How to connect external synth with MIDI to control Octa and other synth

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hey guys, need help on midi setup:

I have my Prophet X that is used for pads and leads. Connected on separate channel to OT with no issues.

I would also like to control/play Perfourmer MK2 with Propehet as master keyboard (and other synth for that matter).

Both need to be sequenced by octatrack.

Suggestions for how to connect this midi setup?

Ps I also have a 4 channel midi splitter

#2

I suggest:

  • Prophet X MIDI Out to OT MIDI In
  • OT MIDI Out to Prophet X MIDI In
  • Prophet X MIDI Thru to Perfourmer MIDI In
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#3

Thanks Peter! Would I keep prophet X on OT’s auto midi channel in order to use prophets keyboard to play/trigger Perfourmer notes? (Perfourmer is on its own midi channel being sequenced by OT)

#4

You probably should do that. There is a slight problem in that the Prophet X uses the same MIDI channel number both to send and receive notes, so you may need to mute the output from the Prophet X (or just its first layer in Multi Mode) when controlling the Perfourmer from the Prophet X.

In any case, you should set Local Control to “Off” on the Prophet X.

#5

Peter,

Appreciate the info. I did what you recommended and I can control both midi channels for prophet and Perfourmer. However it is only possible if Prophet is set to midi channel “ALL”, (i can probably deal with that but it is a pain). If I set prophet to auto channel (ch 8 in my case) for whatever reason prophet (ch 5) is not triggered when prophets midi channel is active. But perfourmer (ch 1) triggers with no issues and my audio sample channels (9-16) are triggered as well.

Tried all options for “local control Off, On. Key/Wheels Off” with no luck…

Any ideas for what it can be?

#6

Set Local Control to “Off” in order to prevent potential MIDI loops.

As far as I know, the the Prophet X uses the same MIDI channel number both to send and receive notes. I don’t know what channel notes are sent on if you set the MIDI channel to “All”. I suggest that you set the Prophet X’s MIDI channel number to match the OT’s Auto Channel number.

#7

Thats what i did and it is working![quote=“PeterHanes, post:6, topic:144569”]
I suggest that you set the Prophet X’s MIDI channel number to match the OT’s Auto Channel number.
[/quote]

That’s what i did and it is working! Thank you peter!

Am i correct to believe if I want to add another synth to this setup for same auto channel control just add it in the daisy chain between prophet and perfourmer via midi through?

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#8

Yes. Obviously, the additional synth has to have a MIDI Thru port in order for the daisy chaining to work.

#9

Thanks again for your help Peter!

#10

Peter, have one more question for you. I’m trying to incorporate Fedorfox MX12 to use as controller for Oacta. How would you connect it in this set up so I can still “play” active octa tracks for prophet and Perfourmer?

I tried to take prophet midi out to MX12 in ->> MX12 out to Octa midi in with setting MX12 to ch 8 (Octa auto channel) and prophets midi ch. I see I can control octatrack with MX12 but can no longer trigger midi notes on perfourmer or prophet.

With above setup I amstill able to sequence both prophet and Perfourmer via playing sequence. Just can’t play midi notes (Kept Perfourmer setup the same with prophet midi through to ->>> Perfourmer midi in)

Again thanks for all your help!

#11

You need to ensure that the MX12 passes through the messages that arrive at one of its MIDI In ports from the Prophet X to the corresponding MIDI Out port to be sent to the OT.

From what I see in the manual for the MX12 you can control this internal routing of messages in the MX12’s Setup mode:

  • select an output port (for example, MIDI Out port 1) and then choose the input port (for example, MIDI In port 1) that will be connected to that output port;
  • choose to route all MIDI data except System Realtime commands.
1 Like
#12

Thank you!