MPD26 What are the "ports"

I have just got a MPD26 and hook it up to my Macbook Pro to run qLab mainly.

When using the editor software, for individual pad editing it gives me the option for

CC = Common Channel
1A: Port A, Channel
2A: Port A, Channel
3A: Port A, Channel
4A: Port A, Channel
to
16A: Port A, Channel

then
1B: Port B, Channel
2B: Port B, Channel
3B: Port B, Channel
4B: Port B, Channel

etc etc

Can anyone tell me what these ports pertain to?

What im physically trying to achieve is to control qLab with USB direct from MPD26 into my macbook pro and ALSO control my Yamaha LS9 using either a direct Midi Cable or a USB-Midi interface plugged into my Mac.

What i need is to somehow tell the MPD26 that Pad 1 should send a midi message to qLab and pad 2 to LS9 pad 3 to Qlab etc etc

So are these "ports" A= usb and B=midi? if so this "could" be the answer to my prayers.

If not, any ideas how i can achieve my goal?

UKD.

The ports are just the standard 16 channels of MIDI each one having channels 1-16 and banks A-D selectable to be able to send and receive messages.

The ports are the same over MIDI or USB and I'm not sure an MPD isn't either/or, that is use USB or use 5 pin MIDI plugs and a DC adapter to power the MPD. But I'm not sure about being able to do USB and standard MIDI sockets at the same time.

I 'll have to look at the Vyzex editor and double check you can have pads in one bank or preset send on different MIDI channels. I think you can but I remember struggling in a similar situation to yours a while back. I also will take a glance at this qLab app, I'm not familiar with it. Looks cool though.

You're on OS X so hopefully this can all be set up without having to resort to a 3rd party virtual MIDI app like MIDI ox/yoke on Windows.

Thanks so much for your reply.

Im thinking i may have to go down the usb-midi interface route and then run it from the mac out via normal midi to the LS9 IN, then out of LS9 to IN of MDP26 then Out of MPD26 back into the IN of the usb-midi interface into the mac.

Do you think that would work?

UKD.

Before I say any other suggestions, are you using a DAW program on the Mac while you're running all this? In my case I use Ableton like a "MIDI traffic cop" if that makes sense. Other DAWS could route the MIDI as well. I just like how easy it is to see the routings in Live's session view.

What you described may end up a MIDI feedback loop, there's no MIDI thru socket on the MPD. (I may have to experiment with my MPD32 here to be sure though).

Like I said I have a MPD32 here, and although I'm mostly Windows, I am on a Mac I can boot into OS X. I'll try to re-create what you are doing (maybe I'll see if there's a demo of that qLab or I'll substitute an app with similar handling of MIDI.)

This is one of those arrangements it would be easier to figure out if I'm looking at the same things you are.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Although im not using a DAW, I "do" have one. Abelton too like yourself.

But im not too familiar with midi so wanted to keep it as simple as possible LOL.

This setup has to be ultra reliable though as its being used in a theatre environment and cannot afford to "not work".

Thanks for all of your input though.

UKD.

ukdeveloper wrote:Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Although im not using a DAW, I "do" have one. Abelton too like yourself.

But im not too familiar with midi so wanted to keep it as simple as possible LOL.

This setup has to be ultra reliable though as its being used in a theatre environment and cannot afford to "not work".

Thanks for all of your input though.

UKD.

It's a little trickier with the MPD as it just has the one set of MIDI I/O whether over the DIN plugs or the virtual MIDI over USB. Where it an MPC (4 MIDI outs) I'd just say use 2 set's of MIDI I/O and be done with it.

I will still have a look with my 32 though.

Looking at a picture of your Yamaha I see it has no MIDI thru socket either. But the idea you mentioned of a USB to MIDI cable or box added in might be the ticket.

Maybe use the USB to attach the MPD to the Macbook. Then use a USB to MIDI to the Yamaha. That way the Yamaha will have bi-directional communication with the qLab app which I assume is key looking at what it does.