Hooking Up A 2nd Computer

[Ricebug]

I want to hook up an Apple desktop to my existing PC desktop, using the following:

• A freeware  MIDI program installed on the Apple (I currently have a freeware MIDI program
• USB cable from the Mac to a synth module (SoundCanvass 88)
• An output cable running the MIDI data from the SC88 into the PC

Looks simple. Too bad it doesn't work. The MAC plays it well but the synth module is not responding or accepting the MIDI data from the Apple. 

I suspect that the SC-88 may be too old, seeing that it lacks USB ports. 

[Kurre]

The SC-88 uses 5pin din. Your MAC has to have a midi-interface with an in and out 5pin din. From that midi out you attach a 5pin din midi cable to the SC-88 midi in. Then from SC-88 midi out you attach another 5pin din midi cable to the PC midi-interface midi in.

It's the midi-interfaces that connect to the computer with usb.

[Starship Krupa]

It looks like you're having trouble getting your Mac to talk to the SC-88.

If you are able to make that happen, as long as the SC-88 supports MIDI Thru, and you connect MIDI out on the SC-88 to MIDI in on your PC's interface, it should work.

For help in getting your Mac to communicate to the SC-88, perhaps whatever support for the MIDI software you're running, or support for the SC-88, would be the best places to seek it.

However, since you say that you want to connect your Mac to the SC-88 via USB, but also say that the SC-88 lacks a USB port, I suspect that you will find that....difficult.

What is your top-level goal in all of this? Do you want to be able to send MIDI data from your Mac to your PC?

If that's all you want to do, you don't need the SC-88, what you need is USB-to-MIDI interfaces on each computer that connect via 5-pin DIN MIDI connectors. If the audio interface on your PC has 5-pin MIDI jacks, then you only need a USB-to-MIDI interface for your Mac to be able to speak MIDI between them.

Then you simply connect a MIDI cable from the MIDI out on one system (presumably your Mac) to the MIDI in on the other one (presumably your Windows PC). You can even do it in both directions.

Decent USB MIDI interfaces are inexpensive. I have one similar to this and it works flawlessly:

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Upgrade-Professional-Converter-Keyboard-Recording/dp/B092QLPST8/

There are cheaper ones on Amazon, but they are best avoided. I tried one and it suffered from stuck notes. The ones you want have a clear window on them with LED's to show MIDI activity. The one to avoid has an ovoid black plastic body with LED's imbedded in it.

If you want to play notes on your computer and have the SC-88 make sounds, then you would connect the 5-pin MIDI cable to the SC-88.

Edited August 30 by Starship Krupa