how do I hook up multiple synths with one controller?

Giganova

gimmi your mic!
stupid questions:

I have a coupla synths and one MIDI keyboard to control them. What I did so far was "Keyboard MIDI out" -> synth 1 MIDI in -> synth 1 MIDI through -> synth 2 MIDI 1 -> ... etc.

That worked fine for up to 3 synths, but now am running into latency problems when I add another synth.

So what's the solution? Get a MIDI interface? What confuses me is that all 8in/out MIDI interfaces come with a stupid USB computer interface, whereas I need a MIDI cable to hook up it to my digital mixer/soundcard. Can you explain that to me?

Also, if I have one keyboard controller and multiple synths, does that mean when I hit a key on the controller, all synths will start playing the same MIDI note?? Are there switches on the MIDI interface to select different MIDI channels? I noticed that for one of my MIDI keyboards (Oxygen 8) I can select the MIDI channel with the touch of just one botton. Is this how you do it? Route different MIDI channels on the MIDI interface to the different synths and then select the right MIDI channel on the keyboard controller to send the MIDI signals to the right synths? (e.g., MIDI ch. 1 -> synth 1; MIDI ch. 2 -> synth 2, etc.)

Sorry about my ignorance, but I still don't know much about MIDI. And hey: thanks for your help!
 
Roland used to make something called an MPU-105 - 1 midi in, 5 midi outs, with disconnect switches and indicator lights for each out. I got mine in an equipment trade (traded a Krappy Kustom power amp worth about $50).

Not sure what's out there now. I seem to recall something called a midi patch bay - but I don't know if it involves a computer as a necessary part of the hookup.

Daf
 
Giganova said:
Also, if I have one keyboard controller and multiple synths, does that mean when I hit a key on the controller, all synths will start playing the same MIDI note?? Are there switches on the MIDI interface to select different MIDI channels? I noticed that for one of my MIDI keyboards (Oxygen 8) I can select the MIDI channel with the touch of just one botton. Is this how you do it? Route different MIDI channels on the MIDI interface to the different synths and then select the right MIDI channel on the keyboard controller to send the MIDI signals to the right synths? (e.g., MIDI ch. 1 -> synth 1; MIDI ch. 2 -> synth 2, etc.)

There are three ways to do it.

If the controller is capable of it you can program patches that send on specific channels and you set up your modules to receive on those specific channels. You would program the keyboard and velocity splits on the controller patches. For instance the lower half could send to one keyboard on CH2, upper half to another on CH3 and when you press harder then velocity 100 another will kick in on CH4.

Or you can have the controller just send everything on one channel and you program the patches on your modules to just play in certain octave and velocity ranges. You might setup a string patch to only play above D3 and velocity 80 and ignore everything else.

A third way is to have the controller send everything and have the modules receive everything but you use volume pedals to mix in how much of each module you want. The volume pedals can be midi or just regular analog volume pedals with the outputs of each synth routed to a different pedal then into a mixer.

When you buy a midi interface to use as a patchbay or splitter make sure it is capable of running without being hooked up to a computer. Some you need a computer to program but they will run by themselves and others are just dumb 1 in Multi out splitters/mergers.
 
Back
Top