[SOLVED] MIDI sound quality issue

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chrisdaw
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[SOLVED] MIDI sound quality issue

Post by chrisdaw »

Hello

I'm using Ardour with my Korg Monologue. I can record via MIDI ok but when I play back to the synth the sound is similar but lacks the complexity of the original sound. The original sound is a squelchy acidy sound and the playback is just a drone. It's as though some MIDI data regarding the original sound is not being recorded or played back.

I also looked at the global MIDI settings on the synth and nothing seems amiss.

Thanks for reading

Chris
Last edited by chrisdaw on Fri Jul 24, 2020 6:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
chrisdaw
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Re: MIDI sound quality issue

Post by chrisdaw »

I should just say I'm recording the synth playing a sequence... perhaps this is where the misunderstanding is...
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Re: MIDI sound quality issue

Post by Basslint »

MIDI should have nothing to do with the sound, as the synth probably is sending Note on/off messages. That said, have you tried a different sequencer like Qtractor?
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chrisdaw
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Re: MIDI sound quality issue

Post by chrisdaw »

Also tried Waveform DAW, same result. I'm guessing stuff like motion data is not MIDI data.
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bluebell
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Re: MIDI sound quality issue

Post by bluebell »

My M-AUDIO CODE61 has several MIDI"channels" that can be connected:

Bildschirmfoto_2020-07-24_17-43-07.png
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Maybe your Korg has them, too, and you have to connect all of them to your DAW to get the modulation data.

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chrisdaw
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Re: MIDI sound quality issue

Post by chrisdaw »

bluebell wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 3:43 pm My M-AUDIO CODE61 has several MIDI"channels" that can be connected:

Maybe your Korg has them, too, and you have to connect all of them to your DAW to get the modulation data.
Yes mine has 2 input channels and 2 output. So how do I get these working together? Thanks
chrisdaw
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Re: MIDI sound quality issue

Post by chrisdaw »

Um ok you set each channel to its own track and record all together. Then set the track outputs accordingly on playback. My faith in MIDI is restored :D

(This works fine in Waveform but not in Ardour)
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Re: [SOLVED] MIDI sound quality issue

Post by bluebell »

Can't you simply connect all of them to your DAW, e.g. with Qjackctl and record/play a single track with that data?

Bildschirmfoto_2020-07-24_21-37-59.png
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ZestieBumwhig
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Re: [SOLVED] MIDI sound quality issue

Post by ZestieBumwhig »

If you were twisting the knobs in real-time, I think it would be coming in as MIDI CC data (not note-on/note-off). Maybe you can enable that in Ardour? However, I don't know if the Monologue's motion data recorder plays back MIDI CC through its MIDI out, or if it only does that internally.

I don't know how to record CC data in Ardour (I've hardly used Ardour), but I know when I use, ie, Pure Data, I can see the results of my knob-twisting in real time, and can readily go computer -> Korg, and Korg -> computer with all of that detail.

edit: I guess the Monologue does send out the CC data from the motion sequencer, since you've got it working in Waveform!
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Re: [SOLVED] MIDI sound quality issue

Post by chrisdaw »

Please ignore my previous post.

In Waveform I just use the MIDI 2 input with "Record MPE to Note Expression" off. After recording I found I had to reselect the program on the synth for the sound to playback correctly... this is why I thought it did not work before! (whenever MIDI goes haywire I need to do this)

Also got it working in Ardour once I realised it doesn't like both MIDI input and output selected for a track at the same time. Again reselecting the program on the synth is required.

MIDI 1 input is not needed (I did read somewhere it may refer to the 5 pin DIN MIDI, I'm using USB MIDI)

At the moment I'm liking Waveform more, the MIDI track editing is awesome :)
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Re: [SOLVED] MIDI sound quality issue

Post by bluebell »

You might like Qtractor's MIDI editor as well.
qtmidied.jpg
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