Hi,
seeing the completion of the first “voice” of my synth approaching, I now need a MIDI to CV module.
At first sight, there are plenty out there to choose from.
But if I look at MIDI input devices (keyboard+pads+some pots/knobs), all cheap new ones are USB.
A random one:
(It’s quality (and key count) is plenty enough for my IN-ability to play a keyboard
It’s a bit weird as the keyboard is higher than the pads, but really, I don’t care, it’s cheap and that’s my primary criteria of choice for a first MIDI device)
But that’s a USB-device, so it needs to connect to a USB-host, usually a computer with a DAW…
Anybody knows of a MIDI-to-CV module that is a USB-host to connect this kind of devices to ?
Preferably DIY, additional points if it’s open-source.
A cheap arduino based one would be preferable (I don’t know if the micro-pro (with a 32U4) can do usb-host (it can do USB-device)… the nano definitively can’t do anything USB beyond emulating a serial port).
But if I have to go teensy… let it be so.
If the only reasonable solution is a used keyboard… or even a used synth… with DIN-MIDI-out… just say it to me…
Or the Arturia {Beat,Key}Steps…
You could build your own controller, of course, and output whatever signals you need
(out of the box, this generates MIDI over USB serial for use with e.g. Hairless MIDI but you can of course replace the output bits with DIN serial or drive some I²C DACs…)
When I go the “my own controller” way, why use MIDI at all… just output CV and gate/triggers…
I intend to make my own modular controller, that’s why I made an “inverted” version of AnalogOutput’s MikroKosmos, now I call it “CS” rather than “Inverted”, for “Control Surface”. It’s the first module. The next one will be a joystick module with the same design: the human interface devices at the bottom, the jacks at the top.
But for a keyboard, the “buy a standard one” is the cheapest and fastest option…
The cheap MIDI keyboards are USB… and I don’t want to spend much on a keyboard, I’m no musician…
That’s why I’m looking for a way to interface them with a modular.
The MidiHUB doesn’t seem to do that :
“as well as a USB port for power and/or communicating with your computer”
Keystep is your best bet for keyboard imo. Has midi, (usb and 5pin), outputs cv for one synth voice (so you can use as a midi to cv), after touch, poly sequencer, and excellent build quality and size format for modular.
It’s like $100, there is nothing close to that value.
It looks like the usbMIDI2CV_MC is also a USB-device, as it is designed to be connected to a computer.
You can’t connect two USB-devices, one must always be a host (possibly hidden behind a hub), USB is that stupid…
Lets look for another few days, and if nothing shows up, it will be a keystep…
I’ve had some limited success using a raspi I had laying around as a host for two usb midi devices. It kind of worked, though could be a little glitchy. I think it depends on which USB chip is on the pi and what config options you give it.
Another team keystep here. It can help you sound good quickly with the arp and sequencer built in. super easy to set up and plays nice with the modular. I think they are like $80 now.
I might diy a keyboard one day, I do have a keybed for it…but the keystep is great for now
But MIDI can still be useful if you want to record raw sequences for later use, instead of just the audio.