MIDI Newbie here with quick question....

[Coffee1970]

Hello all, and thanks for reading.

I have a Yamaha KX8 that has MIDI in/out....(and USB)

Also have an Ensoniq VFX with MIDI in/out/thru.

In my computer I have the E-Mu 0404 PCI that has MIDI in/out.

What's the best way to connect all of this?
I would like to play software VST's and the sounds of the VFX on the Yamaha KX8 because it has really nice 88 keybed, but obviously also just be able to play the VFX with its sounds in combination with VST's also. (I hope not saying this too confusing)

To make things easier, is there a website with pics of different scenarios that I can view? I might want to add a Korg or Roland box in the future also...just to mess around with.

Thanks in advance,
Brian

 

[The Y_man]

Join as follows:

Yamaha Midi Out > VFX Midi In
VFX Midi Thru > Emu Midi in

Should do the trick.

If you want everything to sound at the same time, set the receive channels on the VFX and Emu/PC to the same as the send channel on the Yamaha.

The Y-man

 

[Coffee1970]

Well, that worked...somewhat.
Can I have it where I can play the Yamaha and have it sound the Enosniq VFX and vst's...but also have the option of playing the VFX and sounding the VFX itself and vst's?
I hope that makes sense....would play the Yamaha for piano stuff and play the VFX for synth stuff.
Getting confused on trying to route everything to sound what and how I want.

Yamaha KX8 - play the sounds of the VFX and software vst.
Ensoniq VFX - play the sounds of the VFX and software vst.

Is this possible?

I also have a MIDI to USB interface cable from Emu and of course the KX8 has MIDI In/Out and USB connection....if that helps solve anything?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[The Y_man]

Uh, if you have USB connectivity, connect everything up to the PC (use a USB hub if required)

Set the Yamaha send channel to 2 (arbitrary)
Set the VFX receive channel to 2
Set the vst/PC receive channel to omni
Set the VFX send channel to 3 (any number as long as different to Yammy's transmit)


The Y-man

 

[Coffee1970]

Ugh...I do appreciate your help, but just cannot get it....rats!

I have everything hooked up via USB to the computer.
The Yamaha is using a USB cable to the pc.
The VFX is using the Emu 1x1 MIDI to USB cable..going to the pc also.
This VFX is weird...even with the damn manual, I cannot figure out how to separately set the send and receive channels.
I think I may have lots of reading in my future to do.
Thanks again for the help....I will get it working (someday...argh).
-Brian

 

[The Y_man]

Hey Brian,

Let's isolate the VFX issue first - does it play regardless (i.e. is in omni mode) or just doesn't play thru MIDI whatever is sent to it?

Also, when you play on the VFX, does the VST's play?

The Y-man

 

[The Y_man]

Brian,

I just looked at the VFX manual off the net.

Couple of things you might want to try:

- set the MIDI channel on the track as per page 3-11 (say to Channel 3).
- set the BASE-CHAN to 2 as per page 6-4
- set the SEND-CHAN to TRACK as per page 6-5

To test:
- connect via midi cable from Yamaha MIDI OUT to VFX MIDI IN
- Set the send channel on the Yamaha to Channel 2.
- Play the Yamaha. VFX should also play same notes.

Let me know how it goes.

The Y-man

 

[ootini]

Hey hope you don't mind me sticking my nose in, but I'd consider wiring it up slightly differently to Y-Man.

I'd go like this:

KX8 MIDI OUT > EMU 0404 MIDI IN

EMU 0404 MIDI OUT > KX8 MIDI IN : KX8 MIDI THRU > VFX MIDI IN

Then you could set the KX8 to receive on certain channels and the same for the VFX. And use whatever software to route the MIDI around based on the channel. For example set the KX8 to receive channels 1 to 10, and the VFX 11 to 16* then simply select the channel in the DAW or other software to dictate which machine will be played.

I don't suppose there's a huge difference in this setup it just makes more sense to me, based on the way I've done things in the past. *I've not read the VFX manual so don't know how multi-timbral it is.

 

[Coffee1970]

Well.....what you said before is now working perfectly:

Yamaha Midi Out > VFX Midi In
VFX Midi Thru > Emu Midi in

Either keyboard plays the vst's or the sounds of the VFX...just what I wanted.
Maybe it needed to sleep a bit (it's 8:00am here in Ohio).
Why didn't it work before? Got me....but thank you!

Ootini - I see your scenario also.....will keep that info handy as well.

Thanks to both of you for responding....it is appreciated!

 

[ootini]

No problem, glad it's working.

 

[Coffee1970]

Ootini,

I tried to set it up your way, but the KX8 does not have a MIDI thru?
Is there some other way to do everything?
I guess I am looking for the best way to run everything and have options.

On the KX8 - want to play the sounds of the VFX with sounds of computer vst.

On the VFX - want to play sounds of the VFX itself and computer vst.

Of course, would be great to be able to select where the vst's go to which keyboard and have other options...once I understand all this craziness.

You have some other options on how to connect everything? (or Y-Man of course)

Thanks.

 

[ootini]

Ahh sorry didn't realise it didn't have a thru.

Is your interface a single MIDI IN and single MIDI OUT?

If so, the most logical and easy to understand solution would be to buy a 2x MIDI interface, but that's not really the answer, it's a bit of a cop out.

I think based on what you want to do and the limitation of the KX8 not having a THRU port, the only way to do it is by upgrading the interface to a multi port. They're not expensive, MidiMan MIDI sport 2x2 is muchos cheap. It's the lack of Thru on the KX8 which has thrown me. I'll have a think.

