MIDI Channel Assignments

[Lawrence]

Maybe I'm doing this wrong.

Changing the channel drop down in the midi editor is a filter, it shows one or all channels. But when you only have a single channel on that track (multitrack midi recording, track by track) I can't seem to change the channel on the track without going to the midi editor list and selecting all of the events.

If I change it to 3 then the data should come out on channel 3, in this case it only sends what's already on channel 3, which is nothing. If I want to send that track somewhere as midi ch 3... do I have to change all of the ch's in the event list? Or is there another way?

In other words, no matter what channel my midi bass line is on I should be able to send it somewhere else *AS* any other channel. The problems with not being able to do that are many, if that's the case.

Unless I'm missing something. Probably am... but there should be a way, on the track controls, to output any midi track as any midi ch simply by changing the channel there.

The midi channel settings on the tracks and the routing screens seem to be only filters, not midi channel settings. Is that the case?

Please show me how to, from the main window, step through channels without using the midi editor. Thanks.

[Tallisman]

Send All midi data on any given midi track to Channel 1 (2, 3, 4, etc...
http://stash.reaper.fm/oldsb/12850/107102616533-My-Desktop.png

does that not do what you are after?

.t

[Tallisman]

and i wonder if this might help:
http://stash.reaper.fm/oldsb/12851/107102616946-My-Desktop.png

.t

[Lawrence]

Yes. That's it.. the second graphic. Not the first. "Send As Ch X"... that's exactly it. I was looking for it on the track.

Why the heck is it hidden in properties? That should be on the track controls or at least in the routing window.

Jeez. So you gotta open two windows and manually type in a number every time you just want to change a midi channel for a midi track on the timeline? If there are a bunch of seperate parts you have to do them one at a time or select them all first?

Are you kidding me? There's got to be a better way.

[Tallisman]

so... and I haven't tested this for a while...
but setting the all to the channel you want is not doing it for you?

IIRC that is all I do.

If I need 6 midi tracks feeding an instrument in K2 i create the 6 tracks and make them all send all to x

hmmm...
but I can't find a shortcut to get directly to that midi items properties dialogue. I'd support such an FR.

cheers
.t

[Lawrence]

so... and I haven't tested this for a while...
but setting the all to the channel you want is not doing it for you?
.t

Let me put it in context.

I'm doing a midi production using VSTI's and hardware synths. I have a bass on a VSTI on ch 1 and I want to send it to my Proteus and try some bass sounds there. Maybe I'm already using ch's 1-5 on the Proteus for other sounds so I'll audition bass sounds with that track on the next available Proteus channel, ch 6.

In any other sequencer I just change the output device and the ch from the same place... usually the TCP, but in Reaper it would be the routing window since that's where the output assignments are. Fine.

But you can't do both from there... so ...

1. Open the routing window.
2. Send the midi track to a hardware ouput to hit the Proteus.
3. Close the routing window.
4. Select an item (or if it's multiple blocks one at a time?).
5. Open it's properties.
6. Open the properties of the properties (another properties window)
7. Manually type in the new channel ... 6
8. Close the second property window.
9. Close the first property window.

If multiple blocks on the timeline can't be selected and changed all at once (can they?) then go back and do steps 4-9 again for every single midi block on that track? Or glue them as one part first?

Or.. open the midi editor for all the parts and manually change the channel every time I wanna do that?

In most any other midi sequencer it's done from the TCP...

1. Change the midi output routing of the track.
2. Change the midi channel of everything leaving the track (the midi output stream), usually with a drop-down menu.

Which is why I spent X minutes looking for it there (in the routing window) figuring it must be there, and I just was missing it. That *is* a routing function after all.

The TCP or the routing window needs a " Send As Ch. X " dropdown box to change the midi stream channels right there at the track level. If it's a multi-channel stream, then set it to "ALL" which means... "leave it alone" and any or all ch's stream out as they are.

With midi hardware and many sounds on both hardware and VSTI's I will often move things around like that until I find what I like best. Bass here, keys on another module, strings from a keyboard or from a keyboard to a VSTI, whatever fits the song best.

It should be much easier.

[Tallisman]

ok... I am in the box, so you are in virgin territory AFAIC. :D

I will play with it at home here my computer says I have hardare outs.

.t

[Lawrence]

Let me know what you come up with. I certainly can't work with a hybrid setup this way. I was all geeked up for the next step of my deeper foray into Reaper and this ruined it for me right near the start.

