MusicLab MIDI Out functionality details

[Sergey_MusicLab]

Using MusicLab's MIDI Out functionality, the actual RealLPC/RS/RG MIDI output -- including arpeggios, patterns, and strums generated by notes you play in the "Repeat Zones" -- can be played back through any other synth or sampler. Most (but not all) DAWs that support MIDI input from a virtual synth support recording its MIDI output as well.

Here are a few reasons you might want to take advantage of MusicLab's MIDI Output functionality:

1. To double the synth's sounds with another synth/sampler
2. To replace your guitar part with another sound altogether
3. To generate a MIDI file that's readable by your notation program

GENERAL NOTES:
===========
Important!: Be sure to select the VSTi version of RealLPC, RealStrat, or RealGuitar2 when you insert the synth. The DXi versions don't currently support MIDI Out.

The following assumes you're using RealLPC, but the procedures are the same for all three plug-ins. Please note that there are no doubt other ways to insert and route synths, etc., in your favorite DAW, so use whatever method you're most comfortable with. The basic principles are the same.

The "Audio/MIDI/Both" drop-down list referred to below is in the lower right of the RealLPC GUI, above the virtual keyboard. The options are important, and as follows:
- Audio: You'll hear the RealLPC samples only, just as you would if you weren't sending MIDI Out to your synth.
- MIDI: You'll hear only the synth being driven by the MIDI output from RealLPC. The RealLPC samples will not sound.
- Both: You'll hear both the RealLPC samples and the synth being driven by the MIDI output from RealLPC.

Select "MIDI" or "Both" to take advantage of MIDI Out functionality.

MIDI Out functionality in SONAR
=====================
1. Insert RealLPC, using the Synth Rack's "Add" button or the "Insert > Soft Synths" option from the Main Menu.
Be sure to check "Enable MIDI Output" on the "Insert Soft Synths Options" dialog!

Note: If you didn't check this option in an existing project and want MIDI Out functionality, you can right-click under RealLPC's "Connect Synth" button in the Synth Rack and enable it.

2. Insert the synth/sampler you want to be driven by the RealLPC MIDI output.

3. Select "RealLPC1 - Omni" as the input for your synth's MIDI track.

4. Click the "Input Echo" button on your synth's MIDI track so the Tooltip shows "On" (not "Auto Thru").
This ensures that the MIDI input from RealLPC will be passed through to the synth even if the synth track isn't currently selected. The button will turn a light yellow or cream color.

5. Open the RealLPC GUI.

6. Select an option from the "Audio/MIDI/Both" output drop-down list on the RealLPC GUI (see GENERAL NOTES above for a description of the options).

7. Record-arm the MIDI track of the synth receiving the RealLPC MIDI Output.
If you're playing RealLPC live, select the RealLPC MIDI track. Make sure you have the Input Echo button for the track set to "On" or "Auto Thru".

Note: You can also record the MIDI output generated by any pre-recorded MIDI clips that play back through RealLPC. You might have your chord changes on one track and one of MusicLab's Pattern Manager patterns on another, for example. As long as they're output to RealLPC, you can record the actual MIDI Output from RealLPC to your destination synth.

9. Press "Record".
The MIDI output generated by RealLPC will be recorded to your synth's MIDI track.

10. Press "Stop" when you're finished recording.

MIDI Out functionality in REAPER
=====================
NOTES: These steps assume you're creating new tracks, but of course you can add the synths and Sends/Receives to existing tracks as well.

1. Right-click on an empty area of the Track Control Panel and select "Insert Virtual Instrument on New Track".

2. Select the RealLPC VSTi (NOT the DXi version!).

3. Select an option from the "Audio/MIDI/Both" output drop-down list on the RealLPC GUI (see GENERAL NOTES above for a description of the options).

4. Using the same technique described in Step 1, add another track, and insert the synth/sampler you want driven by the RealLPC MIDI output.

5. Drag and Drop from the I/O button on the RealLPC VSTi track to your destination synth track. This will automatically create a Send/Receive using your default settings.

NOTES:
- You don't have to drag directly to the destination synth's I/O button -- just make sure the mouse cursor changes to a cable plug before you lift the button to drop it.

- If your default Send output setting under Options > Preferences > Project > Defaults is "Pre-FX", be sure to change the setting for the RealLPC Send to your destination synth to "Pre-Fader" or "Post-Fader".

6. On the RealLPC track, set the Audio Output to "None", and the MIDI Output to "All => All".

MIDI Record setup:

A. To record the output of previously-recorded MIDI Items on the RealLPC Track (Solos or Chords combined with Repeat Zone notes, for example):

1. Disable Record Arm on your RealLPC track.

2. Enable Record Arm on your destination synth's track.

3. Select "Record: output (MIDI)" from the destination track's Record options.

4. Press Ctrl+R to begin recording.

5. Press Space when the recording is complete.

B. To record RealLPC's MIDI Output if you're playing it "live":

1. Enable Record Arm on your RealLPC track.

2. Set the Record Input options on the RealLPC track to "Monitor Input" and "Record: disable (input monitoring only)".

3. Enable Record Arm on your destination synth's track.

4. Set the destination track's Record Input option to "Record: output (MIDI)".

5. Press Ctrl+R to begin recording.

6. Press Space when the recording is complete.

To record both "live" and pre-recorded RealLPC output, just use the "live" recording setup above,
but enable "Monitor track media when recording" on the RealLPC track as well.

P.S. Many thanks to Geoffrey Francis at http://www.cockos.com/reaper/userguide.php and Mario Bianchi (mabian) for their help with the REAPER procedure!

