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[drchris]

The Kronos 88 that hopefully is on it's way soon will be my first workstation, so please excuse the 'noobie' question. I've been a sift synth guy for a while, and use an AKAI MPK 49 as my MIDI controller. I'm working out how to connect it and the Kronos to my computer system.

The MPK-49 has a unique MIDI situation in that when it is plugged into a USB port of a computer, it sends all MIDI via the USB, and the onboard MIDI out serves as a MIDI out for the comuter. That means that if it is connected to the computer via USB, you have to route the USB carried MIDI messages to the MIDI out to send them through that interface. If it is not connected to a computer, it sends all key, pad and control signals as MIDI messages through the MIDI interface.

So, if I understand all of this correctly, I should connect the MIDI out from the MPK-49 to the MIDI in of the Kronos, then connect the USB out from the Kronos to the computer, and leave the MPK-49 unconnected to the USB port of the computer. This way I should be able to use each keyboard as independently assignable MIDI inputs to the computer, and the MPK-49 can send MIDI messages to the Kronos allowing it to act as a second controller.

So, questions:

- Does this make sense, or am I missing something?
- Do I need to set the MPK-49 to a specific midi channel so that it does not comflict with the Kronos?
- Is the VST for the Kronos available to current owners, or is is yet to be released?

Thanks,
Chris

[BetaMark]

[shap]

I'm going to end up in a similar situation, but in my case it will be a V-Synth instead of an MPK.

First: depending on how you prefer to go about things, you might check if the handling of the MIDI ports on the MPK isn't a configurable setting - the configurations on that device are pretty flexible. But it sounds like you are DAW-oriented, in which case don't bother.

Your DAW software should be able to handle this for you. The details vary from DAW to DAW, but the general pattern is:

Set up a MIDI track for the KRONOS. Set the MIDI IN source on the track to be the MPK49's MIDI-over-USB OUT. Set the MIDI out from the track to be the KRONOS MIDI[-over-USB] IN. Turn on "MIDI echo" for the track. That should do it.

Depending on your DAW, you might alternatively consider setting MIDI IN on the KRONOS track to "omni", or in some cases your DAW may even let you wire up two MIDI sources as inputs to the same track. That would let you use the KRONOS keyboard to drive the KRONOS.

If you set the MIDI in to 'omni', though, you'll find that playing on the KRONOS keyboard will get you doubled notes. The fix is to turn off 'local control' on the KRONOS, which is controlled down in the global mode settings. See the screen image on page 756 of the Parameter Guide.

Just don't forget that you've disabled local control, or later you'll disconnect the KRONOS for standalone use and then wonder why the KRONOS has stopped playing notes.

You may not need this part, but in the interest of completeness:

Conceptually, a keyboard is a MIDI controller and a MIDI synthesizer in one box. They are logically distinct subsystems. The 'local control' setting determines whether the controller part sends messages to the synthesizer part by default at power-up.

Messages sent from the controller part go to keyboard midi out regardless of the local control state. Similarly, messages coming in on keyboard midi in get sent to the synthesizer regardless of local control state. In consequence, if you have a DAW doing MIDI echo, and local control is turned on, every message from the local keyboard will end up getting sent to the synthesizer twice. Once locally, and once by way of the DAW.

If you've been accustomed to using a controller like the MPK with soft-synths, you may not have hit this particular "doubled note" situation. Once you know what's going on with the MIDI routing it's easier to understand (and remember) why the behavior is happening and what to do about it.

Hope that sets you in the right direction.

If you decide to route the KARMA in/out through your DAW, there are some other wrinkles to consider. Worth reading the MIDI section of the Parameters Guide starting on p.756, and probably the chapter on Global mode in general. This is where all the data and MIDI routing is discussed.
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[drchris]

Thanks much guys, great information. I'll hit the parameter guide in the sections you mentioned tomorrow.

Because you asked, I use Ableton. MIDI routing shouldnt be a problem with it.

Anyone out there with word on the Kronos VST plugin?

Thanks,
Chris

[cynkh]

@BetaMark & drchris: No word yet on the VST editor (I check the Kronos page on Korg's website religiously and am on Stephen Kay's own web forum). There's another thread going with that question on it simply called "Editor" so I'd definitely recommend checking with that thread fairly regularly. Korg's Kronos support page is located at http://www.korg.com/Product.aspx?pd=598 and also contains a news section.

I hope you're all enjoying the Kronos either way and I'm sure you'll find its cornucopia of controls will suit whatever project you're working with in Abelton!

Cheers!
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- cynkh -

Hardware:
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