How to record your REV 2 (MIDI) with dedicated programs on PC.

[ergodep]

Hello,

I'm new to analog synths but not so new to music production. I will appologise for the thread if allready exists but with all the searches on google i still can't figure it out. Maybe other newbies like me must be interested. Ok..so I've got the Rev 2...a true masterpiece, and I'm in love. Now the question: How can I record its beautiful sounds into (Ableton) PC?..all can I do is record it via "audio", but I want more control so I need to record it via "midi" in arrangement mode, so I can do modifications. Is there a setting in the synth that i miss? I wached plenty of videos on youtube, did as they did but nothing works.When i record and play nothing happens. When i click on a key in ableton on midi track the sound will play but not record. Help me please!

Thank you!

(Sorry for my bad english)

[maxter]

When you play the Rev2 keyboard, do you see if Ableton recognizes the MIDI signal? A small box in the upper right corner should light up every time you press and release a key. Go to preferences, MIDI, and check if Rev2 MIDI input is enabled. I believe you have to "arm" a MIDI track in Ableton for it to record incoming notes. You also have to select the Rev2 as input on the MIDI track.

Hope this helps!

Your english is fine.

[skipgilles]

Indeed, this is not very rev2-specific, but that's no problem. Is the following clear to you? (I see Maxter also just wrote an answer, at a slightly different level, so I post my answer as well)

If you record sound, you only have the sound to play back.
If you record midi, you only have midi to play back.
If you record both, you have both to play back.

If you have recorded midi, you can play it back, sending it to your rev2, which will then make sound according to the notes in the midi recording. You could record this sound. The good thing is now, that you can modify your midi-recording prior to this playing through your rev2. I understand that this is what you are looking for.

You can, however, also have your rev2 be controlled (not the notes played, but the parameter settings) from Ableton. For that goal, you would want to install a VST plugin.

[ergodep]

When you play the Rev2 keyboard, do you see if Ableton recognizes the MIDI signal? A small box in the upper right corner should light up every time you press and release a key. Go to preferences, MIDI, and check if Rev2 MIDI input is enabled. I believe you have to "arm" a MIDI track in Ableton for it to record incoming notes. You also have to select the Rev2 as input on the MIDI track.

Hope this helps!

Your english is fine.

Thank you for your response and interest, the name "rev 2" is nowhere to find in my Ableton,I can  play the instrument,Ableton recongnize it but only the name of the sound card (saphire bla bla bla)...I can only record "audio" not "midi" or I can play notes with mouse in arrangement mode in "midi" but not recording. The little box in the upper right corner does nothing. The cable linking is ok. Two TRS's for in/out and a midi cable "out" sound card and "in" rev 2.

Kind regards!

[ergodep]

Indeed, this is not very rev2-specific, but that's no problem. Is the following clear to you? (I see Maxter also just wrote an answer, at a slightly different level, so I post my answer as well)

If you record sound, you only have the sound to play back.
If you record midi, you only have midi to play back.
If you record both, you have both to play back.

If you have recorded midi, you can play it back, sending it to your rev2, which will then make sound according to the notes in the midi recording. You could record this sound. The good thing is now, that you can modify your midi-recording prior to this playing through your rev2. I understand that this is what you are looking for.

You can, however, also have your rev2 be controlled (not the notes played, but the parameter settings) from Ableton. For that goal, you would want to install a VST plugin.

Thank you for your interest.

I can only record "audio", not "midi" ..when i REC in "midi" i can play, the track volumes bar in ableton goes green but the notes does not appear in arrangement layer.
I can stay just fine with "audio" recording but...when i record and push a wrong key...i need to edit it.

Kind regards!

[maxter]

Thank you for your response and interest, the name "rev 2" is nowhere to find in my Ableton,I can  play the instrument,Ableton recongnize it but only the name of the sound card (saphire bla bla bla)...I can only record "audio" not "midi" or I can play notes with mouse in arrangement mode in "midi" but not recording. The little box in the upper right corner does nothing. The cable linking is ok. Two TRS's for in/out and a midi cable "out" sound card and "in" rev 2.

Kind regards!

Ok, let me see if I have understood. You only have 1 midi cable from PC OUT to Rev2 IN? If so, you can only send midi TO the Rev2 from the PC. You have to plug a midi cable from Rev2 MIDI OUT to your soundcard MIDI IN. And enable this MIDI IN port in Ableton, if it isn't already activated.

You could also use 1 USB cable instead of midi cables between PC and Rev2, if you do so then the midi ports to and from Rev2, named "Rev2", will show up in Ableton. USB can pass midi both ways, to and from each device, but midi cables can only pass signals in one direction with each cable. OUT from device - IN to another device. If you want to send both ways you need 2 cables.

[ergodep]

Thank you for your response and interest, the name "rev 2" is nowhere to find in my Ableton,I can  play the instrument,Ableton recongnize it but only the name of the sound card (saphire bla bla bla)...I can only record "audio" not "midi" or I can play notes with mouse in arrangement mode in "midi" but not recording. The little box in the upper right corner does nothing. The cable linking is ok. Two TRS's for in/out and a midi cable "out" sound card and "in" rev 2.

Kind regards!

Ok, let me see if I have understood. You only have 1 midi cable from PC OUT to Rev2 IN? If so, you can only send midi TO the Rev2 from the PC. You have to plug a midi cable from Rev2 MIDI OUT to your soundcard MIDI IN. And enable this MIDI IN port in Ableton, if it isn't already activated.

