How do I audition the sound of an instrument or plugin on a track when using an external MIDI Keyboard?
I have verified that I am getting MIDI into BIAB from my keyboard because I can see the MIDI when viewing the Guitar window. Also I can record the MIDI onto a MELODY track.
So BIAB *sees* my MIDI keyboard MIDI data. But I just cannot find a way of hearing the sound of the note on the current instrument assigned to any track - whether built in, HQ or a plugin - when I play a note on my keyboard.
Clearly the MIDI is getting into BIAB onto the MELODY track - but i really want to be able to hear the sound the instrument or plugin synth etc when I play notes on the keyboard.
How do i do this ?
MacOS Sequoia, M4 Pro Mac Mini , 64GB RAM 512GB SSD , BIAB, Cubase, Ableton, Logic Pro, SCALER 3, GigLad, AnyTune, Synthesizer V Pro,Vienna Ensemble Pro, Audiofuse, Fractal FM3, KOMPLETE 15, StreamDeck, iReal Pro White beard, beer belly, bald patch
That's a tough one to try to address without more information about your setup. You might try clicking "Options", then "Select Midi Driver or Apple DLS Synth", then clicking the "Midi Drivers Help" button. If that doesn't help, come back and give us some more information about your setup (how is your midi keyboard attached to your computer, how is your sound output, etc.)
Bruce
Macbook Pro 2018 2.6 GHz 6-core Intel Core i7, 16 GB RAM OS Monterey BIAB for Mac 2022
My main controller is a Complete Control 49 mk II but it doesnt matter. I also have two KORG micro key Air controllers. All are connected to a common USB hub and into my iMac.
But more to the point - ALL of these keyboards can send audio into Ableton and of course I get to audition th sound of any instrument assigned to a track, built in or otherwise.
In addition - BIAB is seeing the MIDI coming in - since it appears as flashing notes when i open the GUITAR window.
But none of the notes make any sound.
I can even record the notes into a MELODY midi track. And they play back the right instrument on playback.
But WHILE playing the notes INTO BIAB there is no sound.
I want to be able to specify a plugin instrument of the melody track - change presets etc if necessary and then audition this via my keyboard - and then be able to hear the notes being recorded into the MELODY track as I play them.
Last edited by nonchai; 06/27/1803:41 AM.
MacOS Sequoia, M4 Pro Mac Mini , 64GB RAM 512GB SSD , BIAB, Cubase, Ableton, Logic Pro, SCALER 3, GigLad, AnyTune, Synthesizer V Pro,Vienna Ensemble Pro, Audiofuse, Fractal FM3, KOMPLETE 15, StreamDeck, iReal Pro White beard, beer belly, bald patch
So by using the THRU track I can hear my incoming MIDI being played on the DLSMusicDevice piano for the thru track. - and by selecting the midi channel number I can redirect the MIDI to one of the BIAB tracks.
But this only seems to work for the built in DLSMusicDevice instruments.
Currently I have a pure MIDI style loaded - apart from the drums. And I can redirect incoming midi to the bass by setting the THRU to ch 2.
But I have a plugin on my MELODY channel ( SynthMaster One ) and when I try to redirect the THRU channel to the midi channel assigned to MELODY it doesnt play the plugin synth.
However - as i said - it records midi fine and plays it back on synth master.
Also - this seems a pretty naff way of directing incoming MIDI to an instrument on a tracks.
Surely - like in typical sequencers - simply by selecting the track - "ARMING" it.... one should be able to play whatever MIDI instrument is set up for a BIAB track, whether bass, guitar or melody.
what am i missing?
MacOS Sequoia, M4 Pro Mac Mini , 64GB RAM 512GB SSD , BIAB, Cubase, Ableton, Logic Pro, SCALER 3, GigLad, AnyTune, Synthesizer V Pro,Vienna Ensemble Pro, Audiofuse, Fractal FM3, KOMPLETE 15, StreamDeck, iReal Pro White beard, beer belly, bald patch
It's important to remember that Band-in-a-Box isn't a DAW, so if you expect it to behave like one, you're going to be disappointed.
The only track that can be played with your keyboard is the Thru track. If you put a plugin on your Melody track, you will not hear that plugin when you play on the keyboard. You can use the keyboard to record notes onto the Melody track, and you'll hear the plugin on playback, but what you hear during recording is what's on the Thru track.
Have you tried assigning Synthmaster to the Thru track? That's the only way to do what you've described.
Of course BIAB isn't a DAW - but now that we have a decent piano-roll MIDI editor and have - for a long time had the ability to record MIDI melodies etc onto the MELODY track - this clearly gives composers and such a means for improvising and entering music into BIAB and then editing it.
It is such an obvious feature - and clearly missing currently - to be simply able to hear what one is recording into a BIAB melody part that such a response from you betrays a slightly arrogant attitude towards your users.
MacOS Sequoia, M4 Pro Mac Mini , 64GB RAM 512GB SSD , BIAB, Cubase, Ableton, Logic Pro, SCALER 3, GigLad, AnyTune, Synthesizer V Pro,Vienna Ensemble Pro, Audiofuse, Fractal FM3, KOMPLETE 15, StreamDeck, iReal Pro White beard, beer belly, bald patch
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