Using two USB MIDI controllers for different instruments

Question

Using two USB MIDI controllers for different instruments

Hello everyone.

Today I wasted 1 hour of my life trying to figure out how to use two different software instruments with two different midi controllers and after all my effort, it didn't work.

I have one Nektar Impact LX61+ and a Roland FP-5, Logic recognizes the Roland and says it's a Midi controller but the Nektar doesn't show up, but it's not a problem because it works and I have installed it's drivers.

The problem is, I can't figure out how to use them for different sounds. For example: today I used electric piano and organ, I needed the Roland for the piano and the Nektar for the organ.

But whenever I used the piano, both the Roland and Nektar controlled the same instrument and the same happened with every patch I used, it's like Midi channels are non existent on USB.

I can't understand how to set them up in such a way that they're separate!

Logic Pro X, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Oct 15, 2017 1:34 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Indyuser

Level 5

4,623 points

Oct 16, 2017 7:27 AM in response to GerardoMRicciardi

you will have to read the manual or google how to change the midi channel for each piece of hardware.

You can verify buy choosing custom in the display and the midi channel transmitted by any controller will show the up in the midi window of the display... The first number is the channel, the second is the note it is transmitting.

For the LX61

Global MIDI Channel (C2)

The Impact LX49 keyboard always transmit on the Global MIDI Channel but this setting also affect any control or pad that is not assigned to a specific MIDI channel (i.e. 1-16). Earlier we learned how the Octave and Transpose buttons can be set up to change the Global MIDI Channel but here is another option:

 Press the C2 key on your keyboard to select Global MIDI Channel. The display show the current value {001-016}
 Change the value in decrements/increments using the keys with the -/+ symbols screened above (C3/C#3). The value
assignment is instant so if you exit the Setup menu after making changes, those changes remain active
 You can also enter a specific value (1-16) using the white number keys spanning G3 –B4. Press Enter (C5) to accept the change

for the FP-5

1. Switch to Function mode(p. 42), and press the [Rec] button.

fig.04-11

2. Press the [-] or [+] button to select the transmission channel.

Select the transmission channel (1–16) of the FP-5.

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Answer 2

Indyuser

Level 5

4,623 points

Oct 19, 2017 11:36 AM in response to GerardoMRicciardi

That is just plain not true and you can make both work with Logic... I am happy to walk you through one step at a time if you like - the first thing is that you must have each controller transmit on different channels..... You can verify this by looking at the custom control display up in Logic......

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Answer 3

Oct 16, 2017 2:21 AM in response to Indyuser

Ok thanks a lot.

Just one more question, how do I make sure that each controller is on a different channel?

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Answer 4

Indyuser

Level 5

4,623 points

Oct 15, 2017 5:21 PM in response to GerardoMRicciardi

1/ File->project settings->recording enable autodemix by channel

2/ Make sure each physical controller is set to a different midi channel ( for this example LX61 is set to channel 1 and the FP - 5 channel 2).

3/ add two tracks to the arrange window and in the inspector and set one track to channel 1 and the other to channel 2

4/ record enable both channel strips.

Now if you play the LX61 it will trigger the track you have set to channel 1 and i you play the FP it will trigger the track you have set to channel 2.

You can play live, simultaneously with each producing different sounds or you can record.... recording will occur to one track but when you press stop it will separate each midi channel to its respective track.

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Answer 5

Oct 19, 2017 8:04 AM in response to Indyuser

Hi! Unfortunately your method still isn't working, no matter what, both controllers work at the same time on the same instrument

I've read the manual pf the LX61+ and it says that it's always outputting to the Global Midi Channel even after changing it's MIDI channel so I think it can't be done. Thanks anyway

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