Midi functionality

[AntonTsygankov]

Hey guys! I'm Anton and apologize for my English.

I have a midi question that bothers me a lot...could you please clarify the following...?

When I'm using some midi interface under some DAW (let's say an IK Multimedia Irig pads in Logic) - I have a choice of using midi channels individually from 1 to 16 and all midi channels at once. It says "1-16 IRig midi channels" on the menu.

I do have a second midi device that's connected to a Mac at the same time (let's say it's a NI Maschine) and I do have additional midi 16 channels to choose from in the menu named "NI Maschine midi channels 1-16".

As I understand - those are different 16 channels of midi that's only applicable to that specified device.
I didn't choose specific midi channels for each device - each device uses it's own "midi omni".

And here's the question:
Is there's any possibilities of internal inference caused by those extra midi channels? Or each of the 1-16 midi channels for each device can not affect on each other?

Sometimes I'm experiencing strange incoming stuck midi note freeze ups when I'm using both controllers at the same time on different virtual instruments. A note can freeze as a "note on" until it played again, what can be the cause?

Thank you very much.
Regards,
Anton.

[sqigls]

not sure why it's freezing sorry, but yes the 16 midi channels on the different devices are all separate from each other and from my knowledge cannot affect each other, unless you somehow connect the MIDI streams together via a loopback device or similar.

P.S. your english is great, no need to apologise

[AntonTsygankov]

To sqigls;
Thanks for your reply. Okay, I got it.

What I meant - for some reason, one device (IRig Pads) can make some midi notes stuck (constant sounding) at another midi device...Until this note is retriggered again. Both devices are operating at the same "instrument strip" - IRig pads triggers midi effects only and other device is triggering the notes on a Serum. IRig pads are not triggering notes in Serum but some how it makes some notes stuck from time to time. I'm trying to understand what may be the cause.

[DJ Warmonger]

but yes the 16 midi channels on the different devices are all separate from each other and from my knowledge cannot affect each other

But no.

MIDI standards defines 16 channels in total for the whole system. You may have two separate devices send messages on same channel for instance, and both will be interpreted alike.

[AntonTsygankov]

To DJ Warmonger:

Does it mean that probably one device may be conflicting with each other if both devices are set to midi omni and first device is triggering midi Fx and second is triggering the au synths?

[BertKoor]

I'm somewhat confused, maybe I did not read properly.

OMNI mode is not set on midi controllers but on synthesizers only. This effectively says to the synth: play all incoming note data, whatever channel it is sent on. In simple setups this saves worrying about lining up the channels between the devices that send and receive the data.

In the old days (before USB) midi data was sent from one device to the next. It starts with a device that generates midi data (eg a keyboard) and its midi out port is connected with a cable to the midi in port of another device. Another synth could then play the same notes as played on the keyboard. Or a sequencer on the computer can record it. And replay it to multiple synths each listening to their own assigned channel.

One string of cables & devices was one system with only 16 channels. Need more channels (because you have more than 16 synths, or more likely multiple multitimbral synths) means add an extra midi interface on the computer.

The modern devices you have don't do midi in the classical sense. They are USB devices that use the same protocol. Each looks to the computer as being a midi port and not a keyboard or pads controller.

Stuck notes simply means data (of a note off command) is getting lost somewhere. The midi protocol is not to blame. I'd look at how stuff is connected. Avoid adapters & converters or cramming all devices through a hub on one USB port whenever possible.

Are you on mac or pc? How are the NI Maschine & iRig connected?

The S in usb stands for Serial. That means only one device can send data on the cable. You have data getting lost. That sounds like a conflict in devices. If one sends then the other gives up.

[lfm]

...if I read OP right, this might help....

Each midi port have 16 channels.

Since there is ability to daisy chain many midi units on one port - the same cable chain from computer - you have to keep it separate each midi channel - if you use that kind of connection.

So if using midi thru and connect many midi units on the same port from computer - you must take care not letting each unit respond to the same midi channel if you don't want it to.

You can connect midi out on a port on computer, to midi in of first unit - then take midi thru on that unit and connect to another unit ....and so on.

Some unit even have setting to use midi out as a midi thru, so midi out can be used in some cases - so that option might be there. You have to look in manual for the facts.

Even though practical to daisy chain at some time - you also share the same timing, kind of, making more data to be transferred introduce more delay. Each byte for a note or controller or other stuff like midi clock - will only exist one at a time on the same cable. And midi is not mega or gigahertz, it's about 31 kiloherz.

So prefer having more midi ports , one each midi unit - and you have all 16 channels for that unit as well. Minimum of timing problems this way too.

[sqigls]

but yes the 16 midi channels on the different devices are all separate from each other and from my knowledge cannot affect each other

But no.

MIDI standards defines 16 channels in total for the whole system. You may have two separate devices send messages on same channel for instance, and both will be interpreted alike.

If you send on MIDI channel 1 to RME FIREFACE MIDI PORT OUT it's not going to affect whatever's being send out via another port, MIDI channel 1 on the NOVATION SOMETHING OR OTHER KEYS MIDI OUT.
I can send every instrument in my song out on MIDI channel 1, so long as each instrument in the song is going to a different device, then they won't be reading each other's data. Unless the DAW is restricted to one MIDI port/device only, i don't see an issue.