Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

Hi everyone

I've just bought an Alesis MMT8 sequencer and would like to recreate my original set-up which comprised of

Yamaha DX7IID
Akai S1000
Alesis MMT8

How would I chain it all together via midi so that I could sequence the Akai? I've had a complete mental block I'm afraid!

Yamaha's midi out to MMT8 midi's in, then MMT8 midi's out to Akai S1000's midi in. You enter the sequence using the DX7, then the sequencer can play it back using the S1000's internal engine.

Thanks, much appreciated. Haven't used a hardware sequencer in a long time, not since 1990!

I should have used the word "triggering" instead of "using" about the final midi path from the MMT8 to the S1000. But it's basically the same result...

This is a very basic midi operation, but make sure all the channels are the same on every machine!

For use of the DX7 as well in the setup, send the DX7 out to the MMT8 in, send the MMT8 out back to the DX7 in. Now connect the DX7 thru to the S1000 in. Have the S1000 set to MIDI channel 1 receive, for example. Have the DX7 send and receive channels set to 2, say. To record the DX7, make sure the "MIDI ECHO" button on the MMT8 is OFF. Record the DX7 on a track on the MMT8. Play it back to confirm the DX7 responds to the recorded notes.

Now you can play and record the S1000. First, press the "MIDI ECHO" button on the MMT8 to ON. Set your DX7 send channel to 1, but leave the DX7 receive channel at 2. Play the DX7 keys. You should hear the S1000 playing but not the DX7. Record the S1000 on a separate track, playing something different to the first track. When finished, press the "MIDI ECHO" button on the MMT8 to OFF. Now play back the sequence. You should be able to hear the DX7 and the S1000 playing together, playing different things.

Cheers, Graham