Can record MIDI drums, but can't play back.

gm22 · 10-10-2018, 06:23 PM

I had difficulty getting my Addictive Drums, AKAI LPD8, and Reaper to work together and posted the problem here: https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=211961

I thought I had solved the problem, as I can record midi, but I can't play it back. I've tried all kinds of different settings, but nothing seems to work. Here's a screenshot of the mode I used to record:

Now would one normally have to change any settings in order to play back midi files. It wouldn't make sense to me, but all I know is I cannot play back that drum midi file no matter what setting I choose, so something is eluding me.

gm22 · 10-10-2018, 06:28 PM

I should note that recording input (audio or midi) would make the most sense, but I can't hear the drums when I am playing them with the controller in this mode, yet the meters in Addictive Drums do move.

Glennbo · 10-10-2018, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gm22

I should note that recording input (audio or midi) would make the most sense, but I can't hear the drums when I am playing them with the controller in this mode, yet the meters in Addictive Drums do move.

Do you have input monitoring enabled on the track you are recording? The icon looks like a little speaker, or you can right click the record button to check that it is enabled.

gm22 · 10-10-2018, 07:49 PM

Yes it is enabled. I am using White Tie layout and couldn't find the speaker, but when I switched to default I see that the input monitoring button was selected, and is called mon in WT.

Glennbo · 10-10-2018, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gm22

Yes it is enabled. I am using White Tie layout and couldn't find the speaker, but when I switched to default I see that the input monitoring button was selected, and is called mon in WT.

If you are seeing audio meter activity in addictive, then it may be that addictive isn't set to output to the same pipes that REAPER is using for audio. I'm not familiar with addictive, but with Superior Drummer, I have a bunch of outputs where each drum can be on it's own channel in REAPER, although the default is the first stereo pair.

JamesPeters · 10-10-2018, 08:05 PM

I don't know why you've chosen to "record output: MIDI" when you're supposed to be recording the channel's input. What you're doing in that case (recording "output") is recording the output of everything on the track...basically, whatever your virtual instrument "sends out" for MIDI. I'd assume you want to record what's coming to your MIDI input from your physical controller instead.

Anyway...

I can't see in your picture because it's too blurry, but are you sending MIDI on a channel that your virtual instrument is set to receive? If you record MIDI on channel 1 and your VSTi is only set to receive on channel 2 for instance, you won't get any sound (even if the VSTi shows some kind of MIDI activity because it can recognize MIDI on a different channel, that's my guess anyway).

You can check the recorded MIDI's channel data. Select the MIDI notes in the MIDI editor, then go to View -> Event Properties. Look at the "channel" field. Verify that your VSTi is set to receive on that channel.

Also since you recorded the "output" of the VSTi, maybe there's some issue. I'd assume you have to turn that off, at least turn off your record arm and monitor settings (and then change your input to "record input: MIDI" if you plan to record again on that track).

gm22 · 10-10-2018, 08:19 PM

I think I chose that because it was the only setting that was letting me activate the drums. I am going to study your post while my Reaper loaded computer reboots, but in the meantime, if you double click on the image, it should open in full resolution. It does on this end.

Glennbo · 10-10-2018, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gm22

I think I chose that because it was the only setting that was letting me activate the drums. I am going to study your post while my Reaper loaded computer reboots, but in the meantime, if you double click on the image, it should open in full resolution. It does on this end.

I just checked to see what options I have ticked on a right click of the record button. This is on a track with Toontrack EZD, which I set the same way for Superior Drummer.

These are the only options I have ticked.

Monitor Input
Monitor Track Media When Recording
Record Input (Audio or Midi)
Input Midi

gm22 · 10-10-2018, 08:33 PM

Ok. Thanks for that. I checked to make sure I have the same settings (and I have changed them to yours) but now Reaper won't recognize the LPD8 controller. I'll have to work on that.

gm22 · 10-10-2018, 08:42 PM

I got the LPD8 to show up under Input: MIDI, and I used all the same settings as you Glennbo, but there is still a problem. I cannot hear anything, but stranger still, I can record MIDI, as I can see it being recorded, but I cannot hear it in playback.

range rover vogue 0 60

Glennbo · 10-10-2018, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gm22

I got the LPD8 to show up under Input: MIDI, and I used all the same settings as you Glennbo, but there is still a problem. I cannot hear anything, but stranger still, I can record MIDI, as I can see it being recorded, but I cannot hear it in playback.

What is the Track Input FX Chain I see in your screen grab?

