G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

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brause
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Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2019 7:49 am

Re: G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

Postby brause » Mon Oct 07, 2019 6:30 am

Hi,

if you say this ESI interface is cool plus the cable adapter and two ESI Midimate like you described in your manual, sure I would buy them sooner or later, thank you for that hint.
The coolest thing in my personal view, that you can use the g-stomper sandbox EVERYWHERE you like, e.g. you can sit in a bus or a waiting room of a dentist and screw on some sounds.
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planet-h
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Re: G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

Postby planet-h » Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:54 am

brause wrote:if you say this ESI interface is cool plus the cable adapter and two ESI Midimate like you described in your manual, sure I would buy them sooner or later, thank you for that hint.
The coolest thing in my personal view, that you can use the g-stomper sandbox EVERYWHERE you like, e.g. you can sit in a bus or a waiting room of a dentist and screw on some sounds.

The quality of the ESI interfaces is overall good.
But at the end, it's more a matter of your personal taste.

1) These kind of ESI interfaces (Midimate eX, M4U eX) offer to use each port as in or out, you actually have to address them by selecting a specific port in the G-Stomper, e.g., MIDI IN Port 1, MIDI OUT Port 2.

2) Other USB to MIDI interfaces like the Roland UM-ONE or similar do have a fixed IN and OUT cable, where each can only be uses for its defined purpose (IN or OUT). This makes the interface less flexible, but these are much easier to handle, as you simply can address one single port, e.g. MIDI IN Port 1, MIDI OUT Port 1.

Depending on the way you want to use the interface, either 1) or 2) might fit better into your setup.
You can also easy mix it.. a type 1) for your PC like the M4U eX and a type 2) for your Android.

One question:
When you say "two ESI Midimate like you described in your manual", what you mean with "two ESI Midimate"?
Just to avoid misunderstandings, you'll need two interfaces in total, one for the PC and one for the Android device.

Also note that if you would use Ableton Live instead of Cubase, then you could synchronize G-Stomper (Android) with the Ableton Live sequencer (PC) in use of Ableton Link (over WiFi, without any cabling required).
brause
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2019 7:49 am

Re: G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

Postby brause » Mon Oct 07, 2019 9:04 am

Hi,

my first "standard" setup would look like this, I just wanted to outline, that I need for every device an ESI Midimate:
microbrute - USB cable - female USB Adapter - ESI Midimate - ESI M4U eX - ESI Midimate - female USB Adapter to micro USB (b or c depending) - android device

Sadly it seems Roland delivers only 1 Midi In 1 Midi Out Channel? I believe my daughter has one Roland Midi device on her Roland electronic Drums... well she does not use the drums anymore but I do not care, I simply need a bigger box. Ok thank you for that advice about how using the ESI Midi channels, I think I will remember that as soon I receive no signals :-P , I will hopefully remember what we talked about.

Edit: Well I keep sticking on cubase, as it has haunted me now for 20 years. This is just because of my old Cubase 2 LE, not because of my still hated terrorCubaseElements9.5 where you need to learn and find after hours nothing.
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planet-h
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Re: G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

Postby planet-h » Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:51 am

brause wrote:my first "standard" setup would look like this, I just wanted to outline, that I need for every device an ESI Midimate:
microbrute - USB cable - female USB Adapter - ESI Midimate - ESI M4U eX - ESI Midimate - female USB Adapter to micro USB (b or c depending) - android device

No, you don't need a Midimate for all of your devices.

1) Microbrute: Look at its rear view, there you find a MIDI DIN IN connector.
Also take note that the Microbrute is an USB peripheral (not an USB host), which means you cannot attach any other USB peripherals (like an USB MIDI interface for example) to the USB port of the Microbrute.

2) Android/G-Stomper: Here you need an ESI Midimate or any other kind of class compliant USB MIDI interface. Note that the USB connection of your android cannot be set to MIDI, otherwise you won't be able to use the Midimate.
All you need to do on the Android is to plug the Midimate to the Android device before or while G-Stomper is running (for the connection you need an USB OTG adapter).

3) PC/Cubase: Here I'd recommend not to use a Midimate. Instead I'd use something like the M4U eX with female MIDI DIN connetors (that way you won't require any DIN gender changers).

Bottom line:
Most important, you cannot connect a Midimate interface to your Microbrute, that's technically impossible.
You can hook the Microbrute up to your PC either using USB or using a simple MIDI DIN cable.

brause wrote:Sadly it seems Roland delivers only 1 Midi In 1 Midi Out Channel?

