MIDI Solutions FAQ




MIDI Solutions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a Router, and what does it "route?"
Besides the splitting-channels thing, what else can a Router do?
How many things can a Router route?
OK, so what is an "Event Processor?"
How many events can the Event Processor work on?
Isn't the Event Processor (or Plus) a better replacement for the Router?
What happened to the Mapper?

Can I program these boxes myself?
Why doesn't my Event Processor (or Plus) work after programming?
How do these boxes get their power?
How many devices can be powered this way?
What if I find that my MIDI device can't power MIDI Solutions products?
Are MIDI Solutions and Ashby Solutions one company?

Q: What is a Router, and what does it "route?"

A: Routing is taking a certain MIDI message, or series of messages, and sending them to a particular location. If I had a complex MIDI keyboard setup tied to a computer, I might want to say, send channels 1-8 to one synth or module, and channels 9-16 to another. Why not just send all the data to both places, and let the synths/modules sort things out? Well, 16 channels of MIDI all working at once can send data faster than the receiving devices can handle it, kind of like a sink can fill with water faster than the drain can remove it.
The MIDI Solutions Router has two output jacks, and messages can be sent to either of the jacks (or both of them). The Router acts like a second "drain," reducing the data in each path. But it's a smart drain, because I can tell each "pipe" which drops of water (data) it should accept or reject! The Router doesn't just route channels, either. I can loan the sustain pedal from my piano to my synth, simply by changing the channel that the Sustain messages go out on, but still send all the rest of the messages on the regular channel.
And finally, there's "filtering." Filtering can be thought of as a special kind of routing, where we route the messages to neither output. The Router can filter messages of a special type like program changes or aftertouch, or on a specific channel, or a combination of the two.

Q: Umm ... I think you lost me. Besides the splitting-channels thing, what else can a Router do?

A: Lots of things. It can turn a plain MIDI piano into a master controller by creating "zones" -- i.e., it can split the keyboard into two or more parts, and send each part on its own MIDI channel. It can provide a way to call up programs on a keyboard or module that has no program buttons. It can share a volume/expression pedal with several MIDI keyboards. I've owned one since 1996, and no matter how many times I've changed and cut back on my gear, the Router always seems to make the cut.

Q: How many things can a Router route?

A: The Router can be programmed with ten (10) "rules." Each rule creates a list of MIDI data that should be routed or filtered. The Router can be programmed to either put a priority on the rules, so that one rule may override the action taken by a lesser rule, or it can be told to just process all ten items. Sometimes rules can have very powerful consequences, so by using the priority feature and stacking the rules in the right order, more than ten things can be routed.

Q: OK, so what is an "Event Processor?"

A: Every MIDI command is an event: playing a note, pressing a pedal, sending a sequencer clock, and changing a program are all MIDI events. The Event Processor looks for a certain MIDI event, and then adds events, or substitutes another event in its place.
The most common function provided by the Event Processor is "mapping." Mapping is taking one kind of MIDI message and replacing it with a different message. If I have a module that responds to aftertouch, but my keyboard won't send aftertouch, I might want to use a knob or slider to send aftertouch information to the module. Another use for mapping is to change the MIDI Controller Change (CC) commands that a keyboard can send to other CC numbers, if the receiving device can't understand the ones that are being sent. Mapping can turn the Mod Wheel into a sustain pedal, or the Data Slider, or even a reverb knob. The Event Processor can map events, and it can "loan" MIDI messages, filter data, and split keyboards like the Router.
Unlike the Router, the Event Processor (or Plus) can act on specific data ranges in MIDI program and CC messages, and it can send different ranges of output based on the input seen. This allows adjusting the scale of data between two MIDI devices, if the controlling device sends say, 0-3 while the slave device expects 0-127. It can also trigger notes or other MIDI messages. It can even be programmed to enable or disable some of its rules, based on other MIDI events that it sees.
The full capabilities of the Event Processor are too complicated to describe in an FAQ. For more information, take a look at the Event Processor/Event Processor Plus owners' guide.

Q: How many events can the Event Processor work on?

