Several MIDI OUTS to one MIDI IN

[youaretheblood]

I'm looking to hook up a few analog synths (no usb, just midi outs) to use as controllers on my laptop. I already have a firewire interface that translates the MIDI signal (focusrite Saffire) but it only has one MIDI input.

Would it be possible to get (for example) 3 MIDI outputs going into one MIDI input? What kind of equipment would I need to do this? Would the signals interfere with each other if they're all going to into the same input? Would I be able to control 3 different VSTs with this method, or would they all just control the same one because of the 1 input?

Any help on this topic would be greatly appreciated. I would use the usb inputs but they're used up by other controllers

 

[SonicAlbert]

You need to merge the three synth midi outs into one midi stream. This box is an example of what you are looking for:

MIDI Solutions Quadra Merge; Four Input MIDI Merger

 

[diggy_dude]

A merge box would certainly do the trick, but you might experience bandwidth congestion pumping three output streams through one MIDI cable. A multi-input USB box would be the way to go if you're going to use all three controllers at the same time. (Not sure how you would do that without having six arms though! )

 

[TetraFish]

Can't you just hook them up in series and use the various MIDI channels?

 

[youaretheblood]

Can't you just hook them up in series and use the various MIDI channels?

In series? How do you mean? (my midi knowledge isn't brilliant)

Chances are, not all the controllers would be played at the same time. It's just so I can have 3 on stage and only use one laptop.

I don't really like those USB hubs, and some of the controllers only have MIDI ins/outs so it wouldn't really help.

 

[TetraFish]

You just hook up the out of one to the in/THRU of the other and the last out plugs into the interface. You should be able to configure each device to send on one of the 16 MIDI channels. Then whatever your triggering needs to be confiqured to receive on said channels.

Have a read. I learned a few things, Sounds like connecting in series can cause timing issues with long cables and lots of devices. Hence the MIDI hub. Check out pages 8 & 9.
http://www.midi.org/aboutmidi/intromidi.pdf

 

[youaretheblood]

Thanks for the link, this is really useful!

 

[4greatKeyboards]

Could you use this? It's actually the reverse of what you are asking for but given your setup it might give you more ideas. This is a new software product which is offered for FREE, currently. I use it this way: I play on my Studiologic Vmk-188 keyboard (it's only a midi controller), it drives the Spanner software, the Spanner software then drives my other keyboard's midi IN (its a synth), then I use the synth's analog out to drive my speakers, along with other midi instruments I have. All done with one laptop. See the website and its youtube demos: Spanner Home. Hope this helps.

 

[diggy_dude]

Could you use this? It's actually the reverse of what you are asking for but given your setup it might give you more ideas. This is a new software product which is offered for FREE, currently. I use it this way: I play on my Studiologic Vmk-188 keyboard (it's only a midi controller), it drives the Spanner software, the Spanner software then drives my other keyboard's midi IN (its a synth), then I use the synth's analog out to drive my speakers, along with other midi instruments I have. All done with one laptop. See the website and its youtube demos: Spanner Home. Hope this helps.

This would still require multiple MIDI ports (e.g., via USB interface box) on your computer, no?

 

[4greatKeyboards]

This would still require multiple MIDI ports (e.g., via USB interface box) on your computer, no?

Yes, but midi ports can be virtual; software only. I use LoopBe which provides up to 30 In/Out ports. (With only one I & O port, it is free to download).

The way I use it I can make my Spanner app. connect to my EWQL virtual instruments. EWQL can see the LoopBe port(s) and so can Spanner even though they do not exist in hardware. So I drive Spanner In from one real hardware midi port (my Fatar keyboard), then I drive my Synth, via one Spanner Out, through another real hardware midi port. And I also drive a virtual LoopBe port via another Spanner Out. Then I go over into my EWQL Play 3.0 virtual instrument bank, see the LoopBe port that Spanner is driving and select it as the input driver of EWQL. One - to - many.

Hope that helps you. Sorry to be late getting back.

 

[c7sus]

Second the multi-channel MIDI over USB interface. Like a MIDIsport 4x4.

Use MIDI-OX to configure the ports and you can run three controllers to three different soft synths if your computer can swallow that.