MIDI connection problem (2 keyboards)

I have good handle on MIDI, I use it to control various pieces of studio hardware from within Sonar PE. That's not my problem. My issue is with my (expanding) live rig.

I use a M-Audio FastTrack Pro connected to my laptop to run VSTi's through Live Professor VST host s/w. That also works fine.

What doesn't work are two keyboards at the same time. I can connect my main synth (an AKAI AX80) via MIDI OUT to the M-Audio's MIDI in and it works great. My problem started when I added a 2nd keyboard. If I connect it to the MIDI in of my AKAI (leaving everything else the same as before) it doesn't trigger the VSTi. If I change the MIDI output connection of the AKAI to the THRU connection, the 2nd keyboard triggers the VSTi, but of course the first one doesn't.

I was trying to use both keyboards on the same MIDI channel, and tried different ones as well, to no avail.

I don't know if I missed something about chaining keyboards together, or this is just a quirk of the Casio 'board I grabbed to test this setup (I want to add a 2nd keyboard - NOT the casio - and was just testing the setup with it). I've tried hooking the AKAI up to the Casio, but that doesn't work either  -  and th Casio doesn't have a Thru port.

Do I need a 2 to 1 MIDI box? I shouldn't really need one...at least I thought not.

S~

drewfx1


If you want to trigger the same synth from 2 MIDI controllers, you need something to merge the 2 MIDI data streams.

It can be either a dedicated "MIDI merge" device, or a HW synth or interface that might have this capability built in.

I don't think my AX80 has that feature.  I was thinking of triggering 2 VSTi's with separate keyboards on differnt MIDI channels. I've been asked why I use such an antuque synth as a controller, and it's the ability to quickly change MIDI channels that is a big reason. I have patches set up where 2 or 3 VSTi's run on different MIDI channels and I can access each of them with a press of a button on the AX80. I would have thought that assigning a 2nd keyboard to a different MIDI channel than the AX80 would solve my problem... I'm going into one interface (the M-Audio). I've chained my AX80 to my Kurzweil HX1000 (horn module) and had them both play, but this is the first time I've tried 2 input devices to trigger stuff. I thought having two keyboards would be the same process as with modules. Guess I was wrong...LOL.

S~