MPE/multichannel MIDI question
I have encountered some strange behaviour while working on a patch designed to send multichannel microtonal MIDI to MPE capable synths. The patch requires a polyphonic signal to be split into individual voices which are each assigned their own MIDI channel. The attached image shows my solution for 8 voices of polyphony, which is working correctly.
However, when using the same method to support 9 voices for example, the 9th voice cuts out or causes previously played notes to be dropped, as if it was still only 8 voice polyphony. On synths that display the active voice count you can see the number increase to 9 briefly before dropping back to 8. Strangely, the internal MIDI Monitor module seems to indicate everything is working correctly if you simply hold a sustained 9 note chord.
I've attached a project file that's set up to demonstrate this. The 8x poly track has a 7 note chord programmed in the sequencer, if you play this back while holding an 8th note you will hear the note being held correctly. On the 9x poly track there is an 8 note chord, holding a 9th note while this plays should demonstrate the issue. Unfortunately anybody looking to test this aurally will need an MPE capable synth such as SynthMaster 2 or the built in logic synths.
Any advice would be much appreciated!
Comments
No time to check, but I see you're using Midi channel 1. MPE uses channel 1 for something else than notes. Maybe try starting from channel 2 and see what happens.
By the way you can build full MPE instruments in Drambo.
Cheers, I can confirm that this is not the issue as I have also tried using channels 2-10 for this, I just forgot to set them that way in the demonstration patch. In either case the 8 note version does work correctly even when using channels 1-8. Good to hear you've had success building MPE instruments though!
So I decided to test a completely different setup using Logic's internal synths with Entonal Studio as the MPE MIDI converter and the exact same issue occurs when trying to go above 8 note polyphony. This indicates that the problem is nothing to do with Drambo. Unless the developer of Entonal made the same mistake I am making with my patch it seems like the problem might be to do with how the AUV3 plugins send or receive MPE MIDI data...
Any ideas here?
Nevermind, it turns out Entonal Studio CAN output MPE MIDI correctly with more than 8 channels of polyphony, I just had the logic synth configured incorrectly. Unfortunately this suggests the problem is still with either my patch or Drambo. Apologies for the confusing string of posts regarding this.
Here is a list of MIDI messages showing the issue occurring. I start by holding a high note (127) then playing the sequencer containing the 8 note chord. Just before the note off messages for the chord are sent a note off is sent for 127 even though I continue holding it down.
CH10 NOTE ON 127 74
0: CH2 NOTE ON 48 80
0: CH3 NOTE ON 36 80
0: CH4 NOTE ON 55 80
0: CH5 NOTE ON 60 80
0: CH6 NOTE ON 64 80
0: CH7 NOTE ON 67 80
0: CH8 NOTE ON 70 80
0: CH9 NOTE ON 72 80
2: CH10 NOTE OFF 127 0
2: CH2 NOTE OFF 48 0
2: CH3 NOTE OFF 36 0
2: CH4 NOTE OFF 55 0
2: CH5 NOTE OFF 60 0
2: CH6 NOTE OFF 64 0
2: CH7 NOTE OFF 67 0
2: CH8 NOTE OFF 70 0
2: CH9 NOTE OFF 72 0