Problem with Midi synth connection (question from newbie)

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geantbrun
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Problem with Midi synth connection (question from newbie)

Post by geantbrun » Tue May 14, 2013 7:39 pm

Hi,
I'm a newbie with Ableton (I've downloaded Live 9 for a trial) and I'm trying to connect my old Roland synth to Ableton. I've plugged the piano to my Audio Kontrol interface (midi out to midi in), I set the parameters in Midi Sync tab of the Preferences (Midi Ports, Input: Audio Kontrol 1, all params to On, Output: Audio Kontrol 1, all params to On). The midi signal seems to be received by Ableton as the light comes on each time I press a key on the piano. Now I set the parameters of a midi track to Midi From=All Ins and Monitor=In and I arm the track. In Session view, when I play something on the piano, I see the note in red on the keyboard of the piano roll (white and black notes) but does not see anything on the piano roll itself except a tiny note in blue that disappears when I release the key. Is it normal? What am I doing wrong here?

Thank you for any help,
Patrick

yur2die4
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Re: Problem with Midi synth connection (question from newbie)

Post by yur2die4 » Tue May 14, 2013 9:36 pm

I think either hit play, and turn on the recording to record stuff, or make sure that what you're trying to do works also without using the keyboard.

You described all the things that are happening, but vaguely explained what you intend to do? Are you recording into new clips? Recording for an arrangement?

SuburbanThug
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Re: Problem with Midi synth connection (question from newbie)

Post by SuburbanThug » Tue May 14, 2013 10:58 pm

Shoot, I was having this problem recently. If I remember right I think you need to toggle the midi overdub button at the top of the screen. Then you should be able to record notes. You're not trying to use the midi connection to hear the audio from your synth are you? (I gotta ask, sorry. Sometimes people think midi has something to do with audio. It doesn't.)

geantbrun
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Re: Problem with Midi synth connection (question from newbie)

Post by geantbrun » Wed May 15, 2013 5:28 pm

Thanks for your answers guys, I'll try the overdub button tonight.
@yur2die4: I already tried the play button, same result. What I want to do: do the same thing I can do in session view with my laptop keyboard: enter notes so they appear in the piano roll, is it possible? Or is the synth only useful in arrangement view when record is on? By the way, in record mode (arrangement view), the notes appear (and are recorded on the screen with the good duration) but when replayed, the sound is barely audible.
Thanks again,
Patrick

SuburbanThug
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Re: Problem with Midi synth connection (question from newbie)

Post by SuburbanThug » Wed May 15, 2013 5:54 pm

You can record clips in Session view or Arrangement view from your QWERTY keyboard. You may have to turn up the velocity setting on whatever plugin you are using to get more audible sound.

geantbrun
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Re: Problem with Midi synth connection (question from newbie)

Post by geantbrun » Wed May 15, 2013 6:45 pm

Thanks SuburbanThug. And is it theoretically possible to play notes with the synth in "no record" mode? (and get them displayed on the piano roll in the session view the same way they are when I use my laptop keyboard?)

SuburbanThug
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Re: Problem with Midi synth connection (question from newbie)

Post by SuburbanThug » Wed May 15, 2013 6:49 pm

No. Not that I'm aware of. The track must be armed for midi input to pass through.

geantbrun
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Re: Problem with Midi synth connection (question from newbie)

Post by geantbrun » Wed May 15, 2013 7:06 pm

Sorry my last post was not clear. I wanted to say with the track armed but without recording. What I'm trying to do is the same this guy here does (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT-4owRUwUs at 0:46). I'll try the overdub button tonight at home as you pointed to me.
Cheers,
Patrick

geantbrun
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Re: Problem with Midi synth connection (question from newbie)

Post by geantbrun » Thu May 16, 2013 1:13 pm

Thanks again for your replies, I tried the overdub thing yesterday night and it is working now.
Thank you!
Patrick


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