[sdiy] MIDI Router

[Scott Nordlund]

It would be a lot easier to just use switches.  I don't know how often you'd really need to go messing around with it, but for my purposes at least it would be more or less "set and forget".  You'd need a microcontroller if you wanted to merge/filter/etc. (in which case you'd do the routing in software rather than using the multiplexers) or to store settings, but for simple routing I don't know how much useful functionality it would really add.

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> Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2009 08:47:10 +0930
> From: matt at smiffytech.com
> To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> Subject: [sdiy] MIDI Router
>
> Hi Folks
>
> Just looking for some feedback on something I am planning to build.
>
> My current set-up consists of a Kawai K5000W workstation (additive
> synthesis,) Korg MS200R and Roland MKS70 modules plus a pair of vintage
> Akai samplers. I have plans (but very vague ones) for a home-brew
> hybrid synth and (less vague plans) for MIDI control surfaces for the
> Kawai and the Roland. Oh, and an Alesis SR16 drum machine.
>
> After working out that I would need more MIDI interfaces than I have USB
> ports on my [Linux] laptop (will be running the Qtractor DAW,) I had
> another look at my gear to see what I really needed. The issues that I
> feel need addressing are:
>
> * Backing up modules using MIDI SysEx - need as many MIDI ins to laptop
> as there are modules doing this.
> * Recording patterns from the Alesis to either the laptop or the
> workstation (in real time.)
> * Latency from using MIDI through.
> * MIDI routings getting to damn complex. Example: why am I not getting
> MIDI data on unit x? Because it's at the end of the MIDI through chain
> and one of the units in the middle is switched off.
>
> The logical solution would appear to be to have the MIDI ins and outs of
> every unit connected to a single patch/hub/router or whatever you want
> to call it. Every in can be routed to every out.
>
> An simple 8 in x 8 out unit could be built simply by using a 74HC151 mux
> for every output and a microcontroller (or possibly 2 microcontrollers -
> cheaper than using latches!) to control them. By multiplexing the
> multiplexers (say with 74HC157s) we could easily go to a 16x8 or, by
> duplicating the 74HC151s as well, having a full 16x16 unit.
>
> The uCs could be controlled from some sort of front-panel control and/or
> MIDI. (Add another 74HC151 and we could select not just the MIDI
> channel used to control the device, but the port as well.)
>
> My main question is which MIDI controller would I use for selecting
> patches? (Note that an 8x8 or a 16x8 unit would work fine here but a
> 16x16 could complicate the MIDI implementation if we only have 7 bits
> from which to select.)
>
> Any other comments/thoughts on this concept?
>
> Cheers
>
> M
>
> --
> Matthew Smith
> Smiffytech - Technology Consulting & Web Application Development
> Business: http://www.smiffytech.com/
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