How does Striso Duet MPE work? Looking at Striso Open Source code I don’t see that you can set a min/max channel (but maybe there is a separate Duet open source repository). If the Duet is two Striso boards each MPE output needs to be limited to a range of MPE channels so no MPE channel overlap occurs playing a single MPE target. Or is the combined output of both Strisos somehow mapped to a single set of channels 2…15?
Also does the Duet combine Midi streams for a single USB output or do you connect two USB outputs to a hub/host? Or does its hub output look like two separate Strisos USB devices you process independently (you don’t send them both to the same MPE target?).
Thanks
When you connect the Striso to your computer it mounts as a USB-drive.
On this drive there is a config.htm which allows to change various parameters.
Among those:
Voice count/MPE channel count [1-15]
MIDI channel: MPE: first voice channel, normally 2 [1-16]
I use a midi hub that merges midi messages. Not sure how it is solved for the Duet.
The Striso also has an integrated synth (with a single but imho fitting sound) which I use a lot. With that one doesn’t need midi at all, just an audio mixer and speakers.
P.S.: Here the source of that config.htm: striso-control-firmware/config_editor/config.htm at main · striso/striso-control-firmware · GitHub
Apparently you can also reconfigure the midi out to an audio in. So when no midi is needed one can chain the audio out of one Striso into the next and get a mixed audio signal at the audio output of that one, which can directly be plugged into speakers without an audio mixer.
(I have the first jack configured as audio out and the second as midi out with the first going into an audio mixer and the second into a midi hub (MioXM), so I can switch between playing the internal sound and driving a synth on the computer (or the EaganMatrix in the Continuumini) without replugging anything. I don’t have the Duet but two individual Strisos. As I understand @thetechnobear 's post that’s what the Duet essentially also is, so it should work the same.)
afaik, the Duet is two Strisos with a custom ‘body’ which connects the two strisos via a usb hub, so you can buy one Striso, then later add the another and a body to make Duet.
so… this means, it does not need to merge the two midi streams, as a computer (etc) would see this as two different usb midi devices.
this is actually pretty handy, as it means its very easy in two have each hand/striso playing a different synth. and not have to cope with things like midi channel splitting.
pretty flexible for most use-cases.
but sure, a limitation, if your are sending to one device, you’d have to do some midi merging, with something that supports usb hubs, or can handle multiple usb devices. something like a teensy could probably do this without much coding.
guess in the continuum world, you’d just have to buy 2 micros
overall, I guess its a pretty limited use-case… I doubt too many have a duet, and probably the separate hand = separate instrument works nicely for many.
edit: just seen @NothanUmber post.
ok, so that means the merge can be pretty simplistic, as you can just arrange first/last to voice conflict… just a matter of merging the two data streams together.
The use case here someone asked about is using a Duet with an EaganMatrix Micro which is max 8 MPE voices - so yes there is only one target so you need to merge the MPE streams without overlap and do it though a USB midi host if no computer is involved (no problem using an iConnectivity MIO). I suspect the onboard USB hub connected to a USB Midi host will work as well.
Yea so should be possible if you can set them individually:
Voice count/MPE channel count [1-15]
MIDI channel: MPE: first voice channel, normally 2 [1-16]
According to this you should be able to set Striso #1 to output 4 channels starting at channel 2 and configure Striso #2 to output 4 channels starting at channel 6. Then merge them. Because EaganMatrix 10.52 firmware folds MPE voices > channel 9 into the 8 voice MPE output, this should work sending to a single Micro if the above configuration is possible.
Thanks for all the info, it’s a big help! @NothanUmber could I ask what hub you’re using to merge and forward the MIDI signals from your two devices? From my cursory searching, this seems like pretty rare functionality among MIDI hubs and I’d be interested in whatever you’re using.
I use the iConnectivity MioXM.
I already had that at home. There might be cheaper options, this one works though, you can program it to route and merge ports as desired.
Id assumed when @rkram53 asked, it was probably for a continuum micro to make a standalone/portable duet using eagan matrix backend…as that’d be pretty cool
so yeah, there aren’t a lot of routing solutions that incorporate usb midi hosts, that aren’t desktop products like the xioXM etc.
the only solution I can think of that might work ‘out of the box’, is a bomebox.
as I mentioned, with a bit of tinkering you could also come up with something (much cheaper). a good range here.
arduinos/teensy - cheap, low latency, low power - but needs more diy skills.
raspberry pi - just needs configuration skills.
note: with a rPI it’d be better to use an older one, or something like a pico. as the newer rPI5 consumes alot more power, generates quite a lot of heat.
and this midi routing, requires close to zero cpu/memory.
theres various software on a rPI that can help you setup the midi routing, so it shouldn’t be too daunting.
from a power perspective - you’ll just use a usb battery.
depending on whats in your striso already, you maybe able to use that one, or may need one that can deliver more power.
(again, this is why its better to not use a rPI5)
Agree. My older Pi works fine as a USB Midi Host. There’s also the new low power Pi but I think it has limited USB ports - but might work connected to the hub.
