Audio & MIDI Patchbays: Why I Use Them

[@PowercoatMusic]

Patchbays are easily misunderstood, and often ignored. Their functionality is basic, but with the evolution of the MIDI patchbay its features can become complicated quickly depending on the brand and model. I wanted to share this information with anyone interested because patchbays saved my “home studio life”. I hope this presentation serves useful.

[@mgd9151]

Patchbays are my favorite studio pieces. The routing possibilities and fun you can have with them is like nothing else.

[@shanefitzpatrick5811]

I never knew what these were and especially used for. Another great presentation.

[@PowercoatMusic]

Thanks for watching. 👍🏿

[@MelRog]

the timing couldn't have been better, this is just what I needed, been trying to understand how patch bays are setup/work for decades thank you for explaining

[@PowercoatMusic]

Thanks so much for watching. 👍🏿

[@EvLoutonian]

in case nobody mentioned already, 'tiny telephone' doesn't refer to today's miniature jack connectors, but (I believe) rather refers to the 'bantam' size TRS style patching plugs, which are a size somewhere around halfway between modern mini jacks and the older style telephone patch cables, which were a similar size to modern TRS or instrument patch cables (but has a subtly different shape profile).

[@PowercoatMusic]

Thanks for watching and sharing.

[@fliegeroh]

I loved the technical history.

[@PowercoatMusic]

Thanks for watching. 👍🏿

[@jeremymiller3466]

I love this video and the clarification detailed from beginning to end!!! ❤ The only thing that's odd is that for some reason it sounds like something isn't grounded or conditioned with that continuous buzzing. 😢 Overall amazing though! Subbed

[@TheSoundtec]

I just ordered a second Motu Midi Express XT. Can you tell me how they can talk to each other without using a computer. Love your video and I would love a tiny bit of advise.

[@PowercoatMusic]

It's pretty straight forward actually. Connect them to each other via dedicated MIDI ports. You'll still need a PC for routing but you can save that config to a preset on either device. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching. 👍🏿

[@TheSoundtec]

@@PowercoatMusic This is what I was thinking and now that you have confirmed it.. Great! Thank you so so much !

[@jacksonmumford6237]

Thank you for the awesome video

[@velonaut303]

Fantastic Video. Very detailed and well explained.

[@PowercoatMusic]

Thanks so much for watching. 👍🏿

[@vender3516]

Great Job

[@jemgel1162]

This is awesome. Thank you!

[@PowercoatMusic]

Thanks for watching. 👍🏿

[@CoderCoronet]

Hi! Thank you for this nice video. I have a motu midi express xt here, but I’m running out of ports. I saw you have 3 of those. Are you able to get all your gear in sync with these 3 motu? What about the software? How does it manage all 3 devices?

[@PowercoatMusic]

Each device invokes a separate software screen for the MOTU software application, as they are manage individually. As far as hardware connections, its MIDI in and out through all 3 device as they are all connected in a chain. Simple. Keeping tracking of the mapping and traffic takes extra care, but it's worth it to me. Thanks for watching. 👍🏿

[@CoderCoronet]

@@PowercoatMusic Thanks for your answer. What about clock syncing in standalone mode?

[@PJ....]

@@PowercoatMusic First, Thank You for making this Video, very helpful! ... I, like ​@André Vejdani have 1 X MOTU Midi Express XT, but I have quite a few sound modules & Keyboards, Drum machines, Sequencers, FX Units etc (about 20 units at moment & some of these can Daisy Chain as they only require 1 dedicated MIDI Channel etc). I was going to add a Midi Express 128 to add 8 more Midi INs & OUTS. So I too was wondering about how the Clockworks Softwares manages this. The whole reason I went with the XT is because it had the Clockworks software, I now see from your last response that a second MOTU Midi Express XT invokes a separate instance of Clockworks, so that answers my 1st Question. MY SECOND QUESTION: Does your Motu Micro Lite 5X5 get acknowledged at all by Clockworks? .. Im assuming it doesn't, that being the case, I then assume a Midi Express 128 wouldn't either, having software control is key for me, I like to create without a DAW (or visual interference) initially, so having full control over MIDI pacthing is of the utmost importance. Thanks again sir :)

[@metalhead5858]

Thanx I just got an moto Express XT with parallel port no usb had no time to play with it yet, but it seems to work the same as the usb version its gonna save me lot of time :-) I also got me a patch bay I am setting up a small studio for the first time with some 80s gear.

[@PowercoatMusic]

Thanks so much for watching and sharing. I love to hear what folks are doing. 👍🏿

[@MelRog]

I have several keyboard rackmounts but need help connecting them to my mac computer. Could you make a video on How to connect rackmount units to your computer? thanks

[@PowercoatMusic]

I will add that to the list. Currently, the most common way to do this is to use a USB audio interface. I use the Steinberg unit and it works well. Thanks so much for watching.

[@sirbitemealot2]

Great info and very informative. Thanks.

[@PowercoatMusic]

You're most welcome. Thanks for watching. 👍🏿

[@eadame77]

Thanks for videos! Very helpful!

[@PowercoatMusic]

Thanks so much for watching. 👍🏿

[@enriquetomo7067]

tx for sharing knowledge goat

[@markchristopher2signal2]

Wow thank you

[@PowercoatMusic]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching. 👍🏿

[@famitory]

I'm in the middle of building a passive midi patchbay because for whatever reason, no company makes them! every midi patchbay is a digital, powered device which is way overkill for my needs and budget. blanking 1RU panel plus 20 din panel connectors plus 10 long midi cables cut in half for the back.

[@PowercoatMusic]

Yes, I agree. With USB MIDI, it appears that manufactures no longer feel they need to build large MIDI-port patch bays anymore. It's a real pain for folks who have a lot of MIDI gear with 5-pin DIN ports. Thanks for watching. 👍🏿

[@cassiomendes13]

I love your videos! Thanks a lot!

[@goldcoast8872]

I’ve heard that MOTU midi boxes have a bug that scrambles sysex data. Maybe not that big a deal for real-time parameter control but for patch bank dumps I’d be careful and just plug direct.

[@PowercoatMusic]

I've been using the MOTU for over a year now and have never had any SYSEX issues, and I use SYSEX consistently. I strongly believe most issues can happen if the unit is not configure properly. MOTU XT can be very complicated. However, if setup correctly the unit works very well. Also, it is critical that the unit be undated to it's latest firmware version, as mine have been. Many people don't do that and complain about bugs that have been long fixed. Thanks for watching and sharing. 👍🏿

[@saruman4935]

If I connect my keyboards on the midi patch bay the sounds of the keyboards will be the exact natural like on jacks?

[@PowercoatMusic]

Patch bays are basically audio routers. They can't change the audio sounds passing through them unless a connection or cable is bad and then you might get either no sound or possibly some additional noise of some sort. Thanks for watching.

[@saruman4935]

@@PowercoatMusic I meant the midi patchbay

[@dannymolns3573]

Is it possible to ruin any gear from a patchbay by plugging into a denormaled or normaled etc in the wrong order?

[@officialpoa3171]

*Another thing, that Audio Patch Cables, please tell me more about them, they are some fat jokers!*