Midiplus MiniEngine USB MIDI Sound Module General MIDI Generator

I bought this a couple months ago, and hooked it up to my MIDI controller. Works great! The soundbank is mediocre, and I don't know how to configure it to get channel 10 drum sounds. After some time of keeping it on, it does stop producing sound - many low star reviews say this. I found that just turning it off then on again resets the sound. Yes, the old joke about electronics is true!

Simple to set up and use. Consumes minimal space. 128 serviceable sounds. No latency. Good value for inexpensively delivering sounds to a MIDI controller without requiring a computer.

I have not tried anything These instructions are useless, they only indicate the MIDIEngine mark on the product. How to make the sound work? Setting method: 1) Convert MIDI-Host-USB-Out to Yamaha-Host-USB-AB (printer cable) -In. 2) MIDI headphones are sent to Yamaha-AUX-in. 3) Yahama P255 has a USB on the right front panel, you can use it to charge the MIDIEngine. At first I thought it was plug and play, but then nothing happened. Then I tried to connect the headphones to the viola and I could hear the MIDI sound, but only with the headphones. It turned out that my 3.55mm headphone output jack was too tight with the auxiliary input jack, causing interference. Therefore, it works; After trial and error. I hope these instructions are actually instructions because I will return the product to the distributor. In short, the product works on demand, but you must know how and how to configure it yourself.

Fast delivery and reasonable price. This is a very good product. The GM Midi sound library of economical hardware with 128 wavetable sounds and wavetable drum sets. Eliminates delays in DAWS software and converts any MIDI controller into a full 128-sound synthesizer without a computer.

Solid product for the price and easy to use.

Awesome sound, great quality!

great midi module

VERY COOL! COMPACT! and SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD

Its nice to do business to do with, recommend to others

Comes with: - User manual - GM patch list card - MIDI to jack cable (to receive midi cable data) - MicroUSB to USB (to charge device) - Device itself. To work with a popular Yamaha YPG-535 keyboard, you need to buy an old fashioned USB cable (not mini or micro, just regular male to female USB cable, like a USB1.0 cable). As you may be aware the YPG-535 does not have MIDI connectors, but it can be sent over USB. Connect the included microUSB cable to the device, and to the 'to device' connection on the keyboard. This is for charging purposes. The keyboard will keep the MidiEngine charged. Connect the second (USB1.0) cable to the device, and connect it to the keyboard's "To Host" connection. This is to transfer the midi notes to the device. Now either use a mini headphones jack, or a mini-jack to jack cable to connect your device to an amplifier, mixer or monitors. From the keyboard setting, go into settings, and find 'keyboard out'. Select 'yes'. You are now able to hear your keys through the device. You can also go further in the keyboard settings, and select 'style out' or 'song out'. This will allow you to not only play the keys, but also play back backing tracks and backing instruments through the device. The MidiEngine has more voices (64) than the YPG-535 (32). So from time to time, the keyboard may cut out on voices that the MidiEngine continues. The Yamaha does not play back the built in demos through the USB connection. Also make sure that the host clock is the keyboard. Putting host clock to the MidiEngine, will freeze host clock, and you won't be able to play back any rhythm or tempo or metronome. The soundbank on the MiniEngine is very basic. It is very comparable to a 2 to 4MB soundfont on a PC, mostly FM synthesis. The music instruments are basic, and a nice addition to layer the instruments on top of the beautifully sounding Yamaha YPG-535's Grand Piano. This is why I bought this device! To layer instruments on top of the built in sounds. It's probably the cheapest midi sound module out there. Ever since my beloved Korg midi sound module got lost, I only found very expensive replacements. I just bought this on a whim, to see how it functions. It doesn't have many good sounds in there, but can be used to somewhat enhance the standard samples on the Yamaha keyboard (by adding some elements to the original samples). I don't think it's a solution a professional would use, but it's nice to experiment with. In the future I probably will seek a more professional solution. It works well with midi controller keyboards that have no internal sounds. You could use it as a cheap sound generator. But sound quality wise, it's well below a Casio budget keyboard. My only real con, in combination with the Yamaha 535 keyboard, is that whenever I change patches or instruments on the keyboard, the module goes haywire, and changes instruments as well. This includes manually changing the primary instrument on the keyboard, the layered instrument, or the split keyboard instrument. Transpose seems to work just fine! The device plays back in mono, and the samples can't be layered. However, if your source keyboard can send multiple samples at once, they can be layered through a keyboard that can (eg: you can run drums and backing chords on top of your instrument, if your keyboard allows you to play it). I personally think some instruments aren't very well calibrated. They are just regular, generic instruments. Sometimes the device flips, and changing instruments result in error. When that happens, just change the instrument back and forth again. Sometimes the device appears to be dead. Just reset, by pressing the power button for more than 4 seconds.

We got it to work with our Novation Impulse 61, after we figured out that the USB out on the MiniEngine is enough to light up the keyboard LEDs but not enough to fully power it. Plugging the keyboard into its own USB power source and connecting it with a 5-pin MIDI cable got it working. Works fine for my son's practice setup.

When I finally received the unit it works well.

I like it. It would be perfect for $30. Keep in mind that it is just the basic MIDI samples that can be had for free on the web. I wanted the ability to ditch my computer and this helps me in that process. The MIDI out to their proprietary MIDI in (an 1/8th inch plug???!!!) actually works great to my surprise.

Haven't used, yet, but good transaction. Thanks!

Item as described, Quality product, Fast shipping, A++++

Fast Smooth transaction Thank You

As described, works fine, superfast shipping, good communication. All good A++++

Got my purchase... 7 days transit time... Thanks!!!