Philip Rees

The MIDI Merge function

simple diagram of midi merge unit with three masters talking to one slave deviceA MIDI Merge Unit (merger) has applications wherever you need to combine MIDI datastreams. You may want to combine several simultaneous performances on the input of a computer or a sound module. You may want a MIDI Merge Unit to run a computer patch-editor to a synth-module at the same time as playing the module from a keyboard. You may want your MIDI merge unit to insert MIDI synchronization (MIDI clocks or Time Code) into a performance datastream.

MIDI mergersSadly, you can't combine MIDI datastreams just by joining the wires together. Data that arrived at the same time would clash - and be corrupted into garbage. In addition, the 'bytes' of information must be organised so as to be in accord with the MIDI protocol - so merging MIDI data is a job for a microcomputer - a MIDI merge unit or merger.

The range of merge boxes which we used to make

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