MIDI Patch Names - From MIDI Forum

[flommer]

Originally Posted by Alexz

I want to use the actual sounds from my drum brain in ProTools. I have the .middev file so, from what I understand, if I put the correct .midnam file in it's right place, I can select between the different sounding kits (the ones that came pre-programmed on my drum brain and the user created kits I've stored within) by using the Patch Select function on my MIDI track. Then, I can do my editing and record to an audio track. Is this all correct?

And if I can't find the file, I'll just need to use a plug-in instrument right? My drumkit allows me to play rimshots, cymbal bells, the sound is different depending on even where on the drum you strike it. How would I set up a plugin to sound a kick when I hit the kick, snare when I hit the snare, etc?

Well, a couple things..

You can still manually choose the patch on the brain.. You don't need to set the program change and bank in the MIDI track in PT... Again, it's a convenience to be able to do this, no doubt. So what I'm getting at is as long as you record the MIDI of your playing, you can set the kit sound at any later point, especially when you are ready to record the audio..

Secondly, if the .middev is correct, you should still be able to use program change to change the kit, you'll just need to know the program # and bank # and choose those manually.. This goes back to the convenience thing.

Another way to do this is to not setup your kit as a device in MIDI studio or AMS. You can just use a MIDI track and send it's output to whatever HARDWARE MIDI port the actual MIDI cable going to your drum grain is connected to. I don't see which Digi interface you are using, but if you have an 002, the MIDI track output option will look like: predefined digi 002 port 2> Ch10. If your drum brain is connected via USB then this info won't apply.

Mac or PC?

As far as using it with a plugin drum VI, it will be slightly different for every VI, but the ones I have experience all have options to remap the notes. So if your drums output a F#3 when you hit a rimshot, if the VI has an equivalent sound then you just tell it to play that sound when it receive an F#3.

MIDI drums have some standard mappings that often work between any devices, but to get a drumkit with all those extra zones working with a drum VI that can accommodate them it might take a bit of mapping..

Did you by any chance get a copy of BFD lite with your ProTools rig? It would be an easy way for you to test this out for free..

[Alexz]

I have a Mac, Mbox 2 mini and the brain is connected through USB.

Recording MIDI is fine and I can hear the sounds coming out of the headphones connected to the brain but obviously nothing from ProTools. The problem I run into is when I'm using an Aux Input to hear the sounds after recording, it will not allow me to select anything other than the interface or a bus and I want it to get signal from that midi track and I would just insert a plugin onto the Aux.

I did insert an instrument to the aux track and set the output of my midi track to that plugin which kind of worked except 1. my plugins are all really lame and 2. I don't know how to remap them so the kick is the kick, etc.

This may be the easiest way to make it work, it seems?

Any advice on remapping/setting a plugin to play what I want it to?!

Also, I did have BFD Lite when I bought PT7 but now I don't have it since I've upgraded to 8.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP BY THE WAY!

[flommer]

Originally Posted by Alexz

Recording MIDI is fine and I can hear the sounds coming out of the headphones connected to the brain but obviously nothing from ProTools. The problem I run into is when I'm using an Aux Input to hear the sounds after recording, it will not allow me to select anything other than the interface or a bus and I want it to get signal from that midi track and I would just insert a plugin onto the Aux.

I'm a little concerned by that statement.. MIDI is not audio. It only tells a synth (or your drum brain in this instance) to make audio. So to get the audio from your drum brain into Protools, you have to connect the audio outputs on the brain to the audio inputs on the mini..

So if you follow the whole loop:

You play the kit, which creates MIDI. That gets recorded onto a MIDI track. You playback the MIDI track, sending it's output to the brain. The brain creates audio and passes it back to the mini via it's audio inputs..

When you are working with this kind of setup there are a couple other settings that you can use..

The first is called "local control" and that applies to synths, or in your case, the brain. If local control is ON, then the MIDI data you create by playing pads is routed to the synth part of the kit internally. You need no external cables or anything to make audio. If you turn local control OFF, then that internal MIDI link is severed. The kit will still output MIDI, but no audio. This prevents the MIDI notes from being doubled.

In Protools, there is a setting called MIDI thru. When it is on, it takes MIDI that is arriving at the inputs of a MIDI track and passes "thru" to the outputs while playing the parts in. If it is off, then you can still record the MIDI to the track, but the MIDI will not pass out to the external sound module (or VI). It will only send MIDI out when during playback (not recording)

So local control off, MIDI thru ON

[flommer]

Also, log into your Protools "My Digi" account. I'm pretty sure that BFD was there as a separate download when updating to PT8..

