Erroneous pitch bends

[Richard Schweitzer]

I'm going to ask this, then I'm going to go drinking. Why is Cakewalk recording pitch wheel bends into a part when I'm not touching the pitch wheel? Any ideas will be appreciated, I'll check when I'm sober again. The top two are Violin parts (BBC Symph), I see the modulation, but I didn't notice it at first because I don't hear it. The bottom track is a bass, as you can see the modulation is identical in each track, but in the bass part I hear the modulation, I haven't touched the wheel for any of this. I tried a different plugin all together, but I get the exact same modulation, so I assume it isn't the plugin, but either Cakewalk, or the midi control keyboard maybe.

Edited June 13, 2022 by Richard Schweitzer

[scook]

23 minutes ago, Richard Schweitzer said:

the midi control keyboard

this

[abacab]

1 hour ago, Richard Schweitzer said:

the midi control keyboard maybe.

Run the free MIDI-OX monitor with just the keyboard controller connected to confirm... http://midiox.com/

https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/209544729-How-to-Monitor-the-Input-of-a-MIDI-Controller

• View > Input Monitor
• From the Options menu, select MIDI Devices. This will display a new window where you will see the name of your controller in the MIDI Inputs panel. Click on it to select it and then click on OK.
• Once you have returned to the main area, press / turn a control on your MIDI controller. If MIDI OX displays incoming MIDI data, your controller is sending MIDI events correctly into the system.

If you see MIDI events being sent when you are not touching the controller, you have a hardware problem...

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by abacab

[Richard Schweitzer]

I'll try that. Thanks.

[Promidi]

I have a PCR-800 where, on rare occasions,  some knobs generate MIDI data on their own due to dust in there somewhere.  I can usually fix this by using electrical contact cleaner in the offending knob or slider.

Maybe this is happening with your MIDI controller's physical pitch bend wheel.....

Strictly as a test, does it happen if you deselect “Pitch Wheel” in Preferences | MIDI | Playback and Recording?

[Richard Schweitzer]

Ok, not solved, the MIDI-OX showed midi data being sent with no apparent anomalies, and deselecting the pitch wheel didn't affect the issue. But I did realize I have already posted about this issue, I just didn't realize it, because of the different instruments.

I recorded a bass part using SI-Bass with Komplete Kontrol where I did use pitch bend (I guess the next step is to delete that and use something else). When I tried to record a drum track different "notes" on the drum plugin are triggered every time there is modulation in the bass line. I didn't recognize the similarity of the issue because, obviously, they just trigger, they don't bend. But when I expand the tracks, I see that modulation inexplicably recorded in those string parts are identical to the pitch bend in the bass part. So, once I recorded the bass part in that format, everything midi I record subsequently is copying the pitch information from that track. Does that make sense?

[Promidi]

13 minutes ago, Richard Schweitzer said:

I recorded a bass part using SI-Bass with Komplete Kontrol where I did use pitch bend (I guess the next step is to delete that and use something else). When I tried to record a drum track different "notes" on the drum plugin are triggered every time there is modulation in the bass line. I didn't recognize the similarity of the issue because, obviously, they just trigger, they don't bend. But when I expand the tracks, I see that modulation inexplicably recorded in those string parts are identical to the pitch bend in the bass part. So, once I recorded the bass part in that format, everything midi I record subsequently is copying the pitch information from that track. Does that make sense?

I think I got all that.

Do any of your VSTi plugins have MIDI out (set in the drop down menu in the plugin’s window’s toolbar) enabled?

Also, are the MIDI ins of all of your MIDI track (and SIT's) set to a specific MIDI channel and to a specific MIDI controller?

[RobertWS]

Some cheap MIDI cables do not handle pitch bends well.

[Richard Schweitzer]

I'm afraid MIDI is my Kryptonite, I just create the soft synth track and use it as it is. So there's nothing I would've changed, advertantly anyway... all the inputs on my MIDI tracks are generally Omni, or All Externals - Omni. And, I don't find any MIDI options like that in any drop down menus.

[Richard Schweitzer]

I did solve the problem for the moment. I used a different bass plugin and dragged the bass part into that and I don't get the same issue, so it seems it's something to do with Komplete Kontrol.

[Promidi]

39 minutes ago, Richard Schweitzer said:

..... all the inputs on my MIDI tracks are generally Omni, or All Externals - Omni. And, I don't find any MIDI options like that in any drop down menus.

That could actually make those MIDI tracks respond to any vsti synths that have their MIDI outs enabled.  Also, some VSTis can have MIDI thru enabled which could worsen the issue.

I always set any MIDI track's inputs to a specific MIDI channel and a specific MIDI controller.   This is done in the MIDI track's inspector under “In/Out”  - just above the track name.  (“In/Out” is Visible if you have the “In/Out” component display enabled)

[abacab]

8 hours ago, Richard Schweitzer said:

I did solve the problem for the moment. I used a different bass plugin and dragged the bass part into that and I don't get the same issue, so it seems it's something to do with Komplete Kontrol.

Then the MIDI Out from Komplete Kontrol could be your issue if you are using Omni input for your other tracks.

[Richard Schweitzer]

Ah, don't know how I missed that, and that was the problem, the MIDI Out on the Komplete Kontrol plugin... I've engage this plugin before I don't remember that being an issue I had to deal with, but there it is. I'll try to keep that in my think box. Working again, thanks everyone for the time.

Edited June 14, 2022 by Richard Schweitzer

[abacab]

23 hours ago, Richard Schweitzer said:

I'm going to ask this, then I'm going to go drinking.

Now you can relax, and enjoy that drink! Cheers!