I have a casio midi controller with a printer USB ( squarish and smaller than UUSB 2) .... I can't find a cable with the Printer usb and 5-pin Din. Is there such thing or do I need to find a Hub / converter. Any recommendations?
Thank You
Happy New Year
Volca +midi controller
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I don't think you can do that with just a cable - here's a thread on another forum covering some of the options:
http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthread ... to_5_wire_
http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthread ... to_5_wire_
Thank you , VolcaPaul
It looks like the Iconnectivity midi might be the solution. I will need to run the cable from the oldish Casio ctk 3200 ( no filters and envelopes, just keyboard. Works for ipolysix, with the Lightning caple kit), connect the usb 2 end to Iconnectivity, and run 5pin Din to the Volca midi in.
Might be cheaper to get a keyboard with midi out but the affordable ones are only 25 keys. The casio is 6octives range.
Though I'm trying to keep the setup cheap and low end it's starting to add up:)
Thank you.
It looks like the Iconnectivity midi might be the solution. I will need to run the cable from the oldish Casio ctk 3200 ( no filters and envelopes, just keyboard. Works for ipolysix, with the Lightning caple kit), connect the usb 2 end to Iconnectivity, and run 5pin Din to the Volca midi in.
Might be cheaper to get a keyboard with midi out but the affordable ones are only 25 keys. The casio is 6octives range.
Though I'm trying to keep the setup cheap and low end it's starting to add up:)
Thank you.
Not something I've ever got working myself, but I've seen people talking about using a mains powered usb hub with the iOS camera kit to give more usb sockets for simultaneous usage of usb devices.
If that does work, then you might be able to plug the casio into the hub via usb and plug a standard usb to midi interface into the hub too, and route the 2 together via an app that has a soft thru.
Might be worth trying if you already have the bits around you.
If that does work, then you might be able to plug the casio into the hub via usb and plug a standard usb to midi interface into the hub too, and route the 2 together via an app that has a soft thru.
Might be worth trying if you already have the bits around you.
Just tried it with a cheap 4 port unpowered hub and first time it didn't work, but tried it again and it worked - giving both my roland um-one mk2 usb midi-interface and griffin imic both working with cubasis on the ipad at the same time.
So that's 2 usb devices plugged in and being recognised and working at the same time.
I unplugged it and plugged it back in and it didn't work. A few more attempts and it worked again. Something very odd going on, but it's clearly possible.
Added:
the only way I've been able to get this to work reliably is to turn the ipad off, then turn it on and plug in the usb connector and wait a few seconds, then plug in the hub, then plug in the roland and imic. that has worked 3 out of 3.
So that's 2 usb devices plugged in and being recognised and working at the same time.
I unplugged it and plugged it back in and it didn't work. A few more attempts and it worked again. Something very odd going on, but it's clearly possible.
Added:
the only way I've been able to get this to work reliably is to turn the ipad off, then turn it on and plug in the usb connector and wait a few seconds, then plug in the hub, then plug in the roland and imic. that has worked 3 out of 3.
Would a powered hub work better or is there an issue of sync due to the voltage generated by the hub?
Are you having success with your SteppolyArp and Volca?
Inspired by your track I bought the app and been playing around it the past few days. However, the Volca only voices a piano tone. None of the synth presets seem to go thru the Volca. Is that because they are internal use by the app?
Are you having success with your SteppolyArp and Volca?
Inspired by your track I bought the app and been playing around it the past few days. However, the Volca only voices a piano tone. None of the synth presets seem to go thru the Volca. Is that because they are internal use by the app?
The powered hub thing only seems to be an issue if the device being connected needs to draw a lot of power.
Case in point: I have a midi controller that has both 5 pin midi out and usb b (the printer type socket). problem is that when it is connected via usb it tries to draw power via usb, even though it has batteries which it uses when connected by 5 pin din. The ipad doesn't send enough power via the usb to operate this. The powered hub I tried didn't work (although that could have been the same intermittent connection issue I've seen with the unpowered).
I didn't use steppolyarp on the track I uploaded - that was all volca sequencing. I really do like that app though. I've been playing with a bunch to try and get more flexibility - thesys and midisequencer are also both interesting in their own way.
I really like the way steppolyarp allows you to set midi channels for each row. Using that with a splitter allows for all kinds of possibilities across the volcas.
The piano tone is the default sound that steppolyarp generates on the ipad audio out (headphones or usb audio interface) - the volca would be generating tones out of its headphone jack, with the patch being that set by the relevant settings on the volca.
