MIDI Guitar 2 and Wireless MIDI - Testing the CME WIDI Uhost

[@michaelschnell5633]

Many thanks for the UHost test ! I intend to improve my live setup with the TEC BBCv2 by a pair of UHosts ASAP. Regarding smooth switching "Programs" in a computer (not iPad) setup, I user Reaper (which is very versatile and rather cheap) and "SWS LiveConfigs" (free Reaper add-on) which is easy to set up in a rather basic configuration. (I in fact use a very complex setup and did a lot of custom programming for this, which Reaper allows in a perfect way.)

[@lofileif]

Sound like a great setup! 😀👍

[@Andante51]

Great video, I learned a lot about how the CME WIDI U-host works, as I am just beginning to use these devices. Guiltarists should really love how you demonstrate playing the great Swam instruments through your guitar with a breath controller, just fascinating! But it also helped me understand how the U-host might help me incorporate a breath controller with my midi keyboard for Swam saxophones. Having only played a little bit with a Neova ring (worn on your hand) and my new Kurzweil K2700 keyboard, I just ordered the better Genki Wave ring, with a CME WIDI Master for the 5 pin midi input on my Kurzweil. I also ordered the U-host in hopes of hooking it up to the Launchpad I also just received to control parameters with one hand or both hands. The Neova ring still sort of works, but the company went out of business shortly after I bought it, & there never was any real help available online or through forums, esp for iPad use, which is the only 'computer' I choose to use with my music gear. In contrast, with the Genki Ring, along with the CME WIDI devices, there is lots of help available, both from the company & online user groups, inc. using with iPads, after setup with PC software. So in addition to understanding more about the CME WIDI devices, the insight you provided about using them with the iPad I also found especially helpful. Thanks very much!

[@lofileif]

Oh, I am superhappy you got this much out of this ”old” video. 😶 Fact is, the Uhost works even better than how I describe it here. There was an update to it just as I was doing this that didn’t make it into the video, so I can happily say that now all my bluetooth stuff work side by side as it should which of course is great news. I am convinced you’ll be happy with the Uhost too, given that you are not intending to use it on any grand stage (the range is somewhat limited, as you saw?) Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for the feedback. It is always great to hear what works and what don’t. 🙏👍

[@Andante51]

@@lofileif You're welcome! Glad to hear they've been updating things that improved the bluetooth performance! And yeah, I'm only likely to be using it to record and perform for friends and fam at home, or I might take the Launchpad, iPad & a smaller keyboard to jam along with a few friends. There still isn't a lot out there on YT on the CME Widi stuff, inc. the Genki ring, esp using with iPad - so I have a fantasy of eventually having a small KZbin channel with a couple how-to's. Soon I'll come back to focus more on the breath controller info you provided :-)

[@lofileif]

@@Andante51 I look forward to seeing you here. I agree, there are holes to fill when it comes to tech tutorials for musicians! 👍

[@lumena1921]

Nice video, as always when I look through your videos I find lots of interesting setups that are very appealing. I have a question about the Uhost you are using on the computer end. Is there any reason way you are not just using the bluetooth midi built into your mac?

[@lofileif]

Hi Lumena! Thanks for watching, and happy to hear you find something interesting in them. About the Apple bluetooth question: my iMac was pretty old to begin with and there are quite a few issues with the Apple bluetooth protocol itself. The Uhost allows for a lot of devices to be paired simultaneously, and will also appear under one name in your DAW. This make it a lot easier to work with, when using groups of BT devices for instance. Those would be my main reasons.

[@19501960]

Thanks, you are definitely wired for sound.

[@lofileif]

😀🙏🙏🙏

[@hosenscheisser9]

Hey there, I wasn’t quite sure how you can connect your midi device with the computer. Do you use one widi uhost on the mididevice and one widi uhost on the computer, with both of them Widis pairing with each other? Or does the widi uhost on the mididevice pair directly with Bluetooth of the computer?

[@lofileif]

Hi! According to my experience with this setup, you should probably use a WIDI UHost on both ends. The Mac Bluetooth protocol seems much more unstable, and disconnected for no reason when I tried this out. But things have changed since, and I haven't had time to check with the latest update to all software yet. But my suggestion is to go with Uhosts both as a Master and as Slave. 👍

[@bernamato1806]

Hi, which power bank do you use? I try many different but after few minutes they stop to power the device. Pls do you help me?

