How would you connect this gear (via MIDI)?

[Ugly Bunny]

TLDR: I'm looking for the best way to be able to hit one REC button and have it record/sync to drum machine as well as synth arp/sequencer. I would likely record drums separately from synth, but it would need to be all connected so the same button would start all the gear, if this makes sense. Simply put, should the Model 12 be the master start/stop of the chain or can/should it be the slave?

My gear:

• Tascam Model 12 Recorder
• Arturia KeyStep Pro MIDI Controller/Sequencer
• Roland TR-8s Drum Machine
• Oberheim OB-8X Synth (and 3 other synths, some with built-in Arps)

All these items have MIDI, and I'd like my Arturia KSP to be the center of my studio (if practical). Since the KSP has 4 channels and 2 MIDI outs, I think its transporter controls can control everything. Essentially, I want to be able to push one button (Rec on the KSP) and the tempo will sync, the drum machine will start and be in time, and any sequences I have set up will play and be recorded.

I'm thinking:

KSP MIDI Out 1 > TR-8s MIDI In
TR-8s MIDI Thru > Model 12 MIDI In
(Audio from drum machine to stereo input on Model 12)

KSP MIDI Out 2 > Synth 1 > Synth 2 > etc.
(Audio from synths to audio inputs of Model 12)

In terms of making sure the Model 12 starts recording when I hit record on the KSP, what do I need to configure? Or do I need to slave the KSP to the Model 12 so it starts when the Model 12 starts and then just use the Tascam Model 12 as the primary transport controller?

Am I missing any vital info that will help you provide an answer? Thanks in advance!

 

[shredd]

Wow - a pretty complex problem...had to read it a coupla times. Then again, I also have to remember which way the pointy end of the git'r goes every time I sit down to play...

ANYWAY. I'm surely no studio wizard or MIDI-guru (there's other guyz here who ARE)...
BUT: I'd suggest that a scenario by which you set your KSP's MIDI config to be the Master (and whatever setting it is that enables external-machine control); and the other devices (Roland, Oberheim, and DP) all to be Slaves, with their settings set to receive control commands via MIDI.
This might involve some manual-reading to figure out HOW to do all this, and also whether the various devices are capable of such connections.

That should do it, right?
It's worth trying...meanwhile - hopefully the smart-ysh guyz here will chime in with their more experienced/knowledgable input. I don't remember what I had for dinner last night!!!

PS - utterly OSSUM screen-name!!!

 

[Ugly Bunny]

Thanks, @shredd - I enjoy the way you write

Yeah, so I watched a few videos last night and I'm still not sure how I'm gonna do it. Problem is, I'm going to want all my gear to start when I hit record, but I also won't want the tascam running and recording every time I use the KSP to start/stop my drum machine or keys.

I may have to just accept that it may not be viable to have everything hooked up at once, or at least everything connected in series at once. This is okay, though, as I'll likely not need to record both drums and sequencer at the same time, so it won't be a big deal to swap cables or turn down volume or whatever.

I just got this after owning the DP-32SD for a few weeks and having not even touched it because I've grown so used to all my gear syncing via MIDI and, for whatever reason, Tascam saw fit to remove MIDI from the SD series. I've read the 16 adn 24 versions of the Model also lack MIDI. What are they doing over there at TEAC? lol.

Anyway, my Model 12 should be arriving today, so I'll play with it and probably make a video since the video I really wanted/needed doesn't seem to exist

 

[Max Relic]

Premise: the Model 12 is designed to act as a MIDI Sync source only, in other words it can't synchronize to external clock thus any other MIDI equipment must be slaved to it. MIDI In is used only when the Model 12 is used as a MIDI interface (i.e. connected to a pc/MAC).
Your setup could be arranged like this:
- connect the Model 12 MIDI OUT to the KSP MIDI IN;
- connect all the other MIDI gear to the KSP MIDI OUTs*;
- on the Model 12 enable MIDI clock (chap. 9 of the OM);
- on the KSP press SHIFT>Utility>SYNC and choose MIDI or Auto (chap. 7.2 of the OM), this will make the KSP wait for external clock signal;
- if necessary set desired clock rate and output clock options.

Pressing Play or Record on the Model 12 should now start the Keystep Pro and make it advance at the tempo set in the Model menu.

*= to connect multiple MIDI gear use the daisy-chain method: the first device in the chain is directly connected to the sequencer (MIDI Out --> MIDI IN), then a connection is made from its MIDI Thru to the MIDI IN of the following device and so on. Please consider that each MIDI IN - MIDI THRU "ring" in the chain may introduce a slight latency, and as latencies sum up it may become noticeable for very long chains.

 

[shredd]

Thanks, @shredd - I enjoy the way you write

Thanks 'bunny...glad you appreciate/enjoy my weisenheimer demeanor. Not all do...everyone loves Chandler, but Ross is a sort of love/hate thing...

ANyway - I'm glad @Max Relic chimed in - he's one of the smartysh guyz I referred to, who truly understands this stuff and clearly has some experience wrangling it...and knows some stuff about I wasn't aware of (like the M12 being a Master only)...

At any rate - with MIDI's considerable capabilities, it can surely be config'd to provide at least some of the functionality you want.
I recall the wise and powerful Oz (known here as @Phil Tipping) posting a video about enabling an "SD" series (no MIDI) DP to utilize MIDI...might be worth watching, to get some ideas/solutions?

Good luck!

 

[Stew71]

Premise: the Model 12 is designed to act as a MIDI Sync source only, in other words it can't synchronize to external clock thus any other MIDI equipment must be slaved to it. MIDI In is used only when the Model 12 is used as a MIDI interface (i.e. connected to a pc/MAC).
Your setup could be arranged like this:
- connect the Model 12 MIDI OUT to the KSP MIDI IN;
- connect all the other MIDI gear to the KSP MIDI OUTs*;
- on the Model 12 enable MIDI clock (chap. 9 of the OM);
- on the KSP press SHIFT>Utility>SYNC and choose MIDI or Auto (chap. 7.2 of the OM), this will make the KSP wait for external clock signal;
- if necessary set desired clock rate and output clock options.

Pressing Play or Record on the Model 12 should now start the Keystep Pro and make it advance at the tempo set in the Model menu.

*= to connect multiple MIDI gear use the daisy-chain method: the first device in the chain is directly connected to the sequencer (MIDI Out --> MIDI IN), then a connection is made from its MIDI Thru to the MIDI IN of the following device and so on. Please consider that each MIDI IN - MIDI THRU "ring" in the chain may introduce a slight latency, and as latencies sum up it may become noticeable for very long chains.

I've run MIDI devices from both Model 12 and DP24. Both only run as Master, as noted above. But running into your primary controller (KSP... I've use an Akai MPC this way too) should be fine. You may need to play with MMC settings depending on whether you want your gear to respond to start/stop from the M12.

I've also tend to use a 1-in/2-out adaptor to avoid needing to chain devices too much.

 

[-mjk-]

A MIDI hub made my studio life trouble free. Everything just works.

 

[mixerizer]

Agreed, MIDI management solutions are a huge benefit. I use mio interfaces by iConnectivity, which are very feature packed with filters, remapping of channels and best of all lets me use MIDI to/from my MIDI instruments and host computers anywhere within my studio, either w DIN cable or using Ethernet.

https://www.iconnectivity.com/midi-interfaces-1

 

[Max Relic]

A MIDI hub made my studio life trouble free. Everything just works.

No doubt at all. I think it would be easy for @Ugly Bunny to build up experience starting with the simplest setup and then gradually find his way toward efficiency.

 

[-mjk-]

@maxrelic undoubtedly a wise approach.