# Cubase - Keyswitching between different plug-ins/plug-in instances



## musophrenic

So question for my fellow Cubasers ... I love what you can do with expression maps in terms of combining articulations, key switching, and having everything in one MIDI lane - sure makes post editing a lot easier than multiple lanes for multiple MIDI channels. This works beautifully when one instance of a plug-in holds all the articulations you want to access.

However, is there a way to switch between different plug-ins or plug-in instances on the same lane, whether by expression maps or otherwise? In the case of something like Hollywood Strings, I've found that spreading articulations over more than one instance to actually work rather well in terms of RAM usage, especially when utilising the Powerful System Legatos. And sometimes you have more than 16 articulations you want to use (I know it might sound excessive, but to each their own I suppose), which inevitably means more than one instance if MIDI channels are how you switch articulations. 

It could also be cool to dynamically combine different plugins, for whatever creative reason you may have ... like say a C0 would trigger HW Strings Legato, C#0 would switch to a Trilian Acoustic Bass, a D0 switches to a Tuvan Throat Singer in Omnisphere, and a D#0 would switch to a Drumkit from DAMAGE ...

So, is this in any way possible??


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## musophrenic

So, no?


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## bwherry

I use this, which can achieve exactly what you describe:

http://www.bewaryprods.com/software/pro ... sMIDIfier/

You can selectively target/combine among all the instruments you've got loaded, no matter the sampler. AND you can modify the MIDI data along the way, to get the dynamics to respond the way you like, etc. You need to be able to route MIDI from Cubase to it, though, using something like MIDI Yoke or MIDIoverLAN's local pipes. There's a little setup to do to get it working, but once that's done you're probably going to love it. New release 1.2.0 coming soon, with some really nice new features!

HTH,

Brian


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## musophrenic

bwherry @ Sat Sep 08 said:


> I use this, which can achieve exactly what you describe:
> 
> http://www.bewaryprods.com/software/pro ... sMIDIfier/
> 
> You can selectively target/combine among all the instruments you've got loaded, no matter the sampler. AND you can modify the MIDI data along the way, to get the dynamics to respond the way you like, etc. You need to be able to route MIDI from Cubase to it, though, using something like MIDI Yoke or MIDIoverLAN's local pipes. There's a little setup to do to get it working, but once that's done you're probably going to love it. New release 1.2.0 coming soon, with some really nice new features!
> 
> HTH,
> 
> Brian



Hey Brian, thanks for that. I did download TransMIDIfier before, as it seemed like the answer ... but I just couldn't figure out for the life of me how to route MIDI from Cubase to it. I gave up quick, Lol - I didn't really understand that it had to be routed via an external solution. However, I will try either of those applications you suggested and see how I go.

Cheers


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## bwherry

musophrenic @ Fri Sep 07 said:


> Hey Brian, thanks for that. I did download TransMIDIfier before, as it seemed like the answer ... but I just couldn't figure out for the life of me how to route MIDI from Cubase to it. I gave up quick, Lol - I didn't really understand that it had to be routed via an external solution. However, I will try either of those applications you suggested and see how I go.
> 
> Cheers



Are you on Mac or PC? On the Mac you can create "virtual MIDI cables" that can route MIDI between applications without needing anything else. On Windows you need a virtual MIDI cable solution. MIDIoverLAN works great and has a free trial version.

I only recently started using Cubase, but I've got my template setup to route MIDI to TransMIDIfier, then back into Cubase, where it is then sent to instruments living in Vienna Ensemble Pro on another computer. TransMIDIfier 1.2.0 (coming very soon) has a new feature which makes the setup/routing stuff a little bit simpler.

Report back how you make out!

Brian


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## musophrenic

I'm a PC dude, so I guess I'll be trying MIDIoverLAN. The only other thing I have is MIDI-OX, but I use that to make my keyboards talk to each other and talk to my Slim Phatty. I think MIDI Yoke would do the same thing as MIDIoverLAN - but I don't know if it's ancient technology or anything 

I still haven't quite gotten to the point of using multiple computers and VE Pro ...

Will report soon as I get back home


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## musophrenic

Hey Brian ... so I got the routing happening using LoopMIDI (MIDIoverLAN didn't seem to work so easily - I haven't the faintest idea what I'm doing wrong), and I can do everything you showed in the video - access the different channels with keyswitches in the same standalone instance of the plugin. That all works beautifully.

