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Hardware Sequencers => BeatStep Pro => Beatstep Pro - General Discussions => Topic started by: amezer on November 02, 2016, 08:28:02 am

Title: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: amezer on November 02, 2016, 08:28:02 am
I have 2 Roland Boutique Synths and I want to connect both to Beatstep Pro - one to Sequencer 1 and the other to Sequencer 2.

How do I do that?
Title: Re: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: dog01 on November 02, 2016, 10:03:11 am
Hi Amezer

so just letting you know the BSP has a max of 3 different sequencers that it can send out

 if use a pc usb midi and daw routing would let you send seq1 to one devices and seq2 to your second

 otherwise you need a midi thru box

so it would goes likes this in mcc set midi channels for seq1 and seq2 drum to midi user so you can change what they on the device and not have to use mcc in future

one setup could be like this seq1 set to midi channel 1 seq2 set to midi channel 2... synth midi set to midi channel 1 synth set to midi channel 2

then you will need 3 midi cables one from the BSP midi out------ to a thru box/ splitter

thru box outs--------to both synth 1 and synth 2 midi inputs

the rest is cover in the manual you can also use a headphone spliter if you have enough of 3.5to midi din plugs

regards dog01
 


 
   

   
Title: Re: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: amezer on November 03, 2016, 05:21:47 am
Got it! I started reading up on the synths midi settings late last night and tried exactly what you're describing. Setting midi transmit on synth 1 to midi channel 1 and the other to 2 - running thru a midi splitter.

I do appreciate your quick response nevertheless.

Thanks!
Andre
Title: Re: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: faster on November 03, 2016, 08:10:19 pm
Another thing is to try a simple Y MIDI split cable M>>to two Female outs...

I am using one the other way around, as 2 sources going into one MIDI input to my sound card.
 It works fine.

BSP transmits on ch. 1,2,10 and my keyboard on all 16 channels.
The 2 INs don't interfere, even if they are on same MIDI channel.

I don't guarantee that it will work, but it's worth a try, cable costs ~5€ or so....
Title: Re: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: sealion on February 13, 2017, 05:11:46 am
I recommend getting at least a 1 in 4 out midi spliter.  That allows me to midi up two mono shruthi (Seq1 & 2), sync and play a drumbrute drum machine (drum 3)and send midi clock out to a midi echo efx.  You still have the drum triggers and clock out.  The Midi quadra thru is self-powered off midi from the beatstep pro, small and rugged and easily packed away for a compact rig.  I use 6" midi cables Beatstep to splitter, 2 more to the shruthis and two longer ones for the drum machine and efx.   
Title: Re: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: hardware 408 on June 11, 2017, 10:08:35 pm
I thought I needed more splitters too, using drumbrute as master clock and two BSPs.  I only have one splitter coming off drumbrute.  But, I remembered midi thru on my synths and was able to use that. 

So one BSP receives the clock, and goes out to synth one on channel 1 then out the synths midi thru to synth two on channel 2, and it works as if i had a splitter there.
Title: Re: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: megamarkd on June 13, 2017, 09:28:42 am
I thought I needed more splitters too, using drumbrute as master clock and two BSPs.  I only have one splitter coming off drumbrute.  But, I remembered midi thru on my synths and was able to use that. 

So one BSP receives the clock, and goes out to synth one on channel 1 then out the synths midi thru to synth two on channel 2, and it works as if i had a splitter there.

Two BSP's!  I'm jealous.  I want a black one, but keep buying other things, like a Keystep and a Pyramid and a Streichfett and a MIO4 and an old VM200 mixing desk.  There is something magic about flying faders.....

It's disappointing that the old convention of putting a thru port on a synth as well as an out is now not so observed.  Fair enough the output port can also echo the input, but it's always nice to have the clean feed available.  My first drum machine was bought from someone who bought the it on the strength of the thru port and used it as a splitter/extender to record an album for some famous band (P.I.L), not that it made a single sound on any of the tracks!

Novation SL controllers had 2 output ports as well as a thru.  The output ports could be programmed to also echo the input port so to act as additional thru ports, essentially giving them 1in3out splitter functionality.  In the past I've bought a 2nd hand X-Station purely as a controller/MIDI splitter after remembering what my R70 was purchased to do.  I never once used it's synth or the audio interface before the screen died and then I put it under one of my stands.  I can still program it as a controller/splitter, just a matter of plugging it into a computer and running the editing software, but it's spot on the stand is now taken by a Minibrute :)

The MIO4 is a great little MIDI interface/patchbay/processor.  It has 4in and 4out regular DIN sockets but also a USB host port which can be plugged into a powered USB hub so as to address upto 8 USB MIDI devices.  This means that a Novation SL plugged into it adds one input and three output DIN ports to the router.  I have two controllers from the SL range making the box into a 6in/10out patchbay for the price of a 4/4!  Only drawback is it's not programmable from the front face.  It's programmed via software and patches can be saved as sysex to be fed to the MIO4.  I can create a bunch of patches for foreseeable needs then put the sysex into buttons on an SL to send when needed, but it's no ME80P in regards to on-the-fly patching.
Title: Re: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: hardware 408 on June 13, 2017, 09:31:45 pm
I thought I needed more splitters too, using drumbrute as master clock and two BSPs.  I only have one splitter coming off drumbrute.  But, I remembered midi thru on my synths and was able to use that. 

