Virtual instruments don't recognize midi

[skitt123]

I'm running an original Mbox on Windows XP. Pro Tools version 7.4 cs.

For some reason, when I turn on the plugin (like xpand or hybrid), there doesn't seem to be any midi signal going through it. I imagine it has something to do with how my settings are set up, but I've configured stuff til I'm blue in the face.

Strange thing is... when I use an external plugin such as Reason, the midi works just fine.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks!

Scott

[spkguitar]

Originally Posted by skitt123

What am I doing wrong?

It's hard to tell you what you are doing wrong when we don't know exactly what it is that you are doing.

We don't even know what keyboard controller you are using.

Try my tutorial on softsynths. Maybe it will shed some light...








~

[skitt123]

No you're not getting it... the keyboard works fine with Reason, run through rewire, on Pro Tools.

But it does NOT work with Xpand!, Hybrid, Morphoder, etc. So it has something to do with the way the MIDI is set up. It's got to be in the settings somewhere but I can't figure it out. It worked before I formatted my hard drive and then reinstalled PTLE... I just can't remember what the right settings are.

[spkguitar]

No, you're not getting it, which is why you are here asking this question.

We can't tell you what you are "setting up wrong" if we don't know how you are setting it up in the first place.

So it has something to do with the way the MIDI is set up.

OK, I will go with you on that one, but we still need to know how it is setup right now to be able to tell you where you went wrong.

Do you get it?

Also, for us to be able to start from scratch and tell you how to "set up the MIDI" we would need to know which controller specifically you are using, and how you have it connected to the computer. (USB? regular MIDI cable?)

Here's the lowdown (and seriously, this is directly from the tutorial I linked you to, my man.);

I am assuming that you have your hardware 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 am also assuming that you have selected and installed a sofsynth of your choice. This tutorial does not go in depth into how to use any one particular softsynth.

• Create a new Instrument track. Make sure you create the proper type of instrument track; some plugins, like Sampletank, will only work on a Stereo track. (Conversely, some are mono only as well)
• Make sure to move the fader of the instrument track to a listenable level
• Select the softsynth that you are trying to use from one of the Insert Selector buttons.
• Make sure your softsynth is set to output sound. Some plugins, like Sampletank SE, need to have sound samples loaded into the instrument. Some other softsynths require loading a preset.
• Some older softsynths that aren’t 7.x compatible (like some versions of sampletank) need to have a valid audio input set for sound to be passed from the instrument through the track, even though you are not using the audio input at all. If you are not hearing any sound through your track, set the audio input of the instrument track to be a valid audio input on your hardware.
• Set the input of the instrument section of the instrument track to be “All”, or the specific port and channel of your MIDI controller
• Set the output of the instrument section of the instrument track to be the softsynth that you are using and the MIDI channel to which you have loaded an instrument, or the channel of the softsynth you are trying to control.
• Record arm the Instrument track.

Seriously, that's all there is to it.

[skitt123]

Hey man... seriously... thanks for your help... I appreciate it.

I'm just so aggravated at this thing that I could spit.

The keyboard I'm using is a Korg Triton Studio 88 key

Under SETUP> MIDI> MIDI STUDIO SETUP...

I set it to the correct synth...

Under Input port, I selected USB Uno MIDI IN, same for output port. The other option was Creative Soundblaster MPU. I tried them both, neither makes a difference. I have channel 1 selected on both send and received channels.

I'm STUMPED! :-(

[spkguitar]

Originally Posted by skitt123

Under Input port, I selected USB Uno MIDI IN, same for output port.

Woah, woah, woah... stop right there!

If you are trying to play a virtual instrument, you should be selecting the Virtual Instrument as the MIDI output, not the Triton.

Originally Posted by skitt123

Under SETUP> MIDI> MIDI STUDIO SETUP...

I set it to the correct synth...

There is no reason to mess with MIDI studio setup if you're only using the Triton as a controller for Virtual Instruments. You would just select whatever port it is plugged into as the MIDI input for the track (I'm guessing you have it plugged into the UNO? You didn't make that very clear...)

