Automation faders for MIDI volume

[toddhayen]

I have a feeling this has been posted many times but I have been searching and cannot find any posts on this topic.

When using fader automation for volume I find that while mixing I can move a fader on an audio file and the volume will follow the fader smoothly. However, if I used a fader to control volume on a MIDI track, the volume does not follow the fader as I move it (except on playback), but rather the volume jerks around and is not smooth with the fader move. The move is successfully recorded, so when I play back my fader move is followed. However, when I am "mixing", and moving the fader live, I cannot get a sense of what the mix will sound like as I can't hear the fader move, thus making this feature useless to mix MIDI.

Is this just the way DP works or am I missing some crucial setting that will allow the audible volume to follow my fader move while I am creating an automated mix? I have the track record AND play enabled (for automation), it is a MIDI track, and I am moving the fader on the MIDI track, not the instrument track.

Thanks...and sorry if this is a repeat question.

Believe it or not I have been using Performer since version 1, switched over to Logic a few years ago and am attempting to come back to DP...and I don't recall having this problem years ago...

Todd Hayen

[James Steele]

...or am I missing some crucial setting that will allow the audible volume to follow my fader move while I am creating an automated mix?

Yes. What's going on is that there is a setting in the mini-menu in the upper right hand corner of the DP VI window for "Run in realtime." When this is NOT checked, DP by default pre-renders the anticipated audio output of the virtual instrument ahead of time. This conserves processor cycles, but will make VI's respond sluggishly to incoming pan/volume/etc. MIDI messages. There are three ways to take the VI out of this "pre-render" mode:

1) The obvious. Check the "Run in realtime" option in the mini-menu at the upper right of DP's VI window. The VI will from then on not pre-render and respond quickly as you expect it to. It will stay in this mode at all times until you uncheck this option and as a result put a bit more processor hit on your computer.

2) Open the VI's GUI in DP. DP anticipates that you've opened the window for a reason... that you may want to make realtime adjustments to the VI's parameters via its GUI, hence it only makes sense to take it out of pre-render mode and put it in realtime mode. Once you close the window it will revert back to pre-render mode (unless you've checked the option in #1 above)

3) Record enable the MIDI track that targets the VI. (Not just enable automation record, but the main record enable for that MIDI track). Again, DP obviously expects there will be realtime MIDI input to the VI and temporarily takes it out of pre-render mode. Turning off record enable will put it back to pre-render mode (again, unless you've checked the option in #1 above).

I have the track record AND play enabled (for automation), it is a MIDI track, and I am moving the fader on the MIDI track, not the instrument track.

Right. So if you use #3 above, that's a shortcut to temporarily put the VI in real-time mode.

Believe it or not I have been using Performer since version 1, switched over to Logic a few years ago and am attempting to come back to DP...and I don't recall having this problem years ago...

You wouldn't recall it. It was introduced in DP6. You're probably actually fortunate you missed out on DP6... that was a bit rough, even for the most faithful among us. DP 7 onward though are really good.

[toddhayen]

OMG James! You are a genius! THANK YOU so much! I am quite embarrassed I didn't know this, but what the hell. I think my problem is that I have switched back and forth between DP and other DAWS so often I forget (I think why this "used to" work for me is because I would put the track in record enable at a time I thought you had to do that to record automation data) or I just would lose familiarity with the whole thing. Still, it would have taken me weeks to figure this out...or maybe never! Thanks again!!

Todd

[James Steele]

Thanks but most everyone else could have answered that for you. That was something many of us had to go through when we made the jump from DP5 to DP6.

[James Steele]

OMG James! You are a genius! THANK YOU so much! I am quite embarrassed I didn't know this, but what the hell. I think my problem is that I have switched back and forth between DP and other DAWS so often I forget (I think why this "used to" work for me is because I would put the track in record enable at a time I thought you had to do that to record automation data) or I just would lose familiarity with the whole thing. Still, it would have taken me weeks to figure this out...or maybe never! Thanks again!!

Todd

Come to think of it, you'd also want to make sure you were in non destructive record mode in DP if you were planning to rec-enable the MIDI track, else you'd lose pre-existing MIDI note data in the track. Otherwise just opening the VI's GUI or toggling the "Run in real time" status for that VI might be best.