Subject:MIDI Issues...

Posted by: bryanhughes

Date:11/20/2004 5:07:40 PM

I just upgraded to ACID 5.0 hoping that the MIDI support would be better than 4.0. I have been encountering a slew of wonky issues:

1. When I draw a MIDI track, I have the loop length set to 2 bars in the List Editor, but when drawn, it comes out 2 bars and 1 whole note.
2. I have not been able to figure out how to send a SYSEX message to the hardward.
3. I am using the PATCH event to send program changes to my hardware, but all of a sudden one of my MIDI tracks had the individual note events assigned to random array of MIDI channels and now after setting the channel in the General tab, the program playing is not the one described in the PATCH event. I even exited and re-opened ACID and still have the same issue.

Also, Sony's customer support really leaves something to be desired. I have sent 3 support requests in the past several days and have not heard anything.

B

Subject:RE: MIDI Issues...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:11/20/2004 7:55:34 PM

Some answers:

1. The list editor (or the Piano Roll) do not affect how a MIDI event is drawn in the ACID MIDI track.

2. ACID does not have the ability to create/edit SYSEX. ACID's SYSEX capability is limited to sending SYSEX that is part of a standard MIDI file that is loaded into ACID.

3. Don't follow what you did exactly. If you could provide a step by step example, that would be most helpful.

Thanks
Peter

Subject:RE: MIDI Issues...

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:11/21/2004 6:29:08 AM

> When I draw a MIDI track, I have the loop length set to 2 bars in the List Editor, but when drawn, it comes out 2 bars and 1 whole note.

Be sure that your notes to don’t extend over the two bar boundary. Zoom in to make sure. If any note-off event is after the next bar, ACID will insert a whole extra bar when looping on the timeline.

> The list editor (or the Piano Roll) do not affect how a MIDI event is drawn in the ACID MIDI track

This is one of my feature requests for ACID 6. When I downloaded the demo of Cakewalk Project 5 and saw that changing the loop points in the editor actually changed the loop points on the timeline, I thought, ”YES, this is the way MIDI looping should work!”. Please consider this behavior for ACID 6.

~jr

Subject:RE: MIDI Issues...

Reply by: bryanhughes

Date:11/21/2004 2:13:24 PM

3. Don't follow what you did exactly. If you could provide a step by step example, that would be most helpful.

Hard to explain step by step what happened. I have an Access Virus Classic sound module that is set for MIDI Channels 1 to 16. It's my only piece of MIDI hardware. Everything else is from VST instruments. I had three channels performing with my Virus in MULTI/SINGLE mode and all of a sudden, one of the MIDI tracks no longer had each note event assigned to Channel 3, but a random assortment of channels. I then tried to reset the channel assignement in the General tab, and in the LIst Editor is confirmed this, but when the MIDI track is played in ACID, it still has the random assortment of channels.

I do have the MIDI file saved, and each time I load it into ACID, it is the same. I can forward it to you if that will help.

My other issue is that when sending a PATCH event to my Access Virus to set the bank and program on a channel, I get a audible click on the first note. When I look at the List Editor, the first note and the patch even occupy the exact same moment. The only way I can avoid the click is to move the first note event 75 ms past the patch event, which puts the first note on the first 8th note after the first quarter note of the bar. This make looping the MIDI track near impossible.

I tried experimenting with sending a patch event on the channel assigned to the VIRUS in a seperate midi track, but there still is a click. I was hoping that ACID supported SYSEX events that I could use to set up the banks and programs on the VIRUS before the project starts playing.

Subject:RE: MIDI Issues...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:11/21/2004 5:57:21 PM

Please send me the mid file. (Click on my user name of this msg to get my email address.)

Peter

Subject:RE: MIDI Issues...

Reply by: bryanhughes

Date:11/22/2004 10:42:14 AM

I will send it tonight when I get home, but in the meantime, any ideas or word on my issue with sending the PATCH event to my MIDI devices causing the first note (which is on the same time) to click instead of play?

It seems like I should be able to send all the PATCH requests to all the devices when the project loads.

Subject:RE: MIDI Issues...

Reply by: TorS

Date:11/22/2004 11:13:25 AM

>>>(Click on my user name of this msg to get my email address.)

Peter,
That doesn't work anymore for us regular folks. Got changed during the summer, I think. Only the user's posts comes up when we click somebody's user name.
Tor

Subject:RE: MIDI Issues...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:11/22/2004 12:28:46 PM

but in the meantime, any ideas or word on my issue with sending the PATCH event to my MIDI devices causing the first note (which is on the same time) to click instead of play?
No, but it sounds like a temporal ordering thing. If it get's repro'd, then it will be added to the bug list. No promises on when it will get fixed though.

Instead of sliding the note forward in time, why not set the patch change backwards in time (or is the patch change already at time 0?)


It seems like I should be able to send all the PATCH requests to all the devices when the project loads.

This is not how ACID works, and not really a 'standard' way of doing things.

Peter

Subject:RE: MIDI Issues...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:11/22/2004 12:30:59 PM

phaller - at - sonypictures.com

Subject:RE: MIDI Issues...

Reply by: bryanhughes

Date:11/22/2004 1:46:25 PM

> Instead of sliding the note forward in time, why not set the patch change backwards in time (or is the patch change already at time 0?)

Unfortunately the first NOTE EVENT is at time 00:00:00:00. If I put the PATCH EVENT at 00:00:00:00 to tell the hardware sound module (an Access Virus) to set the correct bank and program, then all I hear is a click with the first note. The subsequent notes play fine with the correct sound.

I tried experimenting by moving the first note event to 50 ms past the patch event and then creating a loop region in the List Editor by setting the loop start and end offset by the 50 ms, but it seems that the main ACID track does not recognize the loop region defined in the List Editor.

I guess I am a bit confused as to the whole timing issue. My understanding is that it takes about 1ms for a MIDI command to be issued. If I move the first note event to 00:00:00:02, it still produces a click on the first note.

I am using a M-Audio USB Midisport MIDI interface and have the Midi timecode settings set to the device in the Sync tab on the preferences.

Currently, my sad work around is to simply cut and past the notes and create one long midi track.

Thanks again...


Bryan

Subject:RE: MIDI Issues...

Reply by: pwppch

Date:11/22/2004 3:38:02 PM

I understand the problem now. I will see if I can come up with a temp work around and a solution for the update we are working on.

Peter