Can’t get MIDI to work

FAQ / Help / Questions
1

I’ve tried to connect Exquis to my MicroFreak — I figured they’re both French, they would get along well together. No luck; I can’t get any sounds to play.

I used a 3.5mm stereo patch cable to connect the MIDI out of Exquis to the MIDI in of the MicroFreak. I set them both to channel 2.

The MicroFreak doesn’t support MPE (AFAIK) so I used the poly-aftertouch mode. Is that still compatible with plain-vanilla MIDI notes?

There are two flavors of MIDI over 3.5mm TRS, with different polarity. Your manuals don’t specify which one Exquis uses (neither the PDF nor the sheet of paper.) I suspect Exquis uses the opposite type from Arturia. Is that true? If so, how do I find an adapter?

(It would be nice if there were a setting to select the polarity, since about half of all gear seems to use each type.)

2

You can take the Arturia MIDI-Adapter and the Exquis MIDI-Adapter and connect then the two with an ordinary MIDI cable.

3

There was no MIDI adapter in my Exquis package, otherwise I would have tried that. All I got were the device, a USB cable and a sheet of paper.

4

Snej,

If you still have the packaging the Exquis came in, you may find the MIDI cables in the side-pieces of cardboard used to hold the Exquis in place. I only found them because I was looking for them.

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5

Yes.

Yes. Arturia uses Type B and Exquis uses Type A. You need a Type A adaptor and a regular 5-pin DIN MIDI cable (or, more exotically, a 3.5 mm cable that reverses the polarity of the connections).

Most music stores should be able to supply you with a Type A MIDI adaptor and a 5-pin DIN MIDI cable.

Type A will be more common in future.

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6

I looked carefully through all the packaging, and did not find any MIDI adapters.

I just ordered a few from Sweetwater; they’re cheap.

7

The MIDI adapters were available to purchase in extra during the Kickstarter campaign (when Exquis price was as its lowest), they are now included in all Exquis boxes since the price reached its final value in the end of 2023