Here is my dilemma and hoping that someone can help me out. While I must admit I am not a Midi guru but I’ve had my past setups working ok. I am replacing an older iMac with a Macbook Pro and getting rid of the Focusrite 1818 (oder version). I have since gotten UAD Apollo Twin X Quad to replace it for audio input.
The issue with the UAD is that it does not have Midi In/Out connections.
I want to use my Sequential Pro 3 (via USB) as the Midi connection to my MacBook (Ableton). I have some other desktop synths that are connected via the Pro 3 Midi out and they play when I press the Pro 3 Keyboard. So far this is all good, but what I would like to do is send Midi from Ableton to play my desktop synths connected to the Pro 3.
I did try that, but it didn’t work out of the box. I will give it another shot - the other question I have via midi thru, if I use that then I would not be able to play my other synths with the Pro 3 keyboard right? or am I completely off base.
Guess that won’t work. DSI synths are usually USB midi OR DIN midi. You would need at least a USB to DIN interface (cheap on amazon), connect the pro3 and from there to the rest…
Sure - let me just give a little backstory… I’ve been finding myself not as productive as I would have liked as I’ve been trying to do everything in the box as I’m sure a lot of us can relate to so I decided to take a simplified approach.
Midi setup is as follows…
iCOnnectMIDI4+ connected to computer/ableton
Pro 3 connected to computer via USB. This way I can send and receive midi to/from Ableton to Pro 3.
Erica Synths Bassline connected to iConnect
Typhon connected to iConnect
Mother 32/Subharmonicon/DFAM connected to iConnect
Pro 3, Erica Synths, Typhon, M32/SH/DFAM, Lyra all going to Behringher 16 channel mixer. Mixer outputs going into UAD Apollo.
My “second” studio setup is not connected to this at all, and this is my OT AE and Digitone, I use those as a separate setup
I’m a little confused about why you connect the Pro 3 directly to the computer, and not via the iConnect? I guess maybe it’s because you use all the iConnect’s ports for your other synths? I have the newer (and bigger) iConnect MioXL, which handles my Pro 3 (and many others) via USB, as well as several machines by DIN. This works great, and also keeps everything connected even when the computer isn’t on.
I used to have a MIDI4+ myself and found the software pretty clunky (and I quickly ran out of ports), which is why I upgraded to the MioXL. But in theory, the setup I described should work fine for your system…
Honestly? I had the pro connected first and realized without the iConnect it wouldn’t work - then I connected the iConnect and just kept the pro on USB and it worked. I actually dislike the midi/connection side of music making so I just left it as is. I may just connect everything through the iConnect as I should have enough routing to do so. I also have a midi through box in case I need more ports.
Is this by choice or is the OT just difficult to connect with everything else, the daw in particular? The OT is the brain of my setup. (I should probably take a closer look at those connecting OT to daw threads.)
Anyway, thanks for the info! It’ll give me food for thought. Will be looking at midi interfaces, although I have to admit I’m a lot like you in that I also dislike the midi/connection side of music making.
This is by choice - reason being the other stuff is in a different location. I’ve got 2 structures on my property and even though they are next to each other, I’m at home most of the time and it sounds silly but going to the other building (studio/garage) usually happens when I have a ton of free time to make music and we all know how much free time we actually have
To that end, I have the OT/DT as my “home” studio I love having the OT around whenever I need it even if it means usually shorter “on the fly” sessions. If I ever want to put the OT into the computer I bring it next door and record the tracks.
Well, it’s entirely possible that the Pro 3 and the MIDI4+ don’t play nice together. I got my Pro 3 well after I’d upgraded, and the Mio series runs on a different platform. But if you have free DIN ports on the iConnect, you could connect the Pro 3 even if the USB host doesn’t work (I’ve found that iConnect devices are very selective about what USB devices they’ll recognize).
But if your setup works for you as is, my advice would be to just leave it alone! Whenever I disconnect my setup and try to put it all back together, inevitably something doesn’t work the way I remembered it should, and it takes me an hour or two of scratching my head to sort it out…
I’m the exact same, I’ve got OT and Blofeld as my ”portable” setup inside the house and my bigger setup in the garage (kinda). The bigger setup is also built around another OT.
Sounds silly to have two but I grew tired of unplugging the OT from my main setup for quick jams inside the house and couldn’t resist a 600€ OT mk1. One of the better purchases I’ve ever made.
And I’ve also thought of a second OT. I really did/do grow tired of unplugging stuff from my main setup to jam at home… I also had an MPC Live that I ended up selling to fill this void but I just like working with the OT so much more.
Many times since the MPC One I found myself placing it in cart, and just not checking out… I know I wont use it as much but I want to believe that I will… The struggles of G.A.S. lol
I do the same thing, but with my MPC One (I never took the OT plunge). The great thing is that I can whip up a quick sketch, then export as .als to transfer to my studio setup to work on further. I did have more of a mobile setup downstairs with a few small pieces of gear, but the MPC is totally self-contained on its own. The One is nice and compact and sits on a shelf next to my couch for spontaneous sessions–I don’t even have to get up and cross the room!
