Default Midi Input Help

[Jon Paul Sapsford]

Hello, 

This issue creeped in sometime in the last year or so, but the default midi input when I add a midi track or an instrument is set to "omni", which makes it super annoying when I go to record on that new track if I have notes playing on another midi track because it'll record those as well. I know I can change it after I add the new track, but with as long as this has been an issue, my brain just won't train itself to do so and I *always* have to do a second take because the first one has another track's midi being recorded on it. 

I've noticed that if I select just my keyboard as the midi input when I insert a new instrument, it'll default to that when I add instruments from there on it, but it doesn't save with the session (or if I change it and make a template out of it). 

Does anyone have any idea how to solve this? I am probably missing something, but I can't see why it being like this by default is a good thing.

Thanks for any tips!

[David Baay]

Two things:

- A new MIDI track will only default to an input other than None if you have Always Echo Current MIDI Track enabled in preferences.

- If you have that enabled (or you enable it manually without explicitly selecting an Input first), and there are virtual MIDI OUTs in the project being presented by plugins, the input of a new MIDI track should default to All External Inputs, and not echo or record those virtual inputs.

So, worst case, you might have a new track getting input from more than one hardware IN by default, but not automatically from virtual INs as well.

If you can reproduce a scenario where a track's input gets set to 'All Inputs' by default without limiting it to External inputs, please share the exact steps.

Edited Friday at 09:07 PM by David Baay

[Jon Paul Sapsford]

Thanks for the reply!

So, the issue is repeatable in that if I go to "insert new instrument", it defaults to omni/none, which then has the newly created track accept input from other midi tracks (seemingly random). The same goes for adding just a basic midi track. If I select just my midi keyboard as the midi input from either the dropdown on the "add new instrument" dialogue, or on the midi track's input dropdown, it does not do that. 

If I select my midi keyboard as the input in the "add new instrument" dropdown, it will persist as the default choice for the remainder of the time I have Sonar open, but it reverts to omni/none when I re-open Sonar. I have also tried changing the input on the "add new instrument" dropdown to my midi keyboard, adding an instrument, deleting said instrument, verifying that the next instrument I go to add has my midi keyboard selected as the input, and then saving as my template, but when I open the template, the issue persists.

I am trying to figure out how to change it's default input because as I'm sure is evident, it's pretty annoying that every time I add a new instrument or midi track it accepts input from the other midi tracks.

I also apologize if I'm not understanding what you're asking, I've never had to get too deep into midi signal chains and all that, so this is right at the high end of my pay grade and I might be missing something obvious.

[David Baay]

3 hours ago, Jon Paul Sapsford said:

I go to "insert new instrument",

 

3 hours ago, Jon Paul Sapsford said:

I select my midi keyboard as the input in the "add new instrument" dropdown

Are you maybe talking about the Bandlab web app? Or maybe CW Next?

In Sonar, the menu path is Insert > Soft Synth. After selecting an Instrument plugin, you get an Insert Soft Synth Options dialog.

Or you can right-click in Tracks pane and choose Insert instrument which gets you an Add Track dialog with the Instrument tab selected that has an Instrument pick list at the top and an Input pick list under that.

Edited Saturday at 06:27 PM by David Baay

[User 905133]

NOTE: (1) and (2) were written earlier, but not posted. (3) is new based on @David Baay's post.

(1) FWIW, I used to get double notes sometimes because I had my usb keyboard also hooked up to a standalone interface (5-pin DIN Connector). After several times seeing double in the staff view, I got myself in the habit of double checking the track input setting.  It only took a few times but now if I do forget, it only takes 1 reminder every so often.  I do a test recording of a phrase, look at the staff view and if I see double, the self-reminder kicks in.

(2) Not necessarily to problem solve your issue, moreover for the benefits of exploring alternate workflow, what steps do you use to get "insert new instrument" and "add new instrument?"  The main methods I have used have different wordings.  Not doubting you; I only use a few of the many methods and I want to run some personal workflow tests of the different methods.

9 hours ago, Jon Paul Sapsford said:

So, the issue is repeatable in that if I go to "insert new instrument" . . . 

If I select my midi keyboard as the input in the "add new instrument" dropdown . . .

I have also tried changing the input on the "add new instrument" dropdown to my midi keyboard, adding an instrument, deleting said instrument, verifying that the next instrument I go to add has my midi keyboard selected as the input, and then saving as my template, but when I open the template, the issue persists.

(3) @David Baay Thanks for adding the following post.  I did a quick check of 4 places in Cakewalk Next and didn't see an "add new instrument" dropdown .  

6 hours ago, David Baay said:

Are you maybe talking about the Bandlab web app? Or maybe CW Next?

In Sonar, the menu path is Insert > Soft Synth. After selecting an Instrument plugin, you get an Insert Soft Synth Options dialog.

Or you can right-click in Tracks pane and choose Insert instrument which gets you an Add Track dialog with the Instrument tab selected that has an Instrument pick list at the top and an Input pick list under that.

 

Edited yesterday at 01:01 AM by User 905133
fixed typoz

[Promidi]

Use Track Templates.