Got a MIDI synth that won't play ball on anything other than Channel 1?
Here's a quick project that may be of use.

To be honest, we weren't entirely sure whether we should publish this circuit at all. And the reason for this uncertainty? Simply that, as far as we're aware, nobody has actually built the thing to find out whether or not it stands an even chance of doing its job.

The designer, one M J Dodd from Worcester, certainly hasn't put it together, and nobody here at E&MM has had the time to gather up all the components and put soldering iron to vero-board, so if you do decide to give it a go, you're on your own.

Well, not entirely. Technical Ed Paul White sees no reason why the circuit shouldn't work, so long as all you want to transmit and receive is note off/note on information. Some slightly more off-the-wall MIDI commands don't incorporate the channel number as part of their control word's end, and seeing that the circuit shown relies on that being the case to operate successfully, more complex MIDI activities such as patchdumping from one device to another will have to be undertaken with care.

The MIDI Index diagram illustrated is accompanied by a 5V power supply circuit knocked up by said Mr White in about 30 seconds, so all you need to add are the MIDI In and Out connections, and the design will be complete. We think.

(Click image for higher resolution version)