MIDI loop thru function (in -> out)

JoyrexJ9 · Post by **JoyrexJ9** » Wed Feb 03, 2016 8:17 am

I'd like to get an ES2 and one of the things I'd want to use it for is sequencing external gear. I know it can do that but I have a question about the MIDI in and out.

I'd like to plug my master keyboard into the MIDI in on the ES2 but then have all the MIDI input data, looped/copied to the MIDI out.
Most sequencers support this capability as a "live play" or "soft MIDI thru" mode.

I see no mention of it in the Electribe manual. Is it possible? Without this feature it would make the MIDI cabling a major nightmare (I'd need to buy a MIDI merge box etc)

thesigma · Post by **thesigma** » Wed Feb 03, 2016 6:04 pm

I believe it has been mentioned here in other threads that this is NOT possible. you can use a MIDI thru box to split your input and a MIDI MERGE to recombine it with the electribes output. Kind of a clunky and costly workaround though.

As I've said before, It may be possible to sequence external gear with the E2's, but it clearly was not DESIGNED to be used as a sequencer for external gear.

JoyrexJ9 · Post by **JoyrexJ9** » Wed Feb 03, 2016 7:39 pm

Thanks man, that confirms what I thought. I saw no mention of it in the manual or parameter guide.

Real shame, makes it pretty much useless as an external sequencer for me.

Lotek · Post by **Lotek** » Thu Feb 04, 2016 2:58 am

While it doesn't have midi thru, I use it a lot for sequencing external gear, so I guess it's not as totally impossible as sigma stated above.

thesigma · Post by **thesigma** » Thu Feb 04, 2016 6:09 pm

Lotek wrote:While it doesn't have midi thru, I use it a lot for sequencing external gear, so I guess it's not as totally impossible as sigma stated above.

Really, The only thing I stated was impossible, was MIDI thru/merging internally, the very question that was asked.

JoyrexJ9 wrote:I'd like to plug my master keyboard into the MIDI in on the ES2 but then have all the MIDI input data, looped/copied to the MIDI out.
Most sequencers support this capability as a "live play" or "soft MIDI thru" mode.

I see no mention of it in the Electribe manual. Is it possible? Without this feature it would make the MIDI cabling a major nightmare (I'd need to buy a MIDI merge box etc)

Thesigma wrote:I believe it has been mentioned here in other threads that this is NOT possible. you can use a MIDI thru box to split your input and a MIDI MERGE to recombine it with the electribes output. Kind of a clunky and costly workaround though.

Then I said:

Thesigma wrote:As I've said before, It may be possible to sequence external gear with the E2's, but it clearly was not DESIGNED to be used as a sequencer for external gear.

Don't think I ever said it was impossible to sequence external gear, in fact I clearly said that it was possible......

Chapterhaus · Post by **Chapterhaus** » Fri Feb 05, 2016 1:09 am

Good thing we cleared that up!

You can split the MIDI out with a headphone splitter, maybe do the same with the MIDI in? Though you would need another MIDI dongle.

thesigma · Post by **thesigma** » Fri Feb 05, 2016 3:49 am

Chapterhaus wrote:Good thing we cleared that up!

You can split the MIDI out with a headphone splitter, maybe do the same with the MIDI in? Though you would need another MIDI dongle.

The splitter will work, though it's not technically correct, however you can't merge two seriel data streams in that manner, all kinds of wacky things would happen. A proper midi merge box has a microprocessor and buffers the two data streams and can take care for the proper formatting of the messages, inserting a complete message from port a, then a complete message from port b. This does induce some latency, but there's not really any other way to do it.

Lotek · Post by **Lotek** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 8:18 am

@sigma, dude, i need to keep the late night forum browsing in check.

thesigma · Post by **thesigma** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 5:14 pm

Lotek wrote:@sigma, dude, i need to keep the late night forum browsing in check.

No worries.