Difference between "Midi Studio Setup", "Midi Input Devices", and "Midi Controllers"?

[GOOOTOOO]

Previously I would just plug in and play midi devices. Now I'm trying to understand the deeper aspects of ProTools setup for midi devices, specifically the menu options listen in the post title.

1. Midi Input Devices - Seems to show the connected midi devices that ProTools recognizes
2. Midi Studio Setup - Seems to allow you to create a Midi device, but I don't understand what function this serves when "Midi Input Devices" is where you have your midi devices. And what are the send and receive channels for?
3. "Midi Controllers" under "Peripherals" - This also seems redundant in the same way as "Midi Studio Setup". I don't understand how this differs from your plain menu of midi input devices or why it is useful.

Are there any other settings for midi setup that I'm missing or should look into? Thank you

[albee1952]

1. Midi Input Devices - Seems to show the connected midi devices that ProTools recognizes Just a way to enable or disable connected midi devices( rarely even look at it)

2. Midi Studio Setup - Seems to allow you to create a Midi device, but I don't understand what function this serves when "Midi Input Devices" is where you have your midi devices. And what are the send and receive channels for? This is where you setup midi controllers for playing/recording midi information to "play" Virtual Instruments. You have multiple midi channels so you can have multiple midi instruments(like MiniGrand, EZdrummer, Kontact, Ivory, etc) where each VI(Virtual Instrument) can operate on its own midi channel.(Imagine the mess of sound if holding a chord on a midi keyboard made every instrument plugin play sounds all at once). Midi channels are available both for recording midi info(notes, sustain, pitch, etc) as well as multiple channels going out to different VI's or external hardware synths.
3. "Midi Controllers" under "Peripherals" - This also seems redundant in the same way as "Midi Studio Setup". I don't understand how this differs from your plain menu of midi input devices or why it is useful.This is where you would setup a midi controller that can also control Pro Tools(like a keyboard with PLAY, STOP, RECORD buttons).

So, what exactly are you wanting to do, and what midi device(controller) do you have?

[lesbrunn]

Originally Posted by GOOOTOOO

Previously I would just plug in and play midi devices. Now I'm trying to understand the deeper aspects of ProTools setup for midi devices, specifically the menu options listen in the post title.
And what are the send and receive channels for?

Hi there,
MIDI has 16 discrete channels of communication to and from devices (send and receive, or in and out) You can have multiple sets of 16 from different virtual ports. If you haven't quite grasped this, you may need to do a bit of research. It isn't difficult. Google is your friend!

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by GOOOTOOO

1. Midi Input Devices - Seems to show the connected midi devices that ProTools recognizes
2. Midi Studio Setup - Seems to allow you to create a Midi device, but I don't understand what function this serves when "Midi Input Devices" is where you have your midi devices. And what are the send and receive channels for?
3. "Midi Controllers" under "Peripherals" - This also seems redundant in the same way as "Midi Studio Setup". I don't understand how this differs from your plain menu of midi input devices or why it is useful.

1) You're correct there - shows available MIDI ports/devices. You can check which ones are available by session.

2)Allows you to further define a MIDI device - what channels it can send/receive on and other characteristics. Also where you connect 'patch lists' to external synths.

3) MIDI Controllers causes a lot of confusion. It probably should read MIDI Control Surfaces. This is where you select/define HUI and other devices that have faders and controls to aid in mixing. The Behringer XTouch line is a example of control surfaces.

[GOOOTOOO]

Thank you for the replies, they were helpful. Does anyone know if it is possible to control an external midi device with an instrument track? To save the runaround of having an aux & Midi track and remember the settings you had on your external device.

Here is a video of a guy doing what I'm talking about in cubase:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ture=emb_title

[ChuckS]

You probably should print the external synth/sound module at some point. Try using a MIDI track and an audio track with the input monitor engaged rather than MIDI to aux. When you're ready to print, just record arm the audio track. You can use an instrument track for external gear - just select the correct MIDI and audio I/O (if you want to print, you'll still have to use an audio track).