Subject:How do I hear what I'm playing???

Posted by: PeterWright

Date:9/27/2006 10:08:06 PM

I'm trying to record an instrument with the Kompact Synth.

When I click the Kompakt keyboard keys with the mouse I can hear the instrument fine.

But when I press the keys of my midi controller, the Kompakt keys also go down, but I hear nothing.

How is this possible?

This has worked fine before - help most appreciated.

Edit: The inbuilt DLS synth is working ok - it's just the Kompakt that won't sound when I play the midi contoller.

Subject:RE: How do I hear what I'm playing???

Reply by: pwppch

Date:9/28/2006 7:38:04 AM

When you play the inline track keyboard on the track, does Kompakt play?

If you paint out MIDI notes on the Track routed to Kompakt , does it play?

Are you sure that the channels are mapped correctly.

- ACID's track input is set to the correct channel or all
- Kompakt's "voice" channel is set to the same channel
- ACID track output channel matches Kompakt's channel assignment for the voice.

Peter

Subject:RE: How do I hear what I'm playing???

Reply by: PeterWright

Date:9/28/2006 5:49:36 PM

Thanks for the response Peter.

> When you play the inline track keyboard on the track, does Kompakt play?

Yes

If you paint out MIDI notes on the Track routed to Kompakt , does it play?

Yes

Are you sure that the channels are mapped correctly.

Peter, whilst checking this out, for a while I found that setting Acid Track Input to "All" and "Send Midi Input thru to Midi Output" suddenly solved the problem - I could hear the Kompakt instrument when I played the midi controller. But then, when I tried the same thing on the next track, this time Midi Channel 4, not only did it not work, but when I went back to the previous track with Channel 3 set, this was now not working - same as before, Kompact Keys went down when Midi Controller pressed, but no sound.

Then, I go back to my Track 2 - Midi Channel 2 previously DLS Bassoon - when I play the Midi Controller I hear Piano. But playing the existing notes on the track I hear bassoon

Then when I click on Track 1/Channel 1, Pizzicato strings, I hear Basson if I press the Midi Controller, yet playing the track it is still Pizzicato as it was originally.

Now - another oddity - I solo Track 1 (DLS Pizzicato) If I click the track header keyboard or the DLS keyboard I hear Pizz, but if I play the midi controller I hear Piano, or even Piano AND Bassoon!!

Now - a new one - I start a new Track 4/Channel 4 - DLS Trumpet. I can hear Trumpet when I depress keyboard - I record first few bars playing midi controller, and there are the notes I played clearly visible, but when I play from timeline I can't hear them (not muted or Volume minimised) If I edit the notes - drag them to change pitch or chenge velocity, I can hear them individually, but nothing when the timeline is played! ....... Then, ten minutes later, it is suddenly working - it's the inconsistencies that are most frustrating.

Incidentally I am not a midi novice - I used Notator from '94 then Logic Audio around 2000 onwards - if a track header is clicked I expect to hear that instrument when playing the midi controller, but Acid obviously has a more complex set up.

I obviously need to brush up on this channel IN and OUT assignment - which Manual Section should I concentrate on?

thanks

Peter

Subject:RE: How do I hear what I'm playing???

Reply by: pwppch

Date:9/28/2006 6:09:00 PM

>>if a track header is clicked I expect to hear that instrument when playing the midi controller, but Acid obviously has a more complex set up.<<

Not complex, but explicit in the channels it transmits from your external MIDI controller to the destination device.

What it sounds like you want is to have the focus track re-channelize the MIDI Input channel based upon the tracks output channel setting.

ACID does not remap the input channel to the output channel on input. If you send channel 1 from your controller, then channel 1 is sent to the output MIDI device a track is assigned to.

Edit: I overlooked the non-default mode!

You can have ACID rechannelize input for a given track. In your MIDI prefs page, uncheck "Auto MIDI input routing".

When this option is disable, then the input data sent to the focused track will be re-channelized to the output channel.

Peter

Subject:RE: How do I hear what I'm playing???

Reply by: PeterWright

Date:9/28/2006 7:19:39 PM

Thanks, Peter
I would just love to know why, when I click on an existing Track Header and play the midi controller, I don't hear that Track's Instrument, but the Instrument from the Track I previously used, which is no longer Selected.

Is there a "foolproof" routine I can follow - Click this, Set that etc., to be able to achieve this?

Subject:RE: How do I hear what I'm playing???

Reply by: pwppch

Date:9/28/2006 8:18:36 PM

ACID can do this.

- The track's input source must be set to Auto.
- The track must have "Send MIDI input thru to MIDI output" enabled.

If you want to have the auto routing automatically rechannel the input based upon the output, then from the MIDI prefs page you should uncheck "Auto MIDI input routing".

What will happen is that the track with the last focus will recieve the input and then echo it to the output device on the track's output channel.

Peter

Subject:RE: How do I hear what I'm playing???

Reply by: PeterWright

Date:9/28/2006 9:19:29 PM

Sorry Peter, it just doesn't happen:

For example, two adjacent Tracks -

Track 5 - Input Auto 5 - Send Midi Input thru to Midi Output - DLS Soft Synth Channel 5 - Trombone
Track 6 - Input Auto 6 - Send Midi Input thru to Midi Output - DLS Soft Synth Channel 6 - Steel Guitar

I have the Track 6 Header selected. When playing the Midi Controller, I hear the Guitar.

I click to select Track 5 Header instead. When I play the Midi controller, I hear nothing.

Checking or unchecking Auto Midi Input Routing doesn't seem to affect this.

BUT!!!!! I've just found a way to do this - I hope it stays consistent ....

- if I use the Midi/Select switch on the midi controller (Roland PC 200 Mk II) to change midi channel from 6 to 5, it works - I can hear the instrument I want to play!
Strange thing is that I've never used this function before in 12 years of midi work!

Subject:RE: How do I hear what I'm playing???

Reply by: pwppch

Date:9/28/2006 10:16:44 PM

No, you still don't have it set to the default behavior to do what you want. You do not have to change the channel on your external keyboard.

Auto:ALL, not Auto: 5 or Auto:6.

or

Auto : n, where n is the channel that your MIDI controll is sending.

What you are doing is telling the track to Filter out every channel BUT 5 or 6. So if you are sending on MIDI channel 6, then nothing will ever get to a track set for Auto: 5.

The default behavior - Auto:All - is what you really want, that way no matter what channel your external device is set to you will play the instrument on the last focused track. That is why we made it the default behavior so it just works - and so far in every test you have given me, if I use the default it just works.

Peter

Subject:RE: How do I hear what I'm playing???

Reply by: PeterWright

Date:9/28/2006 11:05:30 PM

Thanks for your patience Peter.

Setting all tracks to Auto All sort of works, but if I change from say a guitar track to Bassoon, I then hear both the Guitar and the Bassoon when pressing the Controller.

Anyway - I'll keep playing with the settings you've detailed till I get this ....................

Subject:RE: How do I hear what I'm playing???

Reply by: pwppch

Date:9/29/2006 1:32:57 AM

I cannot reproduce what you are seeing. We are missing some important step in what you are doing that is different from what I am doing.

Thanks
Peter