Akai Synthstation25 as a MIDI controller for Electribes?

lucekone · Post by **lucekone** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:10 pm

Hi,

I'm new to all this MIDI stuff, so excuse me, if my question seems dumb.

I have an Akai Synthstation25 keyboard for the iPhone. When connected via USB to the computer it acts as a MIDI keyboard. I was wondering if there was a way to use it (or any similar controllers like the LPK25, MPK Mini etc.) to control my EM-1 or any other MIDI gear. I know there're some MIDI->USB interfaces, but all I could find seem to be designed to connect plain MIDI hardware to the computer.

Any ideas? Is it possible?

Cheers,
Lukasz

LamptonWorm · Post by **LamptonWorm** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:23 pm

Hi,

I used to have an SS25, and I have some other USB/MIDI controllers such as a launchpad, nanokontrol etc, and I'm also interested to know if I can plug them into my EMX-1.

From memory I think those needed a PC/MAC style "host"..not 100% sure though and don't have the cables to test it out atm.

I think "pure" 5-pin midi stuff works, like BCR2000, MPC 500 etc..but the "light" USB/MIDI stuff, I'm not so sure..

Cheers,
LW.

Crystalmsc · Post by **Crystalmsc** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 1:46 pm

lucekone wrote:I have an Akai Synthstation25 keyboard for the iPhone. When connected via USB to the computer it acts as a MIDI keyboard. I was wondering if there was a way to use it (or any similar controllers like the LPK25, MPK Mini etc.) to control my EM-1 or any other MIDI gear. I know there're some MIDI->USB interfaces, but all I could find seem to be designed to connect plain MIDI hardware to the computer.

What comes to mind, is to connect the EM-1 standard midi interface to the PC via any standard USB midi I/O and then route the midi I/O (from a DAW or midi utility) to the EM-1 input and the Synthstation supposed be able to control the EM-1.

Pastor-of-Muppets · Post by **Pastor-of-Muppets** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 2:09 pm

yep, midi-over-usb controllers need a usb host to talk to, they are just a "slave" device to a host computer.

you can use them to control a non-usb device such as an electribe, but only by routing the midi signal via a computer

lucekone · Post by **lucekone** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:21 pm

Guys,

Many thanks for your responses!

Pastor-of-Muppets wrote:yep, midi-over-usb controllers need a usb host to talk to, they are just a "slave" device to a host computer.

you can use them to control a non-usb device such as an electribe, but only by routing the midi signal via a computer

Is it possible to use something other than a computer as a USB host? You see,for me, the idea of using hardware is to avoid having use the computer

Anyway, I thought it would be too much to ask of the Synthstation25.

Cheers,
Lukasz

Pastor-of-Muppets · Post by **Pastor-of-Muppets** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 4:30 pm

lucekone wrote:Is it possible to use something other than a computer as a USB host?

that depends on your definition of "a computer"

if you mean a PC-type computer, yes, some mobile phones can act as a usb host:
http://www.tombom.co.uk/blog/?p=124
http://wiki.maemo.org/USB_host_mode
but of course those phones and tablets are "a computer" too

and even if you had something like that acting as a usb host, you'd need it to run some software to route the midi it receives over usb out to the emx

it's all possible in theory, but it would be quite a lot of work to duplicate features built into your computer+DAW

LamptonWorm · Post by **LamptonWorm** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 5:15 pm

Hi,

Worth noting if any of your gear has 5-pin MIDI, that's a better bet for using with an electribe. So, while a MIDI-over-USB keyboard won't work, a regular 5-pin MIDI keyboard or controller certainly will..

Cheers,
LW.

lucekone · Post by **lucekone** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 6:38 pm

LamptonWorm wrote:Hi,

Worth noting if any of your gear has 5-pin MIDI, that's a better bet for using with an electribe. So, while a MIDI-over-USB keyboard won't work, a regular 5-pin MIDI keyboard or controller certainly will...

The thing is, I don't have any

All I have is Em-1, SP-404 (only MIDI in), and KPro (in the process of acquiring an ESX

. Will see how the KPro works as a controller with all its scales.

Cheers,
Lukasz

lucekone · Post by **lucekone** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:58 pm

I connected my KPro to the EM-1, and was able to control the 1st synth part - awesome, especially when used with scales, and note range!

Still, I can't change patterns from C01 to D64 (only A01-B64 with a Program knob). I assigned the D loop bank do CC#32 (which I thought changed to the C01-D64 pattern scope), but it didn't work.

All I want to be able to do is:

1) change synth parts (e.g. with loop banks buttons), and play them on the XY pad
2) assign Pitch Bend to the Gate ARP slider
3) play the drum parts on the XY pad
4) maybe change the Wave number for each part
5) control Cutoff/Resonance on the Y axis of the pad would be dandy
6) control Edit 1 and Edit 2 of the chosen effect would also be nice (maybe via Input Volume / Program Volume knobs?).

I think I know how to assign various CC# to different buttons/dials/knobs of the KPro (though my attempt to define Bank D as the Bank Change - CC#32 function didn't work...). But I don't know where to find the CC# for the functions I want to control on the EM-1.

If it was discussed in previous threads, don't hesitate to tell to search the archives, as I'd gladly do it again. It's just that I couldn't find any info I think I need (or maybe it's just a bad day

TIA for any help.

Cheers,
Lukasz

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Akai Synthstation25 as a MIDI controller for Electribes?

Akai Synthstation25 as a MIDI controller for Electribes?

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