Two Midi Keyboards

Hello Forums,

I'm thinking of getting 2 MIDI Keyboards running rather than one. I'd like to control two instruments at a time without having to switch all the time. 

Can someone tell me how one can set this up? 

I've got 2 Keyboards and ProjectMix I/O which has only 1 Midi In and 1 Midi Out. Would I need another Midi interface? 

My synthesizer has Midi In, Midi out and Midi Thru, as does my 88key controller. 

Thanks!

C.

It's pretty easy to be honest. Supposedly you can use midi through and put your instruments on different midi channels to control them. I couldn't get this to work with my Roland Gaia however.  But I think that is cause the gaia doesn't support midi through...not sure though as I couldn't find info anywhere.

I personally have two midi keboards, and the korg padkontrol.  I have padKontrol linked up with battery 3, oxygen 8 is set to control a hardware synth, and my other midi is set up to control another hardware synth.  I have the first hardware synth connected through my m-audio midisport 2x2 and I have the midi channel for the first synth set to receive input on all channels and to output via the midisport that goes to my first hardware synth.  That way it receives input from sonar and from my oxygen 8 through the midisport when I enable midi echo on the midi channel.

The other synths i just have the ins and outs set up to their respective midi channels and set ups. then I just click input echo on whichever track I want to play....Hard to explain when Im at work and not able to check my setup, but I hope that makes some sense.

You need a Midi Merger. It will sort the midi data stream and keep the appropriate channel information separated. This is what a multy port midi interface does. But, I'm not sure how well cake does at recording  multiple midi ports inputs simultaneously. You can however put the midi track input into omni mode and then let the upstream merger do it's thing and record both channels at the same time.  Then split out the separate channel info later.

One of these will also work.

 

Kev999

WhisperBlade

I'm thinking of getting 2 MIDI Keyboards running rather than one. I'd like to control two instruments at a time without having to switch all the time. 

Would I need another Midi interface?

Probably not.  I have 2 midi keyboards piggybacked.  An Edirol PCR-300 is connected to the PC via USB.  A StudioLogic VMK-149 is connected to the Edirol via a midi cable.  Although Sonar only "sees" the Edirol, it receives midi signals from the StudioLogic too and responds to controls and keys from both devices simultaneously.  Setting them to different channels allows independent control of 2 different softsynths.

 
 
 The VMK-149 has usb also. Why not connect it via usb? Then it would also be seen by Sonar. Sonar now sees the midi port of the Edirol.
    

Starise

Kev999

...I have 2 midi keyboards piggybacked.  An Edirol PCR-300 is connected to the PC via USB.  A StudioLogic VMK-149 is connected to the Edirol via a midi cable.  Although Sonar only "sees" the Edirol, it receives midi signals from the StudioLogic too and responds to controls and keys from both devices simultaneously.  Setting them to different channels allows independent control of 2 different softsynths.

The VMK-149 has usb also. Why not connect it via usb? Then it would also be seen by Sonar. Sonar now sees the midi port of the Edirol.

I had it set up that way originally.  But that was on my previous PC, which also doubled up as the family PC and had lots of USB devices connected.  Too many!  I was often disconnecting something to make room for something else, so I was looking for an alternative configuration that would free up a USB port.  I tried using a midi connector from one keyboard to another and found that it worked ok, so I have stuck with this arrangement ever since.

In my current setup, the StudioLogic keyboard sits behind me (such that I have to swivel 180 degrees to play it) and its 8-metre connecting lead runs around the edge of the room.  I may be wrong but I believe that 8 metres is too long for reliable USB whereas long lengths for midi are ok.

Both keyboards have power adapters and are not relying on USB for power.

Starise

In the end its whatever gets you there.

But I guess that it should be emphasised that connecting via USB is normally the simplest option.

I've never done this but I've always heard that midi is serial in nature..... I run one keyboard into the interface. I have a second one, and maybe, one day, I'll try it. I need another midi cable to do it though.

string the out of one to the in (or thru)  of the next and then to the interface.

Set the various keyboards to sent/transmit on different channels.

In the software, set the synths to receive on the channel of the synth you want and ...

... it's supposed to work.


I saw a band a number of years (too many to count now) ago that had a setup like this using an old 286 computer running a very early version of CAKEWALK as a sequencer. Everything was Daisey-chained and one midi cable connected all the synths to the computer. They had a very "state of the art" set up for that time (mid 80's) and were running multiple synth modules and other things all on that one midi connection.

Thank you all very much for your kind help!

Perhaps I should be a little more specific though. 

I currently run a ProjectMix I/O, as well as a Roland Fantom S88. Unfortunately, the ProjectMix I/O only has 1 MIDI. 

Let's say I get another Midi Keyboard.

New Midi Keyboard Midi Out > Roland Midi In > Roland Midi Out > Project Mix In

Would that work as a set up?

And since I've never configured more than 1 channel for MIDI, can someone give me a quick idea on how I can do this?

Thanks!

C.

Would I need another Midi interface?

 
Many current generation keyboards can connect via a MIDI port... or directly to the computer via USB.
If neither keyboard has a USB MIDI connection, you'll need a new MIDI interface.
You can get the Cakewalk UM-2G for $59 (2-port USB MIDI interface)