[@lofileif]

Oh, I have never had that happen to me? I have never paid any particular attention to what I have purchased. It is everything from airport panic purchases to (low) budget electronics chains stores here in Sweden. I think most of them are "Linocell"5000mAh units. But as I said, it could very well be a domestic affair. I am sorry, but I don't have any specific knowledge here to help you out.

[@bernamato1806]

could you please tell me the name of the pocket to attach it to the guitar strap? Thanks

[@lofileif]

Hey man! That is some classic Lo-Fi design. Homemade - a pocket made up of some stretchy fabric sewn right onto the guitar strap. A better view here perhaps? kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYG4oZ5-oK2iqrs

[@bernamato1806]

@@lofileif Thank you, I hope to find it. I've ordered the items to use with electric cello and of course midi guitar 2.

[@godboat.]

does the widi uhost provide power passthrough to bus powered midi controllers?

[@lofileif]

Not for everything I tested, but for most. I think I remember trying the Novation Sl 25 without luck, but everything you see in the video like the softstep and the breathcontroller, the morph and all that stuff work fine!

[@godboat.]

@@lofileif wow that's great news thank you!

[@Mei4256wshfgf]

I have one widi uhost. I have one tec breath. Successfully paired uhost to Windows. Midiberry loop midi. Midi signal is a success . Cubase has a signal . BUT !!!!! There is no signal in the tecbreath controller setting app. Unable to change cc number in TEC breath controller setting app. What's the problem?

[@lofileif]

Hi there! There is no problem. That is by design. The BBC2 is sending two kinds of messages. MIDI is what is passed along over bluetooth, but for the settings messages to be recieved by the controller app you need to have the BBC2 physically connected (via cable) to the computer. You make the controller settings first and send them to the unit with the ”make permanent” button, and then use it wirelessly. To change a setting, connect it to the computer and do the same thing again. 👍

[@Mei4256wshfgf]

@@lofileif ☺☺Thank you so much!!! That's the make permanent function. I am Korean. I didn't know the meaning because I couldn't speak English. I recently bought an elefue wind. The elefue wind lacks breath, midi cc functionality, so I'm trying to use it with a tec controller at the same time. I got the widi delivered today. I had a $15 m-vave midi from a Chinese company. I was surprised to have a Bluetooth connection with the widi.

[@lofileif]

No problem! I have actually discussed that exact functionality twice this week. One of these was with the TEControl developer, so I came prepared! 😀👍

[@MrGoggler]

👍👍👍 Thanks a lot! By the way - I sorted out my MidiGuitar 2 Problem up to 95%. it still lacks sometimes, but it is acceptable so. far.

[@lofileif]

Glad to hear you are on your way. The biggest problems are usually the initial adaption phase, figuring out how the software actually works, as opposed to one’s expectations on it! 😀👍

[@Alex_Martz]

Thanks for the detailed description, the snow outside looks great too!, it doesn't snow where I live 😕 Also: have you tried the softstep controller with a looper via bluetooth?, how's the latency to control a looper?... That Sofstep controller seems to be an older model but I actually like it more with those big switches instead of the new smaller ones and X shaped... I have a Behringer FCB1010 which I think is a great and cheap controller but I'd like to know if you or anyone else recommends a specific 5-pin MIDI to Bluetooth adapter with low latency...

[@lofileif]

Hi Alex, and thanks for the view! I haven’t tried any loopers in a while. I guess I’ll be getting into that soon enough though. This is the first gen. Softstep, and I must say I like it a lot. So light and so durable, but I don’t use it for nearly as much stuff as it allows for. If you are looking for 5-pin MIDI by Bluetooth, check out the CME WIDI Master. I have ordered one for my EWI and I’ll probably feature all my DIN 5-pin devices in a video too when it gets here. The latency together with a Uhost should be really low. Tell you more when I know more!🤝😀

[@Alex_Martz]

@@lofileif Great, thanks!, I'll check the CME WIDI Master