After inserting a MIDI track, the mixer on that track displays 11 LEDs in a vertical line. I then use the input chooser to select an external keyboard. (I do not drag the "external instrument" to this track). NEXT i use the output chooser to send MIDI to the external keyboard. I receive the external keyboard audio into a separate audio track.
When MIDI is played, the LEDs provide some type of metering functionality (corresponding to MIDI notes/velocities?). The LEDs movement do not appear to be modified when using CC Control to make track volume changes (although the track volume MIDI changes are being sent to the external keyboard, resulting in external keyboard audio output changes).
What are these LEDs actually showing? And, are they pre-effects (i.e., pre- CC Control)?
(I would think these LEDS would follow after all effects and not just the raw midi note data - pre-effects)
Also, If I create a second MIDI track and use the input chooser to point to the original external keyboard MIDI track (pre-effect, post-effect or post mixer), the second MIDI track's LEDs just mirror the external keyboard MIDI track's LEDs (even though CC Control track volume changes are being sent to the external keyboard). I would expect, for example, that if I set the external keyboard MIDI track volume to '0', the second (receiving) MIDI track's LEDs would have no activity.
Please help explain the LED functionality and MIDI data flow I/O routing.
MIDI Track Mixer LED Meter and CC Control
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lincolnkid
- Posts: 144
- Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 3:03 pm
- Location: Berkshire, UK.
Re: MIDI Track Mixer LED Meter and CC Control
It's showing velocity (track input velocity).
Try this:
- Create your input midi track.
- Create your second track, taking input from the first. As you say, levels are the same when played.
- Put a velocity midi effect on your first (input) track, and set the "Out hi" to something low like 30.
- The meter on the 2nd track should now show lower readings than the 1st track.
- Switch between pre-fx and post-fx on 2nd track to see the difference.
Try this:
- Create your input midi track.
- Create your second track, taking input from the first. As you say, levels are the same when played.
- Put a velocity midi effect on your first (input) track, and set the "Out hi" to something low like 30.
- The meter on the 2nd track should now show lower readings than the 1st track.
- Switch between pre-fx and post-fx on 2nd track to see the difference.
Re: MIDI Track Mixer LED Meter and CC Control
To add to Lincolnkid, observe the difference between armed and unarmed track (there might be no difference if you don't apply fx to your midi data).
Ableton Forum Moderator
Re: MIDI Track Mixer LED Meter and CC Control
Thank you Lincolnkid and Jur for your quick responses!
Working with MIDI velocity effects, I was able to a see change in the number of illuminated LEDs - on both the original midi track AND on the second MIDI track that received MIDI data from the original track. I also noted that on the second track, using input chooser to select pre or post effects, gave the expected results of either receiving the raw (pre-effects) MIDI velocities or the modified MIDI velocities (post-effects) due to the MIDI velocity effect.
The Net is, the 11 LED meter is driven ONLY by velocity - either the original MIDI track data velocity OR, if a MIDI velocity effect is applied, the modified velocity values.
FYI - The reason for investigating this is due to external multitimbral synthesizers having only a single stereo output. Per Ableton Live documentation:
"If your synth only comes with a single (stereo) output instead, we recommend using separate MIDI tracks for each timbral part, and one audio track to monitor all the sounds. When recording, you'll need to solo one MIDI track at a time and record one by one."
Other DAW MIDI tracks provide a fader (CC#7) along with a meter on each track that responds to the resulting MIDI envelope for the track (including velocity, expression, volume,...). Rather than soloing (as described above) you are able to simultaneously mix the tracks using the faders and see all the meter activities with respect to each other. It would be nice if Ableton Live could do this as well.
I may investigate creating a MAX for Live device that can show a number of MIDI tracks that has CC#7 faders and MIDI envelope meters.
Working with MIDI velocity effects, I was able to a see change in the number of illuminated LEDs - on both the original midi track AND on the second MIDI track that received MIDI data from the original track. I also noted that on the second track, using input chooser to select pre or post effects, gave the expected results of either receiving the raw (pre-effects) MIDI velocities or the modified MIDI velocities (post-effects) due to the MIDI velocity effect.
The Net is, the 11 LED meter is driven ONLY by velocity - either the original MIDI track data velocity OR, if a MIDI velocity effect is applied, the modified velocity values.
FYI - The reason for investigating this is due to external multitimbral synthesizers having only a single stereo output. Per Ableton Live documentation:
"If your synth only comes with a single (stereo) output instead, we recommend using separate MIDI tracks for each timbral part, and one audio track to monitor all the sounds. When recording, you'll need to solo one MIDI track at a time and record one by one."
Other DAW MIDI tracks provide a fader (CC#7) along with a meter on each track that responds to the resulting MIDI envelope for the track (including velocity, expression, volume,...). Rather than soloing (as described above) you are able to simultaneously mix the tracks using the faders and see all the meter activities with respect to each other. It would be nice if Ableton Live could do this as well.
I may investigate creating a MAX for Live device that can show a number of MIDI tracks that has CC#7 faders and MIDI envelope meters.