How to make music: iConnectivity MioXM (short review)

iconnectivity mio xm

Today is a bit of a first. I’d like to share a few experiences – both positive and negative – about music production that I’ve had over the last few years with tools, hardware, software, VSTs, books and much more. I’ll try to keep each post short and sweet by following a very simple scheme: expectations based on the product description and the real experiences. Starting off this series of reviews is the iConnectivity MioXM. This device is a MIDI interface, and the manufacturer promises the following, quite wholeheartedly:

“More connectivity than you can shake a stick at. With mioXM™ it’s never been easier to get all of your MIDI gear talking to each other. Harness the power of our advanced computer and network connectivity and experience why mioXM redefines what a MIDI interface can and should do. Connect all your MIDI devices (USB-MIDI, DIN-MIDI, RTP/Network-MIDI) and let this rugged, versatile interface put you in control of your MIDI devices and workflow.”

Source: https://www.iconnectivity.com/mioxm, accessed 9/4/2022.

Expectations:

With this description we are already in the middle of the expectations I had for this device:

  • To connect my computer (DAW, Ableton) to my creative corner (Pioneer Toraiz, Roland SE 02, Roland SH-01A, Korg Minilogue and Korg Monologue) and remotely control all the synthesizers.
  • Using the sequencers on my iPad to control the aforementioned synthesizers/samplers.
  • Connecting all devices to the MIDI interface (MIDI in and MIDI out).
  • flexibly route all devices.
  • Using the existing LAN cable to my creative corner without having to run 10 meter MIDI cables across my workroom again.

Experiences:

I should have taken the review on Amazona (https://www.amazona.de/test-iconnectivity-mioxm-mioxl-midi-interfaces/, accessed 9/4/2022) a bit more to heart. The author described an – to put it mildly – interesting round of tinkering on his Mac, at the end of which he got the whole system working after all.

I’ll make it short, in theory and in the really great tutorials the device worked perfectly. However, only Macs were used in the tutorials and never Windows machines. This should have given me food for thought. From the beginning, there were difficulties initiating RTP connections (network connection of computer/Ableton-MioXM/synthesizer) via the in-house software Auracle. Mostly it took a few minutes until a session was established at all and if it worked once, then not for long. Even after 2 firmware or 2 software updates it still didn’t work. In short, the device did not meet my most important requirement.

Stand-alone use with the iPad didn’t work either, as periodically the Audiobus 3 and AUM apps lost connection to the MioXM. Even with the original Apple camera connection kit, this happened with nice regularity. In short, the device did not meet my second most important requirement either.

Solution

So the decision was clear this summer, I will say goodbye to this solution and so the device ended up on eBay. Now I have a very well working simple solution with an ESI M4U eX (https://www.esi-audio.de/produkte/m4uex/, accessed 9/4/2022), which doesn’t have the capabilities of the MioXM, but it works with both the computer/Ableton and the iPad. And what is the most important? The whole solution is stable. Unfortunately, I did have to run two 9 meter MIDI cables this weekend. But it was worth it to me.

Whether the device works with a Mac I can not say, I have not tested. I personally would not buy it again.

I purchased all of the products mentioned myself, have no affiliation with any of the companies mentioned, and was in no way sponsored and/or paid for this review.

Stay tuned, there is more to come.

The lonely sneakers

Sunday, 8.5.2022 3:20 am. Straubing, near the Café sorgenfrei.

the lonely sneakers, die einsamen sneaker

On the street, two lonely sneakers lie in the entrance of a store. How did these sneakers get there?

Variant number 1: who am I, what am I doing here? And why I’m wearing sneaker?

The owner of these sneakers was out in Straubing that evening, looked deep into his beer glass and found himself in the entrance of this store sometime during the night, probably in a rather deranged state. After staring at my car for half an hour, completely lost, he asked himself: who am I, what am I doing here? And then: why am I still wearing shoes? After another 30 minutes, in order to avoid the answer to this question, the owner decided to simply take off his shoes. He then walked home in socks.

Variant number 2: I danced the whole evening in the sorgenfrei, now my feet are hurting. F***ing sneakers.