A: The Event Processor can have up to 10 "Settings." The Event Processor Plus can have up to 32 Settings. This sounds like a lot, but some tasks require more than one Setting. Generally speaking, the Event Processor can do somewhere between 5 - 10 tasks, and the Event Processor can do 15 - 32 tasks.

Q: So, isn't the Event Processor (or Plus) a better replacement for the Router?

A: Yes and No. The Event Processor can re-channel and filter data, but it can't split up a MIDI data stream into two parts, because it only has one output. So, the Router is still the best choice for users who want to send different MIDI messages to different places.

Q: You used to sell a device called the "Mapper." What happened to the Mapper?

A: The Mapper is no longer available. The Event Processor and Event Processor Plus, however, can perform the same tasks in a MIDI setup, and many things that the Mapper couldn't do. Since the Event Processor is the same cost as the Mapper, MIDI Solutions retired the Mapper. You can still find them around, but they're either used or "new old-stock" (NOS).

Q: Can I program these boxes myself?

A: In many cases, yes. MIDI Solutions provides software to help you program the device. The software is easy to use, but it only runs on a Windows PC -- not on Macs or Linux.
If you don't have a PC, the user manual shows how to create MIDI SysEx files to send the same messages to the device. It's harder to do than using the Windows program, though.
Once you've developed your program, you'll need a MIDI interface for the PC (or Mac) and for most of the programmable boxes, Windows Media Player or a sequencer program to send a small MIDI file to the device. (The Event Processor and the "pro" series processors have a built-in connection to the MIDI interface.) It only takes a few seconds, and if the message is received properly, the red data LED on the device will flash quickly for a second or two after each successful programming step.
If you don't have the equipment to program the device, don't know enough about PCs or MIDI, or have a very complicated problem you need to solve in your setup, AshbySolutions.com provides programming at a reasonable cost.

Q: I created a progam for my Event Processor (or Plus), and sent it to the box. It didn't seem to "take," though, because it's not doing what I asked it to do. Why won't it program correctly?

A: The Event Processor and Event Processor Plus use different versions of the Programming Tools. Although they may look the same, and even appear to work, they aren't interchangeable. Check the device name shown in the title block to be sure, or check the drop-down menu to see how many Settings are allowed: 10 for the the Event Processor, and 32 for the Plus. Make sure that you have the correct software for your version.
When the Event Processor family is programming, the LED should go out for a brief time (around 1 sec.) for each Setting programmed, then the LED should blink rapidly 4-5 times to show that the programming was successful. If your program uses say, six Settings, the darken-then-blink sequence should happen seven times -- one for each Setting, plus one at the beginning when the device receives the Clear All Settings command.

Q: How do these boxes get their power?

A: MIDI Solutions devices -- even the Professional Series -- don't need batteries or an AC adapter, except in very unusual cases. They also do not need "phantom power" added to the signal lines the way some microphones, and even portable MIDI keybords, do. Instead, they are powered from the standard MIDI data line.
The MIDI hardware in your keyboards, modules, and effects is designed to drive fairly long data lines under some rather adverse conditions, and so it provides a strong signal. Modern electronic circuits can be designed to use very little power, so little that the MIDI Solutions devices can "borrow" a little from the MIDI data without compromising that data.

Q: Wow, that's really cool! How many devices can be powered this way?

A: The number of devices that can be powered by a single line can vary a little, depending on the equipment connected to the device, and the length of the cables used. Generally, though, at least 3-4 devices can be connected in series and powered from one MIDI Out or Thru.

Q: What if I find that my MIDI device can't power MIDI Solutions products?

A: In rare cases, the MIDI hardware on the device that is connected directly to the MIDI Solutions box cannot provide adequate power for the box. There are several ways to work around this problem. Sometimes, the order of the devices can be changed so that a different device powers your MIDI Solutions product, or a copy of the data from a MIDI Thru can be used. In other cases, a simple modification can be made to the device to provide the power. If all else fails, MIDI Solutions sells a product that uses an AC adapter to make the necessary power.

Q: Are MIDI Solutions and Ashby Solutions one company?

A: No. Ashby Solutions was founded in 1991. The president of our company started using a MIDI Solutions Router in 1997, and we became a MIDI Solutions dealer in 2001.
Because of our similar backgrounds -- music and design engineering -- the team at Ashby Solutions has been working closely with MIDI Solutions over the past several years. One tangible result of this relationship is the Event Processor/Event Processor Plus owners' guide.

