NEW POST --Hello to all - need some assistance (if possible). I'm using a PC with Win7 and music Creator 6 Touch. I have a Yamaha PSR E-433 keyboard with only USB out (NO MIDI OUT port). When I insert a Cakewalk TTS-1 Soft Synth track I can only get the keyboard to play on Channel 1 of the TTS. No matter which Channel I choose in Preferences/Output/Channel the system always defaults to Yamaha PSR E-433 Instruments in the "Uses Instrument" box in Preferences.  How do I access the other channels on the TTS-1?
 
 
PC running Win7, Music Creator 6 Touch, Yamaha PSR E-433 keyboard, Blue Yeti USB mic.
 post edited by Sparkey - 4 hours ago

It's simply a matter of understanding midi channel assignments and the process.
 
It might look cryptic to some extent, but read through it first, then go back step by step and it should make sense.
 
The keyboard defaults to channel one in TTS so you will get some sound..... it's now just a matter of setting the channels up properly to get TTS to recognize the other channels and play music back on each of them..... I realized this was a problem for many folks so I set up this quick reference on my web site..... it shows you how to set up TTS for 3 channels...... each playing a different instrument, and all inputted from the same midi source which just happened to be transmitting it's data on midi channel 6.
 
Ask more questions if you need further clarification on something.  Ignore that the info says MC 4&5... it still works for MC6
 
From my website: 
 
 
Tips for Music Creator 4 & 5

ADVANCED TTS set up and operation.

You only need one instance of TTS to be able to play 16 different midi tracks as 16 different instruments. In this demo I will explain just how you accomplish this by starting with 3 midi tracks and one instance of TTS.

So…open a new project ( I opened a normal project and deleted the audio track and then inserted the midi tracks needed and then inserted the soft synth) and insert 3 midi tracks and one instance of TTS. I have:
 Track 1 midi piano
 Track 2 midi bass
 Track 3 midi strings
 Track 4 Cakewalk TTS1-1 (audio track this is where TTS lives in this project)

Use the track icons…it makes it ease to know what track you are working on.


Understand that this is just a basic setup of TTS to show you how to setup multiple instruments in one instance of TTS and get it all working.

Set Track 1 (piano)

Input FR channel 6
Output 2-Cakewalk TTS1-1
Channel 1
Key 0
Bank & patch = piano

Set track 2 (bass)

Input FR channel 6
Output 2-Cakewalk TTS1-1
Channel 2
Key -12
Bank & patch = bass

Set track 3 (strings)

Input FR channel 6
Output 2 Cakewalk TTS1-1
Channel 3
Key 0
Bank & patch = strings


A NOTE about my set up..... Notice that all 3 tracks are using the same input....FR channel 6. (Focusrite=FR) This allows all three channels to “hear” the midi keyboard which I have set to transmit on channel 6.
I could set each channel input to a different channel. By doing so I have to change the midi keyboard to transmit on that channel....none of the other channels will hear it, and that can be very useful in recording as you will see shortly.

By setting all 3 channels to the same midi input channel (channel 6) I am able to play all the parts into the three channels with out changing the midi transmit channel on my DX27S. I arm track 1 and record my parts doing the same for the next two tracks. Since the outputs are set to different channels they are sending their midi data to different channels in the TTS synth. The synth looks at the channel number, and routs that data to that channel and applied the patch & bank info you assigned to it and it carries out those instructions. The result is that you hear 3 different instruments playing from your speakers.

Herb, thanks for the reply but I'm stumped from the get-go!  
In the Preferences menu my midi devices Input and Output is the Yamaha keyboard. In the Instruments menu my Output/Channel shows "digital keyboard" and channels 1/1 thru 1/16. As you stated, the keyboard defaults to output Channel 1/1 and the Uses instruments box is Yamaha PSR E-433.  But if I choose any other output channel the "uses instrument" box changes to "default".  So I don't have a clue where to begin following your instructions.  I don't have any idea what the key and bank and patch settings are.

You are in the wrong part of the software. All you need to do in preferences is make sure the keyboard is selected as your MIDI input device. All the channel, bank and patch assignments happen on the MIDI track strip(s) in the track view in MC. After inserting an instance of TTS-1 it will default to playing on channel 1. To change it to channel 2 use the channel drop down in the MIDI track.

Still lost and I feel like a jerk.  I have track view selected and Midi selected from the bottom left menu but I don't have a clue as to where "channel, bank and patch" choices are or how to select them. 

This is what a MIDI track strip looks like in the track view (from: http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation/default.aspx?Doc=Music%20Creator%206%20Touch&Lang=EN&Req=Playback.16.html#1108203 )

 
P points to Channel
Q points to Patch
S points to Bank
 

The Channel/Patch and Bank are also available in the inspector pointed to by C below (from: http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation/default.aspx?Doc=Music%20Creator%206%20Touch&Lang=EN&Req=Inspectors.3.html#1220713 )

Thank you!  I'll have to review this and the Cakewalk documentation and see if my poor old brain can make sense of it.  Thanks for your patience.

Scook has it right, and thinks for posting the pic. 
 
The midi channel selects the input (O) to that track from the midi source device.... your keyboard.
 
doing nothing else and hitting record will record the incoming data to the track. Of course you may not hear anything at this point either until you select the other options of channel and patch and banks.
 
by selecting the output (R) as TTS you tell that channel where to send the data.  TTS will show up since it was loaded if you did this with "insert synth" and chose TTS to insert.
(P) tells the track what channel to send the data on and TTS will look for the data on that channel and assign it automatically to it's TTS channel of the same number.
(Q) the patch is the sound that TTS will use to play that data. This could be bass, piano, bagpipes, or any other available General Midi (GM)  sound.
(S) the bank is a collection of sounds available as patches. In many cases, unless you have added more, you have 128 GM stock/default sounds available to you in TTS
 
It took me a bit of time to figure out just how Midi worked. That was the main reason I attempted to provide the info in the hopes it would clarify this issue for new folks just starting with midi. It may seem confusing right now, but I assure you that once the light goes on and you suddenly "get it" , it will be very simple and easy to understand.
 
 
 

scook
This is what a MIDI track strip looks like in the track view (from: http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation/default.aspx?Doc=Music%20Creator%206%20Touch&Lang=EN&Req=Playback.16.html#1108203 )

 
P points to Channel
Q points to Patch
S points to Bank
 

 
I believe that if you follow exactly....step by step, the instructions I have provided from my web site..... start with one audio track and 3 midi tracks in a brand new project.... then follow the steps line by line.... it will become clear to you.
 
Of course, you will need to substitute your input source and your interface in place of the one I have used. This should work perfectly and help you see it as it happens. Try it and let me know how it works.

You are welcome for the pic. I just drag them in from the MC6 Touch help on this site, no special server needed.