Not "channel", it provides only 1 in and 1 out "cable", and these can be easily addressed using one single virtual MIDI port, that's all.
The UM-One can handle exactly as much hardware instruments as the Midimate eX (when used as 1 in, 1 out), as each cable can address 16 MIDI channels.

brause wrote:Ok thank you for that advice about how using the ESI Midi channels, I think I will remember that as soon I receive no signals :-P , I will hopefully remember what we talked about.

Be sure to not understand virtual MIDI ports as MIDI channels (my advice was actually about virtual MIDI ports), as MIDI channels and virtual ports are totally different things.
brause
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Re: G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

Postby brause » Mon Oct 07, 2019 11:31 am

Hi,

microbrute has a MIDI in port and USB but no MIDI out :-/ I can control e.g. cubase on a windows pc when connecting USB, this I know works but...

My idea was to connect microbrute as midi keypad together with my android device but this will not work ??? damned
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planet-h
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Re: G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

Postby planet-h » Mon Oct 07, 2019 2:06 pm

brause wrote:My idea was to connect microbrute as midi keypad together with my android device but this will not work ??? damned

Of course you can do that, and this will work very well.
It's just so that MIDI OUT from Microbrute is only possible when you connect the Microbrute as USB peripheral to an USB host (in your case your Android device).

I've quickly checked the Microbrute user manual and here is what it says (page 42):

The MicroBrute keyboard covers a two-octave range, which can be extended using the
Octave Down/Up buttons. The keyboard can also be used as a fully polyphonic MIDI
controller for other devices via the rear panel USB jack.


All you need is a simple USB cable and an USB OTG adapter.
Then simply plug it into your Android device and you're good to go.

If you want additionally attach an USB MIDI interface to the Android device in order to hook it up to your PC, then you can do that using an USB hub like this one for example:
https://www.delock.com/produkte/G_64044/merkmale.html?setLanguage=en
Note that charging the device while using USB equipment is only possible on devices with an USB type C connector.

G-Stomper supports (even if only as experimental feature) the use of two USB peripherals at a time (e.g. your Microbrute and a Midimate eX).
But as your device does not have 2 USB ports, you need a hub.
brause
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2019 7:49 am

Re: G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

Postby brause » Mon Oct 07, 2019 5:23 pm

Hi,

All you need is a simple USB cable and an USB OTG adapter.
Then simply plug it into your Android device and you're good to go.

This is the first exciting thing I am going to do, using microbrute as keypad to control android device. :-)
The audio output comes from headphone jack from android device.
Let me do this first, I think for beginners is this the simplest way to start. And a reasonable Investment of about 5 EUR... !!

thank you
oli
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planet-h
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Re: G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

Postby planet-h » Mon Oct 07, 2019 5:26 pm

brause wrote:Hi,

All you need is a simple USB cable and an USB OTG adapter.
Then simply plug it into your Android device and you're good to go.

This is the first exciting thing I am going to do, using microbrute as keypad to control android device. :-)
The audio output comes from headphone jack from android device.
Let me do this first, I think for beginners is this the simplest way to start. And a reasonable Investment of about 5 EUR... !!

Fully agree! That's a good thing to start with.
brause
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2019 7:49 am

Re: G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

Postby brause » Fri Nov 15, 2019 7:07 pm

Hi planet-h ,

one question: do you have a favourite audio-interface that you would recommend to beginners?

I aks, because at thomann I find thousands of USB-audio interfaces and my external IO2 (alesis) is really outdated, I am searching for a new simple device, to connect my external synth and FX to my DAW. It must not have digital audio and price max at 100 EUR.

kind regards and big big thank you for your help!!
oli


PS: this audio interface e.g. has a USB hub integrated, that looks useful, no? And it is cheap :-)
https://www.thomann.de/de/m_audio_m_track_hub.htm
Tascam looks nice because I do not need XLR but I really do not know if there are better audio interfaces out there that competes this device?
https://www.thomann.de/de/tascam_us_2x2.htm
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planet-h
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Re: G-Stomper Studio / VA-Beast MIDI connectivity

Postby planet-h » Sat Nov 16, 2019 8:22 am

I unfortunately neither know the Tascam nor the M-Audio interface you mention.
The Tascam "seems" to be USB class compliant, but without testing it in person, it's impossible to make a statement about its compatibility with Android.

If I'd buy one for mobile, then it would be one of the following:

Zoom U-24:
https://www.zoom-na.com/products/produc ... -interface

Zoom U-44 (this one might be slightly above 100EUR):
https://www.zoom-na.com/products/produc ... -interface

Both work with Android and both are of excellent quality.

Or... if mobility is of highest importance, consider getting an iRig.

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