Hang on a minute!!! You're not using a sequencer or anything are you? So in reality, you don't care about the computers MIDI output? Just hook it up the way Y-Man said and it's job done. Sorry if I went and confused the issue.

 

[Coffee1970]

Well....yes, I do want to use a DAW such as Cubase....as its hosting my vst's and its what I want to record with.
I cannot have the KX8 goto the VFX MIDI in...if I need to send sysex data from the computer to the VFX, yes?
I also have some other DAW's to mess around with and learn to use...so I would need the best way to do everything.
Question - do I need to MIDI cable anything?
Can I just use the KX8's USB output and goto computer....then use my E-mu MIDI to USB cable to go from the MIDI in/out from VFX to computer.
Then...everything will be routed automatically from within the computer?
Am I trying to use older MIDI cables, when I have access to USB ports since I'm using a pc? Hell, I dunno! LOL!!!!
What ya think?

 

[The Y_man]

Well....yes, I do want to use a DAW such as Cubase....as its hosting my vst's and its what I want to record with.
I cannot have the KX8 goto the VFX MIDI in...if I need to send sysex data from the computer to the VFX, yes?
I also have some other DAW's to mess around with and learn to use...so I would need the best way to do everything.
Question - do I need to MIDI cable anything?
Can I just use the KX8's USB output and goto computer....then use my E-mu MIDI to USB cable to go from the MIDI in/out from VFX to computer.
Then...everything will be routed automatically from within the computer?
Am I trying to use older MIDI cables, when I have access to USB ports since I'm using a pc? Hell, I dunno! LOL!!!!
What ya think?

Yes you can USB everything as per one of my earlier posts. Set the channel's accordingly.

(Also, if using MIDI cable, and you connect the KX8 to the VFX, and the THRU from the VFX to the PC, the signals from the KX8 gets passed THRU "untouched" to the PC.)
.

The Y-man

 

[Coffee1970]

I tried your way Y-man, but not working.
Maybe you do or don't know...but I have to choose either USB or MIDI on the Yamaha KX8. I don't believe I can use both.
I tried your earlier posts, but not working....of course, maybe I just doing something wrong, but not think so.

Not sure why so difficult.

I guess what I am trying to accomplish out of all this is to.....

Have the Yamaha KX8 play sounds of the VFX and DAW's vst sounds at same time...if I wanted.

Have the VFX play its own sounds and different DAW vst's at the same time.

I would play the KX8 for more piano oriented sounds and the VFX for more synth sounds. Just cannot seem to get everything to match up.

Most likely do to my no understanding the routing process of everything and the channel settings, etc, etc.

Maybe I just have to play sounds how I can get them, not how I want them, and just layer the stuff in the DAW such as Cubase or whatever.

I tried the USB to everything scenario and was no better...back to running MIDI cables. I know that the KX8 MIDI out needs to go to the VFX MIDI in to trigger those sounds, yes? The VFX MIDI out goes to the soundcard's MIDI in.
This gets me the KX8 to play teh VFX, doesn't go through to the vst's.
Maybe the lack of a MIDI thru on the KX8 is making all thius not work, as Ootini stated?
I realize you are probably ready to reach across the ocean and slap me at this point!!!! )

 

[The Y_man]

realize you are probably ready to reach across the ocean and slap me at this point!!!! )

Not quite yet!

Let's go all USB.
Let's go back to just making 2 instruments at a time to work. (So I can figure where you got to, and diagnose from there).

FIRST: Connect the KX8 via USB to computer.

Milestone 1: can we get both the VST and the KX8 to make sounds?

SECOND: Disconnect the KX8. Connect the VFX via USB to computer.

Milestone 2: can we get both the VST and the VFX to make sounds?

Sorry if this is a bit basic, but need to make sure this is working.

The Y-man

 

[ootini]

The way I see it the big stumbling block is the lack of Thru on the KX8. A cheapo Philip Rees 1 into 3 thru box could sort all these issues for about $10. Might be worth considering.

Also if the DAW, treats the MIDI I/O and USB as two seperate interfaces then you're laughing. Hook the VFX up with MIDI, KX8 using USB, and that's pretty much it. It's just a case of using the software to select inputs to outputs.

 

[Coffee1970]

Yes, both the KX8 and the VFX can connect to pc and make the sounds of the vst's.

When I use USB with the KX8, I can have the option of making use MIDI thru and choose the following settings.....
1.) USB to MIDI
2.) MIDI to USB
3.) MIDI to MIDI
4.) Off

If I use the MIDI selection instead of USB, it can only say MIDI thru OFF.

So...I guess that I can use the USB connection and also select a MIDI thru setting? Does this help anything?

I will hook both up to computer via USB, and get into Cubase and see if I can get anything and everything to work that way. Obviously both keyboards will play the vst's of my choice, but also need the KX8 to play the internal sounds of the VFX as they sound quite good mixed with vst's.

 

[Coffee1970]

Well, for those of you who no doubt have been waiting in anticipation......LOL.......

I have them both connected via USB to computer.
Started up Cubase.
Loaded 2 vst's.....one to play from the KX8 and one to play from the VFX.
Added an audio track so I can hear/record the VFX sounds (and vst assigned to it)
Added a MIDI track and selected the KX8 as the MIDI input, so now can hear both a vst of my choice AND the sounds of the VFX if wanted. Yippeeeee!

Now.....I just need some talent and I am good to go! ;o)

Thank you everyone for all the input and help!!!
Cheers from Ohio.

 

[The Y_man]

Good on you!

Happy playing

The Y-man