Come Cubase, I can do the same - so I open up an instance of PLAY, load up a few patches, and make keyswitches to switch betwwen the channels. That's all fantastic 

However, it gets a little more complicated when I try to switch between two plugin instances - I can't find the way to do it. I suspect I know the reason - here's what my routing setup looks like:

TransMIDIfier- input: MOTIF XF8 1, Channel 1 (so my MIDI controller), and Output: LoopMIDI port, Channels 1, 2 etc

I feel that what I'm doing in Cubase is where the issue lies, since to get TransMIDIfier speaking to the plugin in my VSTi rack, I have to set the input to loopMIDI Port, and the output to PLAY (the first plugin I loaded up). There's no way to get to recognise the second one I load up (Omnisphere) unless I direct the output to that.

Help ...?

P.S. I only just realised that you're the actual guy who made TransMIDIfier - didn't put two and two together when you first chimed in. Thanks - it's a brilliant little (big) tool, especially when it comes to the amount of manipulation possible. You're a genius


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## bwherry

musophrenic @ Sat Sep 08 said:


> Hey Brian ... so I got the routing happening using LoopMIDI (MIDIoverLAN didn't seem to work so easily - I haven't the faintest idea what I'm doing wrong), and I can do everything you showed in the video - access the different channels with keyswitches in the same standalone instance of the plugin. That all works beautifully.



Nice! To get "virtual MIDI cables" from MIDIoverLAN you need to go into its configuration panel by right-clicking on the icon in the taskbar and select "Open Configuration Panel" (I think). In there you select "Local Pipe Mode" for each of the ports you'd like to function as virtual MIDI cables. Do this while other MIDI apps aren't running, as it effectively mucks with MIDI devices. Next time you open Cubase, TransMIDIfier, etc. you'll have some "MolCp3Pipe <number>" devices available, which are the MIDIoverLAN virtual MIDI cables. But you've got LoopMIDI working, so we can move on...



> Come Cubase, I can do the same - so I open up an instance of PLAY, load up a few patches, and make keyswitches to switch betwwen the channels. That's all fantastic
> 
> However, it gets a little more complicated when I try to switch between two plugin instances - I can't find the way to do it. I suspect I know the reason - here's what my routing setup looks like:
> 
> TransMIDIfier- input: MOTIF XF8 1, Channel 1 (so my MIDI controller), and Output: LoopMIDI port, Channels 1, 2 etc
> 
> I feel that what I'm doing in Cubase is where the issue lies, since to get TransMIDIfier speaking to the plugin in my VSTi rack, I have to set the input to loopMIDI Port, and the output to PLAY (the first plugin I loaded up). There's no way to get to recognise the second one I load up (Omnisphere) unless I direct the output to that.
> 
> Help ...?



Here's what I do in Cubase:

1) In Device Setup, set aside like four virtual MIDI cable *output* ports to go from Cubase to TransMIDIfier, and call them something like "TransMIDIfier Input 1", "TransMIDIfier Input 2", etc.

2) Also in Device Setup, set aside one virtual MIDI cable *input* port for each instrument instance (16 channels for each) that you want to be accessible by TransMIDIfier and give them names like "From TransMIDIfier <number>" or named according to the instrument name or type. Make these inputs NOT "In 'All MIDI Inputs'."

3) In your Cubase project, create a MIDI track for each port/instrument instance that you want to be accessible from TransMIDIfier. Set its input to the appropriate "From TransMIDIfier" input and set its output to the instrument instance. Turn on input monitor. These MIDI tracks are basically "routing pass-throughs" that you won't be recording MIDI onto, but just forward the MIDI messages from TransMIDIfier onto the instruments.

4) Also in your Cubase project, create MIDI tracks for your "conceptual instruments" such as "First Violins", "Low Brass", etc. These are the "real" MIDI tracks you'll be recording onto. For each, set its input to "All MIDI Inputs" (or just your keyboard, if you want to be more restrictive) and set its output port/channel to the appropriate "TransMIDIfier Input <number>" port and channel.