If you have other plugins on the track, they could possibly prevent midi from getting to addictive, or audio from getting out of it to the track, depending on what they are, and where they sit (before or after) in relation to addictive.

gm22 · 10-10-2018, 09:22 PM

I think that is checked because Reaper recognizes Addictive drums as an effect. That is how I've been loading it. I will click on the FX button (right below the level knob extreme left) and it gives me a choice of effects, wherein I choose Addictive Drums. I just made a new track to test. At the outset, the Track input FX chain is not checked, but the moment I add Addictive Drums, it's checked. Does your rig show this as checked when you have SD loaded? Just to clarify, on all my test drum tracks I've never tried another effect. Heck, I'm having a hard enough time with the basics :-)

JamesPeters · 10-10-2018, 10:10 PM

No, don't load the effect on the input fx chain. Load it in the normal slot.

Then select the input to record as MIDI (MIDI input, not MIDI output), on the intended MIDI channel (that your VSTi will receive on). Arm to record. Enable monitoring.

It'll work.

I can't speak for how that specific theme works. I use more normal-looking themes. So you might be accidentally loading the plugin on the input fx slot.

Glennbo · 10-10-2018, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

No, don't load the effect on the input fx chain. Load it in the normal slot.

Then select the input to record as MIDI (MIDI input, not MIDI output), on the intended MIDI channel (that your VSTi will receive on). Arm to record. Enable monitoring.

It'll work.

I can't speak for how that specific theme works. I use more normal-looking themes. So you might be accidentally loading the plugin on the input fx slot.

Yup, loading the plugin as an input effect won't produce any sound.

JamesPeters · 10-10-2018, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennbo

Yup, loading the plugin as an input effect won't produce any sound.

It may produce sound while monitoring, but when playing back recorded MIDI it sure won't.

(To GM22): that's because the input fx only take input from the input of the track, not the items recorded to the track.

An input effect is something you'd want to use if you want to "print" a result of the effect to the track "permanently" as you record. For instance if you know you want a certain EQ on an audio track, you can set it up as an input effect and that will be processed as you record. For synths this isn't a good idea though. The synth, as an input effect, will receive the MIDI, but it won't send any MIDI to the track to be recorded (unless you record the output which you originally did, probably because it was the only way you could get MIDI passed through the input effect to record a MIDI item). Then when playing back recorded MIDI, Reaper doesn't try sending that MIDI through the input effect...so, no MIDI being sent to the synth.

You may want some MIDI effect used as an input effect, for specific reasons. A filter that limits the range of notes played, or re-maps notes in realtime, or an arpeggiator, that kind of thing. Something that'll change your MIDI performance in realtime while you record, in a way you prefer. But to have the VSTi as an input effect isn't useful in any way I can think of.

gm22 · 10-11-2018, 08:03 AM

Thanks for all the replies. I am very glad to know it's a solvable problem and that it was my error in loading that is causing the problems.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

No, don't load the effect on the input fx chain. Load it in the normal slot.

How exactly do I do that? I can't see any other way of loading AD onto a track. I trust there is a way, but I can't seem to find it.

Update: I was looking around for another way to put AD on a track and saw an option called Virtual instrument on new track... under the Insert tab, and tried it, but it put each drum (snare, bass, toms, etc.,) on its own track, which seems cumbersome as I have 12 tracks to manage. Is this what I should be doing, or is there a way to load the drums on one track?

DarkStar · 10-11-2018, 08:10 AM

Just drag it from the FX Browser onto an empty part of the TCP or MCP.

gm22 · 10-11-2018, 08:31 AM

It worked! I recorded and played back drums. Thank you. But now I have a new problem. When I open the AD mixer, I cannot adjust any of the levels. Is this normal?

DarkStar · 10-11-2018, 08:48 AM

No - what happens when you try to change them in AD?

gm22 · 10-11-2018, 09:21 AM

I can change everything in the AD GUI like kit choice and move faders, say down to zero, but there is no change whatsoever in the default sound. It's as if it's not communicating with Reaper.

DarkStar · 10-11-2018, 09:25 AM

Perhaps you could compress a simple problem project file (no audio samples needed) into a ZIP file and post it here as an attachment so that we can have a look at it and see what's (not) happening?

How to post attachments (in Post #1)

If it is too big to attach, can you try the Stash or upload it somewhere-else?

gm22 · 10-11-2018, 09:39 AM

Sure I can try to do that. It might take me a short time to figure it out. Thank you for the extra interest in helping me through this problem.

gm22 · 10-11-2018, 09:48 AM

I went to make a brand new file with a short drum section to compress and attach, and curiously, this time it would let me make changes to the drum choice and faders, but that was while the AD window was open. I closed it, but have no idea how to get it back open. My suspicion is the problem resolved itself, but I need to access the AD window again. How do I get it to appear?

