Jump to content
  • 0

Can you drive the Matrix via the Step Sequencer?


grannis

Question

11 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0

Yes, it is possible.

Here is one way...

  • Add a virtual MIDI cable to CbB (the "missing" interconnectivity)
    • I installed LoopBe1. While not as flexible as LoopMIDI, it does not have the latency that LoopMIDI introduces.
    • Add LoopBe1 as  MIDI input and output device in CbB preferences
  • Create the project
    • Add  audio and MIDI tracks to a new project.
    • Set the MIDI track output to LoopBe1.
    • Add the Step Sequencer to the MIDI track.
    • Open the Matrix view and add samples to a couple cells in different columns
  • Matrix View MIDI learn
    • Click on one of the columns in the Matrix View and set to MIDI learn.
    • Click the steps in a row in Step Sequencer. A couple of notes should be enough to teach the Matrix View column.
    • Repeat for each column using different notes in the Step Sequencer

Now the fun begins...clear the step sequencer and start programing the Matrix View using the step sequencer.

Enjoy

 

Note: LoopBe1 is defined as both a MIDI input and output device, take care to avoid creating a MIDI feedback loop. If LoopBe1 detects feedback it will mute its output. The may be re-enabled by clicking on the LoopBe1 icon in the Windows notification area. One thing to help avoid creating a loop is disabling Always Echo Current MIDI Track in preferences.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

The traditional solution is the use of linked clips, copying the data from one instrument/MIDI track to the others.

Another solution uses a virtual MIDI cable to distribute MIDI data from one track to others.

One can get the same result by using a plug-in that echoes MIDI data. For this method, I use one of the Code FN42 such as MIDIChFilter,  NoteMapper or Veloscaler  but it could be any "synth" plug-in capable of sending data. This plug-in will appear as an input to any instrument/MIDI track.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
5 hours ago, scook said:

The traditional solution is the use of linked clips, copying the data from one instrument/MIDI track to the others.

Another solution is using a virtual MIDI cable to distribute a MIDI track to other instrument/MIDI tracks.

One can get the same result by using a plug-in that echoes MIDI data. For this method, I use one of the Code FN42 such as MIDIChFilter,  NoteMapper or Veloscaler  but it could be any "synth" plug-in capable of sending data. This plug-in will appear as an input to any instrument/MIDI track.

Linked clips are ok sometimes - a bit of a pain when editing, but a real pain when writing/recording - you have to duplicate everything before you can hear what you intended it to sound like. I'll take a look at those plugins - thanks again

 

EDIT: about 30 minutes later... it worked like a charm!!

Edited by grannis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
On 2/24/2021 at 6:54 PM, scook said:

Yes, it is possible.

Here is one way...

  • Add a virtual MIDI cable to CbB (the "missing" interconnectivity)
    • I installed LoopBe1. While not as flexible as LoopMIDI, it does not have the latency that LoopMIDI introduces.
    • Add LoopBe1 as  MIDI input and output device in CbB preferences
  • Note: LoopBe1 is defined as both a MIDI input and output device, take care to avoid creating a MIDI feedback loop. If LoopBe1 detects feedback it will mute its output. The may be re-enabled by clicking on the LoopBe1 icon in the Windows notification area. One thing to help avoid creating a loop is disabling Always Echo Current MIDI Track in preferences.

 

 

 

This does not work for me. 

I installed LoopBe1.  Disabled 'Always Echo Current MIDI track'.  Added LoopBe1 as a MIDI input and output device in 'Preferences'.

Inserted a MIDI track.  Set input to my usual MIDI hardware interface, output to LoopBe1.

Inserted SI piano as a simple instrument track.  Set input to LoopBe1 (left output as master).

As soon as I enter any note on my keyboard, I get a warning about MIDI feedback.  I can re-enable LoopBe1 in its icon, but again as soon as I hit a key, the warning pops up again.

This seems to be 100% reproducible.  Am I missing some 'obvious' setup or setting?  Running latest Cakewalk on Windows 11.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
8 minutes ago, xtenkfarpl said:

Am I missing some 'obvious' setup or setting? 

Find where LoopBe1 is feeding back

It is very easy to create a feedback look with a virtual MIDI cable.

If Always Echo Current MIDI Track is enabled (the default), turn it off. While this may not solve the immediate problem (although it may be part of the solution), this feature can be a real challenge with some routing choices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

This is frustrating.  I tried it twice, with the same result: feedback error.  Yes, I did have 'Always Echo' turned off.

Then after a coffee break I tried again.  And THIS time it works as expected??

Update: once more.  Again works.   I don't know what is going on here: I would swear I did the same steps each time.

This is why working with MIDI routing in Cakewalk feels like walking on eggshells.   As the famous haiku error message says:

"Yesterday it worked.  Today it is not working.  Windows is like that"

Though in this case it seems to be 'Cakewalk is like that'....

Oh well, I will keep calm and carry on....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Eggshells.  I try one more time (each time with a new start of Cakewalk), and again I get a feedback error as soon as I hit the keyboard.

Yet another time, and it works as desired.  Maybe there is some difference in the order of what I'm doing (eg which track I enable echo on first or something)?

I need to start keeping an exact log of every action.  It really shouldn't be this fragile!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

And after a few more tries I now can't reproduce the problem again at all.  I tried varying the order of switching the inputs and outputs, and the order of turning on echo for each track etc, but it doesn't show up.  (As before, a new start of Cakewalk & an empty project each time).

I'd think I was hallucinating, but there is no doubt I did see the feedback error several times.   Cakewalk is written in C++, I believe: could there be some uninitialized variable bug somewhere... those are the devil to track down?  

Well, on with the music and let's hope a bug does not show up when it's really critical!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
On 1/18/2023 at 6:32 PM, xtenkfarpl said:

And after a few more tries I now can't reproduce the problem again at all.  I tried varying the order of switching the inputs and outputs, and the order of turning on echo for each track etc, but it doesn't show up.  (As before, a new start of Cakewalk & an empty project each time).

I'd think I was hallucinating, but there is no doubt I did see the feedback error several times.   Cakewalk is written in C++, I believe: could there be some uninitialized variable bug somewhere... those are the devil to track down?  

 

Eggshells again.  Today I open Cakewalk, start a completely new project, insert a soft synth, and as soon as I enter any MIDI data I get the feedback error from LoopBe1.  Even though at this point I don't have it set as input or output on any track.

Sorry, there IS a BUG in Cakewalk MIDI handling.  It's intermittent and not cleanly reproducible.  But this is NOT operator error.

Makes me very wary about devoting much time to a project of any size that uses any kind of complex MIDI work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...