5) Now in TransMIDIfier, set the inputs to receive MIDI from the virtual inputs that Cubase is outputting to and set the outputs to send to the virtual outputs that Cubase is receiving from (the pass-throughs that feed the instruments).

So Cubase will be receiving MIDI input from your keyboard/controllers, outputting to TransMIDIfier, which will do its thing, then sending back to Cubase. Make sense? It's a little complicated at first, but once you've done it, you don't need to do it again (if you're using a template, which I highly suggest).

TransMIDIfier 1.2.0 has some features which greatly help with this setup stuff... I'll take some screen shots of that and my Cubase tracks later, which might be more helpful.



> P.S. I only just realised that you're the actual guy who made TransMIDIfier - didn't put two and two together when you first chimed in. Thanks - it's a brilliant little (big) tool, especially when it comes to the amount of manipulation possible. You're a genius



Hahah, you're too kind. It's actually a super simple concept, but can be extremely powerful. It's been really helpful to me, so I imagine other folks will find it useful as well!

Brian


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## bwherry

Me again, this time with some hopefully helpful screenshots. The TransMIDIfier ones were taken of version 1.2.0, which is now available! Get some: http://www.bewaryprods.com/software/pro ... sMIDIfier/

Okay, so this is how I use TransMIDIfier w/ Cubase (and MIDIoverLAN for the virtual MIDI cable functionality). I'm currently using eight instances of Vienna Ensemble Pro in Cubase, the first three being for Strings, Brass, and Woodwinds. Those are the ones with which I currently use TransMIDIfier.

1. Run the MIDIoverLan control panel via All Programs -> MusicLab -> MolCp III Driver -> Configuration Panel and setup some ports to "Local pipe mode" like this:





As you'll see in the proceeding images, I set aside a handful to be used as connections from Cubase to TransMIDIfier, and the rest to be used from TransMIDIfier back to Cubase. Make these changes when no other MIDI apps are running, as the changes you make muck with the available MIDI devices. Other virtual MIDI cable programs like MIDI Yoke, Maple MIDI, etc. probably don't require this step, as they're not capable of doing the MIDI-over-network thing that MIDIoverLAN does. Anywho, ...

2. In Cubase, open Devices -> Device Setup... and choose what MIDI pipes you'd like to use, and optionally give them names. As you can see in the following image, I use the first 24 pipes for input into Cubase (from TransMIDIfier), and I've named them according to what VEPro instances/ports they'll be targeting. These inputs are NOT "In 'All MIDI'" since I don't want to have wacky feedback loops w/ the MIDI tracks I record onto (whose inputs I usually leave as "All MIDI Inputs").




(I leave the pipes after "VEPro Woodwinds 8" enabled, though I'm not currently using them)

The following image shows the four pipes that I use for sending MIDI data from Cubase to TransMIDIfier, named appropriately:





3. In TransMIDIfier, go to Edit -> Preferences and in the MIDI Inputs and MIDI Outputs sections, specify what inputs and outputs you'd like to use and what you'd like them to be called. Mine are setup like this:











4. Now in your Cubase project, for a MIDI track that you'd like to use w/ TransMIDIfier, set its output port/channel to an available TransMIDIfier input port/channel, like this:




This image shows that Violins1 is outputting to TransMIDIfier Input 1, port 1.

5. Over in TransMIDIfier, here's what the Violins1 input looks like:




The active output, "Legato", is outputting to VEP Strings Port 1, channel 2.

6. Back in Cubase, we've got a collection of 24 MIDI "passthrough" ports, a set of 8 for each of the VEPro instances to be targeted (Strings, Brass, and Woodwinds). All of them have input monitor turned on, so they don't need to be record enabled to pass the input through to the output. The image below those these passthrough tracks, with the "To VEP Strings 1" track selected. As you can see, it receives its input from TransMIDIfier's first VEPro Strings port, "Any" channel (meaning "all channels"), and outputs to the actual VEPro instance, port 1.





That's it! Piece of cake, right?  It is a little bit complicated the first time you set it up, but you shouldn't have to do it again...

Hope this helps!

Brian


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## musophrenic

Hey Brian - thank you for all the trouble you've gone through! I really appreciate it. 

I haven't had a chance to sit down and try this yet, but I will as soon as I can and report back to you and the rest of the VI Control community.

