How to create separate MIDI Parts?

[Dave G]

Is there any way to separate my MIDI notation into parts/clips on the Piano Roll?

Per the attached image, I have a two-measure part with a few sample chords. Is there any way to create separate instruments parts like this one, or is each track a part in itself? And maybe name the parts? And what's the purpose of the little MIDI notation icon in the right corner of the part?

Surely there's a way to do this? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[John Vere]

You most certainly make a whole bunch of tracks out of midi data. 

My easy method is to copy the track and paste to a new blank track and then delete the notes I don't want by highlighting using the piano keys on the left. 

Example you have a full drum track and want to separate each part or use a different VST for different parts. 

You can extract a bass line from the left hand of a piano part etc. 

Pretty common to copy a track a few times and layer it up with different sounds. Then you take each of the tracks and make small changes. 

 

[Dave G]

2 hours ago, John Vere said:

You most certainly make a whole bunch of tracks out of midi data. 

My easy method is to copy the track and paste to a new blank track and then delete the notes I don't want by highlighting using the piano keys on the left. 

Example you have a full drum track and want to separate each part or use a different VST for different parts. 

You can extract a bass line from the left hand of a piano part etc. 

Pretty common to copy a track a few times and layer it up with different sounds. Then you take each of the tracks and make small changes. 

 

Thank you for the prompt response. ?

I thought I saw this done somehow though. For example, I've seen video tutorials where an instrument track had several separate parts, each one with a label on top. How's that done? I'm surprised this isn't documented anywhere.

This function is to help visually identify different parts of the song, as opposed to all the notation in one long continuous track. That's what I want to do. Does this make sense?

[David Baay]

Usually a MIDI track is dedicated to driving a single instrument/sound. Although it is possible to have events with different channels driving different instruments of a multi-timbral synth from the same track, it makes it very difficult to keep track of things and compose/edit efficiently.

For a single instrument (or a drum synth that has a different kit piece on every note number), you will sometimes have different harmonic parts/lines/voices that you'd like to isolate for editing/mixing/arrangement purposes which you can do by using multiple 'Lanes' of a track (Shift+T to show lanes). The 'Inline' PRV that your screenshot is showing is for the 'parent'  track using only one lane. If you use multiple lanes, you can display an inline PRV for each.

The separate 'main' PRV that you get by double-clicking that icon in the upper right corner of the clip (or Alt+3 or Views > Piano Roll View) lets you see all lanes of one or more tracks, but will not let you easily differentiate parts/lanes within a single track, except by enabling 'Hide Muted Clips' in the PRV's View menu  and temporarily muting clips in lanes that you don't want to see. Nevertheless, that's where most of us do our detailed MIDI editing because it has more editing capabilities and display options.

There's a lot more to understand, depending on how you ultimately choose to work, but that should help get you started, or at least know what question to ask next or what part of TFM to R.  ;^)

Edited May 4, 2020 by David Baay

[John Vere]

The problem you'll run into is that software is developed to be used in a way that the the people who design it think we want it to work. We will rarely find software that is designed to work the way we think it should work. So your best bet is to explore the software's options and choose the workflow that is closest to what you would like it to be. 10 years ago I fought nail and tooth with Sonar to try and make it do things "my way" . At a certain point I gave up and just started learning how it works. I have zero issues now with getting things done. I just adopted my way of thinking to the way it actually works. 

Midi can be overwhelming to new users. But a lot of us have been using midi and computers since day one in 1983? . It's best to think in terms of each track is a different instrument. In my signature is a link to using midi on my web page. It's very simple stuff.  

[user390096]

You may want to run a "CAL",  if I assume correctly that is your goal.

Here's a link on how to split up drums tracks into separate tracks.

https://www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2007013155/Splitting-up-your-MIDI-drums

[JoseC]

On 1 de mayo de 2020 at 8:12 AM, Dave G said:

Thank you for the prompt response. ?

I thought I saw this done somehow though. For example, I've seen video tutorials where an instrument track had several separate parts, each one with a label on top. How's that done? I'm surprised this isn't documented anywhere.

This function is to help visually identify different parts of the song, as opposed to all the notation in one long continuous track. That's what I want to do. Does this make sense?

Those "parts" are clips, and each can have a name, but the Piano Roll View will show them as a continuous  line. You can see them in the Track View as separate clips. There are several ways to (re)name them, like right clicking in a clip and choosing (!) "Rename clip", or in the Clip Properties in the Inspector...It is documented, not only in the online help but also there is a beefy .pdf manual (1,700+) pages, a.k.a. the Reference Guide. You might want to have a look at it.

Edited May 4, 2020 by JoseC
Added something.