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Technical information on computer specs for Hauptwerk
Part 5: MIDI interface
If you wish to play or control Hauptwerk in real-time then you need some form of MIDI interface for the computer. Hauptwerk receives MIDI input to control its keys and console controls, and optionally produces MIDI output to drive external MIDI console hardware, such as solenoid-actuated or illuminated draw-knobs or tabs, or real external ranks of pipes.
Many audio interfaces, such as the Echo Audiofire range have one or more MIDI input and MIDI output ports built in. Many consumer PC sound cards also have such a such a facility by attaching a MIDI-gameport adapter lead.
However, if you wish to connect several MIDI input devices to Hauptwerk, such as several MIDI keyboards and MIDI draw-knob encoders, then you will usually need either a multi-port MIDI interface or a MIDI merge box. Multi-port MIDI interfaces are preferable because their timing is usually more accurate and they are less easily overloaded. You need to buy an interface that has at least as many MIDI input ports as you have MIDI input devices to connect.
MIDI output is simpler because most MIDI devices allow the MIDI connections to be 'chained', but a MIDI interface with multiple output ports will still usually provide better timing and error-resilience. Note that MIDI output facilities are only available in the Concert Edition of Hauptwerk.
Theoretically any MIDI interface that is compatible with your computer hardware and operating system should work with Hauptwerk, and we have had very few users who have ever had problems with any MIDI interfaces. However, since it is not possible for us to test with every MIDI interface available, we suggest products listed below.
Please note that we do not recommend very small 'micro' USB-MIDI interface, such as the M-Audio MIDISPORT UNO, since we have found some such interfaces to have insufficient hardware buffering and to lose occasional MIDI messages when the computer's processor is heavily loaded, causing stuck notes in Hauptwerk. That should never occur if using a good quality MIDI interface with plenty of buffering, such as any of those we recommend here.
On Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' our recommendations are:
- MOTU Micro Lite (USB): 5 MIDI input ports, 5 MIDI output ports.
- MOTU Express 128 (USB): 8 MIDI input ports, 8 MIDI output ports.
- M-Audio MIDISPORT 4x4 (USB): 4 MIDI input ports, 4 MIDI output ports.
- M-Audio MIDISPORT 8x8 (USB): 8 MIDI input ports, 8 MIDI output ports.
- Echo Audiofire 12 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- Echo Audiofire 8 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- Focusrite Saffire audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio FireWire Audiophile audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio FireWire 410 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio Audiophile 2496 audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. Can be used in older G4/G5 Macs only.
- M-Audio 1010/1010LT audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. Can be used in older G4/G5 Macs only.
On Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' our recommendations are:
- MOTU Micro Lite (USB): 5 MIDI input ports, 5 MIDI output ports.
- MOTU Express 128 (USB): 8 MIDI input ports, 8 MIDI output ports.
- M-Audio MIDISPORT 4x4 (USB): 4 MIDI input ports, 4 MIDI output ports.
- M-Audio MIDISPORT 8x8 (USB): 8 MIDI input ports, 8 MIDI output ports.
- Echo Audiofire 12 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- Echo Audiofire 8 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- Focusrite Saffire audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio FireWire Audiophile audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio FireWire 410 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio Audiophile 2496 audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. Can be used in older G4/G5 Macs only.
- M-Audio 1010/1010LT audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. Can be used in older G4/G5 Macs only.
On 32-bit editions of Windows Vista our recommendations are:
- MOTU Micro Lite (USB): 5 MIDI input ports, 5 MIDI output ports.
- MOTU Express 128 (USB): 8 MIDI input ports, 8 MIDI output ports.
- M-Audio MIDISPORT 4x4 (USB): 4 MIDI input ports, 4 MIDI output ports.
- M-Audio MIDISPORT 8x8 (USB): 8 MIDI input ports, 8 MIDI output ports.
- Focusrite Saffire audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- Echo Audiofire 12 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- Echo Audiofire 8 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- E-MU 1212M audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- E-MU 1616M audio interface (PCI card): 2 MIDI input ports, 2 MIDI output ports.
- E-MU 0404 audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio FireWire Audiophile audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio FireWire 410 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio Audiophile 2496 audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio 1010/1010LT audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
On 64-bit editions of Windows Vista our recommendations are:
- MOTU Micro Lite (USB): 5 MIDI input ports, 5 MIDI output ports.
- MOTU Express 128 (USB): 8 MIDI input ports, 8 MIDI output ports.
- Focusrite Saffire audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- Echo Audiofire 12 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. (1)
- Echo Audiofire 8 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. (1)
- E-MU 1212M audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- E-MU 1616M audio interface (PCI card): 2 MIDI input ports, 2 MIDI output ports.
- E-MU 0404 audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
On 32-bit editions of Windows XP our recommendations are:
- MOTU Micro Lite (USB): 5 MIDI input ports, 5 MIDI output ports.
- MOTU Express 128 (USB): 8 MIDI input ports, 8 MIDI output ports.
- M-Audio MIDISPORT 4x4 (USB): 4 MIDI input ports, 4 MIDI output ports.
- M-Audio MIDISPORT 8x8 (USB): 8 MIDI input ports, 8 MIDI output ports.
- Echo Audiofire 12 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- Echo Audiofire 8 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- Focusrite Saffire audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- E-MU 1212M audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- E-MU 1616M audio interface (PCI card): 2 MIDI input ports, 2 MIDI output ports.
- E-MU 0404 audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio FireWire Audiophile audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio FireWire 410 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio Audiophile 2496 audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio 1010/1010LT audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
On 64-bit Windows XP x64 our recommendations are:
- MOTU Micro Lite (USB): 5 MIDI input ports, 5 MIDI output ports.
- MOTU Express 128 (USB): 8 MIDI input ports, 8 MIDI output ports.
- Echo Audiofire 12 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. (1)
- Echo Audiofire 8 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. (1)
- Focusrite Saffire audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- E-MU 1212M audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- E-MU 1616M audio interface (PCI card): 2 MIDI input ports, 2 MIDI output ports.
- E-MU 0404 audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port.
- M-Audio FireWire Audiophile audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. (2)
- M-Audio FireWire 410 audio interface (firewire): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. (2)
- M-Audio Audiophile 2496 audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. (2)
- M-Audio 1010/1010LT audio interface (PCI card): 1 MIDI input port, 1 MIDI output port. (2)
(1) We found that performance of the onboard MIDI ports was sluggish with the current Echo drivers for 64-bit Windows (only). Hence we would currently recommend using a separate MIDI interface with the Echo Audiofire interfaces on 64-bit Windows platforms.
(2) The current drivers for this interface are beta and/or not fully supported by the manufacturer. We found them to work but you might not be able get support from the manufacturer if you have a problem.
Details of the interfaces can be found on the Echo, MOTU, Focusrite, E-MU and M-Audio websites.
Unless specifically advised to do otherwise, it is usually best to ensure that the latest versions of the manufacturers' drivers and firmware are installed.
If you only intend to use Hauptwerk with a MIDI sequencer, then you do not necessarily need any hardware MIDI interface. Apple Mac OS X has a built in 'virtual MIDI cable' called the IAC Driver. However, for Windows PCs with non-VSTi compatible sequencers you will need to install a 'virtual MIDI cable' driver yourself, such as MIDI Yoke (compatible with 32-bit software) or LoopBe1 (compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit software).
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