Cheers!


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## bwherry

Oh, it was no trouble at all. Cheers!


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## adg21

This is a great tool. I've been trying to configure it so that keyswitches are done with the ipad using touchosc, instead of my keystation 88

The problem I have is that I cannot seem to have it so that TransMIDIfier responds to 2 inputs, the ipad for keyswitches & the keystation 88 for playing stuff.

Is there a way to do that? Or some kind of way to route it that way?

Thanks


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## bwherry

adg21 @ Mon Sep 17 said:


> This is a great tool. I've been trying to configure it so that keyswitches are done with the ipad using touchosc, instead of my keystation 88
> 
> The problem I have is that I cannot seem to have it so that TransMIDIfier responds to 2 inputs, the ipad for keyswitches & the keystation 88 for playing stuff.
> 
> Is there a way to do that? Or some kind of way to route it that way?



Currently each input in TransMIDIfier receives MIDI messages from one specific MIDI input port and channel. I have it in the backlog for an input to support something like "All MIDI Inputs" with the inputs you'd like to be included in "All MIDI Inputs" being specified in the preferences, but I haven't gotten to it yet. However, as you'll likely want TransMIDIfier to act upon _recorded_ MIDI data (as opposed to just what you play in from your keyboard/controllers) you'll probably want to situate TransMIDIfier between your sequencer and your instruments (like I've outlined w/ Cubase above, for instance). In your sequencer MIDI tracks, you can set them to receive input from all MIDI inputs, and make sure both your Keystation 88 and iPad touchosc MIDI output are included. Does this make sense?

Hope this helps,

Brian


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## adg21

Yes yes it does as it's how I usually have it set up but which unfortunately couldn't get TransMIDIfier to work with any configuration involving both the ipad, keyboard and Cubase. Cheers anyways


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## adg21

I've looked into this further and got it to work nicely. I am extremely impressed by this piece of software.

I spent time setting up a template that uses keyswitches on the ipad.

I think the biggest problem I have with this setup so far however - and I wonder what your strategy is here - is when you want to duplicate a track. So if you have all your violin 1 articulations in one keyswitch setup and you want to use 3 violin 1 legatos, or a legato and spiccato, where does that leave the connections. When you want 2 tracks with different articulations that stem from the same keyswitch setup how do you do it? Is there a workaround?

Cheers.


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## bwherry

adg21 @ Fri Sep 21 said:


> I've looked into this further and got it to work nicely. I am extremely impressed by this piece of software.



Great! Glad to hear it. Several nice things coming in the next version. 



> I spent time setting up a template that uses keyswitches on the ipad.
> 
> I think the biggest problem I have with this setup so far however - and I wonder what your strategy is here - is when you want to duplicate a track. So if you have all your violin 1 articulations in one keyswitch setup and you want to use 3 violin 1 legatos, or a legato and spiccato, where does that leave the connections. When you want 2 tracks with different articulations that stem from the same keyswitch setup how do you do it? Is there a workaround?
> 
> Cheers.



I'm not sure I understand exactly what you mean, but I think the issues you would have in duplicating a track (and making further changes) would be no different than what you would experience if you were to duplicate a track that uses keyswitched instruments directly - or one that uses Kontakt instrument banks or Cubase expression maps. One track's articulation changes and controllers would be stomping on things done by the other. One workaround is to load multiple copies of the instruments/articulations you're using, with one TransMIDIfier input using one set and another using the other set, etc. This way you won't have to worry about one track interfering with another. It'll take more ports and channels, though...

HTH,

Brian


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## dadmac

Hello Brian,
I use Logic 9 . I must be doing something wrong becasue when use the keyswitch to access different articulations on a different channel, all channels/patches play.
I'm am using the internal midi IAC midi driver.

Help


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## bwherry

Hi dadmac,

Can you post a screen shot of the setup (with everything expanded)? Also, can you send me the .ms file? That will help me see what you're doing better... [email protected]

Thanks,

Brian


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## dadmac

Brian,
Thanks for the quick response.
Attach is screen shot of my setup however, i do not know what ms file is.


