Can the Kronos control an M3 module over USB using MIDI?

Discussion relating to the Korg Kronos Workstation.

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shobley
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Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:45 pm

Can the Kronos control an M3 module over USB using MIDI?

Post by shobley »

I have seen online that the Kronos is a USB compliant MIDI master, although I cannot find anything yet in the manual about it.

https://www.tecontrol.se/products/usb-m ... roller/faq
"The Korg Kronos is a USB MIDI class compliant master."

I have an M3 module - is there any chance that the Kronos keyboard and sequencer can "play" the M3 via MIDI with just a USB cable?
voip
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Post by voip »

Via a USB cable alone, absolutely not. For a start, the M3 module cannot be powered only by USB. Its power requirements greatly exceed the USB spec of the day, so it was never designed that way. The M3 module needs to be powered using the supplied mains PSU, even for it to be recognised as a slave MIDI device via its USB-B port.

The M3's USB-A ports are for storage devices only. There is no USB MIDI host capability associated with these ports, so it couldn't be connected to the Kronos' USB-B port for MIDI over USB. On the other hand, the M3's USB-B can be used as a MIDI slave, allowing MIDI to be sent and received.

The Kronos' USB-A ports act as hosts, allowing class compliant MIDI controllers to be connected, so it should be possible for the Kronos USB-A port to receive USB MIDI from the M3's USB-B port, but there is no mention anywhere of the Kronos being able to send MIDI out via the USB-A port, although it does send proprietary messages to connected Korg controllers e.g. nanoPAD2. Connecting the Kronos USB-A port to the M3 USB-B port would not cause any damage, so you could at least try to see if it is possible, but it would seem unlikely. If you do try this, please do report your findings, either way.

The Kronos' USB-B port can act as a MIDI slave, to send and receive MIDI to a connected USB Host (e.g. PC). Unfortunately, it is not possible to connect the Kronos and M3 USB-B ports together and expect functionality, as USB doesn't work that way.

There should be no issue with using a standard DIN-plug-ended MIDI cable, between the Kronos MIDI Out and the M3 MIDI In, to control the M3's tone generator from the Kronos.

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shobley
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:45 pm

Post by shobley »

OK thanks... yeah the whole thing is a bit of a grey area.

Not looking to power the M3 via USB just send and receive control data Kronos A to M3 B.

I tried it last night and could get no response, connecting a regular MIDI cable did work, as I expected it would.

Online I have read that MIDI, network, and storage media can be connected to the USB A port, but nothing more. Not totally sure how the MIDI interfaces would work, but I have one somewhere and can give it a try.
voip
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Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 2:07 pm

Post by voip »

I've just run a test, the results of which may be of interest.

If the Kronos USB-A is connected to the Radias USB-B module (it only has USB-B), then the Kronos is able to receives MIDI note messages from the Radias, but not the other way round.

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