Anything special about MIDI B?

Pyramid
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I can’t seem to send midi note data, time clock, etc. via the the MIDI B output. I believe I have all my MIDI B settings set accordingly but maybe I’m missing something (MIDI B MODE = OUT + THRU, SYNC = SEND, START/STOP = SEND). My MIDI keyboard connected to the pyramid won’t play any synths connected to this output. Ignoring the keyboard entirely I can’t make a step sequence that is sending to a MIDI B output (eg. “B06”). The same hardware works fine on the MIDI A output.

I see MIDI B supports DIN sync (I don’t have any synths that use it). Regardless do I need a particular cable on this output or will a standard MIDI cable do?

Do I need to change my MIDI input settings to be able to play through on both MIDI outputs?

Really all I wanna do is send MIDI beat clock and start/stop through B to my Tempest. Otherwise everything else will be on the A output.

I feel like this might be a hardware issue with the used Pyramid I just bought but this is new to me so I’m probably overlooking something.

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Not sure how you have set it up. I have 11 midi channels on the midi b output (with two midi thru boxes) and about 8 on the A channel.
I even run usb midi to some VSTs (hello access virus Ti).

You can send full midi to all channels. Basically it give you 3 outputs to go up to 16 channels (and then some cv).

Might be considered rude to ask, but did you wire the tempest to the B midi out port on the squarp?

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is your active track set to midi output B?

also try midi mode OUT instead of OUT + THRU

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FWIW I use MIDI A for all my synths and MIDI B for my TR-8S and BSP which hops through a Quadra Thru first. My MIDI OUT settings are all the same as yours except as @charonme mentioned I just have MIDI OUT and not “+ THRU” (MIDI OUT, SEND, SEND) - and can play through my MIDI Keyboard (which is connected on the MIDI IN on Pyramid).

I don’t believe I’ve done anything “special” for my MIDI IN settings - things are set up as following:
OFF, KEYPAD, C4, MULTITRACK OFF, OFF, OFF, OFF, ON, ON, OFF, OFF, OFF, ALLOW ECHO, SHORT

Aside from that assure you’re on the right channel at the track level (i.e. for Tempest MIDI B CH. 10…or whatever the channel)

2 Likes
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Check the MIDI Monitor for DIN B.
Does it show that Events are being sent?

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what’s an easy way to check that? is that done through a software?

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Thanks for the response. Yeah MIDI B out on squarp into MIDI input on Tempest. Nothin

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Yep set the active track to midi B B03 which corresponds to the midi “synth in” channel on my tempest. I’ve tried this with other synths as well and set the channels according to what I’m using.

Just tried changing the midi mode to OUT for B but it’s the same result. Tempest can’t even see the incoming time/beat clock coming in but has no issues on output A.

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Thanks for sharing your input settings too. Looks like all settings match yours and I’ve tried midi mode set to OUT too. Idk scratching my head on this one. I am secondhand gear cursed.

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2nd+FX → Info → MIDI B Out Monitor

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What I would do if it was fiscally warranted would be to get one of those cheap usb to midi cables and see if the tempest was receiving anything on its midi input. Beyond making sure the pyramid track you are on is indeed sending out on midi b on the channel set in tempest… I don’t think there are any real settings you need to mess with…

My example is an orbit 9090… and granted it’s not as complex as a tempest… it just worked… so… my diagnostic experience is implying to me that the tempest isn’t picking up what the pyramid is sending out… Sorry it’s not much and not actually very helpful… but that would be my suggestion… a physical midi keyboard or usb to midi sent from a DAW to check that it can pick up anything… Is there a “local only” control on the tempest?

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Got it. Yeah I am seeing beat clock and note info streaming from MIDI B. Any synth I put on MIDI B is unable to receive it despite settings the active channel accordingly

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Well, that means according to the Pyramid it is sending the data.
So there’s a few possibilities:

  • The Pyramid is actually not sending this data despite it thinking that it is
  • The Pyramid is sending this data, but a cable or connection (physical) is bad
  • The receiving device is either not set to listen to this data or is unable to process it in the manner you are expecting.

We can’t jump to the first one without doing due diligence on the other 2.

So:

  • Try a different cable (or two…or three)
  • Try a different synth
  • Send the data to MIDIOx or some other monitoring software to see if there is data on the other end of the cable.
  • I’m assuming you’ve triple and quadruple checked the receiving device

I can’t really think of anything else.
Perhaps someone else might have some brilliant insight.

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