Standalone in MIDI only mode?

[guitarmanchu]

I'm having a lot of fun with the idea generator tool, but want to inspire more creativity by using my existing virtual instruments instead of the included soundfonts. Some of the instruments cannot be loaded into RapidComposer, so what I'd like to do is use a loopback MIDI session using my DAW, where all the instruments are loaded.

Normally, I expect this would be easy using the Midi out feature in RC, except that RapidComposer locks my ASIO hardware and my DAW cannot access it to play back the instruments (or vice versa). I cannot seem to find a setting in RapidComposer that would be the equivalent of MIDI-ONLY mode (i.e. would not attempt to connect to the audio hardware). Is there a way to do this that I'm just missing?

[dsan@mail.com]

Assuming you are on a Windows machine,
try this guitarmanchu:
http://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/loopmidi.html

It's a virtual midi cable and very easy to use (read the manual of course. It's very short.)

Due to the nature of ASIO, only one device, the first device to capture it, is allowed to control the ASIO hardware. This is not a restriction by RC but by Windows.

By using the virtual midi cables you will be able to send RC's midi data to any channel in your DAW. Let your DAW have control of the ASIO device. As such, start your DAW before starting RC.

Set your DAW up to receive on the loopmidi port and the channel you want the specific VST to receive data from.

Also note loopmidi is capable of creating many ports. So you can have a whole lot of fun sending (from RC) all the ports and channels you can muster to all the VST's you can open in your DAW.

HTH

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[guitarmanchu]

Thanks DSAN for the helpful reply, but unfortunately that's not quite my issue. Setting up a MIDI loopback is easy. The problem is that I can't run RC in "midi only" mode. i.e. there is no way to select no audio device. So I can't run my DAW and RC in standalone mode side-by-side. Either the DAW won't run, or RC won't run, because they're both competing for the ASIO device (even though I don't need to use it in RC).

[dsan@mail.com]

Oh, I see. Sorry for my misunderstanding.

I think I know what you have going on.

Some DAW's have a setting that allows it to turn the ASIO device over to the program that gains focus. Some do not. RC is the latter sort at this time.

Cubase, for example, will stop playing if it loses focus. Then when you click back on its window it will give you sound again.

See if your DAW has a setting that allows to turn loose of the ASIO device if it loses focus. Sonar is one that has this ability.

You will likely do better to run the VST's that will not load in RC, in a standalone mode; if you have that capability with the VST. Then pipe via your midi loop from RC to the VST to the DAW.

The down side is syncing. I'm sorry to tell you there are no happy endings with any scenario; for when you fix one thing, another thing pops up.

I will be back at my DAW computer in a couple of hours and will look into the settings to be certain of audio output. Whether or not you have to use your soundcard. I don't want to guess and misdirect you and I cannot find much in the manual.

I assume you have set your audio up in the "Settings/Audio" tab, right?

HTH

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[guitarmanchu]

Yes, audio works fine. I just want no audio

[dsan@mail.com]

Ok....I'm at my DAW computer now and I find on the "Settings/Audio" tab I can set RC's "Audio/API" to ASIO or Windows MME and then my ASIO device is my soundcard, Edirol FA-101, either way.

So, see if you have Windows MME and set your audio to that port in RC. Hopefully this will solve it, else we try something else.

Not sure if you use it but you may want to consider ASIO4ALL. I believe it has an option to give the program with the focus full control. I never got along with ASIO4ALL so not going to be much help there.

Here is their link in case it helps:
http://www.asio4all.com/

NOTE: You DO NOT want to click on the link that says "DOWNLOAD NOW" near the top middle of the screen. Click on the link that is ASIO4ALL 2.11 Beta2

If you use another ASIO source then by adding ASIO4ALL it should give you the choice of ASIO outs. If so then you can set your DAW and RC to the ASIO of choice. This should resolve the problem.

Don't forget to re-boot if you install it.

I notice in other programs I have the option for "No audio out". It may behoove you to petition Attila for this option. You should do so in "Feature Requests" or by emailing him.

One thing about Attila....he is fantastic to work with. Very responsive and quick to implement features.

HTH

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[guitarmanchu]

Yeah I tried that. If I set it to Windows MME, then I can run them both side by side, but then I get two audio streams running at once - one from RC and one from my DAW, which doesn't sound very good. I will perhaps request it from Atilla. It seems that this feature would be useful and I'm assuming it wouldn't be that dificult to simply disable audio routing. We'll see what he says.

Thanks again for your help.

[dsan@mail.com]

This confuses me guitarmanchu.....the part about 2 audio streams.

This sounds like you have not set your track to "Midi" and have it still playing the SF2.

Have you right clicked the track to see the "Track Inspector" window? In this inspector you set the "Instrument" to SF2 if you want audio or to "Midi:General MIDI" if you want RC to send midi data. These settings are on the first page of the track inspector window; the one with the wrench icon.

I think this is what you have going on now; audio out instead of midi out.

HTH

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[guitarmanchu]

You're right. I thought I had changed it for all tracks but I just changed it for some, so I was getting half the audio from SF2 and half going to my DAW, which is why I thought I had two audio streams. I changed everything to General MIDI and now it works! Thanks!

[dsan@mail.com]

Glad you got it going

Still, a good idea to be able to disable audio out if need be.

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[musicdevelopments]

I replied to this topic earlier but now I can't find my own post!
Thank you dsan for the replies!

The built-in MIDI sequencer would be able to work with its own clock, but feeding the sequencer requires an audio source at the moment. So you need to set any audio API (even Windows MME) for using the program as MIDI only. This will be improved in a later version.

It is possible to disable audio when you hold down the Alt key during startup, but playback will not work until you set any audio source.

Thanks,
Attila