Yup, just checked mine... BFD lite is there in the third party content section...

[racbacas]

after 3 days of trial and error, i finally got all the patch names of my Real World Expansion card for my ensoniq MR rack working perfectly from within PT's, and better yet, I managed to combine them with the default MR Rack patch name file that comes with PT's. So now when I need a MIDI patch, i select the MR Rack and then the patch selection and it opens up all the banks and all the patches. Pt's and the MR Rack talk to each other without mistakes or confusion.

this was not easy, took many, many hours as it is just 100% computer programing and I am not a programer. you have to open up the .midman file with "notepad" on the PC and write in, and copy and paste all the patch names inside lines of code, and EVERYTHING has to be PERFECT or it will not work and you will get an error message. If you have every dabbled in computer programing you know what i mean.

I would be willing to to show what i did if anyone feels it would help.

I agree with some other posts that say digidesign should have an application that would do the programing for you.

[Zoduati]

DOES ANYONE HAVE A MIDDEV FILE FOR THE FANTOM X?

I have found a "Fantom" midnam, but perhaps because there are several Roland Fantom models, it isn't working. The Digi's middev entry, which I am dubious about, is:

<MIDIDeviceType Manufacturer="Roland" Model="Fantom" SupportsGeneralMIDI="false" SupportsMMC="false" CanRoute="false" IsSampler="false" IsDrumMachine="false" IsMixer="false" IsEffectUnit="false" >
<Receives MaxChannels="16" MTC="false" Clock="false" Notes="false" ProgramChanges="true" BankSelectMSB="true" BankSelectLSB="true" PanDisruptsStereo="false" />
<Transmits MaxChannels="1" MTC="false" Clock="false" Notes="false" ProgramChanges="true" BankSelectMSB="true" BankSelectLSB="true" />
</MIDIDeviceType>


Thanks,
Geoff

[algreena]

Originally Posted by Dizzi45Z

Okay everyone. I finally solved this issue today on my system. I have been trying for months to get patch names to show up and I always had conflict of names. I tried Cherry Picker and I still had the problem. My problem was actually in OSX's Audio MIDI Setup. When I plugged my device in via USB, my device would show up, but when I double click on the device, it would not allow me change manufacturer and model. The problem was that my device was labeled: Manufacturer: Roland Model: Roland XV-5050. Since I couldn't figure out how to change the name there, I went into both my .midnam file and .middelv files and changed the name of the model to: Roland XV-5050 (from just XV-5050). Then when I went to import the names it all worked. YEAAAHHH!!!!!

I really hope this helps somebody out here. I guess my main point is that you want to make sure that OSX is naming your device the same as your .midnam and .middelv file is naming your device. Otherwise you will be stuck where I was. Thanks to all the help from everyone on this post.

[algreena]

WOW,

ITS A FULL THREE YEARS LATER and I must THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWER.
I struggled fro weeks trying to make the patch names come in PT, thought they came up just fine in Logic and Digital Performa.

HEY EVERYONE, save yourself some hassle.
Here are the steps'

ONCE you have the proper Middev files and Midnam files in the structure of Pro tools. [Please read thread]..
if you are not seeing patch lists in PT but you are seeing them in your other DAWs if you have them then do this....


S

• imply go into Audio Midi Setup.
• Create a new configuration to be safe [there may be a corruption in your current setup]
• create new instrument devices
• your Middev file should create a list of the manufacture and model that is available in the drop down menu of your synth
  select the name of the synth and the manufacture from the drop down
• When that is done, your pathch names will show up in Pro Tools like Magic...

I hope this helps.


apparently, there was a corruption in my Audio Midi Setup.
In fact I have found over the last several weeks that in many cases the Audio Midi Setup has some corruption. If you simply start fresh [and I know it's a pain to redraw your connections, it solves a host of problems]

God Bless

[wrightyno1]

Hi,

Can this method be used to automate patch changes in Xpand2?

Thanks a lot, Ian.

[mmcl]

Originally Posted by DigiTechSupt

For information on using MIDI Patch Name files in Pro Tools, please read this document first:

Mac OS X Patch Names & MIDI Device Definitions

Would like to check out this link, any idea where it can be found?