Using a Yamaha BC3 breath controller w/M3?

[kanthos]

Sirgant1,

The manual for the MS box instructs the user to send sys ex messages to program the box. I was wondering if you planned to purchase the MS box and, if so, how you plan to send the sys ex messages.

You should be able to send sysex messages via a software tool like MIDIOx (though you'll obviously need a way to hook up MIDI devices to your computer).

in my experience, midislutions tools need to get power from their midi IN side.

They can get power from the OUT side too, but it's more rare to find a device that provides power via its IN. While doing some configuration the other night, I accidentally plugged my Event Processor Plus into my MIDI patch bay, connecting OUT to OUT, and the Event Processor Plus was powered.

[Synthoid]

For maximum effect, use a breath mint first.

[mcbaldwin]

It's working. Basic connection (MIDI out from M50 to MIDI in on MS box to MIDI in on M50). Had to "tune" the gain & offset knobs on the headset a bit. I think that was the rub at the beginning.

My concern now is that the information doesn't record into Protools. This surprises me, since the modwheel/joystick info records just fine. I would think it all lives on the same MIDI path.

Any suggestions?

---Mark

Question: On the MidiSolutions controller box is the MIDI indicator LED lit up? Does it flash when you play the Yamaha BC?

If not, then the Korg M3 is probably supplying insufficient current over the MIDI IN port to the MS controller to power the MS box up. Try connecting MIDI IN on the MS box to a MIDI port connected to a computer. Otherwise, there is a stand alone power adapter available to correct this problem, see:
http://www.midisolutions.com/prodpwr.htm

See also Q&A about the LED here:
http://www.midisolutions.com/faqs.htm#LED

Best regards,
Rob

[kanthos]

You're sending from the breath controller into the M50, right? MIDI data is typically only sent to the very next device in the chain; very few keyboards or other devices will merge the MIDI data they create with the MIDI data on their input, and I don't believe the M50 is one of the rare few. In short, your M50 is consuming the MIDI input from the breath controller and it's never getting to Protools.

Assuming you want the breath controller MIDI data to be sent both to the M50 and Protools, you'll need to get something like MIDI Solutions Thru unit so that it can send MIDI data to two places at once. Alternately, use the THRU on the M50 (if the M50 has one, I can't remember) and have Protools record that data in addition to the data coming from the M50. You may run into trouble with the latter suggestion if you're recording from the M50 via USB instead of via MIDI; I'm pretty sure the M50 doesn't send MIDI data to its MIDI OUT when connected via USB, so it wouldn't surprise me if the same is true of the THRU.

[mcbaldwin]

I wonder if the breath controller could be placed between the M50 and protools to accomplish this. I am recording via USB, but I could change this.

Also, I did notice a box to check off in the M50 set-up that said something about merging MIDI info and sending it out, but only applicable in VST mode.

You're sending from the breath controller into the M50, right? MIDI data is typically only sent to the very next device in the chain; very few keyboards or other devices will merge the MIDI data they create with the MIDI data on their input, and I don't believe the M50 is one of the rare few. In short, your M50 is consuming the MIDI input from the breath controller and it's never getting to Protools.

Assuming you want the breath controller MIDI data to be sent both to the M50 and Protools, you'll need to get something like MIDI Solutions Thru unit so that it can send MIDI data to two places at once. Alternately, use the THRU on the M50 (if the M50 has one, I can't remember) and have Protools record that data in addition to the data coming from the M50. You may run into trouble with the latter suggestion if you're recording from the M50 via USB instead of via MIDI; I'm pretty sure the M50 doesn't send MIDI data to its MIDI OUT when connected via USB, so it wouldn't surprise me if the same is true of the THRU.

[kanthos]

I wonder if the breath controller could be placed between the M50 and protools to accomplish this. I am recording via USB, but I could change this.

That would work, assuming you're not using the breath controller to do anything on the M50 at all. If you are, then both the M50 and protools will need to get the data from the breath controller, which either means splitting the signal out of the breath controller or using the M50's THRU.

Also, I did notice a box to check off in the M50 set-up that said something about merging MIDI info and sending it out, but only applicable in VST mode.

Could work. I don't own an M50 so I don't know what exactly that would do.