So one BSP receives the clock, and goes out to synth one on channel 1 then out the synths midi thru to synth two on channel 2, and it works as if i had a splitter there.

Two BSP's!  I'm jealous.  I want a black one, but keep buying other things, like a Keystep and a Pyramid and a Streichfett and a MIO4 and an old VM200 mixing desk.  There is something magic about flying faders.....

It's disappointing that the old convention of putting a thru port on a synth as well as an out is now not so observed.  Fair enough the output port can also echo the input, but it's always nice to have the clean feed available.  My first drum machine was bought from someone who bought the it on the strength of the thru port and used it as a splitter/extender to record an album for some famous band (P.I.L), not that it made a single sound on any of the tracks!

Novation SL controllers had 2 output ports as well as a thru.  The output ports could be programmed to also echo the input port so to act as additional thru ports, essentially giving them 1in3out splitter functionality.  In the past I've bought a 2nd hand X-Station purely as a controller/MIDI splitter after remembering what my R70 was purchased to do.  I never once used it's synth or the audio interface before the screen died and then I put it under one of my stands.  I can still program it as a controller/splitter, just a matter of plugging it into a computer and running the editing software, but it's spot on the stand is now taken by a Minibrute :)

The MIO4 is a great little MIDI interface/patchbay/processor.  It has 4in and 4out regular DIN sockets but also a USB host port which can be plugged into a powered USB hub so as to address upto 8 USB MIDI devices.  This means that a Novation SL plugged into it adds one input and three output DIN ports to the router.  I have two controllers from the SL range making the box into a 6in/10out patchbay for the price of a 4/4!  Only drawback is it's not programmable from the front face.  It's programmed via software and patches can be saved as sysex to be fed to the MIO4.  I can create a bunch of patches for foreseeable needs then put the sysex into buttons on an SL to send when needed, but it's no ME80P in regards to on-the-fly patching.

M104 sounds really good.

My only splitter is a funky little no brand thing i picked up on ebay because it has 1 in and 4 midi out and 2 cv gate out to control the old roland machines.

Otherwise my main synth has a thru and my sample has two midi outs. Drum machine has a thru.

I want to be computer free thats why i liked the BSP x2 and look forward to being able to tweak the midi notes on the BSP itself in the next firmware update they said..
Title: Re: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: megamarkd on June 14, 2017, 10:50:43 am
If you are running ios instruments and a DAW, the iConnectivity iConnectMIDI4+ might be the one to get.  It's pretty much the same as the MIO4 but has a USB host port specifically for connecting to ios devices (lightning connector ready or something) that can also run audio on it.  It doesn't have any analogue audio outputs, but will pass the audio along to a computer via USB.

Which sampler do you own?  I've an MV8000 which has no dedicated thru but two out's that can echo the in.  Great sequencer, but huge and a pain to run.  In the end I was using it for some simple routing but ended up boxing it due to the hassle to use and space it eats.
Title: Re: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: TØTH on July 11, 2017, 02:32:12 pm
Hi Guys - I would like to chip in;


I'm very new to midi etc. I'm trying to work without any DAW.

This is my setup:

BSP + TR8 + Microkorg + MS2000BR.

I'm trying to send SEQ 1 to my microkorg, SEQ 2 to my MS2000, but both synths keep playing both sequences.
Can i split them using the MCC or do i need to put a splitter between the BSP and my other hardware?

Again, i'm very new to it all, so forgive me my noob-questions! THX!
Title: Re: Connect 2 Midi devices to Beatstep Pro
Post by: megamarkd on July 13, 2017, 01:14:58 am
It sounds as though the may be both set to omni mode, which means they respond to all MIDI channels.  Go though the manuals for them to see how to set the MIDI channel each on instrument.  The need to be set to the same channel of that the which you want to control is set to.  EG: SEQ1 and SEQ2 are set to MIDI channels 1 and 2, so set the Microkorg and the MS2000br to channels 1 and 2.

There are some good MIDI tutorials around if you look around the web.  MIDI can seem daunting at first, but for simple set-ups is not really hard once you get your head around how to set an instrument up for use with it.