Recording MIDI on ProTools

[Alan Z]

Thanks for your reply. I downloaded and installed 7.4.2cs2 last night to see if that helped.

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

What is the MIDI input of the Instrument track set to? What is it's MIDI output set to? Make sure you're showing the MIDI section by enabling it in the view menu.

The MIDI input selector is set to "All." The MIDI output selector is set to "Alesis QS8.2-16." The Alesis is set to channel 16. I have tried to set the input selector to "Alesis QS8.2 All" as well but that didn't help.

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

Your post is a little confusing - you say 'EZ Drummer and that works fine'. How are you using that? Is it inserted on an Instrument or Aux track? What are you triggering it with - the Alesis or with MIDI data that's already recorded?

Sorry I am not being clear.

EZ Drummer is being triggered by groove track MIDI data that I drop onto the EZ Drummer Instrument track. Xpand! instrument tracks with MIDI data I created using the pencil tool are playing back OK too. So in other words the MIDI data I can get into PT via means other than playing keys on my Alesis, ie dropping MIDI grooves onto the EZ Drummer instrument track or by using the pencil tool to build MIDI data into other instrument tracks seem to work OK (summed up, "Output works, input via playing a key on the Alesis does not."). Another example; I have a string section instrument track that is being played by my Alesis just fine. I originally played the Alesis to get that data into PT.

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

That's indicating and audio input - not a MIDI input.

Understood. The point was that I could see some signal chain being active, ie the LEDs on the 1814 3/4 input, but there was no corresponding activity on the PT part of the chain; no audio level meter activity and no MIDI activity (what I call the MIDI activity meter is the short vertically oriented meter above the MIDI Mute button when the Instrument column is displayed in an instrument track. It strobes when MIDI data is being detected on that track. I tried to find it in the PT reference guide but didn't spend a LOT of time trying to find it's official name.).

However, I made a tweak to my FW 1814 a few minutes ago and mapped input 3/4 to output 1/2 and now I can see activity on the PT audio level meter, and can hear the audio out my monitors but still no activity on the MIDI activity meter.

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

Which level meters - audio or MIDI?

Both per above previously, now with the tweak to my 1814 I can see activity on the audio level meter and hear the sound when I play a key on the Alesis. So I made SOME progress anyway.

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

This page has some good tutorials that may help you:

http://ptnewbie.com/?p=56

OK. I read the softsynth article but unfortunately it assumes that "your hardware (is) set up correctly (which is a different topic altogether) and can input MIDI data into Pro Tools properly, either by MIDI controller or using the pencil tool."

I can take and post somewhere a screenshot if that will help.

[DigiTechSupt]

If you create a MIDI track, set it's input to All and record enable the track, then play your keyboard - do you get meters on the track?

Is MIDI Thru checked in the Options menu?

What is the default MIDI Thru instrument set to in Preferences?

[Alan Z]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

If you create a MIDI track, set it's input to All and record enable the track, then play your keyboard - do you get meters on the track?

OK, I set one up per this but saw no activity.

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

Is MIDI Thru checked in the Options menu?

Yes

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

What is the default MIDI Thru instrument set to in Preferences?

"None."

[Alan Z]

Am I missing something obvious? If the answer is "Yes" that's OK, let me know and I'll try to work it out.

[Alan Z]

Turns out I WAS missing something obvious - I had a bad MIDI cable.

Doh!

Thank you for your patience and help, DigiTechSupt!

Note to self: Always check the easy stuff first.

[DavidNichols]

Originally Posted by Alan Z

OK, I set one up per this but saw no activity.



Yes



"None."

I am having this same problem. midi was working fine. no problems at all. had to reformat hard drive and re-install protools and reason. since then it hasnt worked. im sure its some option somewhere i havent found. and no, its not a bad midi cable.

gateway pentium4
2.4 ghz 1g ram
windows xp pro
protools le 6.4
digi001

plugged in midi controller to digi001, made midi track, opened reason, set my output to the correct channel on reason, record enable, play my midi controller, nothing. protools does not recognize any midi input. can pencil on track and sound plays. have tried everything in this thread.