Use Old Mac As Midi Instrument?, How can I use these OS 8 soft synths Options

[Seth]

I have two BitHeadz soft synths (Retro AS-1 and Unity DS-1) on my old OS8 G3. BitHeadz is sadly no longer in business and so I've gotten used to the idea of never using these synths again. Recently, however, I fired up the old Mac to check some old equipment out. While I had it on, I played with the AS-1 and realized how much I enjoyed this synth. So, it got me thinking - is there a way to wire the old Mac into my MIDI set up such that it could be addressed as just another MIDI instrument. The old Mac uses OMS of course. Any thoughts? Any other ideas about how to access these instruments?

I've considered sampling my favorite AS-1 sounds but that's just too much work. I could also record tracks into DP as audio, export the audio files and load into DP on my new Mac. Also seems like too much work. Or I give up and find something equivalent that's compatible - suggestions on that?

Thanks for any advice.

[drjuju]

Just plug it in to the nearest MIDI patchbay and do your system admin work and there you are with another instrument. Needn't be the latest-greatest. I've got a Korg DW-8000 that I'm about to start working with an old P100 Toshiba with (ooooo...) a DOS version of Cakewalk. Why? Because the tools for this old and magnificent synth are all from back then. I can't afford universal editor/libs, so I gathered up all the things I could find in DrJuJu's Giant Cave o'Discs and their common denominator was age. Onto the clunky old laptop they go. Midi don't care about no 100Mhz with a synth like this one.

Cheers,
Drjuju

This post has been edited by drjuju: Sun 7 May 2006, 11:21

[ironhead]

yes there is many ways to do this
one way is to setup your midi on your old mac just has so it could take midi in( there are lots of cheap cards out there) and send amidi cable from your new computer setup has midi out from your program your are using using a keyboard or justing playing a sequence if it is setup good you should get some sound
The next thing is A few years back i software that can controlls all your softsynth from different computers from your main computer
But i don't remember who makes it you may need to search around
you may find.
or you can check yamaha network card for music maybe it can help
good luck.
I HOPE I HELPED A LITTLE
IRONHEAD

[Seth]

OK, folks think this should be possible. So I've been trying. Here's what I've got:

- my regular set-up with MOTU midi express, OS X computer, keyboard and all the usual stuff, midi wires running everywhere, multiple hardware synths, multiple software synths, everything works great

- my old OS 8.6 computer connects to an opcode MIDIport32 with USB, runs OMS and the software synths. The OS 8.6 machine boots up fine, the old synths play fine using the little keyboard display they come with.

Here's what I tried. I connected a midi cable from an out on the midi express to Port 1 on the MIDIport32. I fire up the stand-alone version of the software synth, including the utility for accepting OMS MIDI input. I set the midi express to 'merge all' which sends input from my main keyboard to all channels, all ports. Based on the blinking lights on the unit, all ports are getting a signal. Further, the MIDIport32 has it's Port1 light on, and when I press a key down it brightens. So, it looks like the MIDI signal is getting from my keyboard, through the midi express and into the MIDIport32. However, no matter how much I fiddle with OMS setups, etc., I can't get the soft synth to recognize any MIDI input.

Any thoughts? Is there a midi monitor utility available for OS 8.6 and OMS?

Thanks in advance for any help with this.

Seth

[Seth]

Nobody has shown much interest in this, but...

Anyway, problem solved. I'd been using my old MIDI interface (Opcode MIDIport 32) instead of the MOTU Fastlane. Once I switched interfaces, voila - the synths were back in action! Now I need to figure out how to squeeze the old Mac into my music space somehow.

[n8tron]

glad it worked out for you. I've had trouble getting my ibook g3 to work well as a "synth" to my main computer. I've tried os x's new midi over lan feature but its just way to slow, to much delay. One of these days when I get around to buying a 2nd midi interface I'll try it again to see if it works any faster.