I have a device that outputs data on all 16 channels at the time. How can I record that to one track ? Since I can't record more than one track at the time and that a track is assigned a channel, how can I record more than one channel on the track? It should be available because there is a command to extract multiple channels to multiple tracks. I'm really baffled here. Thanks for any help.

Hi ve2cjw,

Which software are you wanting help with?

The statement,"...there's a command to extract multiple channels to multiple tracks" makes me think you are not talking about Band In A Box.

This added information will guide the answer.

Regards,
Noel

Sorry, forgot to mention. I'm talking about Power Tracks Pro Audio. Normally, a track has an assigned MIDI channel but it might be just for output. In Cakewalk, if you set a track to OMNI, it records all the incoming data to that track even if it's more than one channel. In Power Tracks, a channel can be assigned to MIDI channel 0 and I wonder why you would do this. If you want to record some guitars, you need to record more than one channel on a track. In my case, I want to record the output from an arranger keyboard and study the data. It can output on more than 1 channel at the time. Maybe Power Tracks can do it but it's not mentioned in the manual. Thanks for any help.

HI
Yes there are two types of midi file
Type 0 16 channels on 1 track.
Type 1 16 tracks each with its own channel 1-16

Realband has the ability to split type 0 to 16 track on opening.
BIAB puts all channels on the melody or soloist track.

You can also get plenty of free midi file converters to change from one format to the other should you find the need.
Have fun
Mike

ve2cjw, if I read you correctly you are saying that Power Tracks Pro Audio does not have an OMNI record setting. Is that correct?

If that is correct then your only option is to record each channel on a separate track. You would need to match each recording track to one of the arranger keyboard tracks.

I don't use Power Tracks Pro Audio but if the above is true it would be the first DAW that I have ever heard of that didn't record OMNI.

Good luck.

Frankly, I'm still waiting for an answer by the PG Music support staff. Thanks.

output data to all 16 channels sounds like OMNI. What synth are you using? I noticed you mentioned Cakewalk. Since I know CW comes with TTS...are you talking about that? It's one of the synths that lets you do 16 channels in one instance and in one track.

Frankly, I don't, and haven't used midi, with rare exceptions, in the last decade. And most of the times I do use it now, it's a single channel synth with a decent sample. I'm just trying to get my head around what you're actually asking here.

I think the O/P actually has an arranger keyboard rather than a synth, and wants to record the output from it to review it.

I want to record what comes out of an arranger keyboard on multiple MIDI channels. It has to go on a single track, meaning OMNI, since Power Tracks can't record on more than a single track at a time. Then, that single track has to record all that comes in on the MIDI input, meaning multichannel. It's as simple as that. After that, I'll extract each channel on a different track to be able to study the MIDI data. I know it's called OMNI but it's not mentioned at all in the manual. I don't have the keyboard yet because it won't be available before the end of November in North America. Thanks for your help guys.

Hi
Well in my experience with Yamaha and other arrangers, there is a midi out settings page. Here you tell it, if or not to send the backing style parts to the midi skts.
Yamahas outputs normally setup as follows:
RH part track1 (main melody instrument)
LH part track2
Tracks 3&4 will be used for the dual RH voice if there is one
Multipads track5
Drums track 10
Other style parts (string and bass phases etc) tracks 11-16
Track 9 is often use for additional percussion.
As you can see this will leave you a few tracks /channels spare for additional lines you may wish to multitrack in after making the initial performance midi file including the style parts.(EG a counter melody) make sre you are in multi track mode so as not to erase your original tracks, you should hear these playing back while you record just your new track.
Hope this helps
Mike

Thanks a lot Mike, you guessed right. I'm waiting for a Yamaha PSRE373. I want to use it for fun and also as a multichannel sound module in MIDI. Most of the sounds are of very good quality and suit my needs. MIDI sound mudules are quite rare nowadays, but there were a few very good ones some years ago. The last and best I had (which I should have kept) was the Sonic Cell by Roland. The sounds were exquisite and also the cost, $1400. here in Canada. I am after accoustic sounds, don't care much for modern synth sounds. If the module can reproduce "In the Mood", then it's good for me. I use Power Tracks and Cakewalk by the way. At 75, I don't have much interest for synths and analog sounds. Guess I'm getting old.

You simply need to record, and any incoming MIDI data coming in will be recorded to the track with the same channel number as your playback device.

Channel zero in Powertracks is selected in situations like this because it doesn't change the MIDI channel on playback - anything you record on multiple MIDI channels will play back on the same multiple MIDI channels. If you set a specific MIDI channel, then all MIDI data on that track will play through that channel, even if it was recorded from a different channel.

Thank you Simon. This should be mentioned in the instruction manual. There is no mention of OMNI mode that I could see and channel 0 is not explained.

I'll bring this up with development, see if they can update the manuals a bit.

Thanks a lot Simon.

I think I understand what you're wanting to do and Simon has it right. The keyboard will have a specific channel output for midi or it will broadcast omni. One or the other. You set it to the correct one.
In omni mode it should put all the midi into that one track without any issues. Splitting it back out to individual tracks, I'm not so sure how you would do that once it's into a track as omni.

Like I said, it's bee a very long time since I worked with midi and I was certainly no expert even then. But I do believe you would need to work in a DAW that lets you record multiple midi channels simultaneously. This stuff hurts my brain now days..... hence the reason I work in the audio realm mostly.