2 keyboard midi routing with editor

[Aleos]

hey everyone. New member here, first post. Very excited to join this community and learn from the group.
Composer and guitarist, working in film, and other compositional avenues. Just bought my first hardware synth, Rev2 module. In love, and playing it constantly. Trying to figure out Radiohead and boards of canada-esque patches, as well was using it on some left-field classical arrangements. It sounds so so good. 

This being my first piece of hardware midi gear in the studio however, I'm already confronted by the limitations of my midi knowledge.

Maybe someone can help detangle my confusion and give me an example of the clean way to make this work. Here's my issue:

I've bought codeknobs REV2 editor, and I, obviously want the rev2 to talk to it, but since I have the REV2 module version, I am controlling it with a big beautiful QS8 Alexis keyboard (which I also use as my keyboard controller for Logic and softsynths).

So, what I understand is that I need the REV2 to receive midi from the computer (codeknobs), and I need to send midi, from the REV2 through the Alesis, to the computer (for codeknobs AND other soft synth midi functions).
It seems simple on paper, but it doesn't seem to be working. To add to complexity, the Alesis doesn't have any USB, so I am using an unpredictable Roland midi interface called the UM-ONE to talk to the computer. I thought that the computer -> Alesis -> REV2 -> computer, as a loop, would be ok. But it isn't. 

My apologies for the rather full-on first post. Hope to hear from someone.
Many thanks in advance.
A
 

[maxter]

Hey and welcome!

I can't speak for Codeknobs as I don't own or use it, but thought I would mention some general concerns. I've run into many problems (some stranger than others) whenever getting into a "complicated USB MIDI setup", ground-loops, weird data handling like scrambling etc... The most failsafe (optimal) solution is to have ONE interface handling all MIDI and USB connections, and use each physical device with its own assigned MIDI-port on the interface, if you can. Connect as much hardware gear with MIDI DIN as possible to the interface, USB from there to computer. Just about any routing setup can be accomplished that way, with less problems. If you need multiple computers/devices/hosts, there are some interfaces that do that as well, I use one of iConnectivity's that work with PC, Mac and iPad's simultaneously, but there are other brands as well.

Nevertheless, your setup could work, but would be good if you could describe it in a little more detail. What cable goes where?

etc

Maybe you could use the UM-ONE with the Alesis, and simply use the USB-port of the Rev2 to connect to the computer? Any needed MIDI routing from/to either device and programs can be done "inside the box" on the computer. I don't think you want a real physical loop with devices, if you need any loop-back it's better to set it up with midi routings, while keeping the physical connections non-looped. This will probably save you time and effort in the long run.

Let me know if there are more questions along the way, I hope you sort it out! 

[Aleos]

Thanks so much for your time and the reply Maxter. I actually reread my post a second after I sent it, and realized it was bit unclear, then went to edit, but couldn't find the edit button. Does this forum have one? Feel like I'm blind. hehe. Anyway, apologies for an excited, but unclear, post.

Let me restate my problem, more simply this time: I need to get MIDI into the Rev2 from the Alesis (simply as a keyboard controller) and I also need to get MIDI in from the computer (which will be sending codeknobs information back to Rev2).
With only one midi 'in' on the Prophet, how do I get information from two sources, into one device?

The USB connection works, when connected to the computer, and it is still possible to control from the Alesis via the MIDI din connection, but there is some crazy digital noise that happens the moment the USB cable is connected. Like, unworkable, harsh noise.
So I'd prefer to do everything with MIDI DIN cable. That's why I was curious if a loop was possible
computer->alesis->prophet->computer.
Ive tried the above, but haven't been successful.

Thanks again for your help. Cheers.
A

[maxter]

OK, I see. It has been possible to edit posts before, but I think there's some time limit now, after the post, or something.

"there is some crazy digital noise that happens the moment the USB cable is connected. Like, unworkable, harsh noise." -That sounds a lot like a USB ground loop, you could probably even hear the data being passed on the USB bus audibly on your connected audio device, in this case Rev2 I presume.

The UM-ONE is a one-port MIDI interface, I also presume.

The best solution would be to get a MIDI interface with more ports. It's good to have a port or two extra in case you need to connect some other gear without having to disrupt the cable routing, and for other scenarios. But otherwise, 2 ports should be enough in your case. That way you can connect the Rev2 on one port and Alesis on the other port, with DIN MIDI cables.

No guarantees, but that will most likely solve the noise issue.

You will need to route the MIDI signals in your computer, just as you would route audio signals to effects and busses in a DAW. This can be done inside of the DAW, or in a program like MIDI-OX, or in some cases directly in the MIDI interface. I use iConnectMIDI2+ and iConnectMIDI4+ that do this, so I don't need a computer connected to use the MIDI ports and their set-up routing.

Consider if you want to be able to connect multiple USB devices such as computers and iPads, as some interfaces do this.

[Aleos]

Thanks alot for the advice, and the tip about the noise

So I would get the iConnect, and the computer and Alesis would both feed their midi data into iConnect, and it would then funnel it out onto one MIDI cable that would go into the Rev2? This is how it would work? I actually would like having some extra ports too, for some possible future outboard gear. Hmmm. Maybe I'll buy the Connect 4 now, it looks great.
Thanks again so much for your time.

A

[maxter]

You're welcome!

Those iConnectmidi+ interfaces have a few years on the neck now, so there are probably others, newer, that do the same. But they work well and not too expensive.

Well, for example, in case you'd get the iCM4, you would connect the computer to the iCM4 by USB cable. On your computer it would show up as 16 different MIDI ports, 16 IN and 16 OUT. Each USB "Device" has 16 ports. You would use one of those ports to send and receive MIDI with Codeknobs, let's say port 1. On the iCM you would then route port 1 of Device #1 (computer) to the MIDI DIN port of the Rev2, let's say DIN1. You would then route the Alesis, let's say you connect it to DIN2, so you'd route DIN2 input (what comes from Alesis) to DIN1 output (that goes to Rev2) You can route any, and as many of the ports you want to as many ports as you like simultaneously, and filter (mute) certain unwanted MIDI messages in some cases. Let's say you only want the MIDI messages from the keyboard (the notes you play), and not the other controllers like volume, pan etc, to be sent to the Rev2. Then you just filter those messages, and let the note on/off's be and go through unfiltered.

It may sound complicated, but it's logical and straight forward, sure you'll get the hang of it!

[Aleos]

Thanks again maxter.

So essentially it’s a midi mixer? Taking in and sending info from different sources. That’s sound exactly what I need.

Is there some clean software to handle the routing?

Thanks man,

A

[maxter]

Yes, like a midi mixer.

Sure, they have their iConfig program that takes care of everything.

[Aleos]

Thanks so much. Looks to be exactly what I need.
Much appreciated for the help.
🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

A.