Ashby Solutions, AshbySolutions.com, and the Ashby Solutions logo are trademarks of Ashby Solutions. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Copyright © 2004-2011 by Bruce Wahler. If you have suggestions, please send them to webmaster@ashbysolutions.com.

Q:	What is a Router, and what does it "route?"

A:	Routing is taking a certain MIDI message, or series of messages, and sending them to a particular location. If I had a complex MIDI keyboard setup tied to a computer, I might want to say, send channels 1-8 to one synth or module, and channels 9-16 to another. Why not just send all the data to both places, and let the synths/modules sort things out? Well, 16 channels of MIDI all working at once can send data faster than the receiving devices can handle it, kind of like a sink can fill with water faster than the drain can remove it. The MIDI Solutions Router has two output jacks, and messages can be sent to either of the jacks (or both of them). The Router acts like a second "drain," reducing the data in each path. But it's a smart drain, because I can tell each "pipe" which drops of water (data) it should accept or reject! The Router doesn't just route channels, either. I can loan the sustain pedal from my piano to my synth, simply by changing the channel that the Sustain messages go out on, but still send all the rest of the messages on the regular channel. And finally, there's "filtering." Filtering can be thought of as a special kind of routing, where we route the messages to neither output. The Router can filter messages of a special type like program changes or aftertouch, or on a specific channel, or a combination of the two.

Q:	Umm ... I think you lost me. Besides the splitting-channels thing, what else can a Router do?
A:	Lots of things. It can turn a plain MIDI piano into a master controller by creating "zones" -- i.e., it can split the keyboard into two or more parts, and send each part on its own MIDI channel. It can provide a way to call up programs on a keyboard or module that has no program buttons. It can share a volume/expression pedal with several MIDI keyboards. I've owned one since 1996, and no matter how many times I've changed and cut back on my gear, the Router always seems to make the cut.

Q:	How many things can a Router route?
A:	The Router can be programmed with ten (10) "rules." Each rule creates a list of MIDI data that should be routed or filtered. The Router can be programmed to either put a priority on the rules, so that one rule may override the action taken by a lesser rule, or it can be told to just process all ten items. Sometimes rules can have very powerful consequences, so by using the priority feature and stacking the rules in the right order, more than ten things can be routed.

Q:	OK, so what is an "Event Processor?"
A:	Every MIDI command is an event: playing a note, pressing a pedal, sending a sequencer clock, and changing a program are all MIDI events. The Event Processor looks for a certain MIDI event, and then adds events, or substitutes another event in its place. The most common function provided by the Event Processor is "mapping." Mapping is taking one kind of MIDI message and replacing it with a different message. If I have a module that responds to aftertouch, but my keyboard won't send aftertouch, I might want to use a knob or slider to send aftertouch information to the module. Another use for mapping is to change the MIDI Controller Change (CC) commands that a keyboard can send to other CC numbers, if the receiving device can't understand the ones that are being sent. Mapping can turn the Mod Wheel into a sustain pedal, or the Data Slider, or even a reverb knob. The Event Processor can map events, and it can "loan" MIDI messages, filter data, and split keyboards like the Router. Unlike the Router, the Event Processor (or Plus) can act on specific data ranges in MIDI program and CC messages, and it can send different ranges of output based on the input seen. This allows adjusting the scale of data between two MIDI devices, if the controlling device sends say, 0-3 while the slave device expects 0-127. It can also trigger notes or other MIDI messages. It can even be programmed to enable or disable some of its rules, based on other MIDI events that it sees. The full capabilities of the Event Processor are too complicated to describe in an FAQ. For more information, take a look at the Event Processor/Event Processor Plus owners' guide.

Q:	How many events can the Event Processor work on?
A:	The Event Processor can have up to 10 "Settings." The Event Processor Plus can have up to 32 Settings. This sounds like a lot, but some tasks require more than one Setting. Generally speaking, the Event Processor can do somewhere between 5 - 10 tasks, and the Event Processor can do 15 - 32 tasks.

