User Manual

RECORDING
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MIDI INPUT MONITORING
MIDI Patch Thru (Studio menu) allows you to hear
incoming MIDI data from your MIDI controller
instrument played back on your output
synthesizers (Figure 24-6) or virtual instruments.
More technically, Patch Thru echoes MIDI data
received by Digital Performer to any MIDI device
in your studio that you choose. You’ll want to use
Patch Thru most of the time because it allows you
to hear what you are playing on your MIDI sound
modules while recording. Patch Thru also provides
an easy way to experiment with different playback
synthesizers without having to manually reconnect
patch cords and change MIDI channels on the
instruments.
Patch Thru works whether you are recording or
not. However, MIDI data will only be patched
through tracks which are record-enabled. If you
don’t hear anything on your synthesizer modules
when playing your controller, check to be sure that
the correct track or tracks are record-enabled.
Timing and synchronization data are not echoed in
Patch Thru.
Turning on MIDI Patch Thru
To turn on MIDI Patch Thru, choose it from the
Studio menu and select either Direct Echo or Auto
Channelize:
Figure 24-7: Digital Performer’s MIDI Patch Thru command offers two
types of patch thru: Direct Echo and Auto Channelize.
Direct echo
Direct Echo causes incoming MIDI data from your
controller to be echoed back out on the same
channel it was received. For example, if your MIDI
controller is transmitting on channel 3, MIDI data
is echoed back out on channel 3 by Digital
Performer. The Input Filter settings do not affect
direct-echoed data; information is simply echoed
straight through, bypassing most of Digital
Performer’s MIDI processing.
MIDI Cable
MIDI Cable
Digital Performer
MIDI sound module
Figure 24-6: Here is an overview of how Patch Thru works. You press a key on your controller keyboard. The note gets sent to Digital Performe
r.
Digital Performer determines which device (MIDI channel) the note will be echoed to by the track is currently record-enabled. It then sends th
e
note to the output device assigned to that track, which plays the note using whatever sound (patch) is currently selected on that channel.