Old MIDI files play on several tracks

[SteenE]

I'm sure this is a simple issue, but I haven't been able to figure it out. Whenever I find old MIDI files online, they play across tracks, no matter what soft synth is loaded. Even if I change the channel on each note in the event manager, it still it still plays on whatever sampled instrument is on the oroginal channel or if synthetic it play regardless of channel. I can figure out how to stop that happening. Any suggestions ?

[Kurre]

13 hours ago, SteenE said:

I'm sure this is a simple issue, but I haven't been able to figure it out. Whenever I find old MIDI files online, they play across tracks, no matter what soft synth is loaded. Even if I change the channel on each note in the event manager, it still it still plays on whatever sampled instrument is on the oroginal channel or if synthetic it play regardless of channel. I can figure out how to stop that happening. Any suggestions ?

Have you tested TTS-1 synth and make the miditracks output go to it?

I'm not sure what "...they play across tracks" means.

[SteenE]

7 hours ago, Kurre said:

Have you tested TTS-1 synth and make the miditracks output go to it?

I'm not sure what "...they play across tracks" means.

Yes, when I pull in an old midi track they default to TSS-1 and sound like they should, but I would like to replace them with my instruments from my Native Komplete. When I do that the mini notes play on other tracks. Like if you have the melody originally on channel 5, then whatever is on that channel regardless of VTS loaded, plays the notes from that track. It's  not all mini files, but some do. Of course   if it's a sampled instrument I just make sure that nothing plays on channel 5 , but to my knowledge that's not possible with synths.

[scook]

Chances are some of the MIDI tracks are set to omni input and the synths have "Enable MIDI Output" enabled in the the VST2/3 drop down.

Open the synth UIs, click on the VST2/3 header above the UI and make sure "Enable MIDI Output" is off.

[John Vere]

Generally I don't think I've ever encountered this issue andf I have in the past re done dozens and dozens of downloads.

In my signature is a link to my web page and both text based and a video all about using a downloaded file and swapping each instrument for something better than TTS-1. 

[RBH]

A raw midi track - if the tracks output is not set to specific channel can contain multiple midi channels information . If there is no specific channel set on the tracks output - it will output on whatever channels the raw data was recorded with. - Or whatever multiple midi channels might have been merged into a single track.

[John Vere]

1 hour ago, RBH said:

A raw midi track - if the tracks output is not set to specific channel can contain multiple midi channels information . If there is no specific channel set on the tracks output - it will output on whatever channels the raw data was recorded with. - Or whatever multiple midi channels might have been merged into a single track.

This is true and in the old days it was common to switch a patch or channel at different points in a song for what ever reasons the hardwares limitations might have had. But now most VST instruments will play on any channel.  

As I say I've done tonnes of these songs and I have never had to re assign channels. Patch changes for sure. I usually just set that for NONE. 

Basically you set Cakewalk with NO MIDI OUTPUTS in preferences. You OPEN a midi file and Cakewalk will use the TTS_1. to play the file correctly.

Then as example I want the drums to use SI drummer I insert SI drums and  then take TTS-1 channel 10 drum track ( this is usually Track 10) and change its output from the TTS-1 to SI drums. Done. 

I repeat this for each instrument midi track.  If I insert SI Bass I then find the Bass track ( usually marked as such) and change it from TTS-1 to SI Bass. It really doesn't matter what channel they used. SI bass will play that track. 

Only time channels will matter is when using a multi channel synth like TTS-1, Kontakt  or AIr Xpand2. 

I'm in the habit of opening each track in the event list and deleting just about everything but the notes and sometimes the CC1 for organ parts. If there are PG changes in the middle of the song you have to look for them. as they don't usually show on the event list. 

Edited January 12, 2021 by John Vere

[Kurre]

I can't help in this case.

(This case supports my decision to not put a host into a host.)

[SteenE]

On 1/11/2021 at 6:35 PM, scook said:

Chances are some of the MIDI tracks are set to omni input and the synths have "Enable MIDI Output" enabled in the the VST2/3 drop down.

Open the synth UIs, click on the VST2/3 header above the UI and make sure "Enable MIDI Output" is off.

Thanks. What did it was setting a midi in source. With no source, input comes from other tracks, so I set input to my Native keyboard and problem solved.

[scook]

When input is set to None and the track has input echo set enabled, the input is automatically set to Omni.

By default if an instrument or MIDI track has focus, input echo is enabled.

This is controlled by the Always Echo Current MIDI Track setting in preferences.

Either setting inputs to something other than None (or Omni) or turning off "Always Echo" helps stops unexpected data from hitting the track input.

This and only turning on "Enable MIDI Output" for plug-ins that actually need to send data in the project are all good ideas.

By default any synth that can send MIDI data has "Enable MIDI Output" turned on.