds a bit of flexibility e.g. allows to play in sequences that fall outside the 37 key range without having to transpose the keys up and down. Hope that made sense 🙂

@@splootyvision thanks for the reply.

One reason is that the KS 37 arpeggiator needs to either generate or receive MIDI clock, and if you have some other device as the master clock (like Graham does here), then that clock signal needs to enter the KS 37 via its MIDI in.

@@andreasmuller5538 Vielen Dank 🙂

@@apriltoronto5254 🙂 There’s loads of channels with that name, but I’m pretty sure there’s only one ‘Splooty Vision’ 😉😂

@@splootyvision Thanks for your kind reply. If I might ask, how do you feel about Midi splitting cables, you know one output splitted into two signals, does that work sufficiently? I tried it with a Keystep 37 operating 2 Volcas, it worked but does it de-prove the sound quality or such things in bigger settings? All the best to you and keep rockin'

@@apriltoronto5254 Hi - for a very simple set up like that it should be fine, but I wouldn’t do anything more than that with one. I actually use a y splitter from my FCB1010 - you can see in my diagrams that the signal goes to both the midi merge box and back to the audio interface….this is with simple £9.99 y splitter and it works fine, for the simple commands I’m sending. The issues that might come is stuff not syncing properly if using the clock signal (but in my case I’m not sequencing anything so have had no issues). Some say it’s bad don’t do it, other say it works fine for them, but would only recommend for a limited set up like your example.

A ‘tape’ ?

@@newignis a reel to reel tape. We called this striping the tape. You would put SMPTE timecode on one channel of the reel and sync this to MIDI so cubase would lock to the tape. I forgot about CV to MIDI as well, to get those analog moog synths working with Cubase.

@@DamnDealDone i thought that was you meant. Well working with SMPTE proofs you are mastering timecodes and magnetic fields (and you own a tape recorder) but not necessarily MIDI. But if you use it as an example as to how (MIDI) clock syncing as a whole is a condition for mastering MIDI , then I follow :-)

@@vladimirkovalenko7298 Well there’s a huge range of knowledge out there from beginners to experienced and many appreciate getting a grip on the basics and even the experienced sometimes learn something new 🙂

Underrated comment tho I kind of disagree

@@rachelarI just find it too complicated and confusing.

?

Hi and thanks. I am planning to do a video on audio routing and thanks for the idea on setting up external synths in your DAW, I'll add that to the list. In the meantime, I'll see if I can help with some pointers. Easiest way (and the way I do it is): 1. Connect all synth audio outputs to a mixer 2. Connect main output of mixer to an audio interface 3. Connect main output of audio interface to studio monitors (or just listen from headphone socket) 4. Connect Audio interface to pc via usb 5. Connect all synths to pc via usb (I have all my synths connected to a powered usb hub and then into the pc. Cubase should now be able to see all the usb connected devices, receive audio from the interface via usb and receive midi data from the synths via their usbs. To record a straight forward audio track, go into Cubase, add an audio track, choose the stereo inputs from audio interface and choose stereo out for output. Now, whatever synth/s you play, their audio will go through the mixer, into the audio interface and out to the DAW Audio track where you can record it. If you want to capture the midi data from playing the synths do the following (I'll just take one synth for now). 1. Add a midi track, go to the 'inspector' window, go to the 'routing' section. 2. In the first box (input with arrow pointing to left) choose your synth from the drop down list (cubase should automatically recognise it). 3. In the next box down choose either 'any' or the number corresponding to the midi channel your synth is set to. 4. Go to the 'output' section (arrow pointing to the right) and again choose your synth from the dropdown. 5. Go to the next box down and choose the midi channel your synth is set to. Now when you record all the midi notes that you play along with any other parameters like twisting the cutoff etc will be recorded. When you play it back the midi notes and other midi cc data will be sent back out triggering your synth to play exactly what you recorded. Repeat as necessary for all other synths. I have a template set up in Cubase with audio tracks for my Microphone, Guitar and Mixer (the mixer goes into inputs 1+2 on my audio interface receiving all the audio from the synths that are plugged into the mixer). The Mic and Guitar are plugged into inputs 3 + 4 respectively. I then have separate midi tracks set up for each of my hardware synths (routed as explained above) and then have 'instrument' tracks set up for my main VSTs (e.g. Omnisphere, Analog Lab). I then disable all the tracks (so they are greyed out). When I want to record I just load the template, enable the midi or vst tracks I want to record and/or enable the audio track/s. (PS I load the template with tracks disabled as it's quicker, the template can load quite slowly if all the tracks are enabled) Oh, and finally best to set all your synths to different midi channels (which is done on the synths themselves) to avoid confusion, otherwise if you send out a signal on say channel 1 and you have two synths set to that channel, both of them will sound. Sorry a bit long winded, hope that helps 🙂

@@fernandomoreira2103 Hi and thanks. I do use a DAW as well (Cubase Pro) with everything connected to the PC via USB 🙂. It’s a sort of a dual set up, I can turn everything on but leave the PC off and just jam ‘live’ with everything routed how I want it, or load up the DAW and I have templates set up with MIDI tracks all ready set up and everything routed in there 🙂.

