MIDI channel switcher, where to find (cheap) one (2 Viewers)

[sealed human]

I'm slimming down my synth setup a tad and need a point in the right direction to find a bit of kit (google search too frustrating)...

I'm going to control 2 rack synths via one MIDI controller so I just need a wee piece of gear where I plug both synths midis into a switcher of some type, and then from there it plugs into the controller. All I need from it is the ability to switch the midi signal to point toward one of the synths at a given time.

I have a Boss AB-2 channel switcher for exactly the same job but for reg jack outputs already so I just need a super simple MIDI version with 2 ins and one out. Any idea where to get one??

 

[sealed human]

Like this, http://www.philrees.co.uk/products/selector.htm

but not discontinued!

 

[shower another shower]

Could ye not just set up 2 different patches on your controller to transmit on different midi channels?

 

[ann post]

are there switchable out/thru port modes on the yoke??

 

[sealed human]

The controller/keyboard I bought only has one midi out so I cant hook both up to it and switch that way, I just dont want to be unplugging stuff every 5 mins live and all the hassle that may cause! Midi thru, I've never really looked into that, how does it work?

The ideal system is controller>>>>> switching device (A or B) >>>>> Synth A / Synth B

thats the simplest way I can se of doing it... Or is it??

 

[ann post]

i'm not sure about thru, but in my head if one iof the devices has an out/thru port, you could go

midi controller -> synth a-> (out/thru switch on synth a) -> synth b.

this is a theory and i dont know what gear you are using, hopefully someone who knows a lot about this can either tell me i'm right or wrong.

 

[ann post]

also i realised in the meantime that possibly if there is a thru port available, you could use an audio a/b pedal instead to switch.

 

[shower another shower]

Surely. Or both your rack synths into a submixer and just mute.

 

[theoootini]

if you were handy with an iron this could be worth a goo:

http://mutable-instruments.net/midipal

i've just ordered a kit, but built units will be avaiable soon...

 

[sealed human]

that contraption above looks the part!!

I've come up with two options, both on ebay

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/290666392630?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/180807727785?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

One is retro (Roland), the other seems to be almost handbuilt/one man and his soldering iron, which I like the idea of buying...

I think I'll plump for one of these, does anyone know though, on the 2nd link it doesnt specify whether the split is based on one inputs to two outputs, or vice versa. Does that matter?

The Boss switcher I already own (made for reg guitar jack ins & outs) can be used both ways equally well, is that the same for a MIDI splitter or does the signal flow have to be specific (i.e one input split to two output can't be reversed to be used as one output split to two input??)

 

[Space]

I think you'd need to see inside it but it looks like it'll work both ways or just ask the seller.

 

[sealed human]

I think you'd need to see inside it but it looks like it'll work both ways or just ask the seller.

I just got a reply from the Roland seller and no the signal in that case only works the other way around, multiple ins to one out rather than two outs working for one in...

b'oh

 

[theoootini]

without having to buy anything, could you not just daisy chain the two synths via the thru port, set the channel on one to 1 and the channel on the second to 2 or something? all you'd have to do then would be switch channel on the midi keyboard.

does daisy chaining work like that?

 

[shower another shower]

It's the essence of midi, innit.

 

[theoootini]

well then, thread over.

 

[pissypants]

But wait a sec. Why don't you just set the MIDI receive of device 1 to channel one and the MIDI receive of device 2 to channel 2, and then switch between the channel you're sending from on your MIDI keyboard?

MIDI OUT of keyboard into device one, and out of device one's MIDI THRU into the MIDI IN on device 2.

Piece of cake, and no extra gear required. Obviously depends on having a MIDI THRU on at least one of the devices and an easily channel switchable MIDI keyboard. I do this on stage all the time, switching patches over and back even within the same song.

 

[pissypants]

without having to buy anything, could you not just daisy chain the two synths via the thru port, set the channel on one to 1 and the channel on the second to 2 or something? all you'd have to do then would be switch channel on the midi keyboard.

does daisy chaining work like that?

Ah right, what he said.

I almost added an "it's what MIDI was made for" line in my post too, but thankfully SHOWER took care of that too....

 

[ann post]

i think we all thought about learning something today.

 

[pissypants]