MIDI controller set up: midi channels vs active track
As far as I understand, when setting up a midi controller in Drambo, there are 2 ways of controlling different tracks:
- Active track where midi is received only when the desired track is highlighted
- On a specific midi channel
I’d be interested to hear what are people’s preferred ways of setting up a midi controller(s) and what pros and cons they find.
I personally use the midi channel method because I can control several tracks at once without the need to switch between tracks and I just find it more straight forward that way. ie filter sweeps on several tracks simultaneously are super easy this way .
Unfortunately I’m struggling with deleting tracks as currently in order to delete one needs to select the track and press undo.
I’m striving to get to the point where I don’t need to touch the screen in the middle of the session but this seems to be the last stumbling block.
Comments
I think you’re mixing things, but maybe it’s intentional to achieve your goal...
generally, ‘setting up a controller’ means utilising ‘midi learn’ feature - in that context midi message will reach its target regardless of track selection, so your 1) and 2) doesn’t apply... also this is how you access various pad modes and such. You get this by enabling your controller port for ‘CONTROL’ in settings.
1) and 2) apply to midi ports that are enabled for ‘TRACK’ (typically a keyboard sending notes, but can be anything, so can be a controller sending CCs too) which can be turned into modulation via some modules.
You may enable the same physical port for both ‘TRACK’ and ‘CONTROL’ but these two are handled very differently inside D, and shouldn’t really be mixed imo.
I am indeed a bit mixed up. Drambo never stops confusing me! So yes, It is possible to map pad selection while having track midi receive set to always but it requires extra buttons per track to achieve that. When tracks midi receive is set to active track it is easy to double a single button as mute and track select as well as clear while holding undo. Which is what I like about this.
So hang on, does it mean I could have tracks set to active track and the track will still receive midi learn messages if that track is not selected? I can’t check this now but I thought midi didn’t go through until the track’s pad wasn’t selected! 🧐😅
If I'm not totally mistaken, track MIDI input selection and MIDI learn are independent from each other: MIDI learn is a global thing.
Hope this helps... :)
Even though they may seem similar, the two are tailored for different use cases, but because Drambo is flexible, there is overlap.