Keyboard connection question

FAQ / Support
1

Hi.
I am just experimenting with my new dadamachine.
Now I want to connect my MIDI Keyboard ( AKAI LPK25) to the machine.
But how can I do that.
Using the USB Mini (B) to USB (A) that came with the keyboard doesn’t fit. Using it with a USB hub connected to the machine doesn’t work either.

Will it work if I get a USB Mini (B) to USB (B) cable?

I cold plug it to my keyboard and the machine directly. Or go into my hub and from there with other cables into the machine.
Thanks for the advice.
Markus

2

Hey Markus, using USB you need one device that’s a USB host, other device(s) are USB clients. That is also true for USB MIDI. In your scenario both the keyboard and the Automat are USB clients, which will not work even if you plug them together with a cable that fits. To get this to work you have to have a USB host, e.g. a computer, in between both devices. That host then must run some piece of software to route the USB MIDI messages from one device to the other. Any DAW can do this, but there are other options.

If your keyboard has a DIN-MIDI output (5-pin), then you actually CAN connect this directly to the Automat without anything in between. DIN-MIDI does not require host/client. Hope this helped.

3

thanks for the quick reply.
I connected my Keyboard to the MacBook. I can use it within Garageband.
But now I connect my machine to the other USB Port, and nothing happens.
MIDI Learning mode, nothing,
Only within garageband I can hear soem notes.
Any idea?
Markus

4

@knoedel @myecholalia is right about the USB Host / USB Device situation. We initially made the automat with the feature to be Host or Device. Which would have allowed to directly plug your LPK25. But sadly the connectors supporting this are not really durable. Only Micro-USB and Mini-USB support this feature.
Regarding the routing through a computer. I think you can do it with the App called “Audio MIDI Setup” on your Macbook. If you open it, you have to open another Window. “Window / Show MIDI Studio or cmd + 2”. From there you probably need to try a bit yourself. I found these two links explaining the process how to “route” signals from one Device to another:

  1. http://showmeprotools.com/apple-ams-audio-midi-setup-for-pro-tools/
  2. https://sites.google.com/site/mfalab/mac-stuff/how-to-use-the-iac-driver

Let me know if one works for you. Or you find something better. Maybe i can do a proper writeup for others having the same question than.

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