KVR Audio

Distorted Horizon · Post by **Distorted Horizon** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 6:56 pm

Soooo if a person has several hardware synths and the person would like to hook them nicely to pc and record them to separate tracks at the same time.. Would it be a proper, working way to get something like m-audio midiface8x8 and behringer u-phoria umc1820?
Anything else necessary?

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:01 pm

cables?

seriously though, does the uphoria do multi channels simultaneous? id be interested in something similar myself

Mushy Mushy · Post by **Mushy Mushy** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:02 pm

A Midiface will not be necessary if the hardware is reasonably close together and they all have Thru's. Even then you may be better off with a MIDI splitter (powered if possible).

Then indeed you need a multi channel audio interface and the Behringer above will suffice.

Distorted Horizon · Post by **Distorted Horizon** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:09 pm

Midi splitter? If the aim is to send midi from DAW from tracks bass/pad/lead/background noise/acid to synths and receive audio to separate tracks.. I understood that midiface would send correct midi data to correct synth. If midisplitter would be used, wouldn't that only split the same midi data to all 5 synths?

Mushy Mushy · Post by **Mushy Mushy** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:11 pm

Distorted Horizon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:09 pm Midi splitter? If the aim is to send midi from DAW from tracks bass/pad/lead/background noise/acid to synths and receive audio to separate tracks.. I understood that midiface would send correct midi data to correct synth. If midisplitter would be used, wouldn't that only split the same midi data to all 5 synths?

A MIDI cable can carry 16 channels of data simultaneously, ie 16 different synths. The only caveat is that all but the last synth in the chain needs a MIDI Thru socket.

DAW -> Synth 1 MIDI in -> Synth 2 MIDI in (via synth 1 MIDI thru) -> Synth 3 MIDI in (via synth 2 MIDI thru) ... -> Synth 16 MIDI in

On each synth you select which channel you want it to respond to and it will ignore the rest.

Distorted Horizon · Post by **Distorted Horizon** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:12 pm

vurt wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:01 pm cables?

seriously though, does the uphoria do multi channels simultaneous? id be interested in something similar myself

Well.. It is an eight channel audio interface..

Distorted Horizon · Post by **Distorted Horizon** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:15 pm

What does midi splitter do then, compared to for example that midiface8x8?

Mushy Mushy · Post by **Mushy Mushy** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:17 pm

Distorted Horizon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:15 pm What does midi splitter do then, compared to for example that midiface8x8?

A midiface can send MIDI data to 128 different synths (ie, 8 x 16 channels). A MIDI splitter still only sends to 16 channels but just shortens the cable length to minimise dropouts due to long cable lengths.

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:19 pm

Distorted Horizon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:12 pm
vurt wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:01 pm cables?

seriously though, does the uphoria do multi channels simultaneous? id be interested in something similar myself
Well.. It is an eight channel audio interface..

cool, thanks

its one of those things ive kept meaning to look in to, then get sidetracked by modules and fx

Distorted Horizon · Post by **Distorted Horizon** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:23 pm

Mushy Mushy wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:17 pm
Distorted Horizon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:15 pm What does midi splitter do then, compared to for example that midiface8x8?
A midiface can send MIDI data to 128 different synths (ie, 8 x 16 channels). A MIDI splitter still only sends to 16 channels but just shortens the cable length to minimise dropouts due to long cable lengths.

Ah ok. So how about midisplit compared to usb hub?

Mushy Mushy · Post by **Mushy Mushy** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:26 pm

Distorted Horizon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:23 pmSo how about midisplit compared to usb hub?

Your question is if they're similar in concept? Yes.
You don't need a USB hub though. Unless of course the synths you're interested in have MIDI over USB.

What actual synths are you thinking about?

Distorted Horizon · Post by **Distorted Horizon** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:31 pm

Volca bass is the only one not having usb available. Though that could be fixed with usb to midi cable.

So the best option would be to either pc -> midisplitter via usb -> synths -> audio interface -> pc

Or

Pc -> usb hub -> synths -> audio interface -> pc?

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:33 pm

will a usb hub power so many synths at once? or would there be dropouts?

i only have one usb synth, so im only asking out of interest

Mushy Mushy · Post by **Mushy Mushy** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:35 pm

Distorted Horizon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:31 pm Volca bass is the only one not having usb available. Though that could be fixed with usb to midi cable.

So the best option would be to either pc -> midisplitter via usb -> synths -> audio interface -> pc

Or

Pc -> usb hub -> synths -> audio interface -> pc?

Personally I'd go old skool analogue MIDI. It just works and has been tried and tested for decades.

As Vurt mentions, you're asking for a world of pain trying to run all this from a USB hub. Sure it may work but I guarantee you it won't be as simple as an old skool MIDI cable.

Mushy Mushy · Post by **Mushy Mushy** » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:37 pm

vurt wrote: ↑Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:33 pm will a usb hub power so many synths at once? or would there be dropouts?

i only have one usb synth, so im only asking out of interest

It will definitely need to be powered. A quick Google will clue you up on the random nature of USB hubs related to audio. I certainly wouldn't trust it personally.

Stupid question of setting a hardware setup