Connect Firewire keyboard to MIDI In sound module. Is it possible?

[Rui]

Hi,

I have a Roland SonicCell sound module and I'm thinking of buying a Nektar LX49 midi controller to use with it. However, the Nektar keyboard doesn't have a MIDI Out connection, only a Firewire. How can I connect the keyboard to my sound module MIDI In?

Is there any kind of interface for this?

Thanks.

 

[Ted Nicoson]

Are you certain that your LX49 has a Firewire connector ? All of the specs I have seen for it list it as a USB-MIDI keyboard which should connect to any USB port on any PC/MAC or laptop with a standard USB printer type cable. The USB connector on the Sonic Cell would then connect to another USB port on the computer and use the computer as an interface. If you want a direct interface instead of a computer, ICONNECT-MIDI makes such a device, but it retails for about $250 USD. That means you would be investing more in the interface than you paid for the keyboard. The problem is that USB needs some type of intelligent device to generate the USB communication protocol as keyboards and sound modules do not have that type of intelligence, thus the expense. If you want a direct connection without a computer or interface, you would need a keyboard with 5-pin DIN MIDI IN/OUT connectors to connect directly to the 5-pin DIN MIDI IN/OUT connectors on the Sonic Cell. If you do this, MIDI-IN on one device connects to MIDI-OUT on the other device and vice versa.