=======================
MIDI Out functionality in FL Studio
=======================
1. Insert the RealLPC VST on a FL Studio Channel

2. Select an option from the "Audio/MIDI/Both" drop-down list on the RealLPC GUI (see GENERAL NOTES above for a description of the options)

3. Click on "Wrapper Settings" next to "Plugin Options" in the upper left of the Fruity Wrapper window.

4. From the "SETTINGS" tab, select a MIDI Output port for RealLPC.

5. Click on "Wrapper Settings" next to "Plugin Options" in the upper left of the Fruity Wrapper window to return to the RealLPC GUI, or click "X" in the upper right to close it.

6. Add another Channel and insert the VST synth/sampler you want to be driven by the RealLPC MIDI output.

7. Click on "Wrapper Settings" next to "Plugin Options" in the upper left of the wrapper window.

8. From the "SETTINGS" tab, select the same MIDI Input port number you previously assigned as RealLPC's Output port.

9. Click on "Wrapper Settings" next to "Plugin Options" in the upper left of the Fruity Wrapper window to return to your synth's GUI, or click "X" in the upper right to close it.

10. Select the RealLPC FL Studio Channel and play through it. The MIDI Output will be sent to your destination synth.

Note: You can also use pre-recorded MIDI clips on the RealLPC Channel (Solos or Chords combined with Repeat Zone notes, for example) and hear them played back on your destination synth.

Unfortunately, FL Studio doesn't yet support recording MIDI Output directly. You can try working around this using virtual MIDI cabling such as provided by MIDI Yoke/MIDI-OX or by rewiring FLS to itself, but that's beyond the scope of this post.
_________________
MusicLab Support.

[curtisgraham]

This is great Sergey... I will look into it with logic and see how it works there... any other tips like this are great... I love these products...

[curtisgraham]

I can only seem to get the notes from the sequencer to be sent to the other plug not the patterns... any advice would be great...

Curtis

[curtisgraham]

Everytime I play with this function it crashes my Logic 9.1.1 and I have to restart my computer... any word on how this works with AU on a mac machine?

any news would be greatly appreciated... since this was one of the things that I suggested to be included in this... thanks in advance for any news...

Curtis

[curtisgraham]

I realize now that AU plugins do not send all the automation data that vsti's send, or at least according to an article that I read... is this true? Does the midi out function not play nice with Logic... every time I try to test it my logic crashes and has to reboot. This would be a great function to have and I am sad to not be able to utilize this in Logic. Please let me know if there is any possible way of making this work in Logic, or if I need to stop getting my hopes up. Are you guys developing a solution to this problem if what I have experienced is correct. I sure hope so... this is something I would use all the time...

Curtis

[gspro]

Hi curtisgraham.

I am not a programmer but, as far as I know and how it was explained to me, by Melda Productions, "Audio Unit Plugins," DO support "MIDI OUT" but, there is very little documentation. The developer said that to implement MIDI OUT in VST, it's matter of a few hours, where in AU, it can take a few days also, because in DAW host like Logic, Digital Performer and others that support AU plugin, don't have the AU MIDI OUT programmed in their DAW.
The short answer is YES, AU supports MIDI OUT and even if, it's coded into the plugin itself, it still wont work because it's not coded into the DAW.

Here is a link to the Apple AU documentation:
http://lists.apple.com/archives/Coreaudio-api/2007/Mar/msg00053.html

And here is another link with the same questions you have:
http://www.plogue.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4371


Maybe Sergey can give a true explanation on this matter, because just like you, I've been given 5 different reasons of why it's not supported and don't know who to believe.

Thanks for reading
GSPro

[curtisgraham]

thanks for the reading material... very interesting... I will let you and everyone else know if I find anything else in my travels on the waves internet... once again any info regarding this would be fantastic...

Curtis

[curtisgraham]

I found at least one other person who is developing a plug to allow midi function out, but it is always the DAW that is stopping this process not even the AU format. From what I hear it is possible to do within the AU format, but the DAW's have not embraced this functionality as of yet... I have made a formal request to have this changed, but who knows how many more versions of Logic or DP will have to come out before they decide to change it. It doesn't seem to be a priority... very cool if we could ever access the functionality of it though...

[gspro]

Hi curtisgraham.
Glad you find the readings interesting and yes, it seems that the DAW are the show stopper.
What I think would be useful in the mean time in RealGuitar is, the implementation of drag&drop of a pattern from RG to a track in the DAW. But once that pattern is dropped onto a track it converts to midi.

If I'm confusing you check this out as an example.

http://www.toontrack.com/products.asp?item=7

EzDrummer allows that. Look at the section in the movie where the drag&drop occurs. It converts into midi. Pretty slick if you ask me.
MDrummer from melda production allows that too.

[curtisgraham]

musiclab products do let you do this... all you do is grab from the pattern menu and drop it in the track... make sure you grab the visualization at the bottom, and not the one in the list... the only problem is that it is just the strumming pattern and not anything else... hopefully this helps you out...

Curtis

[gspro]

Very nice.
Thanks for the tip

[VolcomStone54]

Hello Guys,

Thanks for the information that i read,
Also for the tips, BTW im a newly one in this site, But i learned lot of ideas.
God Bless.


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[Adrian678]

This would be a very nice info,
Im also new in this site..


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[curtisgraham]

I have just downloaded the free demo of reaper to try out the midi out functionality and it crashes every time... has anyone else experienced this? I am trying very hard to find out how useful this feature is and so far I can't seem to make it work on a mac... anyone out there had success?

[gspro]

Hi Curtigraham,
Is your last post about the AU midi out functionality? If yes, no DAW has it coded. I have done the research myself. The only programmer that has responded and will enable this to happen is Jeremy Sagan, the developer of Metro.
I tried Reaper myself with no luck. It seems that everybody is leaving this feature out for some reason. Jeremy, is the only one so far that will implement this shortly. Actually, he implements 90% of all feature requests by the user.