Help me connect MIDI keyboard to Mbox 3?

[focusbob]

Hi Forum,

I have a, probably very easy, 2-part question. I have an Mbox 3 and I'd like to buy an alesis q25 (which has a midi out). My question is: 1) can I connect the q25 and mbox by connecting a midi cable from the q25's midi out to the mbox's midi in? 2) if I connect the q25 to the mbox using a midi cable, can I still power the q25 with a usb cable? The q25 has usb and midi out ports as well as a 9v adapter port (but it doesn't come with an adapter). So, can the q25 be connected via midi and powered via usb?

Thanks!
Jim

[albee1952]

If the Q25 is a USB bus powered device, you don't need the midi cable at all, assuming you install the proper drivers for the keyboard. Pro Tools allows for midi input thru more than just the midi port of the interface. I ran out of ports on my 003 so I added a MOTU Fastlane USB(2x2) and it works great in Pro Tools. Once the driver is installed, it should show up in Midi Studio as a valid port. Even my M-Audio trigger Finger works fine with its USB-only connection.

[focusbob]

Thanks; I understand I could just use the usb to connect and power, but I'm wondering if it's possible to power the keyboard with usb while connecting with midi.
Thanks,
Jim

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by focusbob

Thanks; I understand I could just use the usb to connect and power, but I'm wondering if it's possible to power the keyboard with usb while connecting with midi.
Thanks,
Jim

I think you can, but what I am saying is, you don't NEED the midi cables at all. In any case, you won't hurt anything by hooking up both cables.