help setting up core midi

[g30ffr3y]

i was actually trying to properly set up my core midi getting ready for my Logic Pro to ship and i need some tips... i never really bothered with this since everything just always worked with reason and garage band... i used to use protools digi001, but not for midi, well except to sync my sequenced tracks that i did on a pc in cakewalk... anyways... i just wanted to officially set this up...

basically i have a motu 828mkII, a midiman 2 x 2, an alesis qs6 that i use as a controller, an alesis qsr synth module, and a korg ms2000...

the korg goes midi in via the 2x2, while the qs6 goes into the motu's midi in... the motu's midi out goes to the qsr, thru to the ms2000 and thru back to the qs6...

under apples audio/midi setup... the motu and 2x2 show up with their proper icons [which im sure is because i had to install drivers for them]... but then i go to add the qs6, qsr, and ms2000 as devices...

the icons arent there [anyone know where i can get them?] and there is no midi thru... even if i create a port... its just midi in/out with an adjustable amout of each... what gives???

also... when i click "test setup" is just blinks red on the 2x2 in port and makes a noise...

any advice would be great... thanks...

 

[MrBubbles]

The audio midi setup program is just for setting up midi interfaces, not midi instruments. If a device's only connection to your computer is through a midi cable, the computer is not going to be able to identify it, first of all, and second of all, it doesn't need to. Any programs you use will only care about what midi data are coming into or going out of the computer, what midi interface they're using (in your case either the motu or midiman interface).

 

[MrBubbles]

Oh yeah, as far as midi thru is concerned, any data transmitted to that port will just be repeated over another port. Different devices handle this in different ways, so check your documentation. Usually the data coming in on midi thru are combined with data generated by a device and then transmitted together over a midi out, and the net result is that the data look like they're coming from the same place. From core midi's point of view, midi thru is invisible. All it cares about is in and out (think of each core midi driver as a separate device, each with a certain number of in and out ports)

 

[cpjakes]

Hey g30ffr3y,

If you can hook up the MIDI in AND out to as many devices as possible, your boxes will play nicely with everything. So even though your synth box might only need MIDI in, MIDI out will allow it to send custom parameters and patchlists to Logic. I wouldn't daisy chain unless you're going to do a lot of synth work outside of Logic. Like in Pro Tools, but with a lot more flexibility, you'll be able to route your MIDI signals through Logic.

And the more cables the better!

cpjakes

 

[g30ffr3y]

thanks... i guess i just got confused since it seemed like i was supposed to set up my whole "studio" virtually... ive been looking around the apple page and osxaudio and it seems like indeed its just the interfaces that are important... the rest is just for asthetics i suppose...

i still dont get why the test setup is giving me weird noises and everytime i try to "rescan" midi... i lose either the motu or the 2x2... but if close audio midi setup and reopen... they are both back... either way... both interfaces control garage band... so im sure im just making something easy... difficult...

 

[g30ffr3y]

Hey g30ffr3y,

If you can hook up the MIDI in AND out to as many devices as possible, your boxes will play nicely with everything. So even though your synth box might only need MIDI in, MIDI out will allow it to send custom parameters and patchlists to Logic. I wouldn't daisy chain unless you're going to do a lot of synth work outside of Logic. Like in Pro Tools, but with a lot more flexibility, you'll be able to route your MIDI signals through Logic.

And the more cables the better!

cpjakes

hey!!! so logic is sitting right next to me at work... christine actually ordered it for me when she ordered her emac... but i cant have it til may 22... aaahhhh...

basically what your saying is get everything midi in on its own cables through its own midi in outs... which is do'able since i have the midi in out on the motu... as well as 2 ins and 2 outs on the 2x2...

something has to control the qsr though... so im a little confused as to how i could avoid the chain... the ms2000 i suppose can go in out through the 2x2...

right now this is what ive got...

apple <-usb-> 2 x 2 <- IN [a] / OUT -> MS2000

that would be the ms2000's out going into the 2 x 2's A input...

i like to have the ms2000 with a direct out to the computer because of all the knobs and stuff... plus it works good with reason... but i hate the keys... which i why i also like to have the qs6 as a controller [though limited] for my actual playing...

apple <-firewire-> motu <- IN/OUT -> qs6
.................................<- OUT/IN -> qsr <- THRU/IN -> MS2000 <- THRU/IN -> qs6

that would be the qs6 going into the motu which then outs back into the QSR thru to the ms2000 and finally through back to the qs6...

if that makes any sense...

maybe im not so good at this setup... what should i be doing???

thanks...

 

[cpjakes]

If you're going to use Logic or virtual instruments, then everything can be routed through the computer. You can set it to look for your QS6 for input, but output to the QSR or MS2K for actual sounds. But if you want to play solo (without Logic being the middle man) then you will need to use the "thru" switch on the 2x2, which will allow the MIDI interface to ignore the computer and send in A to out A and in B to out B.

What I said earlier about having each device on its own port, both IN and OUT (MOTU MIDI, 2x2 A, and 2x2 B) will allow you to route things a little easier in Logic.

I hope that's not too confusing, it's been a long day...

 

[g30ffr3y]

If you're going to use Logic or virtual instruments, then everything can be routed through the computer. You can set it to look for your QS6 for input, but output to the QSR or MS2K for actual sounds. But if you want to play solo (without Logic being the middle man) then you will need to use the "thru" switch on the 2x2, which will allow the MIDI interface to ignore the computer and send in A to out A and in B to out B.

What I said earlier about having each device on its own port, both IN and OUT (MOTU MIDI, 2x2 A, and 2x2 B) will allow you to route things a little easier in Logic.

I hope that's not too confusing, it's been a long day...

it makes sense to have everything going in and out on its own midi ports... its just the synth module thats fouling me up...

what im thinking now... is put the ms2000 through the MOTU's in/outs and put the qsr/qs6 through the 2x2... but you said that using the thru option on the 2x2 would allow me to bypass the computer and play IN A to OUT A and IN B to OUT B... but if the qs6 is on the A and the qsr is on the B... i would still be SOL... should i put the qs6 to IN A and OUT B... and the qsr to IN B and OUT A... that would route the signals... but isnt it sort of bass ackwards???