Confusion regarding MIDI input.

[wwzeitler]

I have two projects. They are structurally almost identical -- a set of MIDI tracks/channels driving a Vienna Ensemble Pro instance.

In one, if I click on Input (in the Tracks 'Input' column) I get options, one of which is "MIDI Keys -Any". That isn't true -- with this selection it doesn't respond to MIDI input from my keyboard. But I can click the input cell, select my particular MIDI input device, and it responds fine.

DP-X1.jpg (559.53 KiB) Viewed 2610 times

In the other, in the Tracks 'Input' column it says 'Any' and it means it — it responds to my MIDI keyboard. However, if I click on the 'Any' cell, I get no options about MIDI input device.

DP-X3.jpg (255.56 KiB) Viewed 2610 times

My Bundles | MIDI is identical in the two projects.

DP-X2.jpg (91.4 KiB) Viewed 2610 times

Thanks!

[HCMarkus]

You have MIDI Multi- Record enabled on the project in which you must select a specific MIDI Input. Unless you need to record more than a single MIDI track at once from separate controllers, there is no point in enabling MDI Multi Record. I never enable it unless I have another musician in the studio who wants to record simultaneous MIDI tracks.

With Multi-record disabled, ANY MIDI controller that is connected to your computer will address whatever MIDI Track is record-enabled. It can be handy to use more than one controller at times.

Example: my 88 note hammer action keyboard has no pitch bend, mod wheel or expression pedal. My Arturia Keylab 61 mkII has LOTS of controllers and pedal inputs. I can play notes with the 88 while pitch bending on my Arturia. Or while using an Expression Pedal connected to the Arturia. All MIDI data incoming is merged to the record-enabled MIDI track.

Studio Menu > Multi-record will disable MIDI Multi-record.

In Settings > Audio Options, I keep enabled "Multi-record is always on for audio tracks" as I often record more than a single audio track at a time (drum kits, two singers, guitar amp and direct, etc.)

[stubbsonic]

In one, if I click on Input (in the Tracks 'Input' column) I get options, one of which is "MIDI Keys -Any". That isn't true -- with this selection it doesn't respond to MIDI input from my keyboard.

In order to truly see "Any", just follow HCMarkus's perfect advice, and uncheck MultiRecord.

Just to make sure you understand, MIDI keys is a specific way to control your MIDI tracks via your QUERTY keyboard.

I don't know what the Windows key-combination is to invoke it. But on Mac it is SHIFT-COMMAND-K.

MIDI Keys on DP for Mac

MIDIkeys.png (203.81 KiB) Viewed 2507 times

[wwzeitler]

Ah, that makes sense! Danke beaucoup, señor[a]!

[Michael Canavan]

Two solid reasons to use Multi MIDI inputs should be mentioned.
I have around 7 or more MIDI controllers and control surfaces, some are specific to certain type of plugins like the Beatstep Pro that can send three sequences on three separate MIDI channels, or the Launchpad Pro which simultaneously acts as a MIDI controller, and a control surface for DP, and some that are hardware controlled by instrument plugins like the MPC Live II, and Uno Synth Pro here. The MPC Live in particular does not act properly when you only select Any instead of Multi Input.

On the other hand, with the Komplete Kontrol s88 MKII here the control surface support is outstanding, on the track arming in the Kontrol you can have it set up to arm the track on selection, and if you have other controllers set up to use certain tracks they do not disarm when you do this, so the drum tracks stay armed while you bounce around to various KK s88 input tracks.

For me, if I'm using more than the KK s88 I always use Multi Record because I don't have to constantly select other MIDI input type devices.

[stubbsonic]

Good points!

I use Multi-Record if I'm transferring a multi-track MIDI sequence and want to preserve the separation of channels/tracks, or if I want to do something like record my sustain pedal or breath controller onto a separate track.

Standard (any) recording is nice when I want to seamlessly merge the data from two controllers into the destination track.