midi via virus' midi thru using ableton

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feltmanmusik
 
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midi via virus' midi thru using ableton

Post by feltmanmusik »

Just got an xoxbox on ebay and am trying to sync it up. My setup is this: macbook pro, apogee duet audio interface, moog subphatty, DSI tetra, Access Virus Ti, e-mu X-board.
I am trying to figure out how I can sync the xoxbox with ableton. I am terribly short on USB options, the virus requires a dedicated USB input on the mac or it won't be stable and I am using a 4 way hub I plug into the only other available USB input on the mac. Those four are used up by the interface (which has NO midi), the DSI, the Moog and the X-board. I hope to use the only midi thru I have in my setup, on the Virus, to sync up the xoxbox but haven't a clue as to 1) configure ableton for the xoxbox 2) configure the xoxbox and 3) configure the virus. I'd have thought that by simply plugging the midi thru from virus to midi in on the xoxbox might work. Oh, I strive to be as analog as possible so audio outs of the synths go into an Allen and Heath 14 channel mixer and the mixer outs into the audio inputs of the Duet interface.
Any help greatly appreciated!

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antto
 
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Re: midi via virus' midi thru using ableton

Post by antto »

try setting the x0xb0x in midisync mode
make sure the DAW is actually sending midi sync messages

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mmm
 
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Re: midi via virus' midi thru using ableton

Post by mmm »

You need to enable in Ableton's preferences (the MIDI/Sync tab) the port you've connected your Virus to for Sync Out (that's the middle column).

If the Virus actually sends out the Sync data at the Thru port - I don't know.

feltmanmusik
 
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Re: midi via virus' midi thru using ableton

Post by feltmanmusik »

I think I firstly need to know how to use it with Ableton. In the preferences pane I THINK it must be the xoxbox that shows itself as USB Midi device. I am selecting sync for both the in and the out. Do I need to create a midi track for the xoxbox? If so, do I need to make an external instrument in that track? What wouyld then be the configuration of the track and external instrument? Can I sync up with just a midi cable coming from the virus to the xoxbox for it to show in Ableton preferences or is it neccessary to still plug the USB from the xoxbox into the computer (which I understood was for firmware and memory transfer)?

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antto
 
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Re: midi via virus' midi thru using ableton

Post by antto »

hold on, the USB on the x0xb0x is not "midi-over-USB"
it's used as a serial port for connection with the computer for pattern backup and firmware update

the x0xb0x has old-fashion MIDI ports - IN, THRU, OUT

now, your computer should have a MIDI interface, and it should have a similar-looking MIDI-OUT so you plug a MIDI cable from that to the x0xb0x MIDI-IN and then it should work (given that the DAW is configured properly)

the other variant is.. if any of those machines you have have MIDI-OUT or MIDI-THRU and relay midisync on there - then that might work
...but i'm not familiar with any of these machines you mentioned, nor with Ableton

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mmm
 
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Re: midi via virus' midi thru using ableton

Post by mmm »

feltmanmusik wrote:I think I firstly need to know how to use it with Ableton. In the preferences pane I THINK it must be the xoxbox that shows itself as USB Midi device.
The xoxbox will NOT show up in the Ableton MIDI preferences. Those preferences will only display the devices DIRECTLY connected to the computer. So if you had a multi-port MIDI interface you would see "Port 1", "Port 2" and so on but not what's connected to it.
So, if you have the Virus connected to your computer by USB the Virus will show up in the preferences. Then you need to enable this particular port for Sync Output, connect the xoxbox to the Virus (Thru from Virus connects to In at the xoxbox) and hope that clock data is actually forwarded from USB to the MIDI Thru port of the Virus.
If you have the xoxbox in the appropriate Mode (Patt MIDI or Track MIDI) it will sync by itself to Ableton.

feltmanmusik
 
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Re: midi via virus' midi thru using ableton

Post by feltmanmusik »

I have also found my midi connections to be erratic, that is to say at times certain units will be enabled in the Mac midi setup and the ableton preferences pane, other times they don't even show...I'm beginning to wonder if I might simplify the setup and avoid USB directly from some units and go midi cable via a breakout box like M Audio midiman or MOTU micro lite. The Virus will always need one of the two usb ports on the mac, unfortunately, leaving me just one for a LOT of other units (keyboard controller, audio interface, moog, dsi and the xoxbox!). That has been a constant limitation of the Macbook pro for me!

feltmanmusik
 
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Re: midi via virus' midi thru using ableton

Post by feltmanmusik »

MMM wrote:
feltmanmusik wrote:I think I firstly need to know how to use it with Ableton. In the preferences pane I THINK it must be the xoxbox that shows itself as USB Midi device.
The xoxbox will NOT show up in the Ableton MIDI preferences. Those preferences will only display the devices DIRECTLY connected to the computer. So if you had a multi-port MIDI interface you would see "Port 1", "Port 2" and so on but not what's connected to it.
So, if you have the Virus connected to your computer by USB the Virus will show up in the preferences. Then you need to enable this particular port for Sync Output, connect the xoxbox to the Virus (Thru from Virus connects to In at the xoxbox) and hope that clock data is actually forwarded from USB to the MIDI Thru port of the Virus.
If you have the xoxbox in the appropriate Mode (Patt MIDI or Track MIDI) it will sync by itself to Ableton.
I've done this....unplugged everything but the virus and audio interface from the mac. Only the interface and virus plugged in. Run midi thru from Virus to midi in on xoxbox. In Sync preferences of ableton sync out from the virus. Nothing. But I plug midi OUT from virus to the in on the xoxbox and it syncs! Go figure.

feltmanmusik
 
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Re: midi via virus' midi thru using ableton

Post by feltmanmusik »

I have managed to sync up...midi out of the virus plugged into midi in of the xoxbox, in Ableton preferences virus' midi out sync on. Starts and stops with Ableton. Understood that the xoxbox USB serves to only update firmware and save patterns elsewhere. Thanks for the advice. Now to try and get the firmware up to date (if possible via mac).

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