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## bwherry

Thanks for the image, dadmac. It looks like you're using "IAC Driver Bus 1" for both input and output - which probably isn't what you want. Close Logic and TransMIDIfier and create another virtual MIDI cable for output, so you'll have one port for sending MIDI from Logic to TransMIDIfier, and another for sending MIDI from TransMIDIfier to Kontakt (or back to Logic, etc.). You can go into TransMIDIfier's preferences and change the display names for each input/output and have the ones that are to be input-only not show up in the outputs and vice-versa. Hope this makes sense. Let me know how you make out.

.ms files are TransMIDIfier setup files. In TransMIDIfier if you go File -> Save As... it will save a <name>.ms file.

Version 1.5.6 is available now, just FYI. http://www.bewaryprods.com/software/pro ... sMIDIfier/

Brian


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## dadmac

Hello Brian,
I downloaded ipmidi and create 2 ports. No luck on getting midi channel 2 to play by itself with the keyswitches. I'm also using a novation controller as shown for inputting. I've switched between IACdriver and ipmidi. Attach is a screen shot..


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## dadmac

Brian.
i figured it out. 
It worked when I set the first midi channel/articulation in Kontakt to channel 2, not 1.
Now i'm in heaven.
Thank You


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## bwherry

Oh, good - glad you got it sorted.



dadmac @ Mon Nov 26 said:


> Now i'm in heaven.



I'll have to add that to the product quotes & accolades page, if I make one. 

Email me once you've used it for a while - curious how it works for you on Mac... 

B


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## afg

Dear Brian

First of all, TransMidiFier is a fantastic concept and just what I wanted. I set up the routing exactly how you mentioned. But, somehow I am not getting any sound. Infact, there is no midi signal flowing into Kontakt. 

I know that the output leg from my DAW (Cubase) to the input in TransMidiFier is working (I can see the keyboard notes move in TransMidiFier when I press my external keyboard) but the output signal from TansMidiFier leg to Cubase input to the output to Kontakt does not seem to work. There is just no Midi signal flowing to the final instrument in Kontakt. Any idea why this is happening?

I am running Cubase on a PC and I have downloaded the trial version of MidiOverLan and have enabled localpipe

Waiting eagerly for your help.

Thanks


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## afg

Dear Brian

First of all, TransMidiFier is a fantastic concept and just what I wanted. I set up the routing exactly how you mentioned. But, somehow I am not getting any sound. Infact, there is no midi signal flowing into Kontakt. 

I know that the output leg from my DAW (Cubase) to the input in TransMidiFier is working (I can see the keyboard notes move in TransMidiFier when I press my external keyboard) but the output signal from TansMidiFier leg to Cubase input to the output to Kontakt does not seem to work. There is just no Midi signal flowing to the final instrument in Kontakt. Any idea why this is happening?

I am running Cubase on a PC and I have downloaded the trial version of MidiOverLan and have enabled localpipe

Waiting eagerly for your help.

Thanks


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## afg

Hi

Just wanted to say that the problem is finally solved. MidiOverLan was not working on my PC so I switched over to LoopMidi. It is now working like a charm. TransMidifier is truly amazing. It makes switching between patches so easy.

Thanks, Brian for your help.

Regards

Adil


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## bwherry

Thanks for the update, Adil. Glad it's working for you now.

BTW, for anyone else following/viewing this thread, here's the TransMIDIfier introduction thread that has the link to the new intro/demo video, etc.: http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29067

Brian


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## colony nofi

Hi...
Just a quick question... having watched your promo video - and then reading the usage of transmidifier with cubase (I'm on nuendo - so same same) & VEP

Do you still need the "pass thru" midi channels in cubendo to get to VEP? The video didn't seem to have these channels in the simple cubase session that I could see.... 

Maybe I'm missing something simple...

I'm using VEP on 3 slave machines, all accessed from the vep server loaded in nuendo.

Cheers, Brendan.


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## bwherry

Hi Brendan,

You've got a good eye! I currently use VEP on my sampler slave, but I use it in standalone mode (for a variety of reasons), so I send MIDI from my sequencer to the sampler, then audio comes back via ADAT lightpipe. Anyway, with this setup, the MIDI "passthrough" tracks aren't necessary, as TransMIDIfier can just send the MIDI straight to VEP on the sampler. This is what the latest intro video shows.

