Question on reocrding midi data from external source

[DonaldM]

My Yamaha Motif XS8 is mymmain MIDI controller for PT. All works fine. One of the nice features of the Motif is that is its massive Arp engine...over 6,000 Arps..and you can program you own, too. On the Motid, an Arp isn't just a sequence of notes, but can be a sequence of MIDI events controlling other parametrs, ie pitch bend, filter cutoff, etc, just like we can do on PT with automation lanes on an instrument or MIDI track.

There are a few voices on the Motif that have some cool arps built not on note sequences, but other stuff. I wanted to record some of them onto a MIDI track in PT in order to record some of the MIDI data besides notes. So far so good. with the voice I'm using, there is a nice pattern with the filter cut off variations. So, ok, all that data recored and I can see it on an automation lane on the MIDI track. It created a lane called "General Purpose 1 (16)". Now what I want to do is apply that very same automation data to a voice on Xpand...using the pattern recorded on that lane in the MiDI track to control thr filter on thr voice in Xpand.

What I can't figure out is how to apply that pattern to the filter cutoff in Xpand. I tried doing a copy paste, but that doesn't seem to work. I copied the MIDI data fro yhe MIDI track to the instrument track, and its all there, including the automation lane General Purpose 1(16), so I have the data. So how do I copy it to the automation lane that will control the filter on Xpand? If this works like I want it to, I can get a really great layered effect.

The other part of this that confuses me a bit is why the MIDI data from thr MOTIF recorded to Gen Purpose 1(16), when according to SMF docs, filter cutoff is, I believe Gen Purpose 74. At least if I want an automation lane in PT to control thr filter on the Motif, I have to set that up on Gen Purpose 74 and it works. Logically, I'd expect filter automation sent from thr Motif to go out on Gen Purpose 74. Apparently not...huh?

Any insights, ideas, suggestions appreciated.

[flommer]

Originally Posted by DonaldM

I tried doing a copy paste, but that doesn't seem to work.

Doesn't seem to work in what way?

In (another) brief experiment, I was able to open an automation lane for cc16, draw in some data then copy and paste to another automation lane, cc74.

The trick is (right click)Paste Special> To Current Automation Type

[DonaldM]

I've tried that, but it doesn't work. I can not cut or paste the automation data from the Gen Purpose 16 auto lane to the Xpand Cutoff auto lane. I've tried Cut special, paste special to current automation type etc. It will not copy. I don't get why this won't work. Is it not possible to post automation data from one automation lane on one track to a different automation lane on another track? The manual seems to say you can. I tried doing it the way the manual says, to no avail.

I'm stumped!

[flommer]

I made 2 inst tracks.

opened cc16 lane on one and drew in some automation with the pencil

inserted xpand onto the second, opened cc74.

made a selection (a region) in the cc16 lane, (right click)copy

place the insertion point in the cc74 lane, (right click)paste special>current automation type

upon playback, the cutoff knob in expand follows the pasted automation

Not sure what you could be doing differently

you might look at the midi event list to see if the controller data you recorded from the motif differs in some way from PT midi controller data

[DonaldM]

Flommer, what you just described is exactly what I did. I'll check the MIDI event list as you suggested...didn't think to do that. But even if it is different, I don't see why that would affect the copy/paste function.

The difference between what you did and me is you drew in your data, whereas mine was recorded from whatever the Motif sent. I'll do a draw just like you did and look at the MIDI event list versus the list for what was recorded and see what's what.

Its a head scratcher for sure!

[DonaldM]

Finally got this to work. Its a bit odd, but if I paste the recorded MIDI data from the MIDI automation lane Gen Purp 16 to the automation lane Gen CC 74 on the instrument track, I can see the actual data on the automation line copied there. Then, if I also open an automation lane for the cutoff for Xpand, and then play back, I can't see the automation drawn on the Cutoff lane, BUT the line moves up and down according to the info on the CC 74 lane.

So, it works, but still doesn't quite make sense to me why you can't just take the automation data from one lane and copy it to another directly and be able to see it there.

Problem for another day. For now, I see how to do this. Thanks for the assistance Flommer!

[flommer]

Maybe it has to do with how the smart knobs work

cc74 seems to be for cutoff as applied when "easy" is the set of smart knobs that are displayed

easy seems to be a global control for all parts on a given midi channel

but the individual parts (can) each have a separate midi cc lane for cutoff, too, so there are potentially 5 cc lanes for cutoff, with 74 acting as a master

[DonaldM]

You may be right. At least, it seems consistent with I'm seeing happen.