Performer 9 and Pianoteq 8 [RESOLVED]

[mr88cet]

For now I’m on Performer 9, and I’m attempting to:
— Create a virtual-instrument track for Pianoteq 8, and
— Wire its MIDI input to my Lumatone keyboard.

I have not been able to figure out how to do the latter — get MIDI from the Lumatone to Pianoteq.

When I launch Pianoteq 8 in standalone application form, it works great. Also, in Performer I can see MIDI activity from the Lumatone, which is connected directly to my Mac through USB, not through a MIDI interface.

The only problem appears to be just “wiring” Lumatone to Pianoteq via Performer. I can’t find any places to select a MIDI source for that virtual-instrument track.

Anybody have any insights on this? Thanks!

[stubbsonic]

I'm not sure about "Performer 9" but in DP, you would create a MIDI track, and route the output of the MIDI track to the Pianoteq instrument.

To hear it, you put that MIDI track into record.

It may seem like a lot of steps, but imagine you have one controller and many VI's and/or external devices. Now you just record enable the MIDI track that is "pointed to" that VI or device.

The newer versions of DP have an "Add Instrument with Options" that adds both VI & MIDI track.

[mr88cet]

I'm not sure about "Performer 9" but in DP, you would create a MIDI track, and route the output of the MIDI track to the Pianoteq instrument.

(Yes, “Performer” as in “Digital Performer.”)

Thanks a bunch for the reply, Stubbsonic. I poked around further and found a video that shows it as you described — a track for the MIDI information itself. I tried it just now, and indeed it works!

I believe I’m good now. Thanks again.

[stubbsonic]

Glad you got it sorted.

We've discussed this-- how some DAWs make this aspect more turn-key, but with less flexibility. DP makes it a little more work on the front end, but with much more ability to route things flexibly.

If you think you might be working with multiple "Chunks" (multiple sequences or sections) within a project. Consider using V-Racks (a type of chunk), which are like little VI hosts where you can park instruments that can be share by multiple sequence chunks. They can also be imported from other projects, which is handy.

An important side note is that if you can set up things the way you like them, you can create some templates so when you start a new project you can hit the ground running.

[mr88cet]

DP makes it a little more work on the front end, but with much more ability to route things flexibly.

In hindsight, I guess there wouldn’t otherwise be a track upon which to store/display the MIDI data, as opposed to the audio output from Pianoteq. So, I suppose that’s reasonable.

Admittedly, I haven’t done a whole lot with virtual instruments, other than playing them directly independent of any DAW, so I’m not used to having the sound generation means inside the computer. (Well, that other than under Sibelius, but that’s composer’s workstation, not a DAW, of course.)

Right, thanks again!

[James Steele]

— a track for the MIDI information itself. I tried it just now, and indeed it works!

Note that this changed in DP 11.1 or 11.2. Can't remember which but now you have a choice of having a separate MIDI track targeting an Instrument Track, or you can have the MIDI inside the Instrument Track. I generally only do the latter for Drum VIs and Bass VIs.

[James Steele]

Also moving this topic to the "Troubleshooting" forum where it should go.