If you're using VEP in its client/server mode (both MIDI and audio over ethernet) you'll have to use a MIDI "passthrough" track for each MIDI port of each VEP instance you want to target in order to route the MIDI from TransMIDIfier to a VEPro instance in the VST Instruments rack. For instance, say you've got a VEP instance called "Strings" and inside the VEP project you've got three different instances of Kontakt - one for long strings, one for short strings, and one for solos. You would need three different MIDI "passthrough" tracks in order to allow TransMIDIfier to access all 16 channels of each Kontakt instance in the VEP project. One passthrough track for longs, one for shorts, and one for solos. Make sense?

It would basically be the same setup for when you've got Kontakt or other VSTi instances hosted in the sequencer and need to route MIDI "to TransMIDIfier and back."

Hope this helps!

Brian


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## colony nofi

Ah - thanks. A good eye? No - not usually. Just like to completely understand processes before I use them (which is becoming harder and harder the older I get I fear...)

Hm. I really need to think LONG and hard about this one - as it will mean totally rebuilding my template (which needs massive work anyway) - and probably many many passthru tracks. 

Have you ever had any problems with the number of IAC ports open on a machine? I'm going to need a huge number to get this working. (I'm on all macs)

BUT - and this is the kicker - getting ALL my different libraries to work in the same way would be absolutely amazing. Just having 16 pads that are consistant for keyswitching - let alone other tricks that this will allow me to pull off....

I'm wondering if I really need to use Transmidifier (I'll call it TM) for all of it though... I'm thinking LASS does a pretty good job of getting most of what I want done inside the ARC... and I could always "supplement" the arc with your TM I guess. Lots of playing and many headaches ahead I fear. 

I did get some bits working yest - but still don't have my head completely around the concept. (Just a few IAC things to understand really... should get there this morning)

Cheers, Brendan.


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## bwherry

Hey Brendan,

As I'm primarily a Windows user (and use MIDIoverLAN's local pipes for virtual MIDI cable functionality) I can't offer much guidance re: the limits of IAC ports on Mac.

It definitely does take some time to get one's head around all the possibilities that TransMIDIfier offers. I've had it for longer than anyone, and I've got lots of fun outputs like "Full Orchestra Chords" and "Full Strings Octaves" etc. but I keep thinking of new ways to use it all the time! Maybe start using it little by little. First find the instrument patches that you want to switch among from a single MIDI track and get that happening. Then identify the instruments whose behavior you're not totally thrilled with and see what you can modify to get closer to what you want. Then find all the single-octave percussion patches and determine which ones you'd want to have in a single, full-keyboard instrument. And so on... Make it a slow evolution, not a revolution. Just my $.02. 

Brian


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## colony nofi

What you say seems VERY wise.

I'm in the middle of re-distributing various libs across my slaves to make better use of the processing power I have at my disposal. (I often work outside of my studio, so use multiple mac mini's as slaves... its delicate, but generally works pretty well)

Thus, my entire template needs rebuilding. I'm going from scratch - because SO much has changed since I built my last one. 3 big new libs to put in (cine perc+pro being the latest one), an update (LASS to LASS2 - I know, slow to get to it, but its just so difficult to change templates during projects) etc etc.

I'm trying to make things as SIMPLE as possible during the composition phase - which unfortunately makes things more difficult at the template building stage. Need to be able to quickly change the entire orchestral sound (so, I use close mic samples + various verbs in the DAW session), and have access to pretty much everything instantaneously. 

Will see how things pan out.... but transmidifier will get a run - am sure of that. But I might build first, and then add it to the template as I see the need, rather than design it in from the get go. 

If I get strings done today, I'll be very happy! 

Cheers, Brendan.


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## Blackster

Hi Brian,

just a short question. I have set up everything like you explained and it's working totally fine. 

BUT when I try to export something the midi flow doesn't get through to VE Pro. As a result the rendered audio file is totally silent. The live playback in Cubase is great and the midi flow works great as well. 

Do you have any idea why that is? Of course, I've set up the "midi thru" channels properly and the routing is correct as well. I'm searching through Cubase midi settings but don't find anything related to that problem. 

I assume that Cubase does not accept the returned midi signals from TransMIDIfier in rendering mode, but I'm not sure ...

Thanks in advance!


