Connect multiple Drum rack outputs to a single instrument or MIDI track

[Postscripter]

Hi!

I'm stuck with my pads. I have a drum rack, where each pad is assigned to it's own Sampler instance playing it's own sound. Now I want pads 1,2,3 and 4 to play piano notes. Following the same pattern I place 4 copies of a piano VSTi in my rack, each connected with it's own pad. Then I adjust "MIDI out note" parameter. But it's lame, isn't it? I run 4 identical VSTi instances and spend 4x more RAM. Can I reuse somehow a single VSTi instrument and route multiple Rack's outputs to it?

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I am making a live set. I use one midi track for my pads and one for my keyboard. The scene selector is used for changing songs/playbacks, and the chain selector changes instruments inside that two MIDI tracks. But I'm thinking now, isn't it a better idea to make separate tracks for each instrument to avoid duplicating? Then I'd just route Rack's outputs to them, and use chain selectors to change routing from song to song... but can't I find such function. A single MIDI track/instrument can have only one input... Seems to be a wrong assumption I've made...

[jestermgee]

If you want to rout the MIDI output of a track/rack/device into an other track (and optionally receive audio back) then you can use the "External Instrument" device. Not sure if it will address your actual issue but look into the External Instrument device as it's quite useful (and not just for externally attached hardware).

[Postscripter]

Thanks! Both the comments are helpful. Indeed, the piano was not so hungry. Each copy added 50 Mb, but 10 copies will need 500, and that's only the first song in the set. I'll try to separate the most consuming instruments as jestermgee wrote and probably look for some videos about how people arrange their instruments playing live.

[DustyJones]

Could you guys elaborate on the External Instrument strategy?

I would like to put an instrument (say operator) on the C1 pad, and route midi from other pads to the synth instance on the first. (Or, fine with me if I'm routing everything to another track.)

Actually what would make the most sense to me is: not only create audio effect return tracks, but instrument tracks as well. Then in the chain list, I would like to see (instead of audio to) MIDI To.

If there's some hack using External Instrument, do tell. I haven't been able to see anything interesting in External Instrument's MIDI To dropdown though. Actually, I guess it works using some VSTs. It should be more straightforward than this.