You could also use 1 USB cable instead of midi cables between PC and Rev2, if you do so then the midi ports to and from Rev2, named "Rev2", will show up in Ableton. USB can pass midi both ways, to and from each device, but midi cables can only pass signals in one direction with each cable. OUT from device - IN to another device. If you want to send both ways you need 2 cables.

I have an external sound card. The initial cable set up is the 2 trs cables and the midi cable. I plugged the midi as you said, rev 2 midi out and sound card midi in ,and now when i try to put manualy the sounds with the mouse in the arrangement nothing happens. Plus no recording. Only audio.I will swich it back to initial setup (rev 2 in , sound card out)

[maxter]

I have an external sound card. The initial cable set up is the 2 trs cables and the midi cable. I plugged the midi as you said, rev 2 midi out and sound card midi in ,and now when i try to put manualy the sounds with the mouse in the arrangement nothing happens. Plus no recording. Only audio.I will swich it back to initial setup (rev 2 in , sound card out)

Exactly. If you don't have a midi cable going PC OUT - Rev2 IN, you will NOT be able to send midi FROM the PC, TO the Rev2 (with the mouse in the arrangement, as an example). You need TWO midi cables, or ONE USB cable to be able to send midi both ways.

But as you have it connected now, Rev2 OUT - PC IN, you should see the little "midi in" box at the upper right corner flash when you play notes on the Rev2. This means that Ableton is recognizing midi data sent from Rev2, and you should be able to record it. Be sure to check that your soundcard midi in port is enabled, in Ableton preferences. You also need to "arm" the midi track for recording, just like you arm an audio track for it to record. The midi will NOT record onto an audio track, it is separate from midi tracks. Midi tracks only record midi information, audio only records audio information. So you need an audio track for the audio (which you already seem to have got working), but also another midi track for the midi data.

Rev2 OUT - PC IN
This makes it possible to send midi data FROM Rev2, to PC

PC OUT - Rev2 IN
This makes it possible to send midi data FROM PC, to Rev2

If you want BOTH of these functionalities at the same time, you have to use 2 midi cables or 1 USB cable.

[ergodep]

I have an external sound card. The initial cable set up is the 2 trs cables and the midi cable. I plugged the midi as you said, rev 2 midi out and sound card midi in ,and now when i try to put manualy the sounds with the mouse in the arrangement nothing happens. Plus no recording. Only audio.I will swich it back to initial setup (rev 2 in , sound card out)

Exactly. If you don't have a midi cable going PC OUT - Rev2 IN, you will NOT be able to send midi FROM the PC, TO the Rev2 (with the mouse in the arrangement, as an example). You need TWO midi cables, or ONE USB cable to be able to send midi both ways.

But as you have it connected now, Rev2 OUT - PC IN, you should see the little "midi in" box at the upper right corner flash when you play notes on the Rev2. This means that Ableton is recognizing midi data sent from Rev2, and you should be able to record it. Be sure to check that your soundcard midi in port is enabled, in Ableton preferences. You also need to "arm" the midi track for recording, just like you arm an audio track for it to record. The midi will NOT record onto an audio track, it is separate from midi tracks. Midi tracks only record midi information, audio only records audio information. So you need an audio track for the audio (which you already seem to have got working), but also another midi track for the midi data.

Rev2 OUT - PC IN
This makes it possible to send midi data FROM Rev2, to PC

PC OUT - Rev2 IN
This makes it possible to send midi data FROM PC, to Rev2

If you want BOTH of these functionalities at the same time, you have to use 2 midi cables or 1 USB cable.

Thank you so much for your interest! You gave me the right answer! I solved the problem with one USB cable an one MIDI! Now i can record MIDI, and AUDIO both with the help of Global settings from rev 2!  Thank you so much!

Kind regards!

[maxter]

You're welcome! Glad to be able to help.

In most cases, you only need to use the USB cable, as it can pass midi both ways, bidirectionally. But for some more advanced setups both midi and usb could be used as a means to separate notes and controller information, for instance. Also, watch out for "midi loop", where the notes you play on the Rev2 gets sent to PC, and then from PC back to Rev2, so that every note you play triggers twice. If you notice you can only play half as many notes as you should be able to, you may have a midi loop. But don't worry about this if you don't notice a problem.

[ergodep]

You're welcome! Glad to be able to help.

In most cases, you only need to use the USB cable, as it can pass midi both ways, bidirectionally. But for some more advanced setups both midi and usb could be used as a means to separate notes and controller information, for instance. Also, watch out for "midi loop", where the notes you play on the Rev2 gets sent to PC, and then from PC back to Rev2, so that every note you play triggers twice. If you notice you can only play half as many notes as you should be able to, you may have a midi loop. But don't worry about this if you don't notice a problem.

Yeah...I belive that the "midi loop" might occur in my situation...when i play, every single note triggers twice, seems like a delay. When recording audio or midi it's a mess...if I push a key at the correct time,in the arrangament mode or audio seems to be delayed...tried to change settings in global but no luck. I guess I need to google it  


 (SOLVED...it was "Input/output monitor mix - set the balance between input/output playback")

[fredrik.scheide@gmail.com]

Hi guys! I have a simular problem. I'm using Logic X and a Rev 2, and I'm having trouble recording MIDI. Only audio, just like OP. I have tried to follow all the steps in this video: , and that did the trick earlier, but now, no MIDI get's recorded. I'm using USB from the synth to the macbook, and audio cables from the synth to my audio interface (Apogee Duet 2). I've tried to change MIDI parameters (both send and receive) from NRPN to CC without luck. Logic does not recognize the MIDI signal. I would be grateful for any help!