Simple MIDI keyboard input settings for multiple soft synths

[Sven]

I wrote about this little problem years ago and thought I'd ask again to try and better understand it.    When I'm inspired I'll often throw in several soft synth plugins quickly and want to get up and running using my M-Audio Keystation 61 ASAP.   So I just add  ezDrummer,  Arturia B3 keys, Ample P Bass, and other plugins quickly setting their respective MIDI input channels to Keystation 61 MIDI OMNI input in the Inspector.

Later when I'm playing the B3 keyboard part perhaps the bass or drums might fire up with their notes even though I've highlighted only the B3 keyboard MIDI input channel.  I gather the other channels are getting MIDI input because they are set to OMNI and fire away on occasion depending on which keyboard notes I hit.  I then go to those channels and turn their input to NONE for now and continue with my keyboard part.   I don't want to have multiple MIDI channel numbers for multiple instruments if I can avoid it.   I try to keep things simple (and fast!).

I gather there's a better way to do this exercise.  What I would like is to only hear/record the MIDI channel I've currently highlighted.  If I select the bass input channel I only want to hear and record that and the other MIDI channels should not be heard for now.

Can anyone please suggest a better way to do this?  It's not the end of the world to turn selective channels to have a MIDI input of NONE but I'd prefer to  always have them available but only when selected.

Thanks.

[tecknot]

Hi Sven,

This is the perfect example where in a project template would come in very handy.  Since you already know what synths you want to add and all the channels can be setup in the template, it's an ideal situation, particularly if you want simple and fast.  Preparation saves a lot in the execution.

Kind regards,

tecknot

[David Baay]

When you have Always Echo Current MIDI Track enabled in Preferences > MIDI > Playback and Recording (on by default), the currently focused track will show an 'A' for 'automatic'  in the enabled Input Echo button. If you click that button, the 'A' will go away, indicating that Input Echo is forced On and will continue echoing even when focus moves away. This allows having more than one track echoing input (for purposes of layering, etc). So check that other tracks don't have the Input Echo button lit. Otherwise, you should not be encountering this problem, and it should not be necessary to to assign specific input channels. But I usually do recommend choosing channel 1 for everything to avoid doubling in the case that some MIDI source is sending on more than one channel (as my old RD-300s did by default).

Edited November 29, 2023 by David Baay

[John Vere]

Plus 1 to what @David Baay has said. I also recommend you open your VST instruments and make sure they are not set to "Midi Output" As well as disable any Midi output ports in Midi Preferences devices. This will prevent a loopback. I cover the details in this video. 

Part 1   https://youtu.be/YJlI6U8Rqa0

Part II  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xYGKsLHAh0

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by JohnnyV

[Sven]

Thanks David Baay,

  I think this is the  easy solution for what I'm trying to do.   At the top section of Cakewalk I can turn input echo off for all tracks if I'm in doubt and then just put it on for the one I'm currently working on.

 

 

[timboalogo]

Thanks for the 2nd video John, I've never understood how to use channels and finally get it!

Tim