Hey Guys,

I’m using a midi-rack es that is being controlled by a Steinway grand to generate sounds.
What I’d like to do is use a midi footcontroller (like the Behringer FCB1010) or a 25 key midi keyboard (with midi in & out) to simply select Presets (NOT to ‘Play’ notes)

the idea would be to go Steinway midiout -> Controller midi in -> controller midi out -> Motif rack.

Is this possible?

Thanks for the responses.

-J

Not unless the device in the middle can MERGE MIDI signals. Without some way to actually merge the MIDI OUT of the keyboard controller and the MIDI OUT of the foot controller you will not be sending both signals to the Motif-Rack ES.

You need a MERGE function. We don’t know your other devices - we can tell you that in order for the Yamaha Motif-Rack ES to see signals from both devices you must MERGE their signals prior to the Rack ES’s MIDI IN.

Check the documentation of your Foot Controller and see if it has the ability to “merge” MIDI signals prior to its MIDI OUT. That would be the term you want to look up: merge

Having just picked up a Behringer FCB 1010 last week for just this purpose (well, I’m going to drive my Rack ES from a Nord Electro, not a Steinway), I can probably shed a bit of light on the issue.

The 1010 claims a merge function, but is simply doesn’t work. Enabling the feature and having the unit attempt to merge its output with MIDI input coming through the 1010’s MIDI IN jack produces stuck notes, random noise, random patch changes… it’s completely unusable as a MIDI merger. I think the unit was really designed more to control Behringer’s MIDI-enabled guitar amps, which might explain some if it’s shortcomings when using as a synth controller.

There’s a Yahoo! group for the 1010 at http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/fcb1010/, if you’d like to join and do a bit of research. Lots of good information there… it’s been going since 2002 or so.

Having said all that, though, there’s an unofficial firmware EPROM available from a private individual that’s said to fix most of the 1010’s bugs (including the merge bugs) and seems to be well thought of in the community. I have a chip (can’t flash update the chips, have to be replaced) on order, cost me 16 Euros and if it fixes the board, will be well worth the money considering that most other MIDI pedalboards area going for upwards of $300.

Finally, there’s an unoffical FAQ posted at Mountain Systems (who created the PC programming application for the 1010) at https://secure.mtnsys.com/faq-fcb/ that’ll get you even more information.

I’m having a fair bit of success programming my 1010 and depending on what you want to do, I might be able to help you get started programming yours. The 1010 is pretty straightforward to program, once you get the knack… most of my problems are getting the Rack ES to do what I want it to do.

Cheers,
Chuck Mayo