Connection of multiple external interfaces

[Jeff Hollande]

Hi Guys :

It is my wish and intention to connect 2 separate, external audio/midi interfaces in one DAW : Cakewalk by BandLab.
One interface for my Tyros4 and one for my synth. They are both 2 x 2 inputs and outputs.
See : Video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UsSqa4gohQ

All midi drivers alreay have been installed by me and they are well recognized ( in DAW ) Cakewalk / BandLab.

I would be very grateful to hear your comments if you might be familiar with this Win config.
Sharing experiences is very valuable, IMO.

Thanks !
Best wishes, JH

[GeirH]

Hi Jeff,

Multiple audio interfaces can be combined with relative ease as long as Cakewalk's audio engine runs in WDM/KS or WASAPI driver mode, as shown in the video. It usually works fine, once you learn how to tell the inputs/outputs of the two devices apart in Cakewalk.

Not all interfaces have drivers that operate well in multiple instances. Have you tried them together?

- H -

[Jeff Hollande]

Thank you so much for your reply ! 

I installed both in one pc and will try tomorrow if I can make them work together in Cakewalk.
I like this challenge.

Bye for now, JH

[overover]

Hi Jeff,

You don't need a separate, external MIDI interface for the Tyros4. I would simply install the Yamaha USB-MIDI Driver (V3.1.4, for current Windows versions, the 64-bit version of the driver) on the PC and connect the Tyros directly to the PC using a USB type AB cable. The only downside is that the T4's MIDI Port 2 Transmit (equivalent to DIN MIDI B OUT) is not available over USB-MIDI.


Best regards,
Chris

[GeirH]

All midi drivers alreay have been installed by me and they are well recognized ( in DAW ) Cakewalk / BandLab.

I think he has that sorted, but correct me if I'm wrong. 

[overover]

I think he has that sorted, but correct me if I'm wrong. 

Since Jeff originally wrote about using "2 separate, external audio/midi interfaces", I think with "All midi drivers alreay have been installed by me ..." he meant the drivers for the external audio interfaces, not the Yamaha USB-MIDI driver.


Best regards,
Chris

[GeirH]

I installed both in one pc of will try tomorrow if I can make work together in Cakewalk.

Did you have any progress on the matter, Jeff?

[Jeff Hollande]

Allow me first to thank you all for your comments, help and support ! 

Up to now I am puzzling yet.

In the meantime I installed ( pc ) the Ty4 Yamaha midi driver and the Korg ( Kross2 synth ) midi driver and the drivers of the external interfaces too.
Apparently Cakewalk recognizes both drivers and interfaces.
I bought two DIN Cables and connected the 2 keyboards ( Classical midi setting : out Ty4 to Korg in and vice versa ).
Hope this midi Classical connecting is correct ?

I have no idea ( yet ) how to set up the midi config in both keyboards themselves.

I did not find out yet if I really need 2 interfaces ... I own them both though. In case of  .... I can use them both. ( 2x in and out USB midi/audio interfaces ) 

Still a lot of work to do.

Your help is always most welcome. 
Thank you all, JH

[GeirH]

Hi Jeff,

I bought two DIN Cables and connected the 2 keyboards ( Classical midi setting : out Ty4 to Korg in and vice versa ). Hope this midi Classical connecting is correct ?

That depends entirely on what you are planning to do with your instruments!

If the idea is to record and play back songs in the form of MIDI tracks in Cakewalk, the DIN connections between the instruments are not really necessary at all. Because the Yamaha and Korg USB-MIDI drivers are installed, both the Tyros 4 and the Kross 2 are already bidirectionally connected to your computer via their USB ports. Cakewalk will recognize them as MIDI devices, and will list several MIDI Ports for you to use (think of each Port as a virtual MIDI cable). For each MIDI track in Cakewalk, you'll be able to select either of the instruments as the MIDI Input Port (for recording) and MIDI Output Port (for playback).

