Have Gear, Have Mac, Have Software, Have No Clue Options

[Woodland Drive B...]

Hi there.

I am a musician trying to get into MIDI, sequencing, techno-y stuff. I've played sax since I was 10 and the piano since I was 8. I own gear, the mac, software and a digital audio workstation but I can not seem to figure out how to incorporate it all together to make some music. I've read <b> Basic Midi </b> by Paul White. I have tried to read posts in MIDI forums. I just don't get it.

Please help. I can post what my gear is and perhaps someone can tell me how I can get it to all work together and then I won't feel so frustrated.

[lepetitmartien]

Maybe you should tell us exactly what you have in stock, and what part of the stuff you don't figure out.

For now your question is a bit too wiiiiiiiiide open

[kaboombahchuck]

Ahh, the wonderful world of midi. The problem with midi starts when tecs try to explain to musicians the everythingness (yawn) of midi. Being a musician myself, I will attempt to put it in terms that may (or may not) subside some of you confusion. First off (and most importantly) midi, and midi files are not audio. Simply put, midi is just a command protocall (or remote controll) for all things midi. It allows the computer to tell a synth (or any midi device) what to do, like which note to play and for how long..ect.. It also tells the computer what the synth (or any midi device) is doing. Any more info than that will just bog you down, and take away time that can be better spent making music! As you go along experiance, and experimenting will teach you more than all the manuals available. Anyway, to bring it all together, you will need some sort of midi interface to go between the mac, and all of the midi gear you will be using. Midi interfaces can be a big pain, but are nessasary if your are going to be using midi sequencing. Remeber, midi is not audio in any way, so you do still have to make an audio connection between gear and the mac and or DAW.

This post has been edited by kaboombahchuck: Fri 27 Jun 2003, 06:56

[Woodland Drive B...]

Thanks for your replies.
Here is the laundry list of the gear I am trying to get to work together:

Roland MC-303

Kawai K-1

Korg Kaos PAD

Midiman Oxygen8 MIDI controller keyboard

Midiman 2x2 MIDI to USB hub

Tascam US-428 Digital Audio Workstation controller

G3 MAC w/400 MHz

Like I said. I've got some good ingredients but can't for the life of me figure out what to connect to what to make the studio and use the gear most effectively.

Thanks in advance

[Woodland Drive B...]

Obviously from the mac , I connect a USB cables to the MIDI 2x2 and the Tascam, but do I route MIDI cables to the other devices then? Do I need a larger USB to MIDI box?

I think I need a larger USB port/hub

Like I said, this stuff doesn't take much to confuse me.

[kaboombahchuck]

I'd go for a larger midi hub. Daisy chaining midi devises is possible, but gets real confusing and problematic real fast.

[Woodland Drive B...]

What sized Midi hub would you recommend?

[kaboombahchuck]

I was not sure what some of the devices were that you were talking about, so I did a search. Even though I could not find the exact models you are using, I got a gerneral idea. Only 3 of the items have a midi interface (Roland MC-303, Kawai K-1, and Korg Kaos PAD). The Tascam has 2 midi in / out connections, and of course the midiman hub has 2 midi in / outs, so in theary you have enough midi connections to work with. I'm assumeing that you are running OS 9 +. If so, OMS is going to be your biggest hurdle.

I guess the best way to go is to hook it all up and see how it goes. Plug the midi hub and tascam into dedicated usb ports on the mac, the oxygen will probably do OK in a usb hub. It has been found that most folks have big problems when plugging the midi hub into a usb hub (even though it works fine for me). At first I'd only hook 1 midi device up to the tascam, and one to the midi hub. Example: Midi out from Roland to midi in of Tascam, Midi in from Roland to midi out of tascam (port 1)... Midi out from Kawai to midi in of midi hub, midi in from Kawai to midi out of hub (port 1). Make the audio connections of the Roland and the Kawai to the tascam. Install OMS before installing the drivers for the midi hub and the tascam (seems to make setting up OMS work easier). Open up OMS,,, When it goes to check for midi devices don't check any boxes. Perform the check and see what happens. If OMS actually detects all of the midi devices, then you are a very lucky person. From there it's just a matter of connecting the korg to either the Tascam or the midi hub (choise is yours), Perform another OMS search, if all devices are detected, set up the OMS sudio patch list, run the test studio option, and if every thing works you are in buisness...

Good luck!

[Woodland Drive B...]

Okay, I apologize if I sound like a big dumb idiot here, but, the audio connections from the KAWAI K-1 and the Roland MC303 have a right and a left(mono) and I only see 4 audio (1/4" jacks) on the upper part of the TASCAM DAW unit. Do I get a y-cable with a right and a left jack to run to the one 1/4" jack on the audio unit?

The other information has been helpful and I thank you but now I am confused about running the audio from the gear to the DAW.

I am a neophyte.

[Woodland Drive B...]

I have the following setup:

USb Port 1 :: Tascam USB 428 :: Midi Out :: Midi IN:: Roland MC 303
UsB port 1 :: TAscam USB 428 :: Midi IN :: MIDI OUT:: Roland MC 303

USB Port 2:: Midiman Midisport 2x2: Midi out 1: Midi IN::Kawai K-1
USB Port 2:: Midiman Midisport 2x2::Midi In 1:: Midi Out:: Kawai K-1

I know i have to attach audio cables to the TASCAM (See previous)

The Korg Kaos pad has a Midi out, where do I throw that into the mix?
I would like it to affect both the MC303 and the K-1


I have a MIDI thru available and 1 in and out port left on the MIDIMAN hub.