Midi Import and channels and stuff

[jkoseattle]

I have imported a Midi file of a piece for full orchestra. For each track, I created a new soft synth and copied the clips from the original track to my new track. But I learned that each track is on different Midi channel. So they only work if I set my instrument to the channel the Midi file originally used for that track. Got it all working.

Flash forward to today, a few weeks later. Now they don't play, except for the clarinets. I went into the Console and saw that every track EXCEPT the clarinet shows input None and the clarinets show Omni. But when I try to change one of them from None to Omni, it only offers Virtual Controller - Omni (which does not play). And in fact, even the clarinet track only offers that option when I open the input drop down. 

I don't want to mess with all this. I don't ever use Midi channels, and don't totally understand them. And I'm not interested in learning about them now. (If I go back to this project a year from now I'm going to be completely confused about all the channels anew because I don't use them anywhere else.) Is there a way to wipe all the channel info from these clips, have everything on Channel 1 or whatever the default is?

[David Baay]

Non-multi-timbral instruments generally don't care what channel is embedded in the MIDI events; they will typically respond to anything by default.

The Inputs you're looking at now are the MIDI Inputs to Instrument tracks. If you don't have a MIDI controller or MIDI interface (or it's not powered up), it's normal to have only the virtual controller available. But if you're just wanting to play back existng MIDI clips, the Input assignment to the Instrument track doesn't matter. What matters is that the Output of the MIDI side of the the combined MIDI-audio Instrument track is assigned to the correct instrument in the synth rack.

If you normally do have a MIDI controller or some other source of hardware MIDI input, it's possible that the Instument track assgnments have gotten fouled up by those ports going missing. I've never encountered this issue myself, but others have reported it can happen.

The easiest way to sort things is to right-click and Split the Instrument track so you can verify the MIDI track 's Output is assigned to the correct synth, and the Audio track's Input is assigned to the correct synth output. You can also see the MIDI Output assignment on the MIDI tab in the Inspector for an Instrument track without splitting it, but the Audio tab will show the MIDI Input assignment (same as the MIDI tab) not the synth's ouput so it's best to just go ahead and split them. This also lets you watch the MIDI and Audio track meters at the same timeduring playback to see where the disconnect might be.

Edited February 26 by David Baay

[jkoseattle]

Thanks, that makes sense. I do normally have a Midi keyboard connected, but that's not really my issue. I can play the instrument from my keyboard and it records fine. But the original material I had imported will not play because in the Event List I'm seeing it's on a Midi Channel other than 1. When I record new material. that is recorded on 1 and works normally. 

Can't I just go somewhere and change all the notes to play on channel 1 and be done with it?

[David Baay]

9 hours ago, jkoseattle said:

Can't I just go somewhere and change all the notes to play on channel 1 and be done with it?

Ctrl+A to Select All

Process > Find/Change and OK the first dialog (Search) as-is.

In the second dialog (Replace) under 'All Non-Special Events', change the Max Channel to 1, and OK.

 

[jkoseattle]

Thanks. Now I'm not sure I want to do this. (See new thread!)

[User 905133]

1 hour ago, jkoseattle said:

Thanks. Now I'm not sure I want to do this. (See new thread!)

Not sure if you know, but you can copy the link to another thread and post it here (or somewhere else) if you want others to follow the continuation of the discussion.  You can also copy and post links to specific posts within a thread.