New MIDI day!

[Rosie C]

I've decided to get back into MIDI. In the 90s I used it a fair bit with player pianos, but not since. Our band varies in size from 2-4, and when there's just two of us I end up playing intros on descant recorder, then switching to mandolin. I'm hoping to set up something with MIDI where I can have my iPad play the intro through MIDI.

 

The first arrivals came today...

 

Roland SPD-6 drum pad. We used one of these last summer - a recording session in a narrowboat, and heading towards 'vintage' now, so I've been looking for a good example. I like the instrument sounds, and as a bonus, it's compatible with the Boss FS-6 pedal I already had, adding high-hat and kick. 

 

 

Behringer UMC204HD to add a 2 channel interface and MIDI ports to my Mac. Early days but it all seems to work as expected.

 

Ah, this takes me back!

Edited March 21, 2025 by Rosie C

[bass_dinger]

14 hours ago, Rosie C said:

Behringer UMC204HD to add a 2 channel interface and MIDI ports to my Mac.

I had my eye on the Umc404hd (same basic specification, but four rather than two input channels, £2 more expensive - and out of stock everywhere). 

 

I would be interested to know how you are finding the 204, especially as a midi interface. 

Edited March 22, 2025 by bass_dinger
Number of channels now included

[Rosie C]

9 minutes ago, bass_dinger said:

I had my eye on the Umc404hd (same basic specification, but rather than two input channels, £2 more expensive - and out of stock everywhere). 

 

I would be interested to know how you are finding the 204, especially as a midi interface. 

 

I would have got the 404, but I couldn't find it both at a good price and in stock. The 2 input will do me.

 

I'll let you know how the MIDI goes - so far it's been very good, no problems, just plug & play as they used to say. Earlier today I had the SPD-6 plugged into my Mac via the UMC204, and was playing drums with my Mac acting as drum synth. Currently I have the UMC204 connected via twin MIDI DIN cables to a CME U4MIDI on my iPad and MIDI files are happily playing from one to the other   

[Rosie C]

My keyboard controller arrived. The keyboard is lovely, although only 2 octaves it has proper full size weighted keys. I've managed to find a copy of the user manual, and there's much reading to do.

 

 

The last bit of the jigsaw is a synth. I was going for a new one from a smaller company, but I've found them quite unhelpful. Instead I'm thinking of staying 'vintage' with a rack-mounted Roland XV-3080. But I'll have to do some research first...

 

 

[Rosie C]

I had the spanners out today - a £10 Roland bracket off ebay, the bottom half of a spare cymbal stand, and a 22mm tom arm and ... ta da!

 

   

 

Edited March 27, 2025 by Rosie C

[Rosie C]

The final bit of the jigsaw... a Roland XV-3080 synth, with a pair of expansion cards for more woodwind options

 

 

 

 

[Woodinblack]

Sounds fun - I had the axiom 25, no tell a lie, I have an axiom 61, and a midi-air 25!). I wanted one of those pad things, although haven't got round to getting one. live I use the akia sample player with 16 pads on it, and I have a 12 step keyboard, most things covered. Currently I am using the synth in the Mod Dwarf as it is there anyway, although I got a micromonsta II for synth duties (I used to user the iPad)

[Rosie C]

I nearly got the air 25, but I liked the look of the Axiom 25. It sits on my desk hooked up to my desk top computer. It's great for entering notes/data but I can see I would need the 49 or 61 to perform live. 

 

I have a pile of manuals to read now! 

 

[Woodinblack]

The only feature the air has is the wireless keyboard, which works pretty well, and an aditional midi interface (as well as USB) so you don't need a separate Midi interface (not an issue for you as you got the Behringinger, which I also have, but only for the Audio ins).

A 25 key keyboard still has its use live, for lead lines, and the fact that you can fit it anywhere

[Rosie C]

A month on, I've rack-mounted the XV-3080, and hooked it up to a CME "U4MIDI WC" MIDI router so I can drive the synth from two MIDI devices and my iPad simultaneously. 

 

 

[Rosie C]

Hmm, fast wind 6-7 months... shortly after my last post we decided to put our house up for sale and make preparations to move to Ireland so the poor old synth has sat in a corner unloved until this week. I'm nearly at the end of recording my first album and in the last couple of days I've been using the synth a fair bit - soundscapes, jazz piano, drone notes, all kinds of things.

 

Mrs C at the drum pads:

 

For a retired computer programmer this is so much fun!

[Al Krow]

Love this! Inspired me to start getting up to speed on midi (I'm a complete newbie!), but have got myself a Disaster Area 3XL and three of my Boss pedals are midi capable: GT1000Core, SY-200 and the XS-100

 

Any tips and suggestions very welcome! Also just asked ChatGPT to prepare me a midi introductory course!

[Rosie C]

Just a little MIDI progress this holiday break. @Chienmortbb made me up another two patch leads, so all 6 outputs are available at the front of my rack. 

We had some success using the synth for recording our first album - one track has a low E drone, a sort of Celtic pipe sound. That was played live and recorded as a WAV file to share with the studio - so easy-peasy.

 

The album also has a self-penned jazz number on it - featuring a band mate on solo clarinet. I played bass (of course) and recorded it at the studio, but there was also a piano accompaniment. I recorded this as MIDI straight into Logic Pro at home. I tweaked the odd out of time or quiet note then played it back through the synth to record as a WAV. We did the same for the percussion for the jazz tune, recording the high hat, toms and cymbal separately, but next time with the patch panel I'm set up to record them all in one go as my Zoom recorder has 6 tracks.

 

 

 

Sorry a very blurry photo from just holding my phone at the back of the rack and hoping for the best. Of course, I could just go straight in the back, but the rack is heavy and has no wheels, and I like having a front panel