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eddie1261
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eddie1261
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Does anybody here perform live and play techno music? That is a pretty open ended question so I should get into a little more detail.
I suppose the answer to what I am about to ask is "Any DAW at all should do that", but I want to be able to be able to set up a system where I can play virtual instruments from a controller connected to one computer (which from here on I will call "the parts") and have a second computer playing sequenced parts (which from here on I will call "the song"). I want to route the song from MIDI out on the interface of the computer playing the song to input 1 on a MIDI through box and the MIDI out on the interface of the computer playing the parts to input 2 on the thru box.
This would allow me to send MIDI clock to a sequencer and drum machines by making the routing from input 1 (the song computer) pass to only to the outs I map on the thru box and play the parts computer manually, switching virtual instruments as needed in a DAW, all of course set up for the correct channels.
Confused yet? I am and it's my brain that this is rattling around in. I need 2 computers to do this because I would have sounds (use 10 sounds) assigned to 10 tracks on different MIDI channels ad just switch channel on the controller.
Now, to toss a little more mud into the pit, (and even though I would have no reason to do this because I could always add tracks - it's a "but is it POSSIBLE" kind of thing) if the MIDI out of the song computer was plugged into the MIDI in of the parts computer, could computer 1 control the DAW on computer 2?
I don't know of any of that makes sense, or why I'd want to do it, but I want to know if it CAN be done. It may be as simple at the core as being able to trigger a DAW from another DAW, like a virtual transport (start/stop) function. And even deeper, if I want to have a second drum machine kick on and off during a song, can I embed a MIDI instruction that says start this drum machine at (for example) bar 17 and 16 bars later turn it off. This where my lack of deep knowledge of MIDI comes into play. From a computer nerd side, everything MUST be possible. It's software and it does what it's told to do. The real pros know how to tell software what to do.
You should have seen me trying to program my Alesis keytar to where the ribbon controller would operate the rotary speaker on the Nord. I first had to find the right MIDI controller number (it's 82) and then assign that controller number to the ribbon. I eventually made it work but it was like 3 days of digging around to find out first WHAT to do and then HOW to do it. It works now where I slide my finger across the ribbon which is otherwise pitch bending and the further I slide the faster the Leslie effect spins.
MIDI is an adventure!!!
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eddie1261
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eddie1261
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1st update. I found something called MMC, Multi Machine Control, that will make the second DAW d what the first one does, so if I start DAW 1 that will also control DAW 2 if MMC is enabled on both.
And last week rharv taught me about SPP!! Been a good MIDI week!
So for the drum machine thing I think I would have to find a way to turn the clock information on and off to start and stop it where I want it to. Or just use the mute on the mixer since it would be playing a redundant loop. I could just turn the channel on and off by muting it. Not elegant, but functional.
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Joined: May 2000
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Sounds like you are almost ready to start learning SysEX.
If you have access to the system exclusive messages for a device you can make that device do anything it is capable of from another machine.FWIW MMC is part of MIDI universal SysEx spec.
Last edited by rharv; 02/28/21 04:14 AM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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eddie1261
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eddie1261
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Sounds like you are almost ready to start learning SysEX. This is where the ADD kicks in. I get interested in something for a month and do it in a way that it consumes me, and then I lose interest and never look at it again. I would also like to know about NDI and run several computers in tandem. Brian Culbertson runs his weekly Facebook stream an THREE Macs, all running in tandem through NDI. And here I sit not even able to get a VM to install correctly. What makes me mad at myself is that what I did in my IT life I did really well, but I got locked into the box of only doing what I did and not expanding outside of it. I was email administrator on a Novell Netware system at a law firm, and that was so time consuming I didn't get to learn much else about Novell. The same thing happened at my last job where I got involved in day to day things like setting up accounts through active directory and remote access to fix nitpicking, annoying stuff that I never had time to look at other things. And maybe that's WHY I am so addictive when I decide to follow a path like NDI, or in this case SysEx. In any rate, I would like to have computer 1 be able to tell a DAW on computer 2 when to start and stop.
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Joined: May 2000
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I dunno, I was controlling the sequencers/clock in other hardware 20 years ago or so.
If they sync to a common clock with SPP it seemed to just work. Even sending 'scenes' to a lighting control mixer using MIDI/DMX worked.
At one point I had PT controlling the sequencer in a W30, two different guitar FX changes, the Yamaha synth changes, and Juno 106 changes (including sysex) all while recording the FOH mix as audio back into PT .. the cameras were on their own. Had to sync those later (best we could) using SMPTE. It's all doable.
FWIW I could also do the reverse and use the W30 to trigger start/stop in PT, which of course still allowed PT to control the other stuff.
I want to learn more about connecting/communicating over the local network myself, this seems like such a huge opportunity.
I know Rosegarden did this years ago but I see very few Windows devices adding support.
It would be pretty cool if I could just connect a network cable between two computers and have it work with all our music stuff. For now we have MIDI .. but someday maybe .. maybe NDI will develop into such a standard.
Last edited by rharv; 02/28/21 08:37 AM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Peter Gannon Talks Band-in-a-Box with zplane
zplane recently interviewed Peter Gannon, the founder and creator of Band-in-a-Box, about the software's early days, what sets it apart from AI, how zplane's audio algorithms are used in Band-in-a-Box, and more!
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202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
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Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
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Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
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The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
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