Multiple midi channels in one track?

[ChrisIhao]

Hey guys. Just wanted to know if there is a way to use multiple midi channels in one single track in Live. Like, when mapping advanced samplers you may want to use multiple midi channels in a single track for different articulations and such.

Couldnt find any info on it, so I doubt its possible, but you guys know best. Its a shame if its not possible, as its the only thing I lack in my complete setup right now.

[supamonsta]

you can route multiple midi channels from multiple midi tracks to one single midi track, that will act like a midi merger, and then sent its output to whatever other midi track / device you want...

but I'm not sure I really do understand your question...

cheers

[Angstrom]

It's quite easy. No need for a "merger", the instrument track is the merge.

Just make a midi track with the instrument on, dont put notes on that track. Now create a load of empty midi tracks and route them to the instrument track. You will get a dialog pulldown on the destination, like Destination:Kontakt , then in the second pulldown the midi channel. For each source channel output to a different midi channel on the target instrument.

It takes less than 10 seconds to set up 8 midi channels like this. Once you know how it's done of course

[ChrisIhao]

Ok. Thanks guys. I already am aware of the way to route midi into one device, however it would be neat to be able to use seperate channels for each note like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJHMUq5rBM0

A video is far better at explaining than me

[Angstrom]

Well, you can route several channels to one note. I do it all the time, I can't see anything in that video which Live can't do. Unless I am misunderstanding you.
If you want specific articulations on the one note and not on the others ( such as pitchbending onelead note while the others in the cluster remain unbent) then you of course need to set your sampler to receive on multiple midi channels, but that's the same across all hosts unless I'm mistaken.

I use this often to articulate individual notes in a brass section in Kontakt. I have 6 source channels playing one instrument.

[broc]

The problem with Live is that it doesn't handle channel information associated with individual notes.

So in contrast to other DAWs, you can't have a single track with notes on different channels.

[ChrisIhao]

Well, you can route several channels to one note.

Thanks for your feedback angstrom. I think you mean " midi track" here, not channel as in midi channels. See below

The problem with Live is that it doesn't handle channel information associated with individual notes.

So in contrast to other DAWs, you can't have a single track with notes on different channels.

Ah. Exactly what I wanted to confirm. Thanks. Lets cross our fingers for Live 9 then I'll manage just fine with multiple channels though.


PS: Angstrom, its really great to be able to put all these articulations on one track, as its easier to create smooth transitions and such.

[magwa]

Hope springs eternal! 13 years later, Live still cannot output multiple channels from a track. The output of each midi channel is merged to channel 1 on the receiving track. Pure insanity.

[Klangraum]

You could use a MIDI instruments/plugin which can handle key zones with different presets assigned. This way, the Emulator 2 sampler was triggered in the 80ies. Another way is to use the Launch tab in the MIDI editor to set the bank/preset per clip, which could theoretically control a multitimrale instrument running on 1 specific channel, but only one instrument at a time or as an instrument layer. Live isn't that flexible like other DAW's. You have to pay for more tracks. If you want to expand the tracks virtually, you can use the Drum Rack like a sampler. This way, you get 128 slots per device, which can be seen as 128 virtual tracks. The workflow is a bit fiddly though. The samples are not auto seeked, which means, they play only correct if triggered with note start position. It's the same behavior as old hardware samplers.

[Trismos]

Hope springs eternal! 13 years later, Live still cannot output multiple channels from a track. The output of each midi channel is merged to channel 1 on the receiving track. Pure insanity.

I downloaded a really interesting free probability sequencer in Stochas and I figured this was going to be some fun days ... but yeah. This sequencer has layers which can send different midi channels per layer, so in Reaper for example, I can have it on one track and send different midi channels to different tracks. I CANNOT do this in Ableton??? Is there maybe a Max device for this because I cannot for the life of me understand how this has gone through into Suite 11 without being able to do it.

[chapelier fou]

I don’t know for your specific case, but there is a way to send midi to multiple channels by using the maxforlive control surface.
It’s quite surprising as it seems to prove that Ableton is able to do so (this and MPE), so why is there no better way to do it ??