Synthesizers and Keyboards

GO:KEYS 5 - how to connect external MIDI controller?

GO:KEYS 5 - how to connect external MIDI controller?

24 Jul 2025, 00:18
I just got my GO:KEYS 5 today, and I was hoping to get an external MIDI controller hooked to it so I can get ADSR, Expression, etc. - I was hoping to build an Arduino-based add-on that would sit on top and allow some controls that the GO:KEYS 5 is lacking. Howerver my initial test is not encouraging: I tried connecting my Alesis keytar controller and my KORG Nautilus via USB-C port and nothing happened. It doesn't seem to get any MIDI data. Also, the Keytar was not powered by the USB-C port. Well, I can get separate power to the Arduino, but The MIDI should be working, right? Roland lists MIDI in and out support, so why wouldn't a standard MIDI controller keyboard work?

Is it just my setup, or is the GO:KEYS 5 totally blind to MIDI other than with the PC connected?

Re: GO:KEYS 5 - how to connect external MIDI controller?

24 Jul 2025, 01:58
With USB, one side acts as host and the other side as device. Before USB-C, hosts and devices used different connectors, so that it was not possible to connect as host to a host, or a device to a device.

With USB-C, we have the same connector on both sides, and the roles (host vs device) can be negotiated. However, most computers still only act as host, and most other devices still only act as device. Exceptions are devices like Android smart phones, which can act as both host and device.

The GO:KEYS only acts as device on the USB-C port, and consequently, the port is labeled/described as computer port. Most MIDI controllers will also only act as device. For this reason, you can not really connect the GO:KEYS to a MIDI controller via USB, even if it is physically possible.

With a computer, MIDI should work in both directions. With micro-controllers, it most likely depends on the specific processor. I guess many of them can act as both host and device. For example, CircuitPython has a usb_host module. I use a Raspberry Pi Zero (which is not a micro-controller), and it can also act as host and device.

Re: GO:KEYS 5 - how to connect external MIDI controller?

29 Jul 2025, 13:16
Success! For those who are looking for the same info and may find this useful:
While it's documented that the USB-C port doesn't support power delivery and is made for a PC connection, the undocumented feature is that there is MIDI support on the USB-B port labelled "Wi-Fi dongle Roland only" - and it does support power delivery! So it looks like it can act as a USB Host and receive data from a USB MIDI Device. The trick is that GoKeys5 receives MIDI on channel 4, and it's not configurable. I programmed my Alesis Vortex keytar controller to transmit on ch4, and it works. So I'm on track for designing and building the custom MIDI controller that would sit on top of the Roland GoKeys 5 and provide some desperately missing functionality for it to be a competent performance keyboard: a joystick with mod wheel axis, Rotary Speaker speed, Filter Cut-off and Resonance, ADR etc.
I checked Attack, Decay, Release (looks like there's no Sustain), Filter Cutoff and Resonance (works beautifully on synth leads), Expression, Reverb and Chorus sends. They do work. So weird that there is no official MIDI implementation chart, and MIDI port functionality is not really documented. I suspect that's the best-kept secret of this keyboard, that it provides top-of-the-line sounds of the Phantom and other top synths at a fraction of the price, literally. They had to cut some features to position it at the low-end - both to cut costs and also deliveratly keep it unusable as a professional or performance keyboard. The most glaring example is the lack of Vibrato (Mod wheel) or any mod buttons like Leslie speaker speed for organs, or filter controls for solo synths. But the functionality is there, just need to use an external MIDI controller, and they are not eager to point people's attention to that, I guess, or to document how to do it. All that would be missing is the editing for sound design, but I tested the Zenology export/import, and it can be used to design new sounds that can be exported to Go Keys. You can literally have the same sounds that the top synths can produce. And if you want to edit a sound and make a custom version, you could export from GoKeys and import it to Zenology and reimport back. Not very convenient, but if you just need to tweak a couple of sounds, it's good. And you don't need sound design when performing anyway. But you do need Vibrato, filter, Leslie speed control etc. Any new Zen-Core sound that you can get can be imported to GoKeys directly or through Zenology.
MIDI controller faders should work with the following MIDI controllers (remember, transmit on channel 4!):
CC 5 - portamento time (see also CC 65)
CC 7 - volume
CC 10 - pan
CC 11 - expression
CC 65 - portamento On/Off
CC 71 - Filter Resonance
CC 72 - Release Time
CC 73 - Attack Time
CC 74 - Filter Cutoff
CC 75 - Decay Time
CC 76 - Vibrato Rate
CC 77 - Vibrato Depth
CC 78 - Vibrato Delay
CC 91 - Reverb Send
CC 93 - Chorus Send
CC 126 - Mono Operation
CC 127 - Poly Operation

Re: GO:KEYS 5 - how to connect external MIDI controller?

29 Jul 2025, 13:25
Parts are ordered, the design is almost complete. IT scews on the back of the keyboard to the notestand screw holes, and as a bonus it includes a removable phone/tablet notestand. Once it's working, maybe I will offer the printable files, schematics and code for a modest fee, if there is interest...
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Re: GO:KEYS 5 - how to connect external MIDI controller?

31 Jul 2025, 01:46
Congratulations! I agree. With a bit of DIY, it is possible to get a lot more out of some keyboards. The GO:KEYS 3 and 5 are interesting, because they offer the Zen-Core sounds in such an affordable package. The MC-101 is an interestion option without keys.

The price difference between the GO:KEYS 3 and 5 is significant. Was there a particular reason for going for the 5 instead of the 3?

Re: GO:KEYS 5 - how to connect external MIDI controller?

18 Aug 2025, 16:13
Amazon offered me open box 5 for the price of 3 and i got it. Better speakers (i initially wanted a camping\portable inexpensive synth with built-in speakers, but it's much more than that), proper outputs and mic input with processor are nice

Re: GO:KEYS 5 - how to connect external MIDI controller?

18 Aug 2025, 17:40
It to a lot of work, but it works great! I'm thinking about making full build plans, schematics, 3D printable models and Arduino code available. modelsImage
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