Helpful ReplyIs there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only?

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jyoung60
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2017/07/24 01:29:12 (permalink)

Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only?

I work with MIDI tracks for live performing (bass & drum backup mostly, with occasional extra keyboard parts).  Many times I have a hard time hearing the count-ins because they are low volume so as not to annoy the audience.  But I'd like to have those count-ins heard only in my stage monitor, to give a cleaner intro and experience for the audience.  It would also come in handy for parts of songs where it's only me playing guitar, and I need a click track to keep my timing until other instruments come in.
 
Is there a way to accomplish this?

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Grem
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/24 01:34:48 (permalink)
I am assuming that you want to send to output of a midi "Synth" to the left side only?
 
My understanding of midi is that it's sent on a channel and not a left/right thing.

Grem

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jyoung60
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/24 01:43:38 (permalink)
Grem
I am assuming that you want to send to output of a midi "Synth" to the left side only?
 
My understanding of midi is that it's sent on a channel and not a left/right thing.


At this point I simply play the MIDI files (that I created) straight from SONAR on my laptop.  I was hoping there's some way to work with left/right channels with MIDI, though it may not be possible like you say.

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Grem
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/24 02:11:49 (permalink)
But if you are getting a "click" sound, you can send the sound that that is generated from the midi info to left/right channels.
 
Not sure if I am understanding what you are looking for.
 
IOW, instead of sending the midi info left/right, send the audio left/right. If all you have is a stereo output coming out of your PC, then that's the only two channels that you could send the "click" audio out of, either right or left.
 
You could send all your program audio (the stuff you want the audience to hear) to the right side, then send the click track to the left and send that to your monitors. Problem with this is your main output to the audience would only be mono and you would have to take that into consideration when creating your program material.
 
Am I helping or creating more confusion? : )

Grem

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JohanSebatianGremlin
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/24 02:13:24 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby jyoung60 2017/07/25 00:40:10
I believe the pan control is what you're looking for.

 
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promidi
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/24 08:01:20 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby jyoung60 2017/07/25 00:40:16
JohanSebatianGremlin
I believe the pan control is what you're looking for.


Yes.  Controller 10 on a given MIDI channel will achieve this.

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Sanderxpander
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/24 15:30:07 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby jyoung60 2017/07/25 00:40:19
MIDI stands for "musical instrument digital interface". It is simple note data like "a C is being played this hard (the velocity)". No sound is involved. In order to hear anything you need to assign a synth to play back the note data. If you're hearing anything, you have. If you are opening basic MIDI files, Sonar automatically inserts the 16 channel TTS-1 synth which is well suited for playing back standard MIDI files. The sound coming out of the TTS-1 can be panned like any other audio signal. You can do this in the TTS-1 interface or, as was already pointed out, send midi continuous controller number 10 (CC#10) to adjust pan per channel. If you're only playing back one part you can also adjust the pan control of the track in Sonar's control (or in the Inspector). This will pan the entire output of the synth though (all channels).

I hope this is not too confusing, unfortunately this stuff is basically just a modern skin on 1980s technology.
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JohanSebatianGremlin
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/24 15:57:22 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby jyoung60 2017/07/25 00:39:10
I'm going to assume the files you're using have the click track integrated with the drums probably on MIDI channel 10. The problem you might run into then is simply panning MIDI channel 10 will result in the click plus all the drums going to one side.

If that's the case, there are couple ways to get around it, but all of them will involve doing some edits to the track. 

 
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THambrecht
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/24 16:08:39 (permalink)
Panning MIDI is only possible if the synth (Hardware or VST) is a STEREO synth and receives messages for panorama.
Otherwise the pan-controll has no function. For example the novation bass station (hardware) has only a MONO out.
Its up to your synthesizer.

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Sanderxpander
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/24 16:38:09 (permalink)
NM I misread
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/24 16:40:28 (permalink)
THambrecht
Panning MIDI is only possible if the synth (Hardware or VST) is a STEREO synth and receives messages for panorama.
Otherwise the pan-controll has no function. For example the novation bass station (hardware) has only a MONO out.
Its up to your synthesizer.

In which case you can pan in Sonar. But since he's talking count-ins and basic midi files it seems he's using a multi timbral GM style unit - I have never seen one of those in mono.
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jyoung60
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/25 00:38:47 (permalink)
Thanks everyone for their suggestions and feedback.  It has been very helpful.
 
Just coming off vacation, so when I get back to working with SONAR tomorrow (Tuesday), I'll try CC10 - which I don't know why I hadn't thought of myself, duh.  I'll need to put count-ins and such on a separate track of course, so there's a lot of editing in my future.  Pretty sure this thread will get me where I want to go.  Thanks again!

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JohanSebatianGremlin
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/25 11:27:43 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby jyoung60 2017/07/25 12:32:20
In addition to a separate track, you'll likely need either a separate sound module or an additional patch (loaded on a different MIDI channel) into whatever multitimbral module you're using.

 
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tlw
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/25 12:45:12 (permalink)
The easiest way to do this, if you want the audio to remain in stereo, is to use an interface that has more than two outputs.

Route the stereo audio to a pair of outputs and the click to another, which is then routed by the mixer to just the monitors.

Though the advisability of running a PA in stereo is debatable - often large sections of the audience will be hearing much more of one "side" of the stereo than the other, unless the nearest audience members to the PA speakers are somewhat further away from the speakers than the distance between the speakers. If the PA is run in mono then send the backing audio to one interface output and the click to the other, then again at the mixer send the audio to PA and foldback and click to foldback only.

PS - MIDI is neither stereo or mono, it's just instructions telling something that understands the instructions what to do. As well as telling a synth to pan its output you can also pan the resulting audio using Sonar's ordinary panning controls, or collapse a synth's stereo output to mono.

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konradh
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Re: Is there way to output a MIDI track to left channel only? 2017/07/25 13:33:24 (permalink)
Sometimes I would make the count-in a short musical phrase instead of a click so it was OK for people to hear it (e.g., a bass walk in, short guitar line, light drum fill).  Instead of a straight click track, I would have a hi-hat, shaker, or some other instrument keeping the time.
 
I understand you don't want to rearrange all your music: just some ideas for your consideration.

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