Q:	So, isn't the Event Processor (or Plus) a better replacement for the Router?
A:	Yes and No. The Event Processor can re-channel and filter data, but it can't split up a MIDI data stream into two parts, because it only has one output. So, the Router is still the best choice for users who want to send different MIDI messages to different places.

Q:	You used to sell a device called the "Mapper." What happened to the Mapper?
A:	The Mapper is no longer available. The Event Processor and Event Processor Plus, however, can perform the same tasks in a MIDI setup, and many things that the Mapper couldn't do. Since the Event Processor is the same cost as the Mapper, MIDI Solutions retired the Mapper. You can still find them around, but they're either used or "new old-stock" (NOS).

Q:	Can I program these boxes myself?
A:	In many cases, yes. MIDI Solutions provides software to help you program the device. The software is easy to use, but it only runs on a Windows PC -- not on Macs or Linux. If you don't have a PC, the user manual shows how to create MIDI SysEx files to send the same messages to the device. It's harder to do than using the Windows program, though. Once you've developed your program, you'll need a MIDI interface for the PC (or Mac) and for most of the programmable boxes, Windows Media Player or a sequencer program to send a small MIDI file to the device. (The Event Processor and the "pro" series processors have a built-in connection to the MIDI interface.) It only takes a few seconds, and if the message is received properly, the red data LED on the device will flash quickly for a second or two after each successful programming step. If you don't have the equipment to program the device, don't know enough about PCs or MIDI, or have a very complicated problem you need to solve in your setup, AshbySolutions.com provides programming at a reasonable cost.

Q:	I created a progam for my Event Processor (or Plus), and sent it to the box. It didn't seem to "take," though, because it's not doing what I asked it to do. Why won't it program correctly?
A:	The Event Processor and Event Processor Plus use different versions of the Programming Tools. Although they may look the same, and even appear to work, they aren't interchangeable. Check the device name shown in the title block to be sure, or check the drop-down menu to see how many Settings are allowed: 10 for the the Event Processor, and 32 for the Plus. Make sure that you have the correct software for your version. When the Event Processor family is programming, the LED should go out for a brief time (around 1 sec.) for each Setting programmed, then the LED should blink rapidly 4-5 times to show that the programming was successful. If your program uses say, six Settings, the darken-then-blink sequence should happen seven times -- one for each Setting, plus one at the beginning when the device receives the Clear All Settings command.

Q:	How do these boxes get their power?
A:	MIDI Solutions devices -- even the Professional Series -- don't need batteries or an AC adapter, except in very unusual cases. They also do not need "phantom power" added to the signal lines the way some microphones, and even portable MIDI keybords, do. Instead, they are powered from the standard MIDI data line. The MIDI hardware in your keyboards, modules, and effects is designed to drive fairly long data lines under some rather adverse conditions, and so it provides a strong signal. Modern electronic circuits can be designed to use very little power, so little that the MIDI Solutions devices can "borrow" a little from the MIDI data without compromising that data.

Q:	Wow, that's really cool! How many devices can be powered this way?
A:	The number of devices that can be powered by a single line can vary a little, depending on the equipment connected to the device, and the length of the cables used. Generally, though, at least 3-4 devices can be connected in series and powered from one MIDI Out or Thru.

Q:	What if I find that my MIDI device can't power MIDI Solutions products?
A:	In rare cases, the MIDI hardware on the device that is connected directly to the MIDI Solutions box cannot provide adequate power for the box. There are several ways to work around this problem. Sometimes, the order of the devices can be changed so that a different device powers your MIDI Solutions product, or a copy of the data from a MIDI Thru can be used. In other cases, a simple modification can be made to the device to provide the power. If all else fails, MIDI Solutions sells a product that uses an AC adapter to make the necessary power.

Q:	Are MIDI Solutions and Ashby Solutions one company?
A:	No. Ashby Solutions was founded in 1991. The president of our company started using a MIDI Solutions Router in 1997, and we became a MIDI Solutions dealer in 2001. Because of our similar backgrounds -- music and design engineering -- the team at Ashby Solutions has been working closely with MIDI Solutions over the past several years. One tangible result of this relationship is the Event Processor/Event Processor Plus owners' guide.

MIDI Solutions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)