The presets in the app are just ipad generated - they're not something that are sent to the volca.
It is confusing though, as the sounds menu is in the midi section even though they have nothing to do with midi.
Case in point: I have a midi controller that has both 5 pin midi out and usb b (the printer type socket). problem is that when it is connected via usb it tries to draw power via usb, even though it has batteries which it uses when connected by 5 pin din. The ipad doesn't send enough power via the usb to operate this. The powered hub I tried didn't work (although that could have been the same intermittent connection issue I've seen with the unpowered).
I didn't use steppolyarp on the track I uploaded - that was all volca sequencing. I really do like that app though. I've been playing with a bunch to try and get more flexibility - thesys and midisequencer are also both interesting in their own way.
I really like the way steppolyarp allows you to set midi channels for each row. Using that with a splitter allows for all kinds of possibilities across the volcas.
The piano tone is the default sound that steppolyarp generates on the ipad audio out (headphones or usb audio interface) - the volca would be generating tones out of its headphone jack, with the patch being that set by the relevant settings on the volca.
The presets in the app are just ipad generated - they're not something that are sent to the volca.
It is confusing though, as the sounds menu is in the midi section even though they have nothing to do with midi.
The Volcas in the right hand are really great sounding production...balanced feel to the track too.
When you say splitter are you referring to Eg. Belkins Rockstar? My experience is that rockstar diminishes the volume of the Volcas, especially Vbeats. Hardly hear the Hats.
Since SteppolyArp enables you to edit each event , and since it just a piano midi .... Why use 16 channels for one piano track? Won't that be more useful if the app was using several instruments?
When you say splitter are you referring to Eg. Belkins Rockstar? My experience is that rockstar diminishes the volume of the Volcas, especially Vbeats. Hardly hear the Hats.
Since SteppolyArp enables you to edit each event , and since it just a piano midi .... Why use 16 channels for one piano track? Won't that be more useful if the app was using several instruments?
No, I'm talking about a midi splitter - which duplicates the midi data input to it to multiple outputs. That lets me control 3 volcas from 1 midi out cable coming from the ipad or controller keyboard.When you say splitter are you referring to Eg. Belkins Rockstar?
(The rockstar works ok for me, but the beats has to be cranked to full volume and the others kept quite low to balance it out. That first track I posted - the one without the kaosspad - was recorded via the rockstar)
I don't use the internal sounds - I use it as a midi arpgeggiator/sequencer. when hooked up to the midi splitter, I can have multiple volcas being sent notes at the same time as they are each assigned a different midi channel.Since SteppolyArp enables you to edit each event , and since it just a piano midi .... Why use 16 channels for one piano track? Won't that be more useful if the app was using several instruments?
Ok, You get economy of time and space from the midi splitter. So, via the iPad or controller you send instructions to the midi in of the Volcas which in turn is shared by each volca thru the splitter ( thru box?) For eg. You divide the channels into 3 , each volca getting 5 channels ( or however divided). Or each volca will get one eg. Channel 1 for Vbeat , 2 for vbass , and 3 for Vkeys. From the iPad you manipulate the Volca.....or you may send three different arrangements fron the steppolyarp to each volca.
I need to read more on the subject.
As always thank you for giving me something to learn about.
I need to read more on the subject.
As always thank you for giving me something to learn about.
the volcas can be assigned a single midi channel from 1-16, so any midi data with that channel attached will be played by the volca and anything with a different channel will be ignored. Funnily enough I used the same numbers you suggested 1-beats, 2-bass and 3-keys.
all the splitter does is send the same midi messages to each device connected to its output eg the volcas.
my splitter has 1 input and 3 outputs.
I can send any midi data, for any channel, from the ipad or controller and all the volcas will receive it and act upon the data with their channel number attached.
so with something like steppolyarp or cubasis, I can send out different notes on different channels at the same time, and the 3 volcas will only play the notes relevant to them.
I combine the volca audio outputs either via the rockstar or a mixer depending on how much time I've got to play with them.
all the splitter does is send the same midi messages to each device connected to its output eg the volcas.
my splitter has 1 input and 3 outputs.
I can send any midi data, for any channel, from the ipad or controller and all the volcas will receive it and act upon the data with their channel number attached.
so with something like steppolyarp or cubasis, I can send out different notes on different channels at the same time, and the 3 volcas will only play the notes relevant to them.
I combine the volca audio outputs either via the rockstar or a mixer depending on how much time I've got to play with them.