PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Off-Topic recording midi track using Fishman TriplePlay in BIAB?

I am a newby with TriplePlay, but It shows that the midi signals are working properly. With BIAB 2016 when I select the midi option it shows the TriplePlay driver as a midi input. I select that. But it doesn't show it is receiving the input from my guitar.

I still am not sure I can record midi into BIAB. If so, how do I get the signal received by BIAB? I am using the midi in TriplePlay driver.

Any help on this would be appreciated

Hi Chet. Welcome to the forum. I don't have Triple Play (I wish!) but do have a few thoughts.

Some guitar midi controllers output on one channel. Some controllers output on multiple channels, either 1 to 6 others output on channels 11 to 16. Which way does your Fishman Triple Play output?

Another question, have you looked at the BiaB midi settings at Options > Preferences (CNTRL E) > MIDI OPTIONS? (see photo below) Does the channel the Fishman is transmitting on match the channel the track is receiving?

Have you used midi monitor (Window > MIDI MONITOR) to see what is happening in real time?

Yes with FTP it is not obvious (nor is recording INTO BIAB, better to use Real Band or some other DAW for recording but enough on that dead horse). There are at least two ways to skin this cat one less painful then the other (depending).

Let’s start with some basics

MONO = each string is output on it’s on MIDI channel starting at MIDI channel 1 for low E string up to 6 for high E string – and these MONO channels are NOT chainable inside FTP software (they can be remapped elsewhere)

POLY = ALL six strings are output on MIDI Channel 1, this is the DEFAULT FTP and again unchangeable in FTP SW.

Before we begin let’s start with no memory or other possible conflicts so first reboot PC.

1. Simple way with BIAB:

a. Let’s assume you are using DEFAULT BIAB MIDI channels for Melody track (MIDI ch = 4) , Soloist Track (MID ch = 8) and Thru track (MIDI ch = 5)

b. Now plug in FTP USB receiver, and then turn on guitar output DO NOT BRING UP the Fishman Triple Play Software (we’ll do that later).

c. Next Open BIAB and simply select the “ Fishman Triple Play” as a MIDI input for BIAB. If you see ANYTHING else there labeled “Fishman” this or that or MIDI2 FISHMAN, IGNORE IT as the MIDI input for BIAB

NOW when you have a song ready and you want to record hit the record button and remember where you told BIAB to record to the Melody track or the Soloist track and start record get the 4 beat count-in and start playing along. When done hit stop and your recorded MIDI data will be in BIAB on channel 4 (if you selected the Melody track, or channel 8 if you selected the Soloist track

While recording, you will hear whatever is set as an instrument on the BIAB THRU track (ch=5). However, when you play back song you will NOT hear anything on THRU track, since you didn’t actually record any MIDI channel 5 data in BIAB.

That confusing situation and the inability to edit MIDI data and separate it into different tracks is why I DO NOT RECORD into BIAB. A DAW is your "MIDI guitar friend."

2. Simple way using Real Band

DO step 1b above, then bring up Real Band, and again select as your MIDI input device “Fishman Triple Play” and again ignore anything else that says “Fishman” this or that.

Remember by default Fishman sends out MIDI DATA in POLY MODE (all strings assigned to one channel - that channel is ch 1.)

When you record in RB the incoming MIDI data is recorded into the channel it comes in on in FTP case that is (poly) MIDI ch 1.

But you can assign some other midi channel for that data to play on inside RB and with the event editor you can remap that data to some other channel. But remapping NOTES to separate strings so they can be assigned different MIDI channels (i.e., like it MIDI MONO) would be very tedious if not next to impossible: there is no way to know if an A3 is the fifth fret of the low E string (lest assume in this case ch 1) or the actual A string itself (say the next channel or ch 2.

There are ways to record FTP data as MONO (each string on separate MIDI channels) but you will need to use a “intermediate MIDI device” that is a software MIDI router like LoopBe or MIDI OX . You would bring up FTP Software and assign the hardware synth to that device (in attached 3rd picture that generic looking HW Synth device that is LoopBe’s 2nd MIDI I/O "port." (FTP SW open Options -> Preferences to set this MIDI output).

Then in the synth slot (4th picture double click and HOLD the synth button in your right hand mixer section to bring that up)

And the 5th pic shows you where to set MONO/POLY (you get that screen by simply double clicking the "Synth" button (which now says "Hardware Synth" in you right hand mixer section) .

Now you can use LoopBe’s 2nd MIDI IN (seen as a generic “02. Internal MIDI” in your input devices) as you MIDI input to your DAW. NOW in your DAW you need to separate out you channels and tracks

Make sure you read FTP user manual about MONO and POLY (pg. 16) and using FTP as a PLUG IN (pg 26) vice using it as described here.

good luck
Larry

Chet,

I consider Larry to be this forum's Fishman TriplePlay expert. He has the TriplePlay so I feel very confident in acknowledging you have received the BEST answer you will receive.

Larry,

After Chet has asked any follow up questions he may have regarding your response, may I suggest you incorporate your clarification response into your original response and then post your response both here and as a separate post in the Tips & Tricks section of the forum.

Thank you very much for your reply. I understand what you wrote. I've contacted TriplePlay and I am waiting for a response. I will share it with you when they respond.

Thank you again for your response.

Chet

I owe an apology. Larry I didn't see your post when I responded. I am truly sorry about that. Thank you so much for the effort you put into explaining the process to me and others I am sure.

I am printing everything off and starting the process of following your instructions. I don't know how I missed it. I didn't get notified. I need to check my profile. Again, thank you so much

Chet

Yea thanks Larry, you should copy that into Tip n Tricks, you can just right click on your images and copy the link location.