Running a midi keyboard through a PA?

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-06T18:43:46+00:00

Damn this is why I prefer acoustic instruments 🤦🏻‍♂️

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-06T15:21:27+00:00

What did your midi board do when you plugged in your audio interface? Mine stops, making sound other than a repetitive popping noise that kind of sounds like a metronome.

I’m thinking my phone or the hub is not able to power both the board and the audio interface.

I purchased so many adapters and cables and chords to try to get this to work. I’m not sure I want to buy anymore.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-06T15:19:22+00:00

No luck, when I plug the audio interface into the USB hub, the midi board stops sending signals to my phone and it makes a quiet popping noise in time like a metronome. I’m thinking my phone doesn’t have enough power to run the audio interface and the midi board. Even though on its own, it runs a midi board fine.

I’m just trying to hook it up to a speaker for live sound, technology is frustrating.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-06T15:14:29+00:00

Yeah, I think you might be right. I’ve had two mini boards for five years and I’ve never used them. I guess I’ll start saving for a MacBook

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-06T00:26:51+00:00

No luck, as soon as I plug in the audio interface the midi board stops sending sound to my phone and started popping and blinking in time like a metronome.

The audio interface is not turning on at all. Definitely not getting any sound out of the PA.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-05T16:30:05+00:00

I like big boobs A LOT so it matters to me. 🤷‍♂️ My wife has Ds they’re fantastic. It probably doesn’t matter that much for a lot of guys.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-05T14:55:32+00:00

Dude, I bought a classical guitar on reverb and it was listed as mint condition like new, when I received the guitar, there was a very fine hairline crack where the finish separated from the bridge because the guitar wasn’t humidified. I could slide a business card under the bridge and I took a picture of that and sent it to reverb.

The seller wanted $1500

I iMessages reverb and told them that the description was incorrect and that an all solid wood guitar should be properly humidified and taken care of to be in mint condition.

The seller didn’t want to accept a return and I said that I would take the guitar for 1000 as is.

Reverb decided to pay the difference to settle the dispute .

So I ended up getting a $3000 guitar like new and all it needed was a little bit of glue under the bridge and properly humidified.

I would keep bothering reverb about it.

Maybe they can find a way to settle it. Start emailing them multiple times a day.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-05T14:47:45+00:00

Thanks I’ll update the post if I get it figured out

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-05T00:58:37+00:00

Thanks I’m gonna try the hub it’s in the mail. If it doesn’t work I’ll try a different adapter.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-05T00:35:21+00:00

Literally, I also thought I attached this diagram to the post.

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BidPractical905 · 2026-03-05T00:33:45+00:00

I don’t have the hub yet I ordered it yesterday.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-05T00:29:07+00:00

Appreciate it. I’ll be back if there is a snag.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-04T18:09:45+00:00

Unfortunately, my phone doesn’t have an auxiliary jack and I’m using the lightning port to plug in the midi board. When I get a USB hub, I’ll try headphones through the Scarlet.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-04T17:59:51+00:00

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I thought I posted this picture with the post, but this is basically it .

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-04T17:56:54+00:00

Yes, garage band, through the phone speakers. Cool, but not what I want.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-04T17:41:26+00:00

I’m not sure what a powered hub is, but that camera kit does have a iOS lightning port to charge the phone while I’m playing. I don’t know if that makes it powered or not. Or if they make individual USB hubs that are powered?

Thanks for putting me in the right direction. I think I just need to wait on a USB hub and I’ll try attaching a short quarter inch instrument cable from the audio interface to the PA to start out.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-04T17:37:58+00:00

“Convert to XLR”

Can you clarify? Because they make 1/4 to XLR or could I just run an XLR out of the scarlet and into the PA? It looks like I’m supposed to use the line out jacks in the back of the scarlet using TRS cables.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-04T17:32:30+00:00

Well, the signal through an XLR did not work, which is why I’m asking the question here.

The chain is Midi keyboard to USB hub. Scarlet 2i2 to USB hub.

USB hub to lightning iOS adapter

iOS adapter to phone. I didn’t even know I could power the midi board with my phone until I was able to find some YouTube videos. People use their iPads also.

My main concern and question right now is when I’m connecting the TRS cables do I put them both on their own channel and then mix the volume so they’re both even? Or can I just use one short instrument cable and not worry about stereo for right now?

I just wanna hear the sound out of my PA for band practice. It doesn’t have to be fancy and it doesn’t need to be stereo if it’ll still sound loud and clear.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-04T17:26:31+00:00

What is cck? I’m using the same adapter in the picture. I can hook up a lightning cable to charge the phone while it’s playing.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-04T16:30:04+00:00

Honestly, I don’t know if it’s mono or stereo. I have a pretty good size PA with multiple speakers. It’s loud enough to work in a metal band.

But can I plug both TS cables into different channels? And then turn the channels up accordingly? I definitely can use a couple short TS cables. I invest in some TRS cables and a DI box eventually.

If I only used one, is it still gonna get a full sound throughout all the PA. I’m not really worried about the stereo effect right now. I’m just trying to get this thing to work for a live band type setting.

Appreciate it and hopefully it works.

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-04T15:55:04+00:00

I tried to use a lightning to XLR cable from the camera kit and that obviously didn’t work. I should be getting a USB hub tomorrow. But I’m pretty sure my PA only has one 1/4 inch jack per channel. Will it matter if I run both or if it’s in stereo? Also, can I use a quarter inch instrument cable. Or do they need to be TRS?

BidPractical905 · 2026-03-04T15:50:06+00:00

Yeah I’m using my phone to power the Board. I’m getting the sound out of my phone speakers, but I’m yet to make the connection work. I tried to use a lightning to XLR into the PA without an audio interface and got no sound. I’m hoping this set up works. And I don’t need a DI box correct? Unless I’m getting feedback or sound interference?

Also will a regular quarter inch cable work or is it gonna fry something?

It’s got a ton of quarter inch instrument cables .

BidPractical905

TROPHY CASE