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Midibox for boosting cheap master keyboard?


it9exm
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Hello

After viewing the projects, i have some questions:

1) Can you use a midibox for adding assignable controllers to a master keyboard who hasn't them?

I have a Roland RD-300SX, which has 2 volume sliders for the upper and lower zones, pitch bend/modulation wheels, midi tx button where you

can send msb, lsb, pc, pan, reverb, chorus, transpose, and select the channels, and 32 setups which can also store the midi tx settings

for the 2 zones.

As you can see this keyboard lacks of controllers. Can a midibox help me to overcome this lack?

2) Could i manage more than 2 expanders/sound modules/other midi stuff with the usb module (max 5x5) of a midibox?

I knew that another limit of cheap stage pianos/master keyboards(like the RD-300SX) has only 1 midi output, so they can control just a single expander.

3) What midibox suits to me and my piano? (I was thinking to one with min 9 max 16 pots and sliders that i had seen time ago on this website but now i can't find it anymore)

Thank you

Arnaldo

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Hi Arnaldo,

welcome :)

1) Your Roland RD-300SX looks like a very decent keyboard, you probably don´t want to drill it open to add encoders and faders?

I´d recommend to build an external MIDIbox controller in a separate enclosure therefore - see answer 3)

2) No, USB-only expanders cannot be directly controlled by a MIDIbox, they need to have a standard MIDI IN port - or you´d need to buy some converters.

Also, by using a MIDI through cable, you can control more than one expander from your Roland keyboard without a MIDIbox.

3) Your options are listed on this site: www.ucapps.de - have a look at MIDIbox64 and MIDIbox64E

Bear in mind, that MIDIboxes are very modular, you can add any kind of tactile switch (button), potentiometer/fader or rotary encoder with the right modules.

By using a "MIDI Merger" (also a MIDIbox project), you can "mix together" the MIDI outputs of your keyboard and your new MIDIbox, to play your expanders (with your keyboard) and control them (with your MIDIbox).

Greets,

Peter

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Hi hawkeye, thanks for the welcome.

Your Roland RD-300SX looks like a very decent keyboard, you probably don´t want to drill it open to add encoders and faders?

I´d recommend to build an external MIDIbox controller in a separate enclosure therefore - see answer 3)

Yes, i meant an external midibox like those that are on the website. I never thought to drill the piano for adding the hardware.

No, USB-only expanders cannot be directly controlled by a MIDIbox, they need to have a standard MIDI IN port - or you´d need to buy some converters.

Also, by using a MIDI through cable, you can control more than one expander from your Roland keyboard without a MIDIbox.

All the sound modules i want to control does have midi in. I was thinking if this midibox module with 5 midi in and 5 midi out can be linked to midibox 64 and control 5 expanders.

My RD-300SX doesn't have a midi through port, so i should add a midi through box to split the midi in.

By using a "MIDI Merger" (also a MIDIbox project), you can "mix together" the MIDI outputs of your keyboard and your new MIDIbox, to play your expanders (with your keyboard) and control them (with your MIDIbox).

Ok, so merge the midibox and the rd-300sx output with the midi merger to control expanders. (Until now i thought midibox's midi in should be linked to rd-300sx's midi out and the other midi devices hooked up to the midibox's midi out)

P.S: What can i use the switches/buttons for?

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My RD-300SX doesn't have a midi through port, so i should add a midi through box to split the midi in.

You should use the midi through on an expander to connect (chain) the other expanders.

Ok, so merge the midibox and the rd-300sx output with the midi merger to control expanders.

This way will work for any MIDIbox or any other controller, that you can buy.

(Until now i thought midibox's midi in should be linked to rd-300sx's midi out and the other midi devices hooked up to the midibox's midi out)

This will work with a MIDIbox, that has internal merging capabilities - I don´t know, if the MIDIbox64 variants can do that, but as far as I know TK., I would nearly bet on it ;-).

P.S: What can i use the switches/buttons for?

You can use 360° endless encoders, which are "stateless" for sending continuous midi events, e.g. controlling the filter on an expander.

These digital encoders are connected like "buttons", but use two ports (use DIN modules for them, not AIN which you need for analog faders and encoders).

You can use buttons to send preprogrammed MIDI CCs (again, I don´t know, if this is supported by the MIDIbox64) to your expanders, e.g. for patch changes.

Have fun! Greets, Peter

Edited by Hawkeye
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