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## bwherry

Hi Blackster,

How are you doing the render/export in Cubase? If it's a file -> export -> audio mixdown (sorry, can't remember the exact menu terminology here at my laptop), the thing that runs faster than real-time, that won't work because if I recall correctly MIDI tracks basically get turned off. MIDI tracks don't participate in the faster-than-real-time export.

This thread talks about it:
http://www.steinberg.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66948

That thread also mentions that if you check the "real-time export" box it should work. So give that a shot?

You can also always print whatever audio is produced by your virtual instruments to an audio track - this is how I do it (since I like to listen during printing, to make sure there are no hiccups/spats coming from the samplers).

Hope this helps!

Brian


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## Blackster

Hi Brian,

thanks for your reply. In fact, I didn't check "realtime export" and I thought that this would solve the problem, but unfortunately it didn't. I have tracked down the problem a little bit. Cubase is sending its midi data to TransMIDIfier and while printing the track TransMIDIfier is working properly (I the visual feedback that midi data is received and sent) but Cubase does not receive the midi data from TransMIDIfier through the "midi thruh" channels. That is the end of the signal chain right now. 

I'm really confused because everything is fine in live playback ... I would be happy for any hint which might solve the issue! Many thanks!


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## bwherry

Cubase must be taking those "passthrough" tracks out of input monitor mode while doing the export. Darn it. *sigh* Looks like the print option is the way to go.

Brian


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## Blackster

Hi Brian,

thanks for your answer. That's exactly what I'm guessing. Damn it !! ... but well, we gotta work with what we've got  ... 

Many thanks for your investigation on that! o-[][]-o


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## nostaller

If you have an RME Card, you can Loop Back from your Outputs to your Inputs within Totalmix Window and Record your desired audio stems that use midi passthrough inside cubase ... 

Cheers, nostaller

PS: Thanks Brian for this great Software !!!


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## blizzard

Hey Brian - I'm a little confused with how the "passthough" midi channels are working. I am using Pro Tools and can't recall there being anything similar to what you describe. Though, admittedly I could be missing it somewhere in the Pro Tools midi settings.

I've never used Cubase so I'm can't visual the path the midi is taking when going from Cubase -> TransMidifier -> Back to Cubase (via passthrough??) -> to VEPRO (or what ever VSTi).

I'm thinking some custom routing within Pro Tools is probably the same as the passthrough midi track, with it likely being a simple way to get midi from a to b in one track.

Am I out to lunch?

I will be rebuilding my template this weekend using Protools, VEPRO (on a slave), TouchOSC and Transmidifier and am trying to understand everything before I dig in.

Thanks for any advice you might have.

Andrew


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## bwherry

Hey Andrew,

Pro Tools MIDI tracks can't be set to input monitor, so the only way to have "passthrough" MIDI tracks would be to record arm MIDI tracks in PT. Obviously not a great solution, since the MIDI will get recorded. :( Feature request #1 for Pro Tools: ability to input monitor MIDI tracks!

I host my samples on a different computer (running VEPro in *standalone* mode). MIDI is sent from the sequencer to the sampler via MIDIoverLAN, and audio from the sampler gets routed back (to a separate Pro Tools rig, actually). So I don't actually need the MIDI passthrough tracks in my current setup. (I took the screenshots when I was using VEPro in its usual client/server mode, which I no longer do for a variety of reasons.) MIDI from Cubase goes to TransMIDIfier via virtual MIDI ports in loopMIDI and TransMIDIfier's outputs go directly to the sampler via MIDIoverLAN.

Give Cubase a shot if this workflow is important to you. Cubase 7.5 now has playlists! I think they have a trial version, too. I used to sequence in Pro Tools but have since switched to Cubase and I'm pretty pleased with it.

Hope this helps!

Brian


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## blizzard

Oh Yikes. So it looks like I'm not going to be able to have Pro Tools running with Transmidifier and VEPRO then...that really sucks.

Sorry to bring Pro Tools into this Cubase thread! Hard to get info on some of this stuff other places.

Since you know best Brian, is it possible at all to have a midi setup like this?

Pro Tools MIDI -> Transmidifier ->VEPRO - This would be using ipMIDI (http://www.nerds.de/en/ipmidi.html)

This would bypass the need for a passthrough midi track (input monitor) right?

