Using multiple MIDI-in sources - can you now select the incoming MIDI port?

Hey Pancenter,

Thanks heaps for trying this!

You seem to have replicated exactly what I was trying to do, and it has worked as I would expect it would!

The only thing I can think of is that you are on Logic Pro 9, and I am using LPX currently. Perhaps something has changed in the way recording audio and MIDI concurrently is handled.

I will have to run the process again and try to work out why it wasn't working as expected...

Cheers,

Mike

My gut feeling is that this isn't the problem - only because I've used the V-Drums for years without having any issues relating to MIDI.

The MIDI on the V-Drums is "traditional" DIN-plug MIDI, running through one of the MIDI-in ports of my RME UFX.

Cheers,

Mike

Hey S.J.T,

That sounds like a positive indication - I will have to go back and see whether there's something I've done wrong in configuring everything...

The other possibility is that there's some kind of bug in LPX in relation to recording audio and MIDI tracks simultaneously...

I will keep you posted!

(And if you do record some MIDI and audio at the same time, let me know how it goes!)

Hey again - forgot to respond to that second part. Yep, I started this project from scratch for testing, rather than using a previous template (especially not the one where I have been making manual connections and disconnections in the Environment)...

But good to cover those sort of things off for sure, because it seems that something isn't configured correctly if you had success when you replicated what I was trying to do!

Cheers,

Mike

Hey Pancenter,

Good point!

I am fairly sure (going from memory) that LPX has ditched this, and that audio tracks are no longer assigned a MIDI channel.

I wil check when I am back in the studio tonight though... a conflict there could be causing the problem for sure.

Cheers!

Mike

I will try that for sure - I could see incoming MIDI data passing through the display in the transport window, so MIDI is coming through from the V-Drums to Logic's sequencer...

I also played around with having the V-Drums MIDI track highlighted (the "chosen track") and one of the audio tracks highlighted, during record.

Initially the MIDI track only recorded when it was highlighted (and picked up all the other synths' MIDI data, not just the V-Drums')

I will experiment some more with the order of selecting the tracks tonight, fingers crossed that I will have success!!

Gentlemen, hello! (SJT and PC)

Another update here from Logic Frustration Central!

I've done another test tonight, and am still getting the same inexplicable result.

I have checked that the audio channels aren't set to specific channels (Pancenter, your hunch was correct - LPX has ditched MIDI channels for audio tracks). I've quadruple-checked the channels I am using for the V-Drums, in both the inspector and on my MIDI device (the V-Drums kit).

Tonight's result was as follows:

- I armed audio tracks 1 - 4 for recording.

- I set up a MIDI track for the V-Drums (set to MIDI ch 10), and another "dummy" MIDI track set to channel 9 (intended to ensure that "audio demix MIDI by channel" was definitely doing its thing, and with the hope of excluding the MIDI data coming from my synths, which are set to channels 1 - 4 respectively)

- I armed both the MIDI tracks for recording also.

Then I tried two variations:

A) I highlighted (selected) the V-Drums track, prior to starting recording.

The result was that the drum MIDI data DID record (and played through Superior Drummer as expected), but it also recorded the MIDI output of all the synths which were playing audio into tracks 1 - 4 respectively.

The audio tracks recorded properly, as expected.

B) I highlighted one of the AUDIO tracks, instead of the V-Drums track, prior to starting recording.

The result was that the V-Drums PLAYED the Superior Drummer plug-in assigned to their channel, but did not record the MIDI data! Even though the track was armed for recording!!

The only MIDI data played through Superior Drummer was the V-Drums playing, which indicates that when the drum track is not the highlighted track, it does not pick up the sum of all incoming MIDI data across all devices, but only its own (Channel 10).

The audio tracks recorded properly in this variation, as expected.

Interestingly, in BOTH variations above, when I go to Edit --> Undo, the first action offered in both the above cases is "Undo MIDI recording". This is even the case in variation B, where no MIDI data was recorded on the MIDI tracks. (Only audio, on tracks 1 - 4).

Guys, I'm truly puzzled at the moment!

I can't think what else to try in this scenario. I feel like I have tried every variation possible and still haven't had any success. The fact that in both cases above, even when no MIDI data is recorded, I'm offered the option to undo MIDI recording makes me wonder if there's some kind of bug in LPX at the moment that is affecting multi-track and multiple track-type (MIDI + audio) recording.

If there is anything else you can think of that might make sense of this puzzle, I'd be grateful for your advice!

Cheers,

Mike

It definitely does appear that the root cause is failure to demix the incoming stream of MIDI data by channel.

It's just occurred to me that perhaps I should even try turning the "auto demix" function off and then back on again, in case there is some kind of bug relating to the activation of that feature.

I will also try setting up additional "dummy" MIDI tracks for MIDI channels 1 - 4, to see what impact that has, if any.

I'm truly puzzled now, because I feel like I have covered every possible troubleshooting process (with your help, and that of Skijumptoes).

And logically, I feel that based on how I am configuring the tracks etc, the result I am expecting is what SHOULD be happening!

Let's see how I go with the additional dummy tracks...

Cheers,

Mike

Hey Pancentre / Skijumptoes,

Keen to hear your thoughts on an option I am considering to solve these MIDI port problems.

It's kind of a combination of "use separate MIDI channels for each synth, and enable the auto MIDI demix by channel option" and "use the Environment to disconnect the SUM of MIDI ports, and then wire a MIDI port directly to the sequencer as needed". Rather than choosing one or the other approach (which I was hoping to do, as it would be something I would pre-set in all my project templates), I could just use either one, as needed.

This would mean that I could:

> Record jams/writing sessions which require a number of simultaneous audio tracks (synths, vocals, guitar, etc) and a MIDI drum channel, using the "Environment direct wiring to the sequencer" approach.

> Record multiple MIDI parts simultaneously (for example if recording two external synths to their own channels) using the "separate MIDI channels and auto MIDI demix" approach.

This way, in a sense, I get the best of both worlds. Or at very least, two workarounds that deliver what I need in each of the above scenarios.

Two questions for you guys:

1. Do you think this approach might be a good solution?

2. At the moment I only know how to disconnect the MIDI SUM of ports, in the Environment. I'm not sure how to reconnect it though. It it as easy as cabling from each active port, to the SUM port?

Actually, make that three questions...

3. Could I perhaps store the specific Environments I need, so I can just recall them within whatever project I am working on? So for example, if I've been recording drums and audio in a writing session, and my ports are set up for that purpose, could I load up a "MIDI SUM" Environment preset I had saved earlier?

Thanks heaps for your ongoing wisdom on this one. I've really appreciated the time both of you have taken to help me out!

Cheers,

Mike