When using an ASIO interface is it possible to use a separate MIDI interface/card?

Perhaps a strange question and may not be in the correct forum but I was thinking about this a little earlier today. I know when using the current ASIO standard you can only be running one audio interface at a time (but I've heard about maybe a new ASIO standard coming out which may allow for multiple devices... don't quote me on that though because I may have just dreamed/imagined it).
 
What I'm wondering though is if let's say you have an interface using ASIO drivers for audio whether you can also use something like a PCI MIDI card simultaneously (provided it is MIDI only... no audio). I know we can use MIDI USB without worry but I'm not sure about those dedicated MIDI interface thingies.
 
If yes how about if the audio interface has MIDI ports in use? Can they be used in conjunction with a second MIDI interface/card?
 
Sorry if that seems like a bizarre train of thought but I was thinking it could be a way to expand the amount of possible devices used on the system without tying up USB ports or if one was using older devices using the old DIN connections they would not be limited to what their interface has accessible (which on my interface is not much).
 
And to preemptively go down my next line of inquiry... if it is possible is it problematic? Are any of you doing stuff like this? Maybe having a card to specifically designed handle MIDI as opposed to USB is even preferable from a performance standpoint.
 
Not an emergency. Just curious.
 
Cheers.

Yes. I use the UCX which has two midi channels, then I plug in my alpha track and my keyboard via USB.

So, I use my midi guitar, keyboard and controller together.

You have to set the input for each midi track to limit it to specific devices or all devices will activate the synth on the track.

@ Beepster It is actually almost plug and play. The only issue you could expect is ACT I think.
 
I used to work with a Yamaha 01x, Emu 0404 (I Think) and an Emagic MT4. All working together with several MIDI outboard gear connected to it (This was in my Logic days tho)
 

scook
 Some manufacturers make drivers which communicate with multiple interfaces running concurrently.

@Scooc
WOW you caught my attention!!!!! Please ellaborate. What cards are you talking about? This is pretty interesting functionality... Sorry for going Off Topic.

Beepster,
The Windows MIDI limitation refers to "devices", meaning the hardware that plugs into a PC and provides one or more MIDI ports where you can plug in MIDI keyboards and synths. Some such "devices" might serve 8 or more ports, e.g., so not much of a limitation. Windows doesn't count anything that plugs into a midi port.
 
The usual complaint is that when people plug their one USB midi interface into a different USB jack, then it gets counted again toward the limit of ten, so they run out quicker. The workaround is to get access to the non-present device list in Windows and delete all the MIDI devices so the count starts at 0 again.

I don't think you really need a card. MIDI's bandwidth is pretty low compared to audio, and USB can handle it with ease. I've been using the ESI MIDIMATE II USB-to-MIDI adapter cable to supplement the MIDI port in my TASCAM US-4x4. Works great.
 
FYI the monthly SONAR eZine is now starting to include product reviews of gear that complements SONAR. The one this month is the CME Xkey 25 but next month, I'm doing the MIDIMATE II. It has a couple very interesting attributes that for me, make it much more useful than other USB-to-MIDI adapters.

joden
To clarify a post above....it has not a lot to to do with ports. It has everything to do with the number of DRIVERS installed. And yes the limit is still ten, even in W 8.1.

I thought it had been increased to 32 at some point? I have more than 10 drivers installed and they all work. I have run into the MIDI port problem but I suspect it was a lot closer to 32.
 
Here's an article about the MIDI port limit problem, and how to see which MIDI devices Windows sees but you don't. 

There's no difference as far as Windows is concerned between a USB MIDI device and a USB MIDI interface that has multiple MIDI sockets/ports. Some USB connected MIDI controllers have multiple MIDI in/out ports built in which they use for different purposes.

A dedicated MIDI interface counts towards the Wondows devices limit, but the ports it provides do not (as far as I know anyway). I've certainly had more than 10 MIDI ports active at the same time - MOTU MIDI interface with 5 ports, 2 on the UFX, 3 synths/sequencers with USB MIDI connections, internal MIDI virtual cable, control surface...

As for using multiple audio interfaces with ASIO, it's entirely dependant on whether the driver has been written to support this or not. Most drivers don't.

@AT @Mudgel
 
WOW, thank you for the revalation. I remember this used not to be the case. You guys made my upgrade (wish/target) list a whole lot affordable.... Thank you.
 
On topic this seemingly simple question turned out in another leson fest for me. 
 
@Beepster, thank you for sharing your question.

As described above, answers to beepster's a) and b) from post #8 are "yes" and "yes". The Windows wandering usb midi interface problem is not likely to bug you unless you have a lot of USB midi interface devices and a lot of USB ports and you shuffle them around a lot.