

Computer? USB Host interface? Software? Raspberry Pi!


The PC-based bridge is not so portable and maybe you don’t want to take a laptop to the gig. Also, the Kenton is not readily available in all parts of the world (e.g., the USA) and shipping is expensive. The Kenton is portable, but is a little bit pricey for my taste. The software streams the MIDI data between the 5-pin and USB worlds. The old synth (or whatever) is connected to the computer through the 5-pin MIDI IN/OUT interface and the controller is connected to the USB-A Host port.

Most of the new controllers have only a USB-B device port and expect to be connected to a USB-A host port for power and communication. The world was 5-pin MIDI for a long time and many classic synthesizers and workstations only have a 5-pin DIN interface. 5-pin MIDI is dirt simple and is just a faster form of plain old serial communication - no bus protocol, no host/client, no hassles. New controllers now communicate MIDI data over USB instead of using the old 5-pin DIN interface. It seems like MIDI over USB has taken over the MIDI controller world! Finally, one year later, I got to try out this idea. Way back in January 2014, I outlined a way to send MIDI from a USB-B only controller to a keyboard or module with classic 5-pin MIDI using Raspberry Pi as a bridge. Please see the bottom of this page for an update.
