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Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 12:21 am
by Lost to the Void
I'm changing my live setup and I need a midi splitter box.
Maybe 1 in 4 thru
Anyone know of any reliable boxes?

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 1:56 am
by Root
I'm using esi mikrothru and never had any problem with it. It's 1 in and 4 thru with external powersupply. Even though all thru in heavy use it does what it's supposed to. The only thing is there is no filtercapability and every signal goes to every synth, what sometimes can confuse a synth..

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 8:57 am
by terryfalafel
Kenton are still the best at this kind of thing I think...

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 9:52 am
by WOLF!
Edirol UM-550 midi patcher; 5 in/ 5out.
You can't get these new anymore but they are very good and there is nothing new like those.
You can set the split/merge routing without using the computer.

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 12:53 pm
by Lost to the Void
I found one that does the same, plug in USB and you can set up midi filters.

Nice, cheers folks!

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 4:40 pm
by Críoch
I've got a kenton midi thru 5. No complaints.

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 4:51 pm
by WOLF!
Lost to the Void wrote:I found one that does the same, plug in USB and you can set up midi filters.

Nice, cheers folks!
What did you find Steve?
The Edirol also has usb (drivers until Windows8; don't know about Mac OS drivers).
It also has some midi filters but you should check the manual to know more about it.

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 6:56 pm
by Lost to the Void
That edirol seems a bit chunky for my needs and I don`t want to go second hand surfing, I need something I can order this weekend.

I`m turning in to a total cunt with gigs....
I did my last gig with my old gear end of last year, then basically said to all promoters I`m taking time away to develop a new live with totally new kit.
Since then I`ve been putting off gigs and putting off gigs, to the point now where I think people think that I am lying and don`t want to do their gigs, and it`s been, apart from some nice illegals here and there with mates, 9 months of me putting off bookings..... fucking wrongness.
So I really need to lock down my kit and get to making material for live. I was going all elektron, but I just got sick of the Elektron way of working, no matter how much I know their gear it never feels like a natural, intuitive methodology, I always felt forced in to their paradigm. So I think I am selling my last bit of Elektron gear (A4 if anyone is interested).
I mean I can`t just blame the gear, I`ve been playing live techno since....2003-4 ish and making new PA`s every 4 months (2 hour PA`s) or so to keep the material fresh is unbelievably taxing and hard work, so time away from that constant madness has been cool, plus I also developed this fucked up social anxiety with playing out, really beating myself up about the quality of the output and then emotionally overwhelmed after each gig......
I think I`m over that now.

so yeah, I just need to get shit done.

New gear just doesn`t have enough ins outs and thru`s.

Midi is shite. Everything else is on like v3 v4 or whatever. What are we now, usb 3?

Midi is still V1.0, it`s madness.

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 8:25 pm
by Críoch
So.. what gear are you gonna substitute the elektron stuff with?

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 8:34 pm
by Lost to the Void
Críoch wrote:So.. what gear are you gonna substitute the elektron stuff with?
That's what I am working out.
I got the MPC Live to replace the Octa, which has been a revelation.
I dumped the RYTM last year. Which the MPC is also replacing (toyed with getting the teenage engineering microtonic thing, but the form factor is just laughable for live use)
To replace the A4..... some kind of mono, maybe monologue and some kind of poly weirdness synth I think (Blofeld?).
Undecided, suggestions welcome.

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 3:04 am
by Críoch
Cool. Is there much of a jump workflow wise to get your head around, between Akai & Elektron? Or is it all generic gravy at this stage?

What's the idea with the mono / synth? Something that can store patches.. but run sequences from the MPC?

Woukd you be too limited to 303 type stuff with the monologue.. or is that what you need, some kinda instrument for that punchy / 303 sound, but with a few extras?

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 10:33 am
by borg
https://www.alyseum.com

I have their AL-88. Top quality, deep routing software, couldn't be happier.

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 2:05 pm
by Lost to the Void
Críoch wrote:Cool. Is there much of a jump workflow wise to get your head around, between Akai & Elektron? Or is it all generic gravy at this stage?

What's the idea with the mono / synth? Something that can store patches.. but run sequences from the MPC?

Woukd you be too limited to 303 type stuff with the monologue.. or is that what you need, some kinda instrument for that punchy / 303 sound, but with a few extras?

Well yes and no.
The akai is a much more user friendly beast in terms of sequencing.
The gui is intuitive.
I fucking hate step sequencing with a vengeance, but it does that if you want.
But it also does piano roll sequencing, as I use chords a lot, and long pattern lengths, it's much less ball ache than trying to step sequence that kind of shit. Unlimited samples and channels (pretty much)
Then there is clip style a belton stuff in there, and your channel mixer with fx and filters etc. It's much more like a DAW live machine, whereas the Octa was a sampler/sequencer.
It's much more complex than the Octa, but weirdly more intuitive.
There are lots of different "menues" but everything is accessible from the home screen and is one button push away, so the mixer section for example, you just hit the mixer button and then you have all your channels, or the fx section will take you to all your fx per channel etc.
Very quick, you don't need to learn what stuff does when you hold down the function button or anything like the Octa.

So yeah, there is a lot to learn but itstill mostly natural and easy, whereas the elektron way, although you can learn it, still feels awkward and alien compared to more common ways of working.

I want my live setup to be..... 2 polys, 1 mono, Sismo Lito, MPC Live... outboard fx.
Everything apart from the Lito sequenced by the MPC Live.

I don't think the monologue sounds like a 303 at all... So no it won't be for 303 stuff.
I'm not totally sold on it, I'm going to spend an afternoon in PMT and try out a bunch of mono's to see what I get good versatility from. I'm looking at punchy percussive, something I will detune for utter wrongness.

Might wait for the model d just to get that 3rd osc.

I think I'm gonna go Blofeld for my 2nd poly, I really like the sound.

Mono I'm still not sure about.

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 2:17 pm
by dubdub
The Blofeld seems like an akward synth to program live though, no?

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2017 2:20 pm
by Lost to the Void
I don't know, once the sounds are designed and stored, the matrix is easy to navigate to get the parameter you want to fuck with live.
I'm not going to be creating new sounds on the fly and basically going through abortions until I find the right sound live..
I think it should be fine. I'll have a fiddle at the store.

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2017 7:44 pm
by xonetacular
For someone who has never used an mpc- how is it for creating very long midi sequences and working with long audio stems? Having the ability to export an ableton project as stems and be able to mix them on the mpc would be appealing to have as a backup/transition element and would make getting into playing live a little less daunting.

I've also heard of midi timing issues with it, have you had any?

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 12:01 am
by Lost to the Void
Long sequences no issue.
Long audio stems no issue, there are a number of ways you can do that. I've not done anything like that but probably will soonish, I only use it to play loops and samples, and to sequence other gear at the moment.
Not had any midi timing issues yet, once I push it I'll see.
The OS is still early stages, they just release the latest firmware 5 days ago, which I have not installed yet.
I've yet to have any issues actually.

Re: Midi splitter/midi thru box

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 2:04 pm
by Lost to the Void
Just hit buy on a Blofeld.
Need to decide on my mono for the live rig now.
Way too many options out there.