I recently got a new digital piano its fantastic! The only problem is I have run out of MIDI ports so I cannot use it to control any other gear without moving cables around. So its time for a MIDI Merger. After a bit of hunting around, I settled on the Dore MIDI Merge 5 Pro, over some of the fancier devices available. This is because I already have a MIDI 2in2out box, and enough MIDI outs and Thrus to serve my synths and drum machines. What I was missing was enough MIDI Ins, so I can play the gear from my different controllers, which is currently an Arturia Keylab Mk2 an Arturia Minilab3, a Novation Circuit Tracks, the Minibrute 2s (which is also my master clock) and the new Yamaha CK88 Piano.
In and Outs
So now my 5 controllers can all feed into the MIDI Ins of the DOREMiDi Merge-5 Pro
Since I already have a MIDI Splitter, for turning 1 input into 4 outputs it makes sense for me to just add a merger to the front. If I did not already own one I might of gone for a more sophisticated option.
Too Many Clocks?
What’s more, via the Mac or Windows software you can also set parameters to control which signals get through, with some surprisingly extensive filtering options, that you would normally expect to see on more expensive MIDI managers. A typical use case here could be to stop too many devices sending MIDI clock signals. If a drum machine gets hit with mulitple clock signals it will get confused. Another great use case is to isolate program change messages. So if I change a patch on one synth I can prevent program changes messages getting spread across the network to other synths. Nice! For my particular setup all I usually want to send is a clock start from the Minibrute 2s, and for any other device I am interested in just the note data, so the filtering can be used to get rid of unnecessary MIDI chatter which can cause confusion or stop the note data getting through. In my setup the Circuit Tracks is a sequencer and also sometimes a sound module, so the filters can be used to restrict how it is used, and make it take its clock from the Minibrute, since I no longer use it as my master clock
Summary
The DOREMiDi Merge-5 Pro is available on Amazon
Alternative Options
iConnectivity mioXL – Interface with 8 in x 12 Out. A more sophisticated option
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