MIDI patchbay

Liquid Len · Post by **Liquid Len** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:06 pm

I'm looking for a MIDI patchbay (plug in a number of midi ins/outs, freely route signals from any input to any output). Surely some company must make a product like this?

BingoTheClowno · Post by **BingoTheClowno** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 7:18 pm

I think MIDI was not designed to work the way you would like to connect the ports.

Liquid Len · Post by **Liquid Len** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 7:32 pm

I have a (semi-functional) MIDI router made by JL Cooper that acts in just the way I have described. Eight MIDI ins, eight MIDI outs, and 128 presets that will send program changes on each port as well as provide custom routing. Obviously, to do that kind of routing, it requires circuitry in a way a standard analog patchbay would not. JL Cooper do not make MIDI routers anymore though.

Mr Arkadin · Post by **Mr Arkadin** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:05 pm

i use an old Akai ME80P myself, 8 Ins 10 Outs, MIDI Merge, filtering etc.

Post by **garyb** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:45 am

ebay.

Post by **hubird** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:35 am

Roland A880 Midi Patchbay/Mixer, 8 in, 8 out, all directions programmable, two inputs merge, 19"

BingoTheClowno · Post by **BingoTheClowno** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 10:25 am

Why would one need to route MIDI if one can chain all devices togheter?

Mr Arkadin · Post by **Mr Arkadin** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:36 pm

Why would one need to route MIDI if one can chain all devices togheter?

Because the more devices you chain, the more the MIDI signal will be delayed, resulting in sloppy timing. For tight timing you need parallel ports.

Liquid Len · Post by **Liquid Len** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 6:26 pm

Yes, but not just MIDI timing issues. After more research with better keywords ('8X8' instead of 'router' for instance), I find there seem to be three main brands, MOTU, M-Audio, and Roland. From what I could tell going to their webpages, the M-Audio seems to be the only one with a MIDI all-notes-off reset button (stuck notes live are not a good thing). The way I route keyboards may change, not just from gig to studio, but from gig to gig. To switch from song to song, I generally have a preset per song that is selected by a master keyboard, and a few extra keyboards that act as triggers, but sometimes I find myself limited in how I can construct a preset, to get the exact sounds I want. Fussy, I know. I try to sound exactly like the tape (or mp3). Also, I try to use exactly the same cords from gig to gig, this makes determining when a cord is bad a lot more straightforward. And unplugging and replugging isn't good for cords (bad cords can make gigging less fun than it should be, I have found). Sometimes I can construct a preset, but wish I could play the sounds in different zones; if I'm singing, I need to be playing something that's right in front of me, not way off to the side. Maybe I need one of them headset-type mikes (or I could lip sync I suppose

.

Mr Arkadin · Post by **Mr Arkadin** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:23 pm

From what I could tell going to their webpages, the M-Audio seems to be the only one with a MIDI all-notes-off reset button

BTW my Akai has a Panic All Notes Off button too. Very handy.

[ This Message was edited by: Mr Arkadin on 2005-01-04 15:03 ]

Post by **hubird** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:28 pm

(quote) M-Audio seems to be the only one with a MIDI all-notes-off reset button (stuck notes live are not a good thing).

Roland A880 can do this also by pressing a combination of 3 buttons at once.
I even used that function during a show once, on the fly, without stopping the song, you couldn't hear a gap, just the hanging bass note stopped hanging!

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2004-12-29 19:29 ]

Liquid Len · Post by **Liquid Len** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:47 pm

I stand corrected then. I wouldn't doubt that the MOTU version has a MIDI reset buried in it somewhere too. It's often difficult to find details about these products, when just about every webpage you read about them is the exact same glowing, generic advertisement. The ill-fated JL Cooper merger has (or had) the option of assigning a footswitch to do the reset - now that's good design.

patricka6 · Post by **patricka6** » Mon Jan 03, 2005 8:28 pm

I use a MOTU-- Midi Express XT. with 8 ins X 8 Outs. It also has 2 front midi input and output plugs for quick connects and a 'panic button' which would be equivilant to a reset button or all notes off button. and a select switch to choose from 8 factory presets and 8 user presets that would be set through your computer. It is has Mac and PC ports and drivers. and a SMPTE button to 'lock or tach'. Mine is older and connects to the printer port, but the newer models are USB connected, as are alot of the newer midi patchbays.
oh yeah and it does have a 1/4" pedal input on the front which I havwe never used.

[ This Message was edited by: patricka6 on 2005-01-03 20:31 ]

Counterparts · Post by **Counterparts** » Tue Jan 04, 2005 9:12 am

Blimey! I remembered something from years ago:

http://www.till-kopper.de/midibay.html

That's the vey one that my friend used in London with his half-a-dozen-Ataris setup.

It's a MIDI patchbay made by Waldorf, with 99 presets and the best thing about it is a great big red "PANIC!" button (which got pressed more than once!)

Royston

yurkie · Post by **yurkie** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 1:58 pm

On 2004-12-28 21:05, Mr Arkadin wrote:
i use an old Akai ME80P myself, 8 Ins 10 Outs, MIDI Merge, filtering etc.

BTW. I just bought one, and i am in deep trouble with it because i don´t have any kind of manual with it.. =/

If someone here knows how to use this thing, i would appreciate little advice very high.

Like how to merge certain inputs and send them to certain output (or all outputs).

pdf manual would be extremely cool, as scanned image file too..

erminardi · Post by **erminardi** » Sun Feb 12, 2006 3:26 pm

Mine is wonderful and very cheap today in the second hand market:
Kawai MAV-8 Midi Patchbay.
I paid it 45 euros and works very very well!
4 in and 8 out with 8 selectable slides/switches.

Zer · Post by **Zer** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 2:07 am

what about an esi m8u?