Thanks, it took a while 😂 it sort of just kept evolving to where it is now 🙂

@@huntermaish568 Thanks for the comment. If don’t mind me asking, what sort of details were you missing / looking for ? and I may be able clarify or consider for future videos. There are numerous other videos in the playlist link in the video description that dive into a bit more detail on things like MIDI Thru and MIDI Merge which are may be of use ? Cheers.

That's the next video 🙂, coming soon (hopefully !). Cheers.

@@solamnique There’s about a 12 inch gap between the MODX and the desk where I slide myself in 🙂

You dont, thats the price you have to pay when mastering midi

@@eloi4544 Hi and thanks. Basically all the hardware synths go into a mixer (Behringer 1202FX) which has 4 mono and 4 stereo inputs. The MODx, DM, Matrixbrute and Polybrute all run into the stereo inputs, the pro-1 and neutron each go to a mono input and the TR-8S l+r outputs go to two mono inputs both panned l+r. The main outputs from the mixer then go into inputs 1+2 on the audio interface. The TCHelicon Voicelive goes direct to input 3 on the audio interface and my electric guitar goes direct into input 4. The main outs of the audio interface then go to both my studio monitors and the Yamaha PA system (there are 2 pairs of main outs, xlr and jack) 🙂

Everything’s connected by USB to the PC. It’s pretty much a ‘dual’ set up, both DAW and DAWless at the same time. Can leave the PC off and jam ‘live’ with everything routed and synced how I want it, or turn the PC/DAW on and I have templates set up with all the midi tracks and routing all set up ready to go 🙂 (Probably should have made the text a bit bigger/clearer at the bottom where it says everything also connected via usb and audio all routes to mixer, which then runs into the audio interface 🙂)

Hi - in the Utility menu on the TR-8S go to the 'Sync/Tempo' section and set the 'TempSync' to 'AUTO' (setting it to 'MIDI' also works). If it is set to 'INT' i.e. internal clock it will ignore the Keystep and use its own tempo. (In the MIDI menu I also have 'Omni Mode' set to 'OFF' otherwise the drum machine get's screwed up as it picks up the sequence data from the Keystep and tries to play it through the drums) Also if you want the 'Play' button on the Keystep to trigger the drum machine, in the Sync/Tempo menu on the TR-8S, set the 'RxStartStop to 'ON'. Basically it overrides the TR-8S as the Keystep is first in the chain and sends its midi clock to the midi in of the TR-8S. With the TR-8S clock source set to AUTO, it will use its own clock, unless it receives a clock from somewhere else; which in this case it is - from the Keystep. If I wired the TR-8S before the Keystep and set the dip switches on the back of the Keystep to MIDI for the clock source, then in theory hitting play on the TR-8S would override the Keystep clock 🙂. Effectively whichever clock signal comes first takes precedent and is then passed on down to rest of the synths. Cheers 🙂

@@splootyvision very cool, thanks!

Hi - seems an odd one, but have heard of these sorts of issues. I don't have VST live or Kontakt, so not really sure how they work together. But, for the hanging notes it seems that 'note off' values aren't being sent/received properly - so its triggering a sound, but when the note is released it's not recognising the Note Off message to tell it to stop playing that note. In terms of changing sounds this would possibly be that a Program Change (PC message) is somehow being sent telling to change patches/sounds. Tbh there's probably many things that could be causing this. The first thing, if not already done, would be ensuring that all the latest versions of vst live, kontakt etc are installed, latest firmware updated on MODX and any other things like USB drivers etc are up to date. Next would be whether it's a dodgy USB/MIDI cable so worth swapping to different ones to see if issue still persists. The only only other thing can suggest is there is an application called MIDI-OX which you can use to show what's going on with the MIDI and investigate/troubleshoot MIDI issues. (not sure if VST live or kontakt have facility for this). With MIDI-OX you can see all the MIDI messages that are being sent in real time and so possibly workout exactly what's triggering the issue/s. There's a short article on MIDI-OX here: www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/how-do-i-install-and-use-midi-ox-for-windows/ Hope that all helps. Cheers 🙂

@@splootyvision Muchas gracias,te informaré si lo soluciono,ya es la segunda vez que me ayudas:)

@@eliaszerano3510 As it seems to be something that mystifies and confuses people as if it’s some sort of dark magic 😉😂

@@splootyvision :D

@@DanJanTube Hi - yep it can be a bit of a minefield working it all out. Most devices will have their own options/menus where you can enable /disable things like start and stop. For example on my Polybrute there is a sync setting where I can turn on or off whether it receives transport commands. With it on, when I start my drum machine the sequencer automatically starts on the polybrute, but with it set to off they act independently. Depends on what gear you have but the settings will be in there somewhere. Hope that helps 🙂

@@splootyvision or if the synth doesn't have that level of configurability for some reason, a Blokas MidiHub will let you filter out the transport messages from whatever source and/or destination you want.