I’ve attached a file of my current Midi Port set-up, but for convenience this is the current MID Port setup.
My previous MIDI setup was controlled by the MOTU Studio 128x, a PCI based multi-port MIDI router which provided 128 MIDI channels on Eight MIDI ports. Software provided routing set-ups.
Current setup review. MIDI Ins
In Cubase with the Akai Advance keyboard and Scarlett interface, I’m seeing Three MIDI Inputs:
Windows MIDI In → Advance MIDI Port 2
Windows MIDI In → Advance USB Port
Windows MIDI In → Scarlett 2i4 USB.
All three Ports are “Active” and ‘All MIDI In’ is selected for each.
MIDI Outs
Two Active outputs, two inactive; the inactive MIDI outs are deselected and hence not visible.
Windows MIDI Out → Advance MIDI Port 2
Windows MIDI Out → Advance USB Port
Windows MIDI Out → Scarlett 2i4 USB - Inactive
Windows MIDI Out → Microsoft G5 Wavetable Synth - inactive
Connections:
The Advance MIDI Out/In cables connected to/from the Scarlett MIDI In/Out (5 Pin MIDI cables), the Advance keyboard also connects to Scarlett I/O via USB – two MIDI ports entering and leaving the Advance and going to the Interface’s MIDI In and USB Ports respectively. Interface’s I/O connected via USB to DAW.
Question:
How many MIDI Ports can USB accommodate? Or, how should I think about it? I see I have two working ports and they both operate, but can more ports be added via a single USB? I kind of miss the ease with which I could select a port and assign channels to it with my previous MIDI multi-port setups.
I want to add back some of my hardware synths. I assume I’d just use the Advance Keyboard’s 5-PIN MIDI ports and send MIDI to/from the instruments, per normal, via that port? Any suggestions about that, best practices, workflow considerations?
Anyway, thanks for having a quick look and any suggestions or ways to think about MIDI Port Setup in Cubase are welcome. take care.
I think the limit for number of midi ports in windows is still 127. But you’ll probably run into timing issues before, especially when using lots of midi USB to host connections. You can’t manually add USB to host ports. It wouldn’t make any sense anyway because the device port will become available and active when the instrument/controller is plugged in. You can add a 6 port USB hub and technically you could see that as 6 USB to host connections. You just need the midi devices to make it so.
I use an 8in/8out midi interface and some USB to host devices and I always make sure with every new installation to name my midi setup exactly the same as it was in previous installations to prevent ‘nag messages’ about not able to find midi ports that where used in existing projects. So if you used this synth on say port ‘Korg Kronos’ in former projects make sure you name it the exactly the same now. Then it will fire up the the projects without notifying you about missing or misnamed ports.
I prefer 5 pin midi connection whenever possible. I only use a single midi keyboard most of the time. But I unplugged the USB and use it’s midi out connected to the audio interface. The usb was giving me problems. Hanging notes, losing connection…
Regarding the midi ports over single usb, I think it depends on the device connected. That’s not something you can change manually. Apart from disabling certain ports.
You can connect external gear to midi in of your controller. But unles you can assign the midi in to separate port it will be seen as single midi port so you can’t distinguish between what’s the actual controller and what’s the device connected to it.
I’ve read some of it and skimmed over other parts. Thanks to the posts here and the document MIDI over USB is all much more clear to me now.
I realize from this review that I’ve been under utilizing my MIDI setup a bit. Thanks again for the help with this. It’s great to find out that there’s more my current setup can do than I was putting to use.
Best regards,
Stephen
P.S. – Found this document and thought it would be good to note here.