I had already come to grips with the fact that I have to change my hardware patches/programs manually, since Reaper has no user patch database storage facility for external midi devices... I was cool with that for now. Both of those things together are too much.

Do you have a hardware midi device or keyboard? Just try to find the best or quickest way to get a random midi track, any track, or mutliple blocks of parts on a track - which would represent parts on that track played at different times, out to a random midi channel on a hardware output.

Make a midi track on ch 1, chop it up in 15 pieces, and then make everything on that track play out to ch 8 on your hardware box.

It should take like 5 seconds tops in any sequencer.

Changing the midi channel of a midi track is like changing the bus assignment of an audio track. It should be right there in the routing window at the least and the best case scenario would have it right on the TCP from a pop-up menu.

[Lawrence]

Bump ... up .. as .... this ... is ... bad ...

[Tallisman]

Lawrence... I finally tested...
alas I have no outboard module, but I seem to be able to see any channel on my hardware out by right clicking the i/o icon:

http://stash.reaper.fm/oldsb/13447/midi-channel-send.gif

am I doing something wrong here? are we not on the same page?

.t

[Lawrence]

Yes we are. Thanks T. I knew it had to be there somewhere. Next time I give it a go on a midi production I won't have that (imaginary) roadblock.

My only issue now (a tiny minor issue) is lack of visual feedback of what track is transmitting on what channel. Ergonomically (for me) Reaper is unintuitive in some ways. There is a point between 'clutter' and 'useful information' where things get much easier.

[Tallisman]

agreed... midi channel indication would be a treat! :o

I'll share a workaround that I have been using recently, that seems to not have a negative impact on audio!

I had a brainstorm several months ago, inspired by the patron of the parchment... in a discussion about marker notes (http://www.cockos.com/forum/showpost.php?p=99927&postcount=18) I had an idea for a new type of item... a note item - it could be place on any track and it's sole purpose is to contain a text note - cue, etc.
here's a pic (the idea never seemed to catch on):
http://stash.reaper.fm/oldsb/32998/note%20item%201.png (http://www.cockos.com/forum/showpost.php?p=99927&postcount=18)

but I never let that slow me down. What I do is I create a new midi item. I make it 1 bar long (or shorter) and I mute it - that gives it a different appearance to the other items on the arrange page. then, [F2] and I add a note where it says Track Name.

here is the [F2] dialogue:
http://stash.reaper.fm/oldsb/13693/10711410244-Media-Item-Properties.png

and here it is in the project:
http://stash.reaper.fm/oldsb/13695/notes.png

that may help a little (until we have it optionally on the TCP). I find it useful in other places too... I often leave behind notes where I had done edits or applied FX as new takes.

greetings,

.t

[IXix]

I had already come to grips with the fact that I have to change my hardware patches/programs manually, since Reaper has no user patch database storage facility for external midi devices... I was cool with that for now. Both of those things together are too much.


We could do something about that, now that JS presets can contain custom data other than just slider settings.

What would you want from a JS patch change utility plugin? If you outline the functionality you'd want, I could probably make something useful (although with Christmas and New Year coming up, I doubt I'll be doing it soon :)). I can think of a few possible approaches already.

[Lawrence]

We could do something about that, now that JS presets can contain custom data other than just slider settings.

What would you want from a JS patch change utility plugin? If you outline the functionality you'd want, I could probably make something useful (although with Christmas and New Year coming up, I doubt I'll be doing it soon :)). I can think of a few possible approaches already.

Thanks man, that's really nice of you. :) Tallisman solved my incorrect assumption about the main issue. I had that one just wrong.

What I would want is a JS plug that would allow the user to import (or manually type in) patch names for devices and save them. So when I click on the plug in the FX rack, a window pops up I guess with X banks of 128 patches.

Click one to change the patch... send a program change. Obviously there would have to be methods to change banks also and the patch numbers and names should be user editable.

Making them plain text files (for storage and recall) would make it even easier since I could then just copy/paste my patch names from the Cubase instrument files I've already built directly into those files.

I think many midi users would find this plug useful. Auditioning outboard midi in Reaper is a PITA.

Thanks a lot.

P.S. If you could add a simple midi fader and pan to it... even better. ;)

I've attached a Cubase instrument text file for you to look over.

[IXix]

Okay, I'll have a think about it. There's no real text capabilities in JS yet (but I'm gonna keep bugging Justin about that) but there's various possibilities worth investigating. It'll probably be new year before I can come up with anything though.