Midi Routing Question

[Vevolis]

I am trying to use a VST that acts as an editor/librarian for my Access Virus KC synth. For the plugin to work, it requires that I disable the midi in/out of the Virus in Reaper (the host), which I have done. The in/out routing of the Virus is used within the plugin. I am able to move knobs in the software to effect the synth/move knobs on the synth to effect the plugin.

I can't however use the Virus' midi in/out to record or playback midi as Reaper no longer recognizes the port (had to be disabled) so I am supposed to use a controller keyboard to record midi which can then be sent through the editor, into the synth, which then triggers notes, etc. like normal.

My issue is that I can't get the controller keyboard to trigger any notes; the editor recognizes the incoming notes, I can record the midi from my controller onto the virtual instrument track the plugin is on, but when I make an audio track to playback audio from my actual synth, nothing happens, the midi is not going out to the virus from my controller (or virtual instrument track) and since the connections are disabled in reaper, I can't just route it normally. Is there something I am missing? Here are the plugin setup instructions:

Prepare Devices:
1. Open Cockos Reaper.
2. Open the 'Options/Preferences/Audio' tab. Ensure the audio device connected to your synthesizer is activated and working.
3. Open the 'Options/Preferences/MIDI Devices' tab. Ensure any MIDI devices that are connected to the hardware synthesizer are turned off here.
4. ***Set up a MIDI controller keyboard to send note data to the hardware synthesizer and record into the sequencer.***
5. Open the 'Options/Preferences//Plug-Ins/VST' tab. Ensure the path to the VST-AU Editor is set in the plug-in search path and that the plug-in appears in the Live Plug-In list.
6. Read and follow any special setup steps for your synth by referring to the the VST-AU Editor User Manual for your Editor product.
Setup Project:
1. Create a new Project.
2. Select 'Insert/Virtual Instrument on New Track'. Select the VST-AU Editor.
3. In the tracks I/O settings, set the 'Input: MIDI' value to the MIDI controller keyboard input (from the Prepare step 5 above). Do not use the audio here for the input from the synthesizer, instead see Step 6 below.
4. Ensure the 'Monitor' (yellow 'speaker' icon) is on for this track.
5. Open the 'MIDI Setup' dialog in the Editor and select the Editor MIDI Input and Editor MIDI Output ports and channels* that the hardware synthesizer is connected to (the ones removed from Step 3 in Prepare Devices above).
6. Create a separate 'Audio Track'. Set the 'Input' to the audio port that the synthesizer is connected to. You can monitor and record audio from the synthesizer into this track.
7. Open the 'MIDI Monitor' to view MIDI data moving through the system as you move controls. Test it out.

[DarkStar]

I am not clear where you say the problem is arising. The steps you listed seem OK. (Where did they come from, by the way?)

As "the editor recognizes the incoming notes" doesn't that plug-in also send the MIDI out to the Virus?

Which Editor is it?

[Vevolis]

The editor is the “Rekon Audio” Virus editor VST – the instructions for use with Reaper is here: http://www.rekonaudio.com/support/setup-guide#Reaper
There is one specific problem.
The controller keyboard I am using has no effect on the Virus (whether that means the midi signal is not reaching the Virus, I don’t know, all I know is that the in/out of the virus is allocated to the editor itself, it cannot be modified as a pathway in reaper as it has been disabled).
I have an instrument track. My controller (Korg MicroX, midi via USB) is the assigned track midi input. An audio track is made to send audio in from the Virus. When I open the editor, I can see data coming into the editor from the controller when I press notes, but it doesn’t effect (go to the input of) the Virus and I don’t know how to route the controller midi (or midi sequences being played back) into the Virus, because the in/out’s are disabled in Reaper. It’s supposed to travel through the editor (via wizards and/or mathematics). I wonder if it is an editor issue or there is a step in reaper I am missing?

[DarkStar]

OK, so MIDI from your keyboard reaches the Reaper track, can be recorded and gets to the Virus Editor plug-in. But it does not get to the Virus itself.

What does it show in the Editor's MIDI Monitor when you play a few notes on your keyboard? (Or play back a MIDI clip?)

Can you post a screenshot of the MIDI Setup view too? Have a look at post #2 here: How to post screenshots

[Vevolis]

I'm not in front of my setup but will take a photo and upload this evening. "HOST MIDI In" showed notes (on/off), velocity, channel pressure (I'm sure it shows other things but I was just pressing keys) when I play the controller. Same thing happens when I play a recorded sequence.

