The manual only writes about connecting Pyramid via USB to a computer, but can i also use Pyramid’s USB to connect gear that doesn’t have any MIDI-ports?
E.g i want to purchase something for finger drumming, i noticed all these new machines are USB-only. Would connecting the Pyramid to such a device work?
Thanks
It’s not simple, I’m afraid if you want to go in AND out to more than one device.
I see, thanks!
My rig changes, because I’m always fiddling, changing, tweaking and I no longer perform live nor release music so I’m fine with that (and that long explanation indicates I’m not as fine with that as I’d like to advertise, but I’m dealing with my therapist on that issue and success remains to be seen).
That being said. heh heh
My Pyramid is powered by a USB Hub and also receives incoming MIDI there.
I have a generic pad/knob controller [USB] => USB Hub Connected to a BomeBox that translates and routes the buttons/knob data to what I want/need => Pyramid In
There is also a Nektar keyboard/knob/pad controller hooked up via USB Hub also inputting data to the Pyramid (merged & translated via BomeBox), among other destinations for the data.
While the USB is also sending signal to an Octatrack (translated via BomeBox and using the Box DIN Out , and a Prophet 12 (because I never have to worry about DSI MIDI in USB or DIN because: DSfkgI)).
Pyramid DIN MIDI is going to multi-timbral romplers and a homebuilt sample playback device, which I use exclusively for drums.
Takeaway from my side of things (that is, the ‘moron side’. LOL): USB MIDI with a Host. Once you gots that host tho, it’s pretty awesome (power + data). iConnectivity or some of the other similar devices might work. Perhaps @thetechnobear could update us on if the MIDIHub will be able to do this. (heh heh - I see TechnoBear is in the Beta for it - not because I’m stalking but because I’m Creepy (and have an interest in the product, eh?))
Caveat: I have horrible issues with MIDI jitter (or perhaps I’m more sensitive to it…?), so I try to avoid using USB MIDI. I haven’t noticed an issue yet, but I’m still ‘building tools’ rather than making music with the rig right now.
Yes the trouble with MIDI is of course jitter… e.g i had Pyramid send clock to one of my synths and if i look at the received clock (which is displayed!), wow - it’s all over the place, it can be over 1 BPM difference. 1m MIDI cable of highest quality…
These issues are totally gone with CV/Gate (i’m quite used to analog gear). I’m gonna have to do serious editing in the DAW if i ever complete a track (doubtful lol).
People have all sorts of dumb things they say to defend MIDI and latency, one is that you can’t hear less than 30ms latency (total BS), or the tired argument of how sound takes x amount of ms to reach your ear… it’s totally uninteresting, what matters is syncronization between the instruments in the song. If a drum hit is supposed to sound beautifully layered with another drum hit (just an example) it will not sound “bom!” it will sound “bbom!”, ratcheting effect, even if it’s just 2ms latency…
If the USB midi is even worse than regular MIDI then it’s a total skip for me anyways.
The iConnectivity mio devices or the Bomebox, both of which act as USB hosts, would accommodate your requirement very well. You can do simple or elaborate midi routing, filtering, muting, and channel transformation. With the Bomebox, you can get really crazy with programming translations and actions between your devices. I use it to control multiple devices from a single controller surface, with light color feedback, etc. I think either one would get you the results you’re after. I actually have both and couldn’t live without them in my studio. By the way, the clock of both these devices is excellent - super low latency and jitter.
I’ll look into these, thanks!.
Hi all, what I am trying to do is connect Korg nanoKontrol2 via DoreMidi UMH-10 USB to MIDI host and then to the Pyramid. All CCs are received well as long as I move sliders on nano very slowly. As soon as I move them a bit faster, Pyramid locks up, goes crazy and starts sending non sensical clock and CC messages. Moving sliders on nano fast can sometimes start the Pyramid from a stop state. If I look up the messages sent from nano via UMH-10 with my iPad and MIDI wrench I can see that CC messages when sliders are moving fast are marked with [M]. I guess that is what’s causing an issue. Anyone knows what that [M] might mean, why is it there and why is Pyramid reacting like that?
Those symptoms, you have a MIDI loop in there.
Thanks for chipping in. The marker on MIDI Wrench is actually [MP] next to every CC message that comes out of DoreMidi and only next to ones that are have a different value from the one sent at the same time marker. There should not be any MIDI loops in my setup unless one is inside a Pyramid for some reason. I tried different projects on Pyramid and the same thing happens. What should [MP] mean?
It looks like DoreMidi UMH-10 doesn’t support MIDI 2.0 despite nanoKontrol2 being listed on their site as compatible. Could that be the issue?
All right, here’s an update to my troubles that might help someone in a similar situation. It looks like Pyramid was getting suffocated with CCs as I was also running a MIDI step CC controller (EF-303) into it as well via MIDI Kenton Merge 4. If I disable the EF-303 then nanoKontrol2 still causes too much trouble for the Pyramid and causes it to stop working. Therefore, I got myself an old nanoKontrol and that one is causing much less issues with Pyramid when EF-303 is not sending anything in. I just need to find out why is EF-303 sending 10 CCs per step when I was just expecting just 1.
On the topic of UMH-10, DoreMidi is listing it as compatible with nanoKontrol2 though on their forum discourages use with controllers that need drivers on the PC to be able to be recognised by the PC. For such controllers they recommend a new UMH-21.
Last thing, EF-303 was sending loads of CCs per step because Smooth mode was enabled inside Step modulator which makes transitions from step to step less abrupt. One learns every day…
At least I’ve got a system that I wanted in the end, even if it’s by using quite an old MIDI gear.