Newbie MIDI question

[jacksmash]

Sorry if this is a lame question...

I've got my Fantom hooked up to my PC and I'm using Cakewalk.
I open up a MIDI file which has say 3 different tracks.
I hook up my keyboard via the midi cables, and assign a sound to a track.
It works fine, but each track uses the same sound from the board.

Is it possible to assign different sounds from my board to the 3 different
tracks simultaneously? Or can I only do one at a time?

Thanks

[Enigma™]

you have to make sure in cakewalk that all 3 tracks are sending on different midi channels and that the sounds are saved as such as well. In my Kurzweil, I have Cakewalk controlling just about ALL my midi portioning of my music. You need to remember that
A: The tracks although individual, could possibly point to the same channel.
B: That you have your Fantom set for OMNI input *to allow all incoming midi channels, not just one*
C:There is no rule C
D:Refer to rule C
E: Make sure you have sounds also set/saved in your Midi data for that track as well. Patch 81 is a Saw Lead for GM, but is a Bass sound on my Kurzweil. I have to remember to change that, and then save it in the midi data for the next time ;)

Hopefully this will help

[jacksmash]

Hmmm. Do you mean that there's a setting somewhere on my Fantom for Midi Omni? Or do you just mean setting Midi Omni on the track property right in Cakewalk itself?

I'm going to bed now so I'll check the board in the morning. Thanks for helping me with this!

[ImaX]

Omni On must be in the Fantom.

[WoofWoofX]

Is it possible to assign different sounds from my board to the 3 different
tracks simultaneously? Or can I only do one at a time?


As Enigma was saying you should have your OMNI "on" so your KB will receive everything on all Channels... but on the other hand it depends on the mode you're in and how Phantom works... but in most cases the easiest way it to hook you KB in Sequencer mode (or what ever it is called on your KB)
and then on each track pick a different voice and a different MIDI Channel...
Then in Cakewalk... pick the appropriate Channel for the Track so it sends on the required track... watch it that you don't have a MIDI looping problem going on e.g send to KB receive from KB to Cakewalk and then send the same notes again....you will here it as a flange effect on the sound especially Drums.

Try it safely (wear a helmet) and stay behind Sand Bags :wink:

WoofWoofX

[Shreddy]

Put your Fantom in Performance mode vs Patch mode (which is 1 midi ch).

Find a default Perf that has some of the tones your looking to use or create your own, which is very easy. Edit the first 4 patches for the tones that you want and also make sure that the RX MIDI is enabled and that each patch is using its own MIDI ch (95% of the time the are). Set the Perf to Layer type vs Split or Single. There are some preset Perfs that start with SEQ: which are setup for sequencers.

In Cakewalk assign each track its own MIDI CH.

Its fairly simple once you get the hang of it.

BTW all my recording is done with my Roland XV and Sonar 2.

Ed

[merijn]

Cool stuff! :D

[jacksmash]

Thanks for the help everybody! I got it working.

Just out of curiosity - do you guys usually record MIDI or audio? I would think MIDI would be easier to manipulate later, but I'm not really sure. The nice thing about it too is that you get the score at the same time.
What do you think?

[WoofWoofX]

Hi Jacksmash,
I can tell you my way of recording my projects (I use Cubase SX2).
I always open 1 MIDI track and 1 Audio Track for each instrument... in a way I can record the MIDI events, improvisations and ideas and when I am satisfied I edit it and clean it up... and then bounce it directly to the Audio track... in this way I won't risk Synch nor Polyphony problems and my CPU usage is reduced to minimum especially when I am using VSTis (I freeze the track) so when played back it will be all in Audio... unless I'm auditioning the MIDI track.

Hope this would help as an idea of "How to"

//WoofWoofX

[jacksmash]

Hey that's a great idea - thanks!

You mentioned using VST's....
I was wondering if you've gotten into programming VST's? That's something I would like to look into since I'm a programmer as well. I think you need knowledge of C++ to do so.

[WoofWoofX]

Hi Jack,
I'm not that good in C++ programing... at least not enough to start a wave generator :oops:
I guess I am on the lazy users side... I can spend hours programing patches on my KBs but can't stand doing a Program on a Comp.
Since my work obliges me to sit 10 hours a day looking into propriatry source codes that I feel I am a Robot. :shock:

//WoofWoofX

[Shreddy]

Thanks for the help everybody! I got it working.

Just out of curiosity - do you guys usually record MIDI or audio? I would think MIDI would be easier to manipulate later, but I'm not really sure. The nice thing about it too is that you get the score at the same time.
What do you think?

The nice thing when you record MIDI data is that you can then audition your parts that you recorded with different tones.

You can clone the recorded track to additional tracks, thats where you can really make it sound different than a single tone. I do quite a bit of that, I record a part with strings, then I listen to it in the mix, try brass or choir or I thinken up the parts with 2 different string tones (transpose one an octave lower). Sometime I take the cloned track and delete all the right hand chords and leave the roots from the left hand and set those to a completely different tone like a pipe organ or brass or only apply choir to the roots and 5ths of your chords.

Ed