The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

joel wrote:
> 
> From: joel <mango@...>
> 
> >
> 
> Thanks for the suggestions, i think i've found another problem too though,
> it's with the ways the keys are mappable (and possible 'wrongly' mapped) on
> the tr-707, i'll try to get into that next.
> 

??????

> > BTW - Like is incomplete with a Multi-port MIDI Interface.  Even a 2-in
> > 2-out deal is nicer than a 1-in 1-out box.  I'd suggest keeping your
> > eyes on the 2nd hand market for a deal.  You will never regret it!
> >
> 
> I've always wondered why a two (or even more) in and out midi"box" is
> useful....
> you have 32 channels then, right? (2x 16) it would be nice if Cubase could
> read 32 channels, or even 64 or 128 ;) doesn't matter to me.. but it can't,
> can it?

Yes, it can on a multi-port MIDI Interface.  Example:  I have a 2-In
6-Out Opcode MIDI Interface.  My AN1x is on one port where I can access
both of its two available MIDI Channels (as you already know the AN1x is
bi-timbral not multi-timbral.)  My ASR-X Pro is on the other port where
I can access all 16 MIDI Channels simultaneously (the X is a
multi-timbral box.)  This gives me 18 concurrent MIDI Channels!  Say you
had four multi-timbral synths/samplers - you could address all 16
available MIDI Channels on each box with a 4x4 Interface.  That's quite
a lot of firepower ;-)  I'm not familiar with Windows version of Cubase
but this is a perfectly normal set-up in a Mac.  I've used Vision for
years, I'm currently running a Cubase v4 demo and I'm about to install a
Logic Audio demo.  Each of them supports this functionality.

Each separate port on a multi-port MIDI Interface can access 16 channels
each so an 8x8 MIDI Interface can provide 128 MIDI Channels!!! I use to
have one before I downsized my 'rig' and it's a nice item when you get
beyond two MIDI devices.  I'm thinking of unloading my old 2x6 for a
MOTU MIDI Express - the one with both Serial and USB ports.  Now I don't
believe USB MIDI Interfaces are quite there yet - too many problems
handling SysEx data - but I also think its a matter of time before the
OS level USB drivers along with device specific drivers are improved
upon.  It's no mLAN but it will USB will probably stabilize before mLAN
is widely adopted.

> I can't see any other benefits from a 2-in 2-out midi"box", but i may just be
> a little stupid with this. =)
> 
Hope this helps.

Jon

-- 
http://www.jdlx-musique.com/