Q - Recording/arming discussion and strangeness

[Charlie]

I was recording some midi and noticed that you can still move the clips and select the different tracks and so on.

This got me thinking that, either the gui should be locked whilst recording or perhaps the recording could be expanded and allow a lot more flexibility. Imagine that you could dynamically arm the clips or tracks that you select or create new blank clips all at the same time that the recording was still in progress.

On further inspection, to see if this was possible, I noticed that XT2 behaves very strangely but it is quite powerful and I think that this behaviour should remain and be developed so that at least the gui responds to what you are doing.

Try the following:
1 - Create five midi tracks
2 - Control select all of the tracks and set the output to a new synthesiser
3 - Control click and deselect all the tracks (important)
4 - Create a one bar loop on the timeline between bars 2 and 3 (do not create any parts)
5 - Press record
6 - Click on each track separately and play some different midi notes
7 - Press stop (the timeline does not contain any parts)
8 - Control click and select all the tracks
9 - Press record and then stop straight afterwards
10 - All the parts now contain the different notes that you recorded

In fact, if you create a new midi track during the recording and then select it, you can record a new midi part. It just doesn't display until you stop and start the recording process again.

[soma]

Wow the hidden parts come back.

So under what circumstances are the new parts not created?

I think the problem is a new part is only created when the record button is pressed an one track is armed. But somehow the recording is in a buffer still anyway. (good news for Rchlr, who wanted that "rememeber all my fooling around" buffer thing)

It should be that a new part is created , while - xt recording = true AND track-X armed = true

[soma]

J15- Parts are only created for a single midi track when the record button is pressed instead of creating them when a track is armed.

[Charlie]

Wow the hidden parts come back.

Yes! Quite unexpected but I think it could be an excellent feature.

I think the problem is a new part is only created when the record button is pressed an one track is armed. But somehow the recording is in a buffer still anyway. (good news for Rchlr, who wanted that "rememeber all my fooling around" buffer thing)

Personally, I want this kept in! Its one of those bug-feature type things.

It should be that a new part is created , while - xt recording = true AND track-X armed = true

Yes, but crucially, also to arm an 'existing part' and also be able to change the target during recording.

J15- Parts are only created for a single midi track when the record button is pressed instead of creating them when a track is armed.

Not sure it is a bug. When you arm the tracks 'before' you start recording, the part will be created.

I'm curious to know what people think about this.

[Former Pharaoh]

Hey that was pretty cool!

Personally, I want this kept in! Its one of those bug-feature type things.

Wouldn't it be better to just have it so one can utilize one track and during recording each looped pass, instead of over dubbing, it just goes to a new separate recorded track?
Just like audio recording in XT 1.4. That way one doesn't have to select/deselect and all that jazz.

With multiple MIDI trax housing different instruments,
one simply hits record, jams away w/o having to worry about recording over the previous take. Additionally.....

-FR, if my suggestion is implemented, one REALLY nice feature would be to have the ability to switch between trax using MIDI notes and/or CCs. That way one doesn't need the mouse to switch trax. I made this request about 6 million years ago; the ability to "switch" between trax using MIDI input.
I know the arrow keys work but i use Midi Keyhook a lot and i have to activate/deactivate it to switch between standard QWERTY key functions and MIDI note input.

[Charlie]

+1
I like the idea of multi takes and also choosing between different recording options like overdubbing, replace or multiple takes.

I find recording midi parts from a keyboard is different to recording audio and the ability to record new parts, change track/instument all at the same time you have a drumloop running in the background is just great. Some people might think that I'm being lazy, I could stop the transport, create and arm a new part, but it just doesn't feel the same and you lose the spontaneity.

[Former Pharaoh]

you lose the spontaneity

That's it right there. If workflow has ONE foundation to keep in mind its spontaneity.

[soma]

It's a bug in my book.
XT is expected to have a part where ever anything gets recorded. I mean, from the second a track sends a midi message or a vst message thru, that track should start recording to a part to the track.

The good news is it looks XT2 IS doing this. It is just having an issue showing the parts. The data is in a buffer that is only getting stored to a part when the record button is pressed (except the first armed track which always gets a clip even if no midi comes in). (My professional guess)

[soma]

Let me put it this way...
if I switch tracks when recording, there should be a part for that track with my recorded info on it.
I'm not arguing against loop recording on a single track (like audio is in XT1 but for midi), I think that is a really really great idea! I just think that when I select a new recording destination the part should get created right away. I think this is something that has been coded right already but just has a small bug with creating the part at the wrong time.

[soma]

This one is still really annoying

(I think it is also related to the bug that automation gets only recorded to the first or selected clip on a track and not the clips the play cursor is over.)