How to Wire a MIDI Connector
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol introduced in the early 1980s. By connecting various MIDI-equipped instruments, you can gain control over the various parameters---such as volume, key assignment and sounds---from one "master" controller. Since its introduction, MIDI has adopted many new uses while retaining its basic, royalty-free format. There is one common connector for all MIDI devices: the 5-pin DIN plug.
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Things You'll Need
- 5-pin DIN plug
- Screened twisted pair cable, preferably with a braided screen
- Small flat-head screwdriver
- Wire strippers
- A small clamp or vice
- Solder
- Soldering iron
Instructions
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1
Cut the cable to the length required to reach your other component. Undo the DIN plug and slide the shell over the end of the cable. Make sure not to lose the locking ring at this point, if it has one.
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2
Use wire strippers to strip back the outer sheath of the cable. Then strip back the inner cores. Use a small amount of solder to tin the ends of the cores.
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3
Put the body of the DIN plug in the clamp. Tin the ends of the connectors by filling the loops with solder.
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4
Identify the connectors you will be soldering to. Not all of the pins are used, nor are they arranged logically. Looking from the back of the DIN plug, the pin numbering, running counterclockwise, is as follows: Pin 1--Not Used, Pin 4--Positive, Pin 2--Shield, Pin 5--Negative, Pin 3--Not Used. The numbering is the same at both ends of the cable. Nothing should be connected to the shell of the plug.
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5
Heat the loops by placing the soldering iron against them, and then push the wire through the melted solder. Remove the soldering iron and wait until the solder cools. Repeat this for each connection.
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6
Secure the strain relief so the connection is protected. Slide the shell up so it is secure. Now repeat the process at the other end of the cable.
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Tips & Warnings
DIN plugs are quite small and fiddly, so use a clamp or vice to hold them while soldering.
A fine-tipped soldering iron will help to prevent soldering everything into one large connection.
It is important to ensure that the connections are the same at both ends of your middle cable, that is Pin 2 to Pin 2, Pin 4 to Pin 4, and Pin 5 to Pin 5. Remember MIDI interconnect cables are Male to Male, and the sockets on the devices are always female.
References
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