Can USB be used to control another synth like MIDI cable?

korgman2011 · Post by **korgman2011** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 12:36 am

HI everyone...maybe someone can help me out with this.

I want to know if I can connect for example a USB cable from my Microsampler to my Korg M50 synth in order to use the USB cable like i would use a MIDI cable to control from my M50 the sampler.

any advice will be appreciated...thank you.

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 12:45 am

Well, firstly it is not physically possible.. because you won't get a USB-B to USB-B cable.

The reason you can't get that cable is because it would be useless.
USB protocol requires a 'host' device (the computer) and then the 'client' device(s), in this case a USB-MIDI device like the microSampler.

The normal ports on most devices only allow them to work as a client. it can't 'host' other clients. In fact, only a few devices like some tablets and phones (and some keyboards) have specific USB-A 'Host' port(s) to allow you to plug in for example memory sticks. Even then, often you'd need a driver for the other device, which can't be installed on the microSampler or the M50.

Basically, it's about as useful as plugging two petrol pumps together, except for a few special petrol pumps that run on.. petrol..

Perhaps a better example would be MIDI. Whilst USB is bi-directional communication, the idea is a bit like plugging MIDI In of one device to MIDI In of the other - it doesn't make sense and the devices can't figure it out for you.

korgman2011 · Post by **korgman2011** » Sat Nov 26, 2011 5:43 pm

thank you x-trade