Dee
member
Joined: 06/02/04
Posts: 381
Loc: IRELAND
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A rather embarrassing question.....
#946582 - 11/10/11 07:53 PM
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....I see controller keyboards now seem to hook up to midi via USB. I always thought midi
was....well with a midi cable. I am so out of this particular loop it is scary. Do these
midi controller keyboards just hook up to a PC with a standard USB connection and
voila....you get the same functionality as you did with the old style midi in/out/thru
-------------------- Hail Hail and up the VSTs
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Neokoenig
Joined: 24/05/08
Posts: 274
Loc: Oxford
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Re: A rather embarrassing question.....
[Re: Dee]
#946584 - 11/10/11 08:18 PM
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Ultimately, it's just digital information. My M-Audio keyboard does midi over USB, no
problem. I can't chain anything from the keyboard though.
-------------------- Web Design ~
Drum Studio
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Korff
Loose Cannon (Reviews Editor)
Joined: 20/10/06
Posts: 1996
Loc: The Wrong Precinct
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Re: A rather embarrassing question.....
[Re: Dee]
#946587 - 11/10/11 08:29 PM
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MIDI is the protocol; the 'language' that MIDI-enabled devices use (note on/off messages,
velocity, 128-step CC numbers, etc). Traditionally it was shuttled around via those 5-pin
DIN plugs and sockets you're talking about, but it can be sent via USB (or Ethernet, or
indeed within the computer itself - between your sequencer and virtual instruments, for
example). MIDI doesn't require much bandwidth (the amount of data is tiny compared with,
say, audio), so things like USB and Ethernet can carry hundreds and hundreds of MIDI
channels at a time. In fact it's been used with different connectors for ages — I've got
an ancient MIDI keyboard that has a socket for hooking up to computer joystick ports (it
can even take power from it too!).
Cheers!
Chris
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Dee
member
Joined: 06/02/04
Posts: 381
Loc: IRELAND
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Re: A rather embarrassing question.....
[Re: Dee]
#946590 - 11/10/11 08:45 PM
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Thanks so much for the replies. Yeah, I always thought it was the standard midi cable and
that was it. I did hear about connecting via USB before but automatically dismissed it as
maybe some sort of cut down internal link between keyboard and PC. Never actually thought
that USB had full midi functionality and carried all the controls!! You learn something
new every day so cheers for answering my rather basic and embarrassing question!! 
-------------------- Hail Hail and up the VSTs
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chris...
active member
Joined: 12/03/03
Posts: 4166
Loc: Glasgow
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Re: A rather embarrassing question.....
[Re: Dee]
#946603 - 11/10/11 10:18 PM
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Quote Dee:
Do these midi
controller keyboards just hook up to a PC with a standard USB connection and voila....you
get the same functionality as you did with the old style midi in/out/thru
Yep. Means you don't need a separate MIDI
interface device, which is nice.
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Martin Walker
Watcher Of The Skies
Joined: 28/02/01
Posts: 16477
Loc: Cornwall, UK
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Re: A rather embarrassing question.....
[Re: Dee]
#946683 - 12/10/11 11:15 AM
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...and in my experience occasionally the USB link can have slightly lower latency than a
standard MIDI connection, which is nice!  Martin
-------------------- YewTreeMagic
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Dee
member
Joined: 06/02/04
Posts: 381
Loc: IRELAND
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Re: A rather embarrassing question.....
[Re: Dee]
#947982 - 19/10/11 12:44 PM
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Ohhhhh - lower latency always brings a smile to my face Martin Thanks folks
-------------------- Hail Hail and up the VSTs
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