For data exchange between a computer and digital piano via USB connection, software (USB-MIDI driver) must be installed on the. To establish MIDI communications with the unit by using an application, select 'KAWAI USB MIDI IN' and 'KAWAI USB MIDI OUT' to define the unit as a MIDI device. ? Macintosh OS X users. FOR SALE - Toronto - Kawai MAV-8 midi patch bay rack unit, 5 input, 8 output. All mechanical, no computer required, one rack space, only 4 inches deep. Kawai MAV-8 midi patch bay rack unit, 5 input, 8 output. All mechanical, no computer required, one rack space, only 4 inches deep.
This is what you should look for on your keyboard, the MIDI out So your keyboard has a MIDI out? Great! Here’s what you’ll need. An electronic music keyboard with MIDI out. A (Don’t be cheap and get the cheapest one. I’ve tested them and the cheaper cables are usually very low quality & sometimes don’t work). A midi software or DAW on your PC or Mac The USB to MIDI adapter cable would have USB on one end and three MIDI ports (MIDI in, MIDI out & MIDI thru) on the other.
What you’ll have to do is to connect the MIDI in of the cable to the MIDI out of your keyboard. Connect the USB end to an available USB port on your computer. At this point, you can hit the keys on your keyboard and check the indicator on the adapter, checking to see if any MIDI signal is being sent.
The USB adapter will normally be installed automatically on your Windows or Mac computer. If it doesn’t and Windows reports it to be an unrecognizable USB device, chances are you received a faulty cable adapter. Once your computer has successfully recognized the USB to MIDI adapter, launch your MIDI software or DAW next. Most DAWswould be able to detect the MIDI inputs on your computer automatically, but if it doesn’t, you can check your MIDI inputs settings and select your USB to MIDI adapter as the input. And that’s really all to it. Load up and instrument and start playing away!
Don’t buy these cables. They don’t work and is not reliable when they do. Warning: Don’t buy the extra cheap MIDI to USB cables. Those usually don’t work or have very bad latencies. Buy a like the one I recommended above and you’ll never go wrong. You can also choose to buy from a reputable brand like Alesis, but I don’t think it’s necessary to spend extra on a cable. Did The MIDI to USB Adapter Work For You?
Let me know if you were successful in hooking your old keyboard to your computer as a MIDI controller. If you need help, please comment below.
I can't seem to find a similar thread around here, so I try my chance. Is anyone doing the same as I am?
I recently made a nice discovery about using multiple rack synths controlled through a midi patchbay. From my main keyboard controler, I can play multiple synths at the same time using a Roland A-880, thus getting great combined sounds never heard before. The best example I can think of is the piano.
![Kawai midi patch bay software download Kawai midi patch bay software download](http://www.polynominal.com/site/studio/gear/sold/kawai_k1r/kawai-k1.jpg)
All those ordinary or old synths don't have a great piano preset, of course, but they all come close up to a point. Using the piano presets on ALL of them at the same time produces a much better piano sound, getting a lot closer to reality (as far as I know it, but I'm not a pro nor a piano owner). In my case, the preset piano from the Roland U-220, Yamaha TX81Z and 'Fosterism' from a Korg M3R gets a pretty decent sound. And I could add 5 other layers since the patch bay has 8 entries!
I just started doing this (I'm still a newbie on many points), so there'll be a lot more to hear in the future. It's a function ressembling a Roland D-50, but with more than 2 patches at the same time.
I don't recall reading anyone doing the same, but I can't be alone, right? So what's your best combination so far? I am using Motu Micro Express (the old parallel version) to control my synths with EWI. I found it very important for my life performance. The Micro Express can re-channelize and merge MIDI! So via DMC Ground Control I can and access any synth and patch in my rig on the fly on different MIDI channels so I don't have to preset layers before gigs.
Hope that helped a little, regards, b. Newbie Posts: 68 Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:17 pm Location: Lithuania / Bulgaria Gear: Fun cost money - how hard you want to laugh. For a super fat bass (if that's your bag, not mine particularly, but good for a laugh), I patched up a Minimoog Voyager, AS Red Square, Waldorf Pulse, Novation Super Bass Station, DSI Mopho & MFB Synth Lite each with various Oscillator waveforms, at different footages (octave settings in case your under 30), with very slight detunings. That's 14 Oscillators & 3 Sub-Oscillators. Then I went to the Ear Nose & Throat dept at my local hospital followed by a trip to the speaker shop Of course I'm just making this up, but it just shows what is possible with a patch bay & a chunk o synths. A great way of generating complex harmonic structures from relatively simple sounds & synths, and saves overdubbing if you use traditional recording type equipment.
MIDI patchbays are essential for us all-hardware guys. I use a MOTU Midi Express XT which is 8x8 with plenty of filtering and routing capabilities - as well as serving as a USB interface to a computer. My only complaint is that the UI for their ClockWorks software (which is used to configure the patchbay) is horrendous. Whoever designed it must have been high or an engineer. The Kawaii MAV-8 is a very nice patchbay because its very visual and you can easily see what is routed to what.
I don't think it has a CPU either so there is probably very little latency. I've always wanted to get a Sycologic M16 patchbay which was quite sophisticated but they are pretty rare. Expert Member Posts: 1492 Joined: Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:16 am Location: Boston, MA Gear: Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Vorpal Sword, Chain Mail +3, Ring of Invisibility, Staff of the Magi, Boots of Speed.
I've been doing this for many years (and I'm sure I'm far from alone), though without multiple midi leads rather than a patchbay. The other night I playing around with with a brassy patch on the DX7 controlling the Virus TI, with a big analog-style pad and the D-50 with the Glass Voices preset. I usually do similar things recording. Partly because I usually sketch a track using just logic and record hardware synths or/and add in plug-ins afterwards.
I often keep the logic instruments resulting in that layered sound. Junior Member Posts: 146 Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:07 pm Location: Ireland Gear: ∂Juno1 / BassStation Rack / CS-5 / D-50 / DX7 / Juno-106 / M1 / Minibrute / SK20 / SY85 / Trident / Voyager OS / Minimonsta / ImpOSCar Band: oddball. I have a Digital Music Corp. MX-8 as well, and it's an indispensable tool in my hardware setup. Yes I also use that velocity curve programming for certain keyboards (like my Yamaha Clavinova) that don't go all the way to 127 velocity.
I believe that function is called the 'compander'. It's also great for merging MIDI signals and for changing patches on all your kit at the hit of a button or connected footswitch. All kinds of other cool stuff can be done with an MX-8, including MIDI channel offset, creating keyboard splits on monotimbral gear, velocity cross-switching, and programmable delays. Layering of course can be done by traditional daisy-chaining via the THRU ports. I've been layering synths for decades with great results and still do it, however for me there seems to be a point of diminishing returns on layering more than 2 or 3 synths. Often I end up with a too-muddy sound, where it's better off to keep the synth count down for clarity. This seems especially true for synth-bass, where the fewer running oscillators the better (IMO).
For complex evolving pads, I suppose the more the merrier.