Sequencing external gear with Model:Samples & midi controller

Hi, first post here - I’ve been having fun with the Model:Samples for a while but am still struggling with integrating the external sequencing capabilities into my setup.

My setup (Simplified) is: midi controller keyboard -> Model:Samples -> External synth.

I want to be able to play the external synth via my keyboard, and also occasionally sequence it via the M:S. I can record a sequence into the M:S via my keyboard… And I can output the sequence to my synth when Midi out mode is “out”, but i can not hear the synth as i’m playing it unless the M:S is in “thru” mode. So if i want to use the sequencer “live”, I can’t hear it as I’m recording! (unless i use the on-device keys). There seems to be no way of combining the sequencer output with the midi input. ie. you cant “live loop” with a midi-controller, and an external synth.

I understand the difference between thru and out modes, and why it kinda makes sense the way it is, but as it stands, i don’t think i can achieve my ideal workflow( “play external synth as normal, then hit record to start recording a sequence live”), or indeed any really usable live workflow (i play keys, so using the on device buttons to play fills me with horror)

The only way i can think to get this working is to use a midi splitter before the M:S and a merger after it. This seems fraught with peril though as I could have conflicting note on/off MIDI data going into the merger.

Any other ideas on how to get around this? Ideally, i would love it if the M:S had a Thru+ midi mode that combined incoming midi with the sequencer output.

Thanks!

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Giving this a bump as I’ve just hit exactly the same issue with the Model:cycles.

Any hints towards more elegant solutions (than adding both a splitter and a merger) very welcome.

(I note that in one of the feature request threads, an additional ‘out+thru’ mode, with implied merge, has been requested)