I just updated my Windows machines to KB 5074105 that implements the new Windows MIDI services. It is being rolled out gradually during February 2026. In addition to supporting MIDI 2.0, it allows shared MIDI ports across apps (multi-client), custom port names, loopback and app-to-app MIDI! For those interested here is some info: Windows MIDI Services Overview - Windows MIDI Services
So far so good. I was able to connect to apps for several USB devices that previously would only be recognized by Windows if I first disconnected my E1. That said, I have read that there is a bug (with work arounds) for apps where dynamic ports (loopMIDI, loopBE, Bome / BMIDI, virtualTE / teVirtualMIDI) are not always visible. Windows MIDI Services rollout - known issues and workarounds - Windows MIDI and Music dev
Anyway, thought I’d share since this will likely impact E1 users on Windows machines and might allow @Martin to expand the scope of the E1 family of controllers even further. 32-bit MIDI even?
I waited for this to happen since day 1: that means 25 years in the wait and about half of my life!!!
I attended to a clinic by Pete Brown at Namm 6 years ago where the new midi service (midi 2.0 but more importantly MULTICLIENT!) was said to be added to windows in a near future…
Microsoft enabled the service to for me yesterday so I can now run the all my hardware clients in multi-client mode as far as I’ve tested (which is not much yet but I haven’t got any conflicts except for some strange behavior in Bitwig or something). I’ve also opted in to use the “newer-style port names preferred by MIDI device manufacturers” in the “Windows MIDI and Musician Settings” app that comes with the preview (and a future update).
From this:
Associated MIDI 1 Ports
24 Electra Controller, Group 1 (Index 0), Direction Message Destination (MIDI Out)
25 MIDIOUT2 (Electra Controller), Group 2 (Index 1), Direction Message Destination (MIDI Out)
26 MIDIOUT3 (Electra Controller), Group 3 (Index 2), Direction Message Destination (MIDI Out)
23 Electra Controller, Group 1 (Index 0), Direction Message Source (MIDI In)
24 MIDIIN2 (Electra Controller), Group 2 (Index 1), Direction Message Source (MIDI In)
25 MIDIIN3 (Electra Controller), Group 3 (Index 2), Direction Message Source (MIDI In)
To this:
Associated MIDI 1 Ports
25 Electra Port 1, Group 1 (Index 0), Direction Message Destination (MIDI Out)
26 Electra Port 2, Group 2 (Index 1), Direction Message Destination (MIDI Out)
27 Electra Controller Electra CTRL, Group 3 (Index 2), Direction Message Destination (MIDI Out)
24 Electra Port 1, Group 1 (Index 0), Direction Message Source (MIDI In)
25 Electra Port 2, Group 2 (Index 1), Direction Message Source (MIDI In)
26 Electra Controller Electra CTRL, Group 3 (Index 2), Direction Message Source (MIDI In)
