Electronic musicians - Is there such a thing as a midi patchbay unit with faders?

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Hi,

I'm looking for a midi patchbay unit with faders so that I can mix various midi signals. I'm guessing it would need at least 4 midi ins...

I've searched everywhere on the net and can't find something that fits the bill. Any ideas?

― phil coneller, Wednesday, 29 June 2005 19:14 (twenty years ago)

sounds like a job for Doepfer...
http://www.doepfer.de/home.htm

― Another Allnighter (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 19:17 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I've already checked out the Regelwerks (which seems to be the most appropriate) and as awesome as the spec is, it still only has 2 midi ins and 2 midi outs. I want more!

― phil coneller, Wednesday, 29 June 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)

you know each midi cable can carry 16 channels of info, right?
can't you just get a midi merge box?

― Another Allnighter (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

But if I have, say, 5 seperate synths/drum machines and want to mix and manipulate the midi sequences from each of them before routing the signals to however many sound modules, I'm going to need at least 5 midi ins on the patchbay - no?

― phil coneller, Wednesday, 29 June 2005 21:19 (twenty years ago)

I guess I'm not sure how you "mix" digital instructions

― Another Allnighter (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 21:26 (twenty years ago)

The thing you want does not exist. First of all, a "patchbay with faders" is called a mixer. So you're asking for a mixer that can mix midi signals. This doesn't make sense because the fader on a mixer adjusts volume while midi notes contain pitch and timing information. So what does pulling the fader down on your midi mixer actually do?

If you really need to combine and control midi signals in various complex ways, your best bet is to get a multi channel midi interface and get some software that will do what you want. Check out things like Max/MSP, PD, Plogue Bidule, Reaktor or Supercollider depending on what exactly you're trying to accomplish.

Now, if you're actually just trying to mix the sound outputs from various midi modules then you just need a normal analog mixer. It's not exactly clear what you're trying to do though.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 21:35 (twenty years ago)

Wouldn't this be a scenario where you would chain them using "thru" ports for sequencing capabilities?

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 21:43 (twenty years ago)

I must second walter kranz here. It sounds like you're trying to get one thing to do two rather separate functions. My advice: Get a cheap and cheerful midi patchbay like the Microlite (USB powered, small, works just fine) or a MIDIExpress and then for your fading and whatnot get a midi fader controller like the Peavey PC1600X (a 16 channel programmable midi fader controller). Why do you need one box that does both?

― Drew Daniel (Drew Daniel), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 22:18 (twenty years ago)

I suggest you just use a laptop and pd or msp.

oh and buy this (I WANT ONE).

― THE JAMES DEAN OF THE OLD TESTAMENT (ex machina), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 22:21 (twenty years ago)

If you absolutely want faders, then one of these might do, but it's not mixing as such - just routing afaik...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7330762965&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

― steve w, Thursday, 30 June 2005 11:07 (twenty years ago)

Cool. Thanks for your help guys.

― phil coneller, Thursday, 30 June 2005 11:21 (twenty years ago)

A fader box like a PC1600 and a midi merge is what you need. Run whatever is playing the midi notes into 1 of the 2 midi merge inputs, and the fader box into the other. The output of the fader box you then plug into the input of your midi sequencer. You need to configure the fader box so that each fader sends midi volume control commands (IIRC volume is control number 7) on an individual midi channel.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Thursday, 30 June 2005 11:23 (twenty years ago)

yeah this doesn't make sense.

― Savin All My Love 4 u (Savin 4ll my (heart) 4u), Friday, 1 July 2005 00:53 (twenty years ago)

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