The owner of these sneakers partied with me at sorgenfrei. After almost 3 hours of dancing, her feet hurt so much that she took off her shoes in indignation. Her friends were already waiting in the car and asked her to finally get in to go home. So she got in. Completely dismayed, the friends then asked: don’t you want to take your shoes with you? To which she replied: if my feet hurt like this when I dance, then my shoes and I will now go our separate ways.

I could now think of several variations, one of which would probably be more blatant than the other. And that’s why I’ll stop thinking about any nonsense now. But the fact is, when I got into my car at this hour, I was really happy. Why? 1. finally DJing again, without mask, without distance. 2. the dance floor was full. 3. the guests celebrated more enthusiastically than they had in a long time. A successful weekend, 10 out of 10 points.

djing and more…

tante techno’s tea time – dj set april 2022.

tante techno's tea time - dj set april 2022.

Tante Techno has dropped by again. Long time ago, she had a lot to do. And she brought great music, old and new. Just right for dancing into the month of May. Have fun listening.

dj set tracklist

Steady Motion (Alan Fitzpatrick Gets Ravey) – Cari Lekebusch
Body Kontrol – Alias (GB)
Space Division – Sara Simonit
I’m About – Anna Reusch
Life Prison (Spencer Dunning Remix) – David Granha
Take You There (feat. Mr. V) – Slam
Same Minds – Irregular Synth & Nakadia
I Never Felt This Way – Raito
When I Close My Eyes (Original Mix) – Beico & Mt93
Finetuning – Hanubis
Angels Cry (Original Mix) – Mha Iri
Resistance – Tiger Stripes
Plastik (Nicolas Taboada Remix) – Ramon Tapia
In Motion (Extended) – Stray Beast
Strobe (Original Mix) – Bohner
Back in Black – Tiger Stripes
Universe – Beico
Colour of a Dream – Alan Fitzpatrick

djing and more…

Track/Album Highlights # 18: ABC – Absolutely.

Track/Album Highlight: ABC - Absolutely.

What fits musically best with war, inflation and the end of the world? The Requiem by Mozart (https://youtu.be/SxZtU4tjM7Q) would fit perfectly at first glance. But – if I have learned anything in my life – sometimes you should do the opposite of what you have in mind. In this case: don’t listen to something sad, this could only deepen the end time mood. No, something uplifting would be much better in my opinion. Here is the musical highlight: ABC, Absolutely.

Have fun listening:

Poison Arrow: https://youtu.be/x3Yd7_bdQVU
Look of Love: https://youtu.be/YK5a-OTj38I
King without a crown: https://youtu.be/tWnFhiXsnZQ

Stay tuned

house altar – dj set march 2022.

house altar - dj set march 2022

Heading to new shores. The Bavarian state government has opened the clubs once again. For how long? Keep your fingers crossed that they will be open for longer than 6 weeks. Corona is pissing me off. But tomorrow we will celebrate. The set is already set. Have fun listening.

Setlist
I Won’t Let Go – Husko & Lee Wilson
Good for Me (Extended Mix) – Sammy Deuce
Reachin’ – Rescue
Keep Control (Extended Mix) – Brokenears
Keep This Party Rockin’ (Original Mix) – Luca Debonaire
Ring Ring Ring – DCP & Fellous
Fly Up to the Sky – Babert
Most Precious Love (Sebastian Creeps & Julian Back Remix) – Blaze, UDAUFL, Barbara Tucker, Sebastian Creeps, Julian Back
Moves at Midnight (Original Mix) – Ian Ossia
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (Sgt Slick’s Melbourne Recut) – Sgt Slick
Jack – Mirko & Meex
Do You Want (Original Mix) – Charles J
Finally (Crazibiza Remix) – Nicola Fasano & Kate Wild
China Town – Les Bisous
Standing On the Wall – DJ Kristina Mailana
Touch Me (Kevin McKay Extended Mix) – Adyn, Kevin McKay
Let the Music (J Paul Getto Remix) – Carl Hanaghan & Inaya Day
A Deeper Love (Daniel Rangone Remix) – Diego Forsinetti

djing and more…

Open the Noise Stage! The end of the lockdown is near! Once again?

open the noise stage

The clubs are opening up again. Uncle House is waiting in the starting blocks and is bringing his house altar. Sorgenfrei, here I come.

djing and more…

tante techno’s tea time – dj set february 2022.

christian zich - dj set february 2022.

