Behringer U-Control UMX250 User Manual

U-CONTROL UMX250 User Manual

For USB operation, a current WINDOWS PC or MAC with a USB connection is 

sufficient. Both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 are supported.

Application possibilities for the UMX models are truly wide-ranging. We’ll start 

with a couple of general explanations and examples that should quickly let you 

get a good understanding of MIDI basics.
The definition of the MIDI standard began in 1982 with the cooperation of various 

international companies (MIDI: Musical Instrument Digital Interface). At that 

time, musicians were looking for a possibility of managing the communication of 

electronic musical instruments of different makes with one another.

What exactly does the UMX250 do?
Simply put, this is a remote control for all kinds of MIDI equipment. Using the 

faders, rotary knobs and buttons, the foot pedal and the keyboard, an entire 

array of control instructions can be generated, which in turn can control the most 

diverse functions of external devices.

the UMX250?
You can basically control any device supporting the MIDI format. Both hardware 

and software MIDI devices are controlled in exactly the same way. The only 

difference is in the wiring. 
Here are a couple of suggestions on how you can use your UMX250:

And how does it work?
Remote control is realized by assigning the individual control elements of 

the UMX250 to individual MIDI parameters. Whenever one of these control 

elements is operated, the UMX250 generates the control data assigned to this 

control element, which are then transferred to external devices over a data link. 

Thus, for example, the VOLUME/DATA fader is factory-set to send data controlling 

the volume level of a channel.
The data connection is usually a standard MIDI cable with a 5-pin DIN plug on 

each end. Such cables should not exceed a length of 15 meters. With the UMX250 

there is one more data connection available: the USB cable to the host computer. 

Here, the cable should not exceed a length of 5 meters.
The data transmission takes place over 16 channels.
The control data generated by the individual control elements are also called 

MIDI messages, which can be divided into 3 major groups:

Channel Messages: Here, channel-specific control information is 

transmitted. An example of a channel message is the note-on instruction. 

As soon as a key is played on the keyboard of the UMX250, the device 

generates an instruction which contains the pitch, channel number 

and velocity. The receiving sound generator “knows” which tone has to 

be played.

System Messages: These messages are not channel-specific but relate to 

the entire system to which they are sent. They are divided into 3 groups: 

System Exclusive Messages (for operating system backup, updates, 

management of memory contents); System Real-Time Messages (e.g. for 

remote control of other devices); System Common Messages (e.g. for the 

synchronization of several devices).

Control Messages: Also known as Control Changes or Controllers, 

abbreviated as “CC… (Control Change)”. There are 128 controllers in total, 

which are numbered from 0 to 127. Controllers are always channel-specific.

Please refer to Table 6.1 to find out which type of controller you are currently 

working with.

MIDI data are only control data and contain no audible audio information! 

The data transmission takes place over 16 channels.

What settings do I have to make? Where? How?
Basically, which control element generates which controller must be set on the 

UMX250, and how incoming controller commands should be interpreted must be 

set on the receiving device.
Regarding controller assignment, there are two possible principles:

The UMX250 can be operated as a USB interface or stand-alone device. The two 

modes are different with respect to the MIDI signal flow.