If you are trying to play sounds on the Triton, and change patches within PT, then you would need to set it up under MIDI studio setup.

[skitt123]

I'm not trying to use any sounds from the keyboard. for the cable, I'm using a MIDI to USB. I went into the midi studio and deleted everything there. I checked Reason, and it still works there, but nothing happens with any other internal (without rewire) virtual instrument.

Also you said I should select the Virtual Instrument as the MIDI output, not the Triton... but where is that? Under what tab do I select that?

I'm so bummed that I can't get this to work. I mean, why would it work with the rewire program but not the built-in plugins? What do I need to change to make it work?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by spkguitar

Woah, woah, woah... stop right there!

If you are trying to play a virtual instrument, you should be selecting the Virtual Instrument as the MIDI output, not the Triton.


There is no reason to mess with MIDI studio setup if you're only using the Triton as a controller for Virtual Instruments. You would just select whatever port it is plugged into as the MIDI input for the track (I'm guessing you have it plugged into the UNO? You didn't make that very clear...)


If you are trying to play sounds on the Triton, and change patches within PT, then you would need to set it up under MIDI studio setup.

[spkguitar]

Originally Posted by skitt123

Also you said I should select the Virtual Instrument as the MIDI output, not the Triton... but where is that? Under what tab do I select that?

On the track, where you select the MIDI outputs (on an instrument track, it is in the instrument view, on a MIDI track the main I/O).

It's the same place you looked when you saw this:

Originally Posted by skitt123

Under Input port, I selected USB Uno MIDI IN, same for output port.

You have to insert the Virtual Instrument on a track first for it to show up as a MIDI Output.

[DigiTechSupt]

On the track, where you select the MIDI outputs (on an instrument track, it is in the instrument view, on a MIDI track the main I/O).

It's the same place you looked when you saw this:

You have to insert the Virtual Instrument on a track first for it to show up as a MIDI Output.

I think I know where the confusion is here.

I think skitt is referring to the 'Input Port' and 'Output Port' that are in the MIDI Setup window. When spkguitar is saying 'It's the same place you looked when you saw this:", he's referring to the input and output tabs on the TRACK, not in the MIDI Setup window, but skitt is going to think it's in the MIDI Setup window.

Here's an image of an Instrument track in Pro Tools:

Instrument Track

Make sure your Mix window is showing the Instrument section (go to View>Mix Window and check 'Instruments'), so you can see the MIDI section of the Instrument track at the top of the track. That will show your MIDI input and output for the track. Generally you will have the input (the top tab) set to 'All', while the next tab down (the output) is set to the virtual instrument you want to play.

Press the Record button on the track (the one above 'S' and 'M' and the fader) and play your keyboard. You should see the tiny meter at the very top of the track, below the input and output tabs, moving to show that you have MIDI input. Ideally you will also hear sound and see movement on the main track meters next to the fader.

One other thing to check - under the Options menu, make sure that MIDI Thru has a check mark next to it.

[skitt123]

Well, everything is set up the way you say to set it up but I'm still not getting any signal. The only time the meter moves is if I press the record button on the instrument track, and it moves just a bit but that's it. When I play the keyboard, nothing comes through.

Below are photos of the settings I have...

This is how the mix track is set up:

www.cutsville.com/protools/mix_track.jpg

This is my options menu:

www.cutsville.com/protools/options_menu.jpg

There is nothing set up in my Midi Studio now. I've removed the Triton.

www.cutsville.com/protools/midi_studio.jpg

To record the sounds to a separate track, I've set up a bus.

www.cutsville.com/protools/bus.jpg

Under SETUP> MIDI> INPUT DEVICES... I get this:

www.cutsville.com/protools/midi_inputs.jpg

Do you guys see anything out of the ordinary?

Thanks again!


Something else I've just noticed... if I make a blank regular midi track, I get no signal there either.