Old School - MIDI?

[soundxplorer]

Does anyone know if the Old School can be modified with a MIDI OUT jack?
I haven't looked inside one, but since the keyboard responds to velocity and aftertouch I'm assuming there is some sort of modern digital (*gasp*) type of keybed in there, so I'm wondering if that also means there is MIDI -> CV conversion going on inside.
The Old School would be perfect for me if it just had a MIDI OUT jack on the back.
And I'm sure someone will suggest just getting a normal Voyager, but I can get an OS cheaper right now.

[unfiltered37]

Those things will be worth a lot of cash someday, I recommend keeping it stock

[soundxplorer]

Well, I don't have one (yet).
And I'm only talking about adding one MIDI OUT jack on the back - not a major chop job.
And only if it doesn't require replacing the existing keybed, which is why I want to know what is inside already.
Just curious.

[thealien666]

Does anyone know if the Old School can be modified with a MIDI OUT jack?
I haven't looked inside one, but since the keyboard responds to velocity and aftertouch I'm assuming there is some sort of modern digital (*gasp*) type of keybed in there, so I'm wondering if that also means there is MIDI -> CV conversion going on inside.
The Old School would be perfect for me if it just had a MIDI OUT jack on the back.
And I'm sure someone will suggest just getting a normal Voyager, but I can get an OS cheaper right now.

Having had a Voyager Old School, I can tell you that, yes, the keyboard scanning is a digital circuit ( ), but ONLY locally. As soon as a key is pressed, its digital values (note, velocity) are quickly converted to an analog control voltage by an on-board DAC. However, the aftertouch (pressure sensor) is all analog.
So while it's theoretically possible to intercept those digital values before they're being converted, it would only allow "note-on", "note-off", "note value" and "key velocity" MIDI messages to go out. Nothing else, since absolutely everything else is purely analog.

It's a very, very simple circuit with a PIC, and that's why note priority is not even selectable. Also, the Old School doesn't work on a precise 1V per octave basis (to cut the additional cost of a calibrating circuit) so the CV generated by that digital scanning circuit isn't truly compatible with other 1v/Oct synths without some sort of offset capability.

You're much better off buying an inexpensive MIDI keyboard controller than trying to make one out of the Old School...

[soundxplorer]

You're much better off buying an inexpensive MIDI keyboard controller than trying to make one out of the Old School...

Yep, sounds like it. Thanks for all the info - greatly appreciated.
I still want an Old School some day, but I'll have to stick with my Little Phatty for now.

[latigid on]

Old School RME, who knows?