Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

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bongo_john_uk
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Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by bongo_john_uk »

How do you record multiple MIDI takes while looping like happens automatically with audio recording?
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Phil O
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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by Phil O »

Not sure it's possible. Here are excerpts from manual:

"Cycle-recording in MIDI tracks
When you cycle-record into a MIDI track, each new pass is combined with the data from previous passes in the same track take. For example, if the track is currently set to Take 1, and you first record a kick drum, the snare drum notes that you play in the second pass are combined with the kick drum notes in Take 1. You can, of course, change takes at any time. "

"Cycle-recording in hard disk audio tracks
When you cycle-record into an audio track (with Overdub Record mode turned on as shown in Figure 22-19), Digital Performer automatically creates a new take for each record pass. For example, if you record a bass line into Take 1, the track will automatically switch to take 2 immediately at the end of take 1. This allows you to play a second take that is completely different than the first. "


I don't know if there's a way to modify this behavior. :?

Phil
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bongo_john_uk
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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by bongo_john_uk »

Oh. So I wasn't going mad. I can't believe this is not possible.

I'm not really a piano player, so getting a keyboard part right in one take is really difficult and unlikely!
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Phil O
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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by Phil O »

I feel your pain. I don't play piano either. I'm hoping someone pipes in and knows a way to do this. It would make sense to have this feature.

Phil
DP 11.23, 2020 M1 Mac Mini [9,1] (16 Gig RAM), Mac Pro 3GHz 8 core [6,1] (16 Gig RAM), OS 14.3.1/11.6.2, Lynx Aurora (n) 8tb, MOTU 8pre-es, MOTU M6, MOTU 828, Apogee Rosetta 800, UAD-2 Satellite, a truckload of outboard gear and plug-ins, and a partridge in a pear tree.
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stubbsonic
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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by stubbsonic »

You can set it up in a linear fashion on one track. Just select all your accompanying tracks and enable loops for all of it. Then run your record pass (on an unlooped track) and just keep going until you get everything you need. After that you can edit together the best of all takes and then delete the loops when you're done.

You can also create bunch of record tracks (hold option and duplicate track so you get as many of them ready as you think you need). Then learn/use key-commands so that after a pass you either COMMAND-Z (undo, as in, "That was useless garbage!"), or down-arrow to enable the next track, set the sequence to return to the same point after each take (if it isn't zero). I've gotten pretty quick with just doing that.

I don't use takes for MIDI. I'd rather be able to edit things from separate tracks.
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cleamon
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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by cleamon »

bongo_john_uk wrote:How do you record multiple MIDI takes while looping like happens automatically with audio recording?
One of the short-comings of DP. Logic, however, does it exactly like audio tracks, each pass is a separate "take"/region. So, when I need that functionality, I turn to Logic, otherwise I stay in DP.
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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by bongo_john_uk »

I could translate the project into another DAW (DP can export FCP XML which I can then convert to REAPER easily using Vordio) but I've done so much work on some songs already in DP that I'd have to mix them again from scratch.

I don't actually start songs in DP much any more. My preferred DAW these days is REAPER, but I have a lot of unfinished songs from the past in DP, some of which are good enough to be worth picking up again to finish off. So I'd prefer to finish those songs in DP to save me work.

I also don't use a lot of MIDI ever. I prefer to record audio for real (I am a drummer/percussionist so don't need MIDI for drums either). The only exception is a bit of simple keyboard backing which is where I got stuck last night as my keyboard playing is not very good to do it in one take!
Last edited by bongo_john_uk on Wed Jan 04, 2017 9:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
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bongo_john_uk
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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by bongo_john_uk »

OMG The forum blocks the name of another DAW I use!!
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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by Phil O »

stubbsonic wrote:You can set it up in a linear fashion on one track. Just select all your accompanying tracks and enable loops for all of it. Then run your record pass (on an unlooped track) and just keep going until you get everything you need. After that you can edit together the best of all takes and then delete the loops when you're done...
Interesting take [no pun intended] on this. Thanks for the tip, Jon. I never would have thought of doing it that way.

Phil
DP 11.23, 2020 M1 Mac Mini [9,1] (16 Gig RAM), Mac Pro 3GHz 8 core [6,1] (16 Gig RAM), OS 14.3.1/11.6.2, Lynx Aurora (n) 8tb, MOTU 8pre-es, MOTU M6, MOTU 828, Apogee Rosetta 800, UAD-2 Satellite, a truckload of outboard gear and plug-ins, and a partridge in a pear tree.
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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by stubbsonic »

It can be helpful to copy & paste markers out over your multiple linear takes, if that helps you to keep track of where you are.

Then you can delete them when you delete your loops.
M1 MBP; OS 12, FF800, DP 11.3, Kontakt 7, Reaktor 6, PC3K7, K2661S, iPad6, Godin XTSA, Two Ibanez 5 string basses (1 fretted, 1 fretless), FM3, SY-1000, etc.

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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by sonus »

Bumping this topic since I believe that this definitely needs to be fixed in the next DP update! I really don't understand why they haven't implemented this so far, it's so counter productive. I hope someone from MOTU is watching.
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Re: Multiple MIDI takes looping like with audio - how?

Post by RayMasse »

sonus wrote: Mon Dec 11, 2017 1:18 am Bumping this topic since I believe that this definitely needs to be fixed in the next DP update! I really don't understand why they haven't implemented this so far, it's so counter productive. I hope someone from MOTU is watching.


+1

Ray.
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