The Emagic AMT8 MIDI Interface and Patchbay is a 8 port MIDI IN by 8 port MIDI OUT (8x8) device that can be used to control all MIDI devices when connected to a computer as an MIDI interface or when used in stand-alone mode as a MIDI patchbay. When my gig-rig is connected to my PC in my home studio the AMT8 is connected to the PC through USB 1.1 and will act as a standard MIDI interface fully controlled by the MIDI software. It will give you a maximum of 128 (8x16) MIDI channels.
On stage, the AMT8 will act as a MIDI patchbay and will automatically be set to the first of the 32 programmable patches. These patches are set-up by using the Unitor/AMT8 software and enable you to select MIDI routing paths and MIDI data filters (unfortunately not note on/off). However, in stand-alone mode and using a Palm Pilot as a MIDI file player you're limited to the 16 MIDI channels of the Palm. Since, I'm controlling all the devices I need to reserve certain channels for specific data. For instance, I have MIDI channel 1 reserved for the wind controller data. Program changes can only be done using SYSEX commands otherwise all units will respond to the same program change command.
The MIDI implementation of the Yamaha VL70 makes it necessary to use the AMT8 ability to set those MIDI routing paths. When you connect the WX to the WX-in of the VL70 the controller data will be transmnitted out through its MIDI OUT port. If both the MIDI IN and OUT are connected The VL70 echos the MIDI IN data to the MIDI OUT, it is important to block the MIDI IN of the VL70 which is used to power and control the WX-5. More on this in the MIDI section of this web-site.
