What do you use MIDI OUT for?

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maxxpaul
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What do you use MIDI OUT for?

Post by maxxpaul »

Hi guys,
I always wondered what is really the use for midi out? How do you use it guys?
Is it for live performance mostly? Am I right to assume it's not used as often as, say, Midi IN ?
I mean, if you already have the score in your DAW/seqencer and can output the notes buy using a software synth, why would you output the notes as midi signal to an external midi device? What is the use? Is it to make use of a hardware synthesizer with better sound? Is it to apply effects during live performance in a more confortable manner, turning "real knobs" on a hardware device? Or maybe you connect it to some kind of strobe lights controller or a laser show device (j/k :D) )...
If the midi device is a keyboard or a drum machine, I guess you can send some base loop/song to it, making it "sing by itslef" while you can focus on 'turning knobs'?

Sorry if this is a newb question, and maybe I've just answered it with my assumptions above (please confirm :) ), but I was just curious and I had to ask.

Also, the difference between in MIDI-USB adapter and a 1x1 MIDI interface (sporting both midi in and midi out) is just the extra midi out on the midi interface? I'm trying to consider my options here and wondering if I really need that midi out.

Thanks.
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ssj71
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Re: What do you use MIDI OUT for?

Post by ssj71 »

maxxpaul wrote: I always wondered what is really the use for midi out? How do you use it guys?
You did answer a lot of the common use cases. Even the lighting thing is a real use case. For me personally I only use it for sysex (system exclusive) messages that configure my midi controller. Its much much quicker and easier to configure using a GUI on the computer and dump it to the device than to push all the buttons, select the CC value, go to the next control and repeat. There are lots of gear that can only be controlled by MIDI, so you have to have something that has a MIDI out! :)
maxxpaul wrote: Also, the difference between in MIDI-USB adapter and a 1x1 MIDI interface (sporting both midi in and midi out) is just the extra midi out on the midi interface? I'm trying to consider my options here and wondering if I really need that midi out.
I'm not sure what products specifically you mean, but its more or less two names for the same thing. 1x1 is more specific, so it could be a 1x1 usb-midi adapter or a 2x2 etc. Its usefulness depends on what hardware you have. For me, I only have 1 device that I use it on, and I only reconfigure it once every blue moon, but when I want MIDI out, I'm glad I have it.

The $6 generic usb-midi things on amazon have been good for me. I did get one that would always hold onto the last message and send it when another message came, so theres some risk. Just test and send it back if its bad. The second I got has been great for the 3 years or so I've been using it.
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Re: What do you use MIDI OUT for?

Post by English Guy »

I use a midi out sometimes to run an external device. My Roland MT32 has some nice sounds that I like.
maxxpaul
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Re: What do you use MIDI OUT for?

Post by maxxpaul »

Thank you guys.
i5-3570k, Asrock Z97 Pro3, 8GB RAM
snd: @PCI CMI8738 +15-pin MIDI + TerraTec keyboard / @m/b Realtek ALC892 Audio
gpu: Radeon HD5670 1920p@HDMI, 1366x760@DVI / Intel HD (disabled)
hdd: sda1 ntfs Win7, sda2 ext4 KXStudio, sda3 swap, sdb ntfs, sdc ntfs
Frank Carvalho
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Re: What do you use MIDI OUT for?

Post by Frank Carvalho »

Since I've started to use my computer to control my live setup, I don't really see how I would be able to control my outboard gear without a MIDI OUT. Those of us that grew our keyboard collection during the 80'ies and 90'ies really had to connect the computer to the synth. For instance, what use is a Yamaha TZ801 or an Akai sampler to you if you have no device with a MIDI out to control it? Just saying....
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glowrak guy
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Re: What do you use MIDI OUT for?

Post by glowrak guy »

Let's not forget those precious midi-thru daisy chains :wink:
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