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The gear Jump to top of page

Overview of the DAWless setup


Arturia Keystep Pro


Arturia Beatstep Pro


Behringer MS-1


Behringer TD-3


Korg microKORG S


Korg Volca FM Synthesizer


Korg Volca Sample 2


Korg NTS-1


Roland E-4 Voice Tweaker


Roland JV-1080


Roland TR-8


Effects pedals
Behringer FX600 (flanger, chorus, phaser, delay, tremolo, pitch shifter)
Behringer UC200 (ultra chorus)
TC Electronic Rush Booster
Harley Benton Digital Delay
Mooer Digital Auto Wah Pedal


ARTcessories T-Patch (patch bay)


MIDI Solutions Quadra Thru (MIDI splitter)


Kenton Merge-4 (MIDI merger)


American Audio VMS4.1


Mackie Big Knob Passive


Behringer Xenyx 1622USB (mixer)


Setup and connections Jump to top of page

The connections between the devices are mostly made using MIDI cables for timing and sending musical information. See this overview document for a detailed listing of all the assigned MIDI channels, USB setups, and connections to the mixer.

  • MIDI connections

    • The Arturia Keystep Pro's first MIDI output goes to the Kenton Merge-4's first MIDI input. Its second MIDI output goes to the Roland UM-ONE mk2 MIDI input. The Roland UM-ONE mk2's MIDI output goes to the Arturia Keystep Pro's MIDI input.

    • The Arturia Beatstep Pro's MIDI out goes to the Kenton Merge-4's second MIDI input.

    • The Arturia Keystep Pro's is always the master clock and its clock out goes to the Arturia Beatstep Pro's clock in.

    • The Kenton Merge-4's first MIDI output goes to the MIDI Solutions Quadra Thru's MIDI input. From there on, it splits to four devices, i.e. the Roland JV-1080, the Korg microKORG S, the Korg Volca Sample 2, and the Korg FM Synthesizer via their MIDI inputs. The Korg microKORG S's MIDI thru then goes to the Roland E-4 Voice Tweaker MIDI in. The Roland JV-1080's MIDI thru goes to the Korg NTS-1 MIDI in.

    • The Kenton Merge-4's second MIDI output goes to the Roland TR-8's MIDI in. From its MIDI thru it goes to the Behringer MS-1's MIDI in, and from its MIDI thru it goes to the Behringer TD-3's MIDI in, thereby chaining the three devices.

    • The Roland UM-ONE mk2, Behringer Xenyx 1622USB, Roland TR-8, Behringer MS-1, Behringer TD-3, Arturia Keystep Pro, and the Arturia Beatstep Pro are all connected via a powered USB-hub to a desktop PC.

  • Audio connections

    • All the devices their audio outputs go into the Behringer Xenyx 1622USB mixer's inputs. The Behringer MS-1, Behringer TD-3, Korg microKORG S, and Roland TR-8 all connect to inputs 1 to 4 via 1x 1/4" coloured TS cables (after first passing through the patch bay).

    • The Korg Volca Sample 2 and Korg FM Synthesizer connect to inputs 5/6 and 7/8 via 1x 1/8" TRS to 2x 1/4" TS cables.

    • The Roland JV-1080 mix out connects to inputs 9/10 via a 2x 1/4" TS to 2x 1/4" TS cable. Its output 1 (rhythm) and connects to the Behringer Xenyx 1622USB mixer's aux returns via a 2x 1/4" TS to 2x 1/4" TS cable.

    • There are 3 additional 1x 1/4" TS yellow coloured cables foreseen to connect to the Behringer MS-1, Korg microKORG S, or Roland TR-8 external audio inputs, respectively, with the latter supporting side chaining and stereo input via 2x 1/4" TS cables. There is also an option to connect to the Behringer Xenyx 1622USB mixer's FX returns via a 2x 1/4" TS to 2x 1/4" TS cable.

    • The American Audio VMS4.1 connects to the Behringer Xenyx 1622USB mixer's inputs 11/12 via two XLR to 1/4" TRS cables.

    • Microphone inputs are foreseen the Korg microKORG S external input via an XLR to 1x 1/4" TS cable, and the American Audio VMS4.1 microphone inputs 1 (via XLR) and 2 (1/4" TS). The Roland E-4 Voice Tweaker routes its mixout output to the American Audio VMS4.1 MIDILOG 1 input via a 1x 1/8" TRS to 2x RCA cable.

    • The Korg NTS-1's output connects to the American Audio VMS4.1 MIDILOG 4 input via a 1x 1/8" TRS to 2x RCA cable. It can also act as an external effects unit by connecting the Behringer Xenyx 1622USB's FX output to the Korg NTS-1's audio input via a 1x 1/4" TRS to 1x 1/8" TRS cable, and vice versa from the audio output to the mixer's FX input using a 1x 1/4" TRS to 2x 1/8" TS cable.

    • The main audio output from the Behringer Xenyx 1622USB goes to the input from the Mackie Big Knob Passive via a 2x 1/4" TS to 2x 1/4" TS cable, and from there on to the main audio speaker(s).

    • Patch bay and effect pedals

      • The Behringer MS-1, Behringer TD-3, Korg microKORG S, and Roland TR-8 are all routed via 1x 1/4" TS coloured cables to the ARTcessories T-Patch patch bay's back inputs (TO-connections, top row),and from its back outputs to the Behringer Xenyx 1622USB mixer's inputs (FROM-connections, bottom row).

      • All effects pedals (Behringer FX600, Behringer UC200, TC Electronic Rush Booster, and Harley Benton Digital Delay) are routed via the ARTcessories T-Patch patch bay's front inputs (FROM-connections, bottom row) and outputs (TO-connections, top row), and can thus be easily reassigned.

  • Default MIDI channel assignments

    • Instruments: 
      • NTS-1  -> MIDI CHANNEL #7
      • mK-S   -> MIDI CHANNEL #8
      • JV1080 -> MIDI CHANNEL #9 [PERFORMANCE/PATCH]
      • JV1080 -> MIDI CHANNEL #10 [RHYTHM]
      • VS-2   -> MIDI CHANNEL #11
      • VFMS   -> MIDI CHANNEL #12
      • E-4    -> MIDI CHANNEL #13
      • MS-1   -> MIDI CHANNEL #14
      • TD-3   -> MIDI CHANNEL #15
      • TR-8   -> MIDI CHANNEL #16

    • Keystep Pro: 
      • KSP SEQUENCER #1 -> MIDI CHANNEL #10 [JV1080-RHYTHM]
      • KSP DRUM         -> MIDI CHANNEL #11 [VS-2]
      • KSP SEQUENCER #2 -> MIDI CHANNEL #8  [mK-S]
      • KSP SEQUENCER #3 -> MIDI CHANNEL #12 [VFMS]
      • KSP SEQUENCER #4 -> MIDI CHANNEL #9  [JV1080-PERFORMANCE/PATCH]

    • Beatstep Pro: 
      • BSP SEQUENCER #1 -> MIDI CHANNEL #14 [MS-1]
      • BSP SEQUENCER #2 -> MIDI CHANNEL #15 [TD-3]
      • BSP DRUM         -> MIDI CHANNEL #16 [TR-8]
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Starting up the synthesisers Jump to top of page

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