If your studio is set up for recording, you might set up patches for cue (headphone) sends or synthesizers. Patchbays are organized based on the needs of the studio, so none of them are laid out the same way. The whole point is to speed up your workflow by allowing you to make common connections quickly. For instance, console channel outputs 1-8 connect to the patch bay using a single cable, instead of 8 separate TRS cables. The other has an 8-channel “whip” of XLR or 1/4” TRS connectors. One end of the D-sub cable has a single DB-25 connector. The rear typically uses DB-25 connectors to save space, but some units use 1/4” TRS or XLR.ĭB-25 (or D-sub) cables are multi-pin connectors that can carry 8 analog audio signals simultaneously. Although, some patchbays use 1/4” TRS or even XLR connectors. Most modern patchbays use tiny telephone (TT), or bantam connectors on the front. They handle both input and output for each channel, which makes 48 “points” or connections. Typically, patchbays have 24 channels per unit. Just be prepared to spend 10-20% of your gear investment for all the cabling you’ll need. If you have a studio with analog equipment, you’ll benefit from a using a patchbay. It’s all about reducing the amount of time you spend setting up, and increasing the amount of time you spend making music. It’s kind of like that sometimes, but instead of routing phone calls to New Mexico, you’re routing a kick drum to a compressor.Įven hybrid studios with only a few pieces of outboard gear can benefit from a patchbay. You know those old movies where people would make phone calls and speak to an operator? There were usually a bunch of women sitting in front of a wall of cables, smoking cigarettes and patching calls to Albuquerque. But the more gear you have, the bigger your patch bay needs to be. It allows you to quickly connect different pieces of gear together without having to crawl behind them and physically run cables from one unit to the other. It’s the central nervous system of the studio. Most commercial studios use a patchbay - especially those with a console. As long as you understand how they work, there’s nothing to panic about. They’re used to connect one piece of equipment to another. And one wrong move can bring things to a screeching halt. ![]() Everything is color coded in some cryptic language. ![]() It almost feels like you’re Jack Bauer disarming a bomb. If you have a couple of smaller MIDI interfaces already, MIDIOx can do some pretty slick routing & mapping stuff between multiple different interfaces and it's free if you want to tinker.Patchbays can be intimidating. I would Google the interface and OS and look for forum results for definitive answers Were you already aware of these and wanted more of an actual patchbay with the physical patching? I wouldn't mind seeing one eitherīe very aware that if you decide to go with an used interface, legacy devices do not have guaranteed driver support with the latest OS' and you'll be limited to the internal preset routing configs if so. Nothing comes to mind with multiple dins on the front other than one or two pairs so you may have to flip the rack ears around. The only experience I have is with MOTU products, but other brands certainly exist. Though not exactly like a pathbay in terms of the physical patching, it's done through software. You probably need to rephrase your keywords to MIDI interface and you'll get some more results. Thanks!ĮDIT: Wow, so many amazingly helpful responses. I'm a little new to interfacing a larger MIDI studio so please let me know if there's a simpler solution I'm not realizing. But this feels overkill and honestly I only need like 6 ports tops. Has it never existed?! So then I guess I build my own using parts such as this panel + these connectors acting as feed-thru, basically extending the rear ports to the front of a rack. I'd imagine something like an XLR rack patchbay but I could find no such thing online. And sometimes to connect different racks together. ![]() So I was googling everywhere for a MIDI Patchbay and all I was able to find was patchbay software.īasically I'm just looking for a rack panel or box with front-facing 5-pin midi ports to easily connect gear to the backside of my rack units. However sometimes I like to pop out a different hardware keyboard or drum machine and have the connectivity to midi when I want, but while being able to put the keyboard away easily and keep a clean space. I'm in a small space so over time I've collected my fair share of rackmount synths, samplers, and effects units that utilize midi.
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