Much cheaper to buy than treating your room/making a laptop quiet  ...... I track on my laptop and edit/mix on my desktop, so maybe I'll try this out. Thanks!

Thanks for another cool tip Craig.
I have had a couple of blues harmonicas for years, so now might be the time to start learning / using them 
All the bests.
 
~~~ appnaz.com ~~~

Week 159: The Matrix View Sampler You Can Trigger with MIDI Tracks
 
One limitation—or maybe I should say, former limitation—of the Matrix View is that although it could “MIDI Learn” a keyboard, drum pads, Novation Launchpad, etc., you couldn't record this MIDI data and edit it for playback as it triggered the Matrix View cells. Of course, you could record the audio in audio tracks, and edit it in any way you can edit audio, which is all many people want. But follow this tip, and you can trigger the Matrix view from a SONAR MIDI track you recorded.
 
First, you need to download and install LoopBe1, a free virtual MIDI driver from www.nerds.de. You can choose this as a track output, and that output will (as if by magic) send MIDI to the Matrix View MIDI input. Important: You don’t want LoopB1’s MIDI input and output enabled on a track in such a way that this would cause a feedback loop, because a MIDI feedback loop alters the very fabric of the universe. Well actually it’s not that bad, but you do have to turn turn off whatever was responsible for the feedback loop, then re-enable LoopBe1 using its Taskbar icon (you may need to look in the Taskbar’s Hidden Icons section for this).
 
SETUP TIME
 
1. Call up the Matrix view and load it up with samples you want to trigger...let’s say short one-shots, because you want to drag AudioSnap slices into cells, and play electronic drum hits.
2. Use MIDI Learn (right-click on a cell) to assign the Matrix View pads to MIDI notes. (I don’t think MIDI Learn assignments are remembered with projects or templates...if not, time for a feature request. However, if even one cell contains data, it appears a template will remember MIDI Learn assignments for all cells, whether empty or not.)
3. In Preferences > MIDI > Devices, under Inputs and Outputs check LoopBe internal MIDI.
4. Set up the Matrix View cell triggering parameters as appropriate to your needs. In this case, to trigger one-shots, turn off Capture Matrix Performance, Follow Transport, Global Loop Mode and Latch Mode. Turn on Retrigger Mode, Cell Start, and Cell MIDI Trigger Enable. Make sure Trigger Resolution is set to Immediate. The Matrix View header should look like this:
 

 
5. Create a MIDI track. Set its Input to your controller, and the Output to LoopBe Internal MIDI.
(Note that if you want to drag in slices from AudioSnapped audio, click on the Matrix Options button and uncheck Import Content as Groove Clips.)
 
Now when you record on your MIDI track, you’ll trigger the cells in the Matrix View. But even better, when you play back the MIDI track, that will also trigger the cells. With this technique you can edit the MIDI track and change times, insert and remove notes, quantize, apply MFX...the mind boggles.
 
Here’s a complete example of what I’m talking about:
 

 

• The top three tracks are individual audio outs from the Matrix View
• The audio track below that has slices from an EDM Percussion Library loop, which had been dragged in from the Browser, then sliced into beats with AudioSnap
• The MIDI file recorded pad presses, and the MIDI data plays back through the Matrix
• The Matrix itself has two rows loaded with drum sounds, and another row loaded with slices from the AudioSnapped file
• Important note: The Matrix View triggers multiple clips per column, but only one clip per row (the opposite of Ableton Live, which triggers multiple clips per row but only one clip per column). Stack the one-shots one above another in a column to be able to trigger them polyphonically.

 
So...the Matrix View isn't just for performance—if you have internal MIDI Loopback. Happy slicing, dicing, and triggering!
 
 

Oh yes. This is the way I have always wanted to use the Matrix. Too bad it requires a third party app. I have wished to be able to record a matrix performance as midi since it was introduced back in the stone age. Many moons ago I tried using a hardware midi loop but that was just too much of a headache.. LoopBe has been out for a long time but I never considered using it for driving the Matrix (DUh!). Thank you Craig. I have found use in almost all of your tips. But this one, well, it's the easy workaround for Matrix View's biggest flaw.
 
Thank You.

Very nice tip. Thanks Craig - I echo Base 57's sentiment that Matrix View should allow this without Loopbe or similar. But as usual Craig doesn't let a program limitation impact his ability to make full use of a great feature. I used to use Cyclone for a lot of this but it's inability to slice anything except acidized wav files kept me from using it more. Older 32 bit only tools like Phatmatik Pro (sadly retired) create too many stability headaches in 64 bit SONAR - using the Matrix View within SONAR is going to be  I think the preferred option. Well done.

Thanks again for another great tip Craig.   I see new life now for the matrix view.  

I also dig this, yes, a MIDI recorder! I loved Cyclone more than 10 years ago and did beautiful things with it, but it's gone, I don't even understand why it's still there in the package. Then I thought Beatscape was the successor, nothing like (but the rex library still there). Then came the Matrix View and that's the instrument now that we/they have to make work.

I downloaded LoopBe1 this morning and have been test driving the Matrix with it. Mind boggled. The possibilities...
Craig, you have come up with some good ones in the past. But this is... Man, I don't even know where to start. I'm just going to walk away for second cup before my head explodes. But again, thank you.

Glad you like it! I tried to get this to work before, but didn't have all the parameters set correctly...for example I'd drag in slices but if they were too short and Import Content as Groove Clips wasn't unchecked, it would seem like a fail. Once I had all the parameters quantified, I too was surprised at how well this works.
 
As to LoopBe1, it exists so we're good. Cakewalk could probably add the Matrix View as a MIDI Track output somehow, but I'd prefer they work on something else because we already have a solution. Besides, how could you NOT want to use something from a web site called nerds.de?

I'm missing something here.  I think I'm good to step 5.  I have my Matrix set up with sounds in a couple rows.  From doing midi learn, I can trigger the sounds and hear them from midi keyboard (chan 16).  
 
In step 5:
I have the midi track input set to my midi keyboard transmitting on Chan16.  
Output is set to 06.Internal which is checked as midi output in preferences.  (The directions say "Output to LoopBe Internal MIDI")
If this is correct, how does the Matrix get the midi data from this output?
I did record some midi notes in this midi track and can verify them in Event view but the Matrix is not being triggered.    
 
(Note: I have loopbe30 - I'm using 5 ports and 06.Internal port is free and available as input or output.)
Very useful tip if I can get it working.  Thanks.