JamesPeters · 10-11-2018, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gm22

How exactly do I do that? I can't see any other way of loading AD onto a track. I trust there is a way, but I can't seem to find it.

See attached image. It'll load the plugin onto a track with only 2 outputs.

Alternately, when doing "Insert virtual instrument on new track..", just say "no" when it asks to build all the additional outputs. It'll then stick with the default 2 outputs (stereo) for the track when the plugin is inserted.

I prefer to work the other way (with multi-outs), but if you're comfortable working on the entire drum mix from within the plugin it's fine to use stereo out.

At this point I'd suggest getting used to the default theme while you're getting familiar with the basic aspects of Reaper such as loading plugins etc. Then when you watch some tuturial videos or see others' examples in screen shots, it'll make more sense. Switch themes when you know the basics. I strongly recommend Kenny's videos, the "REAPER Mania" channel on Youtube (which is the channel for all the videos hosted on Reaper's site, here).

DarkStar · 10-11-2018, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gm22

I went to make a brand new file with a short drum section to compress and attach, and curiously, this time it would let me make changes to the drum choice and faders, but that was while the AD window was open. I closed it, but have no idea how to get it back open. My suspicion is the problem resolved itself, but I need to access the AD window again. How do I get it to appear?

Click the FX button for the track.

gm22 · 10-11-2018, 10:02 AM

All of the responses are greatly appreciated. I now see how to access the AD window. The problem with not being able to change drum sounds in AD window appears resolved in the new project I was preparing. Not sure why it wouldn't change the first time but I'll take the small victory :-)

brainwreck · 10-12-2018, 10:59 AM

If you play some of the builtin MIDI patterns in Addictive, do you get sound?

If you use your MIDI controller to trigger Reasynth, do you get sound?

gm22 · 10-12-2018, 12:41 PM

Hi Brainreck, I like your signature because it is so true. To be honest, I'm not sure, and my newness has me struggling to try what you suggest. If you mean the built in patterns included in AD, then yes they play fine now that I am properly loading AD (instead of loading it as an FX as I had been.) As to the second question, I went to the FX browser, and tried to drag Reasynth onto a track. A window opens up that has different parameters to change, but the controller does not make any sound when I press keys. I fear I'm not opening Reasynth correctly.

I do have another interesting new problem. Mind you, it's not nearly as bad as the ones I suffered up to this point.

So the proper way to load AD is to open the FX browser, and drag and drop AD onto a track. This definitely solved all my connectivity problems. However, if I add an effect to drums, and then I try to disable the effects (say to compare dry drums to those with reverb or compression) I end up disabling the drums as well. I do not see an obvious way to compare drums with effects and without.

brainwreck · 10-12-2018, 05:44 PM

You shouldn't need to drag effects to a track. I don't understand what is going on with that. Maybe you are adding effects to a media item or something?

After clicking a track's fx button (on the track control panel), the fx browser comes up with a list of available effects and instruments. And after double-clicking something in the list, it is added to the track's effects list, shown in the effects window. This is the same for effects or instruments. And signal flows through the list from top to bottom of the list.

brainwreck · 10-12-2018, 05:52 PM

You shouldn't need to drag effects to a track. I don't understand what is going on with that. Maybe you are adding effects to a media item or something?

After clicking a track's fx button (on the track control panel), the fx browser comes up with a list of available effects and instruments. And after double-clicking something in the list, it is added to the track's effects list, shown in the effects window. This is the same for effects or instruments. And signal flows through the list from top to bottom of the list.

Goldreap · 10-13-2018, 04:16 AM

Even though we think generally of instruments (like Addictive) as different to effects (like reverb), Reaper's FX button, or FX chain window or FX browser cover both...they'll all 'FX'. Using 'insert virtual instrument on new track' is a convenience (it sets up the routing, monitoring, and record arm needed to just play your keyboard and record MIDI) but you can just add an instrument to an FX chain just like adding any old plugin.
Are you clear about the difference between 'input FX' and 'track FX'? The 'Track input FX chain' option in the record arm right click context menu merely opens the Input FX window (which looks the same as the normal FX window)...it doesn't enable/disable anything.... open that window and remove any FX you might have there.
Now, back on your normal track FX chain window...do you have Addictive at the top of the list then reverb under it? Un-check the reverb to bypass it. If you disable FX using the button in the TCP, all FX (including Addictive) will be disabled.