MIDI goes out of tune

I have 2 issues.
 
1)   Some notes on my keyboard seem a bit out of tune  (this is mainly when I record bass).    It does it with my MIDI controller and my regular keyboard using MIDI.  Same notes are out of tune on both keyboards.
2)  After I record some chords and play it back, it's good.  But after a while (or the next day) when I play it back, some chords will be out of tune  (this is in MIDI).   
 
I have no idea what's causing it or how to fix it.    
 
Greg

I use an M-Audio Keystation 49 controller, and I had a Yamaha keyboard that I used for MIDI as well.   
Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me how it could go out of tune - especially after I recorded it.    I checked the keyboards, and everything seems to be fine.
But that still wouldn't explain why some chords would go out of tune after I recorded them.
 
Thanks!
Greg

So you are saying that a MIDI track plays a different pitch on two different keyboards at when either is played at a different time? Drift on the physical pitch bend controller on a keyboard would explain it (different response at different temperatures, etc.) but having that happen simultaneously on two completely different units is very unlikely. Besides, your keyboards presumably do not respond to the physical pitch bend wheel while they are playing from remote MIDI input. That latter would be easy enough to test just move the pitch bend wheel while MIDI is playing. There is no reason at all to think that a recorded MIDI track is going to somehow manufacture new pitch bend events if it sits on your hard drive over night, but you can examine the event list to see if anything is amiss there. This assumes that you are just playing back the previously recorded MIDI track. If the MIDI track is open to record on a new session, however, all bets are off. 

What I mean by errant pitch bend messages is if you start playback where there was a previous pitch bend message that changed pitch prior to the start of playback, and the pitch bend message that restores things to zero doesn't happen until after the point where you began playback.
 
Go to Preferences > Project > MIDI and look under "Other Options." Try checking "Zero Controllers when Play Stops" and unchecking "Patch Controller Searchback Before Play Starts."
 
Also, to see if there is pitch bend data in the track, insert the MIDI Event Filter plug-in to the MIDI track, and click the Wheel button. This should prevent any pitch bend data from reaching whatever instrument the track is feeding.

I always put Controller 121=0 and Pitch Wheel=0 at the start of every MIDI track.  That will not, however, correct a pitch bend message that accidentally got inserted somewhere in the middle of the track.  It happens.  You can go to Event List | View and uncheck Notes so you can quickly see the controllers and pitch bend messages.
 
IMPORTANT: The pitch bend message could be on a different track.  This has happened to me.
 
Example: Piano is on track 1, MIDI channel 1.  Track 2 is going to the same synth and should be playing a bass part on channel 2; but it is accidentally ALSO set to MIDI channel 1, instead of a different channel.  Pitch bend (or instrument patch changes messages) on one track will mess up the other one.
 
Example: Let's say you have a Motif on channel 1 Port A.  You also have a Nord Lead on channel 3 Port B; however, the outputs got messed up—which happens in Sonar sometimes—and the Nord track is actually set to output to channel 1 Port A, so it's pitch bend messages are messing with your Motif.  This exact problem (although with different keyboards or sound modules) has happened to me more than once and although it will drive you crazy until you find it, it is simple to fix.

Just a dumb quick question.   To insert the MIDI Event Filter, I read where it says,
"choose MIDI Plugins > Cakewalk FX > MIDI Event Filter."
 
Where do I find "MIDI Plugins"?   I know I'm going to feel really stupid when someone tells me the answer.  
Thanks!
Greg

Good to know, Dave.
 
Thanks!
Greg

MFX plug-ins are found in the the plug-ins tab in the media browser under MIDI FX, they are also available in the context menus in MIDI FX bins.

run message. Line in /MIDI

robert_e_bone
I used to have pitch problems after playback, with some Reaktor patches.
 
FINALLY figured out that for some reason, some of their factory patches had pitch tied to the mod wheel, and Sonar has a default option set ON, if I recall, to where Sonar will set all pedals and wheels and such back to ZERO when playback stops.  So, for ME, stopping playback would cause the pitch to drop.
 
That actually happened to me on the FIRST song of my FIRST gig with a band, for the first time I used a computerized rig for live performance.  So, I cannot figure out why my pitch has changed, and the singer utters the following "Just keep playing - he'll catch up".
 
Bob Bone

That must have been fun.   :)
 
I unchecked the box that says,  "Patch Controller Searchback Before Play Starts," and it seems to have worked. 
 
Thanks, Bob!
Greg

I never had a problem with this until recently.    It seems to happen no matter what the program is.   It does it with EZKeys, Dimension Pro, and the Bass program inside Sonar.   Frustrating...
 
Greg

Psalmist35
Greg,
I haven't been in my studio in a while(Life )!  Next time I'm tinkering in there I'll make it a point to pinpoint my issue.
 
BTW, I listened to your music on your soundcloud!  Awesome stuff!  Did you develop the backing tracks yourself?  Either way, I was pleasantly surprised with your music.

Thank you!  I really appreciate it!   The first 3 tracks are not my backing tracks.   The others are.    
I am currently doing a gospel CD.   Not sure when it will be done, if ever.   :)    
 
I listened to your stuff on Soundclick.   Some songs I recognized; others I didn't.   Not sure if any of them are originals or not, but they all sounded great!   Nice voice too.
 
Greg