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Old 01-16-2019, 10:09 AM   #1
stephenhero
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Default Very basic Reaper/MIDI setup questions

Hi, all. I've been using Reaper for the past year to produce my podcast, which is scripted, uses a lot of effects, clips, multiple voices, etc. This forum has been incredibly helpful throughout that process, and I really appreciate the expertise everyone has offered to newbies like me.

Now, though, I've gotten myself in over my head a bit. I'm in a band, as the keyboard player. We've decided to do some new wave songs (specifically, Cars covers). For this reason, I purchased a Nektar T4, hooked it up to my Win10 laptop via USB, and used Reaper to control my VSTs, with the audio output coming out of the headphone jack in the computer to my mixer pedal, then to the board/PA.

So far, all of this works fine. However, I have two other dedicated keyboards that I'd like to use as additional MIDI controllers for other instruments in a live setting (assign multiple synths to different controllers for the same song, etc.).

The first one is a Korg SV1, a wonderful piano/electric piano/clav stage instrument that I absolutely love for performance. The problem is, I have no idea what I'm doing when I try to add it to a MIDI daisy chain.

The T4 only offers a USB in and a MIDI out. So I hooked the MIDI out connection to the SV1 MIDI in. Then, I set the T4 to MIDI channel 1 and linked it to one VST track in Reaper. Next, I (I think) set the SV1 to Midi channel 3 (this involves hitting the D above C6, for some reason), created another VST track, loaded in an instrument, and set it (I think) to channel 3. Nothing. I fiddled around with it, and at some point managed to transmit the sound from the SV1 to the T4, where it combined with the VST instrument to produce kind of a cool sound, but definitely not what I was looking for.

To confirm that Reaper could detect the SV1, I reinstalled the Korg MIDI driver, then checked the Preferences > MIDI Devices, where the SV1 definitely appears, but while I've enabled it, it reads as "!!!N/A Enabled", even when connected via this daisy chain outlined above.

I am positive I'm doing any number of things wrong, as I have only recently started trying to figure out MIDI/VST playing, but I would really appreciate any help you can offer.
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Old 01-16-2019, 10:29 AM   #2
domzy
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you say Korg driver, implying that the Korg has USB? If this is the case, then you don't need to "daisy-chain", just plug it in to another USB port on your computer, if you have enough?

Last edited by domzy; 01-16-2019 at 10:38 AM. Reason: slight clarification
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Old 01-16-2019, 10:43 AM   #3
stephenhero
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That would, indeed, be a good idea, but my computer is a Surface Pro, and it actually only has one USB port. Also, I'm going to want to put yet another keyboard on this chain... My crumar mojo. But I'm not going to worry about that until after I get this set up.
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Old 01-16-2019, 10:49 AM   #4
domzy
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ok, can you use a USB hub? You need some way of sending info from the Korg to the pc, and you say the T4 doesn't have a MIDI in, so you need a MIDI interface if you want to do it via MIDI.
Or perhaps i am misunderstanding? Do you have the korg connected to pc via USB and the T4 connected to the Korg with MIDI, this might be your best bet without additional hardware?
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Old 01-16-2019, 10:53 AM   #5
stephenhero
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To clarify, the t4 has to be connected buy a USB, as that's how it gets power. It has only a midi out, which is why I thought that I could daisy chain it to the midi in on the Korg. I've considered getting a midi hub for this, but I would feel better about making an additional investment if I could make Reaper recognize the sv1 as a controller in the first place. Does that make sense?
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Old 01-16-2019, 11:00 AM   #6
domzy
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No, if you want to use the Korg as a controller it must send data to your computer, if you connect it via a MIDI out from the T$ you will only be able to receive.
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Old 01-16-2019, 11:05 AM   #7
stephenhero
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Ah. I bet that's exactly what my problem is. so, to confirm, if I were to get a USB hub, and then connect that to the USB in on my computer, it should be able to receive signals from both units. Correct? And by the way, thank you so much for taking the time to help me out on this.
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Old 01-16-2019, 11:10 AM   #8
domzy
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Yes. a USB hub seems like it would be the best solution. USB can do the MIDI data both ways on a single cable, rather than traditional MIDI which relies on a separate cable for each direction.
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Old 01-16-2019, 11:13 AM   #9
stephenhero
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I'm ordering one for same-day delivery on Amazon. I'll report back this evening on how everything goes. Thanks a million.
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Old 01-16-2019, 11:18 AM   #10
domzy
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no worries, good luck!
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