Each of the MIDI Ports can handle 16 MIDI channels, and you can decide which MIDI channel you want each track to transmit on. Each channel belongs to a part on the instrument (this can be changed, and also depends on which mode the instruments are in), and each instrument is capable of playing back 16 parts simultaneously (one part on each MIDI channel). This means that Cakewalk can already play back 32 individual MIDI parts; 16 out of the Tyros and 16 out of the Kross.

I did not find out yet if I really need 2 interfaces ... I own them both though. In case of  .... I can use them both. ( 2x in and out USB midi/audio interfaces )

If you wish to record your songs into Cakewalk as audio, the Kross 2's USB connection is also capable of transmitting audio. It has a stereo audio input on the rear, which perhaps can also be recorded in Cakewalk (although Korg's manual does not provide any information on this). If this assumption is correct, you wouldn't need the external audio interfaces. The Tyros' audio outputs could instead be connected to the Kross using a cheap Y-adapter cable, and the combined signal recorded onto a Cakewalk audio track via the Kross' USB Audio driver.

If the Kross' rear input jack signal isn't passed on to the computer, only allowing for its internal sounds to be recorded via USB, you will need at least one of your external audio interfaces for the Tyros. What make and model are they?

Best regards,
Geir

[Jeff Hollande]

Hi Jeff,

What make and model are they?

Hey Geir :

Thank you for your very useful reaction and support. 

Up to now I always made all my Ty4 midi files in Yamaha XGWorks ( before I recently added my Korg synth ).
In the near future I need to make all midi files in Cakewalk, I guess. XGW will not recognize the Korg's voices, IMO.

Audio/midi interfaces :
Present situation :
1x Lexicon I.O 22 ( audio output Korg to input Lexicon / headphone use only ).
1x Steinberg UR22C ( in and output Tyros4 / Speakers  ).
+ Classical midi connection ( DIN cables ) : - connection Steinberg UR22C interface - I hear both keyboards in my speakers - and can play them separately but the volume knob e.g. works only in the Tyros4 for both keyboards. The volume knob in the Korg does not respond.

I am missing sufficient knowledge but at my age ( 75 ) I still want to learn a lot. 

Best regards, JH

[GeirH]

Hi Jeff,

Up to now I always made all my Ty4 midi files in Yamaha XGWorks (before I recently added my Korg synth). In the near future I need to make all midi files in Cakewalk, I guess. XGW will not recognize the Korg's voices, IMO.

Yes, the ability to import instrument definitions makes things a lot easier when working on the computer. The alternative would be to manually insert the Bank Select and Program Number messages on each track (the values of which Korg doesn't seem to list in any of the manuals).

The Kross Editor is probably going to be very helpful. If you run it as a VST in Cakewalk, any settings you make in the Editor will be saved with your project.

There were editors for the Tyros range as well, but these aren't compatible with 64-bit Cakewalk versions.

Audio/midi interfaces :
Present situation :
1x Lexicon I.O 22 ( audio output Korg to input Lexicon / headphone use only ).
1x Steinberg UR22C ( in and output Tyros4 / Speakers  ).
+ Classical midi connection ( DIN cables ) : - connection Steinberg UR22C interface - I hear both keyboards in my speakers - and can play them separately but the volume knob e.g. works only in the Tyros4 for both keyboards. The volume knob in the Korg does not respond.

Both are highly capable intefaces. Having two of them can complicate the setup, though, since you can decide where Cakewalk sends the audio signals, even for each individual track. The reason why you hear both keyboards in your speakers is presumably because you have selected the Steinberg interface as output for both the Tyros and Korg tracks (or as Cakewalk's main bus output, which can be changed in the Console view).

A single 4-input interface with speaker and headphone outputs would be easier to set up and get to grips with, but once you get familiar with the basic signal routing for your tracks (as well as Cakewalk's Mixing Console), I'm sure you'll get by just fine.

Best regards,
Geir

[Jeff Hollande]

Thank you so much for your reply, Geir !

I will check all your answers very carefully and see which solutions might be usable for my particular applications.

Best regards, JH