Bug in MIDI step recording?

[vic20]

Recording chords using MIDI step input seems to be quite difficult. I'm not able to record multiple notes to one step reliably. All notes of a chord are recorded only if the notes are released exactly at the same time. This is very difficult and I can't see any reason why it should work like that.

Is this a bug or is there some setting that will make chord step input easier?
Please report if you can reproduce this problem. It is very easy to test this. Just record multiple chords using step input and see if you can easily record all notes of all chords without carefully releasing all notes at the same time.

My setup:
Pro Tools 9.0.5
Windows 7 SP1 64bit

Regards,
vic20

[vic20]

Bump

Am I the only one that has this problem in step recording?
Someone please test this on your system and report whether it is working or not. It would be really helpful to know if this problem exists only in my system.

- vic20

[mickelini]

I don't normally use step input, but I tried it and couldn't recreate your issue. My system specs are different from yours, so there may be something in that.

Also, and sorry if this is obvious to you, did you set the note length parameter in the Step Input dialogue box?

hth
Mike

[vic20]

Originally Posted by mickelini

I don't normally use step input, but I tried it and couldn't recreate your issue. My system specs are different from yours, so there may be something in that.

Also, and sorry if this is obvious to you, did you set the note length parameter in the Step Input dialogue box?

hth
Mike

Thanks for testing this issue in your system.
Was there any limit on how many notes you can enter in one step in your system?

I have tried step input with default note length of 100% and also different note lengths. That setting changed the note lengths as expected but it did not solve the chord problem.
Why do you think that the note length setting is important in this case?

BR,
vic20

[vic20]

Anyone care to test this on Windows 7 with PT 9.0.5?
I still don't know if the problem is in my system/settings or if this is a bug in PT.
I have trashed all my Pro Tools preferences and the problem still exists with default settings. My system is stable and otherwise working without issues. So it seems quite likely that this step input problem is a bug in PT. If someone with Windows 7 + PT 9.0.5 is able to test this, please report is the chord recording in step input working or not.

- vic20

[mickelini]

Originally Posted by vic20

Why do you think that the note length setting is important in this case?

BR,
vic20

I may have slightly misunderstood, because you were talking about when you released the notes. Just trying to troubleshoot.

Anyway, I tried this using ten notes at a time without any problem.

Have you tried a different keyboard controller, or different MIDI input?

I realize we have different systems, so maybe a Windows user could chime in.


Mike

[vic20]

Originally Posted by mickelini

Have you tried a different keyboard controller, or different MIDI input?

I have tried two different keyboards, M-Audio Axiom 49 2nd gen and Kawai ES4. Same issue with both keyboards. I have also tried those keyboards separately so that only one is connected to PC. Still the same problem exists.

I even tested this with loopback MIDI driver so that MIDI data was sent inside Windows from another DAW to Pro Tools. Still the step input in PT was not able to record chords correctly. I quantized all notes in a chord to start and stop exactly at the same time and still the step input was not able to record all notes. Actually my test contained 4 notes in a chord and PT was not able to record all 4 notes EVER. In this test run about 1000 chords were recorded. Most of the chords ended up having only 3 notes, some had only 1 or 2 notes. If I recorded same notes that were sent from the other DAW using normal realtime recording in PT (not step input) then every note was recorded correctly.

I hope someone with Windows system could test this and report if it is working or not. You don't have to test it with loopback MIDI. It is very easy to test with any MIDI keyboard.

-vic20

[AndySolomon]

Originally Posted by vic20

Anyone care to test this on Windows 7 with PT 9.0.5?
I still don't know if the problem is in my system/settings or if this is a bug in PT.
I have trashed all my Pro Tools preferences and the problem still exists with default settings. My system is stable and otherwise working without issues. So it seems quite likely that this step input problem is a bug in PT. If someone with Windows 7 + PT 9.0.5 is able to test this, please report is the chord recording in step input working or not.

- vic20

Ahhhhhhhhh brilliant we're not alone!

We run a Windows 7 system and we're having the exact same problem! I've just posted a thread about this, but missed this topic!

I tested a machine with 9.0.2 on Windows and don't get this problem...

The thread I just created is here: http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=308297

One thing I have noticed is that any virtual instrument used voiced the chords, as in, you can hear all notes, but they don't record via step input. As you say if you record in real time without step input all is well...............oddness.com!

[AndySolomon]

Any other peeps suffering this?

[AndySolomon]

Well i've asked a few others who use PT 9.0.5 on W7 and they are experiencing this problem.

Is there any word about this from Avid Tech support about this?

I really really hope this does get fixed soon - it's a major pain for my non keyboard playing students. If not I will be going back to 9.0.3, which will mean an uninstall and reinstall on 22 PCs....not fun.