Nothing happens to the "HOST MIDI Out", here is the plugin's descriptions of both:

Host MIDI In: The top-left section deals with MIDI In data that originates from the DAW host (DAW MIDI tracks, remote keyboard input, etc.). This is typically musical data such as note On/Offs, pitch bend, modulation wheel, etc. You should never send sysex data coming from the DAW host into the Editor, as most DAW's do not handle large enough sysex data formats (through plug-ins) to work properly.We also cannot use the MIDI Clock from the DAW as it is not sent through plug-ins as MIDI clock data. Instead, we know the DAW host timing info in the processing block of the plug-in and you can choose to use this info to send a 'generated' MIDI Clock signal through the 'Editor MIDI Out' and on to the hardware synth.

Host MIDI Out: The top-right section deals with MIDI Out data that needs to go back to the DAW host. Though you can use it to bring in Note On/Off data from the synth (also using the Editor MIDI In), it is recommended that you use a separate MIDI keyboard controller to handle Note On/Off data through the DAW MIDI track. We really do not need to send any of the MIDI data back into the DAW if we are using a remote MIDI keyboard properly. But we do have that option. Never send MIDI sysex data back to the DAW host. Hosts will differ on how and what MIDI data they can interpret and we do not need to send sysex data, or MIDI clock data to the DAW Host from the Editor under any circumstances. Please refer to your DAW host User Manual for more information on how it uses MIDI Clock sync.

[DarkStar]

Looking at
http://www.rekonaudio.com/support/us...tinguptheSynth
it sounds like the "Editor MIDI Out" needs configuring

Just saw this too:

After the first Technical Support Response, a fee of $25 will be charged for each Technical Support Response requested.

!

[DarkStar]

Just to check - you are on Windows, not OSX? As this page
http://www.rekonaudio.com/products/a...ge/26?sef=hcfp
says it is not supported in Reaper on Macs.

[Mink99]

Any Developer who writes a Vst as an editor that requires exclusive access to the midi port and not using the daw / vst midi routing should should be condemned to develop in abap for the rest of his life. Does not help but it had to be stated.

[Vevolis]

"After the first Technical Support Response, a fee of $25 will be charged for each Technical Support Response requested."

Yep. That's why I am here.

I'm on Windows 7 64 bit. The concern with configuring midi out is that I have no idea how. In the Host IN/OUT It's listed as "host selected" and is greyed out, so I can't make any changes, nor do I know what is being used, I assume the MicroX controller input, but as you can see, I don't know how to configure any output to the Virus.

If you go through the developers page it gets a bit more discouraging, no refunds, etc. etc.

I saw enough examples of the plugin working to jump at it... but now that I'm having difficulty, it's too late for second thoughts. It's the last step in my "perfectly implemented" home audio world. (I got rid of my Digi002 last week in favor of a Komplete Kontrol 6, which is working ridiculously well so far)

EDIT: I will add that the developer is a bit of a pompous rear-end, all of the manuals circularly reference each other (If you don't understand, read the other manual, then read this one, then read the other manual, don't contact me unless you want to pay money, etc)

[DarkStar]

...it's the "Editor MIDI Out" section, not the "Host MIDI Out" to which I was referring:



That's why I requested a screenshot of the MIDI set-up in your system.

What do the coloured LEDs and MIDI sockets mean? Ah ha - they tie in with the entry /exit points on the signal path diagram.

The 2 Host sections deal with MIDI passing between Reaper and the Editor, that is why the Port and Channel cannot be selected.

[Vevolis]

.............................

So I would love to formally apologize to the developer and everyone's time I wasted here.

Along my path to figuring it out (there ARE quite a few steps to implement the plugin) I must have turned OFF the midi editor in/out 'note on/off' icon and I was so obsessed with thinking the issue was somewhere else, I failed to notice this and must have saved the template thinking "everything in here is now correct".

The moral of the story is that I shouldn't be given interfaces with colored flowcharts because I start to believe problems are much more complicated than they actually are.

Maybe I'll pull out a Yamaha keyboard, tape the notes to the corresponding keys and use a colored marker to highlight the notes for "when the saints come marching in", that being where my technical prowess seems to be right now.

Anyways, thank you DarkStar. The big arrow made me take a good glance at my (incorrect setup). Problem solved. Embarrassed, but pleased.

[DarkStar]

Phew!

That was going to be one of my WAGs ("wild-assed guesses") after I had seen the screenshot.

Are the orange/black buttons On/off switches?

--------------------------------------------
You'd be more embarrassed if you hadn't asked.

[Vevolis]

They are indeed on/off switches.