Multiple devices without pass through or computer?

ClenchedTeeth

New member
I have several midi devices that I want to use together:
- FCB1010 foot controller (in and out/thru)
- Pod 2.0 (in and out, but no pass through according to manual)
- Whammy pedal (in only)
- Computer with Fast Track Pro (1x1 midi interface, used only sometimes)
The simplest way to have the foot controller controlling the other three would be to have everything connected directly to a midi interface (I would have to buy one with more ports) and route everything using the computer. However, I don't want to have to rely on my laptop just to have two of the other things on the list able to communicate.
What is the best solution? A midi splitter box such as this? That way the foot controller could send to everything, and the laptop could talk to the foot controller and then from there through to the other two devices. However that would mean that the Pod could not talk back to the computer.
The computer sometimes needs to talk back to the other devices (usually for programming presets) and I would prefer not to have to juggle cables every time I want to do that.
Thanks in advance for your advice!
 
I have several midi devices that I want to use together:
- FCB1010 foot controller (in and out/thru)
- Pod 2.0 (in and out, but no pass through according to manual)
- Whammy pedal (in only)
- Computer with Fast Track Pro (1x1 midi interface, used only sometimes)
The simplest way to have the foot controller controlling the other three would be to have everything connected directly to a midi interface (I would have to buy one with more ports) and route everything using the computer. However, I don't want to have to rely on my laptop just to have two of the other things on the list able to communicate.
What is the best solution? A midi splitter box such as this? That way the foot controller could send to everything, and the laptop could talk to the foot controller and then from there through to the other two devices. However that would mean that the Pod could not talk back to the computer.
The computer sometimes needs to talk back to the other devices (usually for programming presets) and I would prefer not to have to juggle cables every time I want to do that.
Thanks in advance for your advice!

I have a Quadra Thru like the OP posted. It has 1 input 4 outputs. So he could plug his foot pedal into the input and the outputs could go to the inputs of his other devices. But that is a 1 way street. No device is going to be sending data back to the foot pedal through that box.

There is also a MIDI merge box. It has two or more inputs and one output. So the computer and Pod outputs could be plugged into the two inputs on the merge box and the single output could be plugged into the foot pedal's MIDI Input.

But I don't know what's up w/your computer and MIDI interface. I use mine on synths
and I have never used pods or foot pedals. My MIDI routing is pretty conventional.
 
Thanks. Buying both a quadra thru box and a merge box seems expensive, and a pretty strong sign that I just need a proper patchbay unit anyway. I'm going to have a look for boxes like the MOTU Micro Express (suggestions welcome since the MOTU seems expensive for what it is).
 
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