connecting to computer

J

Justice

Member
Can anybody explain step by step how to hook up my Ultra to my computer. Ive been trying to figure it out. They something about m audio uno etc.
If anybody know I bee very grateful. Im retarded when it comes to this. Thanks soooooo much.
 
You need a midi to usb interface because the Ultra doesn't have a usb port. Avoid the really cheap Chinese jobs from e-Bay and get something like a midisport or, if you'd find a more comprehensive interface useful, a Tascam US-122 or similar.
 
drwiddly said:
You need a midi to usb interface because the Ultra doesn't have a usb port. Avoid the really cheap Chinese jobs from e-Bay and get something like a midisport or, if you'd find a more comprehensive interface useful, a Tascam US-122 or similar.
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I've actually had pretty good luck with the $7 off Amazon or Ebay all in one interface cable, but YMMV.
 
MikeyB59 said:
I've actually had pretty good luck with the $7 off Amazon or Ebay all in one interface cable, but YMMV.
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TBH I've never used one. I bought a Tascam ages ago to connect to my daw so when I needed a usb to midi for various bits of gear, it was there. I have seen dozens of posts on various forums about people not being able to transfer sysex files using cheap links.

To the OP - By all means try a cheap usb to midi cable. If it works, great and, if not, you've only wasted $7.00. Personally, as a working musician, I'd rather have something I can rely on but YMMV.
 
M-Audio Midisport 2x2 USB to MiIDI interface (mine was the "Anniversary" edition but shouldn't matter which one) does the job for me (I'm using Windows 7 64bit, and the official M-Audio driver), and is the only interface that the European Axe-FX distributors at G66 recommended. Cheaper interfaces will probably generally work for sending single patches or user cabs etc to the Axe-Fx, but may not work if attempting to download a full firmware update or patch bank to the Axe-Fx or perform a full patch backup from the Axe-Fx. Note that the M-Audio Midisport 2x2 (when I last looked) is stated as not fully compatible with USB 3.0 and may not work properly on a USB3.0 connection, I use a USB 2.0 port on my PC.

(On a seperate note: For anyone using the M-Audio Midisport 2x2 with Win 7 64bit and the official M-Audio driver, note that based on my experience, you may find that the first compatible USB port you first connect it to after installing the official driver may be the only USB port that the driver will fully "talk" to, although this could of course be interaction with my PC motherboard/drivers. If you connect it to a different compatible USB port afterwards then Windows will state that the device is connected and working but it may NOT appear as an available device in AxeEdit etc. Connect it back to the "original first connected" USB port and it works fully again.)
 
I have had two of the $5 Chinese usb-midi things and they work just fine. The only issue with them is that they are made so insanely cheaply that if you are going to be moving it around a lot you may want to get something more rugged. But, if you're going to connect it in, say, a rack situation or tuck it behind a desk (or whatever) and leave it for good then you can't complain over $5.

With that in mind, personally, I recommend anyone who has even the slightest inclination to ever get a floor board/controller to get a usb-midi device that has channel merging - whatever that's technically called. The only way to have the Axe-FX plugged into and working with both the Axe-Edit software and a foot controller type unit is to have a single midi device that sums the input channels (eg. Midisport 2x2, from what I've read).

So, either buy the cheap, $5 thing now and get the combiner thing-a-majig later, or just buy the combiner thing-a-majig right from the get go. Otherwise you're going to be wasting money somewhere along the line.
 
The $5 converters are hit-or-miss. Some people have had good luck with them. Other posters have complained that they couldn't get USB-to-MIDI to work; when they changed from the $5-$7 converters to a mid-priced or better converter, everything was fine. Given that, along with their cheap construction, I'd only buy a cheapie if I could afford to have it fail on me. I wouldn't trust them on a gig.
 
MikeyB59 said:
I've actually had pretty good luck with the $7 off Amazon or Ebay all in one interface cable, but YMMV.
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I've had awful luck with those things. After a lot of headaches and pain I gave up, threw them in the bin and got a M-Audio MIDISport 4x4 - dreamy bliss ever since.

Also for MIDI Thru and MIDI Merge I highly recommend MIDI Solutions.
MIDI Solutions Ordering Information
Stable, no jitter, low latency.
The only drawback is they cannot be powered via MIDI by Axe FX :?
However the M-Audio MIDISport is up to the task, plug it into Input 1 of the Merger or Quadra Merge
 
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One thing to note is that Windows XP's MIDI implementation is well... crap. So don't expect smooth sailing there. That was one of the nails in the coffin for me, and I'm happily running Win7-64bit now.

I've got a cheap ebay USB<->MIDI cable and it works with the Axefx and either Win7 or MaxOSX (for me).
 
I had the cheapo usb<>midi and with the right driver, worked perfect. I then tried a Chinese 4x4 as I needed to hook up my FCB1010 and axe edit, this was a real headache as it connected on a hit or miss basis.

I now use a maudio 2x2 midisport and this has never failed me.

oh, im on win 7 x64 by the way.
 
GfromHarpOn said:
However the M-Audio MIDISport is up to the task, plug it into Input 1 of the Merger or Quadra Merge
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Are you saying to plug the midisport into the Merger? The M-Audio Midi-Sport 2x2 has a merge function built in. It doesn't need any other component to allow an Axe user to use both the Axe-Edit software and a, say, FCB1010 at the same time. The M-Audio Midi-Sport 4x4, on the other hand, does not have a merge function.
 
Johnny Two Tone said:
Are you saying to plug the midisport into the Merger? The M-Audio Midi-Sport 2x2 has a merge function built in. It doesn't need any other component to allow an Axe user to use both the Axe-Edit software and a, say, FCB1010 at the same time. The M-Audio Midi-Sport 4x4, on the other hand, does not have a merge function.
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No that isn't what I'm saying. The merge box in my case takes MIDI from MIDI Sport as well as other external MIDI devices that then go into a thru box and on to my Axe and other devices. My Axe MIDI output goes back to the MIDI Sport.

I have a few other devices which necessitates the use of Thru and Merge boxes which have little to do with my MIDI Sport. And its going to be more complicated soon with 6 MIDI Solution boxes.

I can see why you thought I meant use the Merge instead of using the 2x2 to merge 2 signals. I just wanted to point out that if anyone wants to use these they be aware the Axe FX cannot power them. Be it their Merge, Thru or any of their other products.
 
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GfromHarpOn said:
No that isn't what I'm saying. The merge box in my case takes MIDI from MIDI Sport as well as other external MIDI devices that then go into a thru box and on to my Axe and other devices. My Axe MIDI output goes back to the MIDI Sport.

I have a few other devices which necessitates the use of Thru and Merge boxes which have little to do with my MIDI Sport. And its going to be more complicated soon with 6 MIDI Solution boxes.

I can see why you thought I meant use the Merge instead of using the 2x2 to merge 2 signals. I just wanted to point out that if anyone wants to use these they be aware the Axe FX cannot power them. Be it their Merge, Thru or any of their other products.
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Ah.
 
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