Biggest midi interface...

P

Ponder5

Member
Hoping this is the right place.

Having assembled and maintained some large and complex midi files from the 1990s, I would really, really, like to go whole-hog, 100% into Reaper.

But my midi interfaces are old skool Mac serial port. Opcode, Studio 5lx. I have several of them. They're 15x15 midi.

Along with the setup, i've nursed these old Macs along to keep their precious serial bus going - after all, it's not available past OS9. I'm using Keyspan cards on G4(!) towers.

I do and have done some modern DAW work, but I'd kinda like to just get cut free from the OS9 Macs. To do that, I need to find some capable midi beyond the ordinary 2x2 like on a Scarlett interface.

Does such a thing exist? Can I chain together such things? Yes, there are great instruments and plug-ins that will supplant some of my current crop of synths, so sure, I can sell some stuff and get out of my midi addiction that way. But there are several others that I don't really wanna part with.

Don't really want to start a debate about the instruments except to say, yes, my Kurzweil piano is lame compared to the nice stuff out there today, but no, my hard-to-duplicate layers of different brands won't be easily replaced.

So who makes a nice big midi interface suitable for Reaper connection? First Choice would be a Mac serial card that would recognize and work with the Studio 5 and OMS (fat chance!), but realizing I've held on as long as I can, it may be time to throw in the towel and just cut-and-run.
 
I may not be understanding of what you are doing, but I have transferred midi from an Atari 1040 to newer midi software by simply connecting the midi out from the Atari to the Midi in of the software (or rather the midi input of the midi to computer device, in this case 1 midi input) Tell the midi in the software to chase midi, hit record on the new software, hit play on the old midi player and of you go, the new software will record everything from the old midi device.

Alan.
 
Yes, what you describe is something i've done, too. So sure, that much is covered.

Picture it this way, a guy has many midi tracks in a song, assigned and destined to many different instruments. Transferring all that from one DAW to another is not too big of a deal.

But playing it all back simultaneously from the new platform is a much bigger deal. Certainly not because of computer power but because of midi routing and assignment.

The old Mac was capable of 70 output CABLES (at 16 channels each). I didn't use that many, of course. But if i require a mere dozen cables, how do i do that today? I've not found interfaces of that size, but perhaps someone knows of something i don't.
 
Well, this sorta gets me going.

The MOTU stuff is probably the way i'll hafta go. 8x8 is a pretty good start, anyway.

I looked at a couple of compositions with the intent of combining some of the traffic and it looks like it might fit - if everything works right.

Who knows? Might end up with somewhat of a hybrid system. After all, we're only talking notes and controllers right now. Now i need to search out some editors and librarians for my patches!
 
Funny, I have the midi expander on my old Atari 1040 (yes it still works, with parts form my Atari 1040 junk yard, and I still use it). The expander gave the 1040 4 x 16 channels of outs, plus I have the Unitor attached with gives 2 x 16 outs and 2 x 16 ins. LOL. Massive for the time.

Alan.
 
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