Many keyboards, one interface, one patchbay...

Just to clearify Guitargodgt, are you saying your suggestion will work with my 2 channel interface? I got this weird thing going on right now which seems to work but your idea sounds appealing.
 
That's a good point I never specified that. Originally I thought I'd be able to have them connected and all ready to play (record) all at the same time (if I really wanted to) but I realize I had to settle with patching individually which is still much easier than grabbing my interface on my desk so it doesn't slide away when I tug the cables out of it to switch to a new synth.
 
I don't have anything against mixers. I orginally thought; okay, it's either mixer or patchbay... I got the patchbay so I could learn how to use it; expecting a little more than I could.
 
iamacopyofacopy said:
Thanks everyone for your help. Didn't need to solder anything! My patch bay was already balanced so everything went well just with balanced XLR cables and some other patch cables!
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Nope, your patch bay is not "balanced" nor are the cables. You can only have a balanced SYSTEM. This means the outputs must be balanced and they must feed, via 2 core cables, balanced inputs. Your AI inputs are surely balanced but the output of the keyboards surely not.

This is the first time AFAIK that you have mentioned that the patch bay is XLR? This mean that all our waffle and "normal this and that" was totally irrelevant !

And yes, had you gone the mixer route you would have been able to play all the kit at the same time. MIDI would allow at least 3 keyboards to play at once.

Dave.
 
arcaxis said:
Dave,
Curious if there is a reason that you capped the MIDIed keyboard number at 3? I've got a Kawai MAV-8 MIDI patchbay that I can route 4 different MIDI ins to any combination of 8 out.

View attachment 90508
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Yeah, but us poor folk!....

Heh! I was referring to the accepted limit of 3 items in a MIDI daisy chain Mark. Personally I have never tested this limit since I don't have 3 MIDI devices! (mind you, I have sent MIDI over 40mtr+ of CAT5E and it worked!) .

But this is another reason I bitch at AI mnfctrs that don't fit MIDI ports. No matter what is on your USB controller, and VERY few are MIDI interfaces, having DINS on the AI gives you 16 more channels.

Dave.
 
arcaxis said:
Gotcha... MIDI thru limitation!!

The interface I currently have has MIDI DIN's, as well as S/PDIF. When and if I upgrade the next one will have these as well.
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Y'know, were I in a position to build a studio (luuuuuve to build a stoooodio!) I would adapt all MIDI DIN to shielded RJ45 and use passive network patchbays for MIDI because they are cheap as chips and vastly more rugged than DIN. Stomp on a DIN and it is Goodnight Halifax. Do the same to a polycarbonate RJ45 and it will likely survive.

And! since you only need 1 pair for MIDI you can feed headphone down pair 2, power (9V for pedals say) pr 3 and have a spare pair for a cue light!

I have sent MIDI thru an Ethernet patchbay, works.

Dave.
 
Why would I re-patch my e-drums? All the rest of my midi is via USB. :)
I've only got the three devices and one's a control surface. Thinking of adding another keyboard later, but will probably patch via midi thru on the Kawai. Haven't tried midi through to USB midi out yet, wonder if it works...
 
BroKen_H said:
Why would I re-patch my e-drums? All the rest of my midi is via USB. :)
I've only got the three devices and one's a control surface. Thinking of adding another keyboard later, but will probably patch via midi thru on the Kawai. Haven't tried midi through to USB midi out yet, wonder if it works...
Click to expand...

Ah...We are not on the same song sheet (prob' me. Old, meds....)
I was thinking of a MIDI patch bay as a gaggle of DINs and DIN patch chords with all their attendant fragility.

Err? Don't you mean MIDI thru' to MIDI "in"? Thru' is a control signal.

BTW, I have a (Ekeys 49) MIDI controller, a MIDI in,out,thru Yamaha kbd* several PCI MIDI cards (2496) and a couple of MIDI equipped AIs. (and a Tranzport, rtrd) . If you or anyone wants an experimental rig plugging up I am game and if it goes T's U, no sweat.

* That does not talk Gen MIDI and so does not play the instrument you think! Pretty hilarious at times.

Forgot to mention that I also have an ESI 1010e connected to an XP PC feeding the telly (long story. One day!) and I could patch MIDI via RJ45 out and back from that, should the humour come upon me!

Dave.
 
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