Studio Midi Nightmares

Hello all, first of all thank you for the contributions to the vast amounts of info on these boards. I know the whole midi inexperienced user asking questions thing is probably pretty tiring, but I need help just getting over this one hurdle and I will try not to bother you all about it again.

I have set up a keyboard to control my MPC before using midi, but I just got in over my head. I acquired a couple cheap rack modules from Craigslist and am incorporating them into my setup. I have crawled around in the mess of wires reworking things long enough now and afraid I am going to f- it all up and have signal interference etc. if I keep trying to test out things with more trial than error. Hopefully someone can just help get me to the end of it. I have been reading alot in the manuals and on online on these pieces and on midi, and will continue to do so, but just want to have things put together properly again so I can get back to doing what I love while I am learning how to incorporate the expansion of my studio.

Here is a diagram of my studio setup and the one part I am unsure of is the routing of midi ins and thrus and the related audio signals. This is what I think needs to happen but please confirm the midi routing from out the controller (Ensoniq EPS) to the 3 rack modules, and how the in/out/thru should be done. Lastly, I assume the audio needs to go directly to the final mixer and not the MPC so that it can be heard when not in sampling mode. Please help.



Damn I guess you can't see the colors, but basically how to set up the connections for the gear on the left hand side. Thanks!

How you gonna buy all that and not even have an idea how to hook it up??? LMAO!

Basically I'd suggest a patchbay for audio connections and a MIDI patchbay for MIDI connections. There is no one right way to hook all that up. I mean you got a bunch of stuff you might want to sample and three samplers to sample them into. On top of that you got two sequencers and a whole bunch of MIDI gear you may want to sequence.

You're going to have to do a lot of plugging and unplugging to maximize all that gear, and patchbays will both save the wear and tear on your gear as well as make it easy to repatch for different applications.

But really if I was you I'd look at it as 2-3 separate setups. Like for example, have the EPS and the sound modules all connected, then have the MPC with the DJ setup and the microkorg, etc. That way you can compartmentalize and really have a better feel for your workflow. Then when you're ready to track out, just run a line from your samplers into your multitrack.

do you really need to have everything hooked up at once? why not just hook up the piece of gear you require when you require it?

@mp3 I have been building my set for like 10 yrs. started out djaying, got the roland as my first sampler (keep it for longer phrases and efx), always wanted a MPC but didn't have the funds until I got one like 2 yrs. ago. Have just been adding little pieces here and there over the years.

Just had a birthday and told myself I would spend a $100 on gear for myself off Craigslist. Got the Korg and Kawai rack modules for $30 each and couldn't pass on the Akai S2000 for $25 (I am going to learn it even though I don't really need it, and then pass it on to a friend). I always liked just messing with hardware, but never had got into midi. Just used turntables and Microkorg into MPC. So figured it's something I have slept on and now gave myself a good reason to learn.

One good point you had however was a patchbay, which I have thought about, but I came up on a cheap multiline mixer that fit my needs and I incorporated that instead.

I had everything working the way I like and have lots of input possibilities (channels) open still to add more or have friends hook there stuff into. I just want to get the physical connections taken care of as soon as possible. Tried earlier in the week but with kids messing around all about it was frustrating. I am definately putting in time reading up on the gear and midi, but while I learn all that I just want to get things connected so I don't have to dig behind everything in the wires again.

@konc3pt thanks man, that is a really helpful site and I have been reading stuff up there so far, they even had a diagram which inspired my attempt in the original post. But thwe one thing the diagram seemed to skip was where the audio is routed from the rack units. They would show the midi flow, but since that is just data controlling the manipulation of the audio, I assume the audio has to go somewhere to be heard. I assume thios should be to the end mixer (out to monitors)?

@debauch I just hate having to dig behind and mess with the wires. After Djaying for a long time and first getting into making beats, etc. it kills me to hear feedback/interference and after digging around back there with so many wires everything needs to be just right not to have thuis issue. I do wish I would just simplify everything and then I could have less head aches and more focus, but this is something I see myself continuing to be involved in for a long time more and want to learn and try out some of the options available before I make a decision on how to scale back.

Thanks for the responses. I guess what I am looking for is just a simple midi out of controller to midi in on rack1; rack1 midi thru to rack2 midi in; rack2 midi thru to rack3 midi in; audio from each to final mixer/monitors. Hopefully it is as easy as something like this.

shit sweet deals you came on... awesome


yeah get a midi patchbay that way you set it up and never touch back there again. you just do the routing from the patchbay to where ever you need it to go. plug you save the midi ports from getting worn out.

Mp3, my bad at first I thought you were trying to be a jerk saying I was stupid for running out and buying everything and not knowing where to start, but then I read the response again and realized you were sharing some good help in there too. Thanks.

I agree with the breaking it up into 3 setups and that is kind of how my workflow is. for example...



and I know this sounds like a lot of random gear but it actually fits together pretty nice here is an older pic of the setup but same space and gist still applies (just replaced the media storage spots with gear)...

Awe!!! I was thinking an audio patchbay, but that does make sense getting a midi patchbay. I am new to midi, so hadn't really considered that route yet (and hoping not to have to fit anything else squeezed in here). Thanks Debauch!

Yeah I think I got some good deals I think and they appear to work well just haven't heard them yet except for on youtube checking into them before I bought them. Being bored at work MPC Forums, Tweakheads and Craigslist take up a good amount of my time. I just wish I had this much time at home in the studio!

Motu midi express 128 8x8 .... great for what you need. Not to much money ..

OweMoney wrote:

sons of a beeetch thats a lot of stuff and lines and arrows