A quasar speaks to nature in its church and subsequently undergoes a metamorphosis. This moves his soul so strongly that he gets into the middle of the fog (nebula) with a last step on the path. Have fun listening.

dj set tracklist

Carbon Voices (Extended Mix) – KhoMha
Catarse – Wehbba
Metamorphosis – Christian Smith
Transfixion – Rudosa
Talking to Nature – Ronnie Spiteri
Kratos – Hanubis
Rave Atlas (Original Mix) – Ilario Alicante
Serenity – The Reactivitz
My Church – Will Clarke & MK
Truly – Sven Sossong
Soul Movement – Spektre
The Clear Path – Reform (IT)
Quasar (Original Mix) – Black Acid
Stamp – Joe Mesmar & Matt Mus
Together – Vonda7
Early Reflections – The Reactivitz
Nebula (Spada Remix) – Breccia & Ian O’Donovan
Last Step – Ramon Tapia

djing and more…

Track/Album Highlights # 17: Bee Gees – Saturday Night Fever.

Track/Album Highlights # 17: Bee Gees - Saturday Night Fever.

What exciting times we had ( details will not be shared). However, I have to admit that I was never a self-confessed disco fan when I was young. It didn’t fit the image I wanted to communicate to the public at that time. Electronic music, non-conformism, etc. was more in vogue back then. But now I don’t really care, the music is really good and by now you can find really great re-mixes of the old hits. And I play them with enthusiasm. A short time ago a good friend sent me – as a really successful surprise – this album as a present. Dear Thomas, thank you very very much.

Have fun listening to the track/album highlight of the week:

Staying Alive: https://youtu.be/fNFzfwLM72c

Stay tuned

house altar – dj set february 2022.

House Altar - DJ Set Februar / february 2022

Black Madonna unpacks her boots and saves us all. We follow her voice and walk to the disco. Then during the night we listen to the sounds from the Purple Disco Machine until the Smurf gets his Los Hombres and rudely brings us back to everyday life. Have fun listening.

Setlist
He Is the Voice I Hear (Original Mix) – The Black Madonna
Walking Boots – David Keno & ME & her
Saved My Life – Inve & Forsi
Propaganda (2018 Album Version) – Kevin McKay
I Can Live – Lykov & Mironov
Magic (Original Mix) – Zsak
Vibes – Derek Armstrong
Together (Original Mix) – Max & Sims, Sante Cruze
Let’s Get Down (Bassline Remix) – Babert
Disco Cool – Seb Skalski
At Night (Purple Disco Machine Extended Remix) – Shakedown
Don’t Stop – Gigamesh
What U Want (J Paul Getto Classic Mix) – Kevin McKay
Nobody (Club Mix) – David Penn
Los Hombres (Babert 303 Mix) – Dinero, Babert & Ivan Jack
Surf Smurf (Munk Version) – Munk & Rebolledo
Changes – Woody Bianchi & Re-Tide
Get Down Philly – Surgery Edits

djing and more…

tante techno’s tea time – dj set january 2022.

tante techno's tea time - dj set january 2022

A new year, a new start, a well-known virus. But a new set. And as long as there is fresh music, all is not lost. By the way, I couldn’t stand the old design anymore, time for something new. Have fun.

dj set tracklist

Heavenly (Layton Giordani Remix) – E-Dancer & Kevin Saunderson
Stay Awake – Le Brion
Apollo – Luca Agnelli
Seduction – Harvey McKay
World of Deep (Adam Beyer Remix) – E-Dancer & Kevin Saunderson
Craving Desire – Monika Kruse
Resolution – Skober
Acid Mode On – Veerus
Rollin’ – The Reactivitz
Grains (Original Mix) – Reset Robot
Sprint – Eats Everything
Glow – Andre Crom
Contact – Jay Lumen
I Feel the Music – B.Traits
Organic – Alan Fitzpatrick
Filmwave – Mark Reeve
Neon – Dense & Pika
Kiss (Extended Mix) – A.S.H

djing and more…