Then have VEPRO send it's audio back to Pro Tools? 

I currently have a setup that is using ADAT to get my slave stems back to Pro Tools but really need more than the 4 stereo channels.

And then to top it all off, I want to have TouchOSC controlling my keyswitches, which is a whole new beast to wrestle!!!

Thanks for any advice,
Andrew


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## bwherry

Hey Andrew,

I think the VEPro server (or "instance", whatever they call it) has an option to use "external" MIDI ports. So you might be able to have a Kontakt instance in VEPro receive MIDI from one of those "external" (ie not directly from the VEPro client) MIDI ports - but the audio would still be routed back over ethernet to the VEPro client. It's worth a shot, and wouldn't require input monitor enabled MIDI "passthrough" tracks. Try asking or searching the forum (and the web) for VEPro server external MIDI port use.

HTH!

Brian


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## Mahlon

Brian,

I'm setting up TransMIDIfier exactly as your tutorial pictures on the first page of this thread (actually TransMIDIfier 2) since it's been a while since I've touched it.

I'm using Cubase with VE Pro on a slave, and I've created my test file exactly as you have in the pictures. But one weird thing is going on with my passthrough channel input. The only way I can get MIDI to flow to the slave and have sound come back is by having the passthrough channel's input set to the equivalent IN and OUT ports in Cubase. Does that makes sense?

In other words, instead of like in your picture where the MIDI passthrough is receiving input from the first channel in your IN Ports in Cubase, I'm having to set mine not to the first IN Port, but to the equivalent IN Port that matches the OUT port in Cubase that the violins midi track outputting to.

So in my case, I've got the Violins track outputting to loopMIDI Port 17 (Cubase OUT port going into TransMIDIfier), and I've got the passthrough tracks input set to loopMIDI Port 17 (Cubase's INPUT port). This is the only way I can get it to work. If I use loopMIDI Port 01 (Cubase INPUT), data goes through to TransMIDIfier, but it doesn't reach the slave.

Sorry for the long description; it's hard to talk about these things accurately. If you understand what I've described, I'd love to hear why this is happening if you know.

Thanks,
Mahlon

*EDIT: I believe I've been able to get everything set up correctly now. Don't know why it wasn't working before, but i'm still having problems with the key switches not working. Opened a new thread in just for that in Virtual Studio Production http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3757515*


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## bwherry

I was about to suggest that the MIDI track in Cubase might be outputting to the same loopMIDI port on which the MIDI "passthrough" track is receiving its input (effectively bypassing TransMIDIfier) but based on the other thread it looks like you've got it sorted out... Yay!

Brian


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## simyoda

Hi guys!
This is my first post on V.I Control so i apologize for being a noobie.

I'm trying to setup Transmidifier with a mac mini running pro tools 10 as master and a PC Slave running Kontakt Instances in Ve Pro 5.

I'm really hoping someone can show me how they use transmidifier in action via pictures or a youtube video tutorial.

I've read through this forum page but unfortunately as it is mainly Cubase and Logic specific i'm still confused how to get Transmidifier running in my Pro Tools setup.I need help setting up all the midi inputs and outputs etc. and getting that to include Ve Pro 5 while communicating with Transmidifier.

I haven't installed it yet as i want to make sure i understand how it works first.I'm not quite sure how the IAC thing works as well with running virtual cables etc.

I'm hanging to get this happening with an orchestral template but may need some help if anyone has time to show me some tips.It would be great do see how it works once everything is setup.I'm pretty sure even if i got it working i'd still be slightly confused on how to do all the midi programming and switching which is why a live interactive video or pic series would help.

Here are some questions i've got.

- Once it's setup how do you manage the keyswitching? Or do you use Program Changes?
- What process is involved with doing all the switching on a sequencer track? Do you use automation?
- How do you correctly label all your Transmidifier tracks for a large template?
- Does Transmidifier implement a midi chase option so no matter where you are in your track, It will trigger the correct keyswitch on the timeline?
- How do i use external midi from Ve Pro 5?
- What does all the midi passthrugh setup mean?

Look forward to hearing from someone out there.
Thanks Guys and Happy New Year
Simon _-) o-[][]-o


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