not receiving MIDI from DAW

JimmyTheSaint · Post by **JimmyTheSaint** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:57 am

In REAPER, I add the Editor VSTi, and its user interface controls my Kronos, no problem, changing patches and parameters, etc.. I can play the Kronos's local keyboard with the patches selected remotely when I have Local On, but the external controller using channel 1 doesn't play the Kronos via the DAW even though the Kronos's MIDI channel is 1.

In the DAW, I have Kontakt's VSTi set to receive from anything on channel 1, and that works as expected with the controller on channel 1. But selecting the same MIDI input for the Kronos in the DAW does nothing, and selecting all MIDI inputs and all channels still doesn't play the Kronos from the external controller.

The Kronos's USB-B is connected to the computer so that the Editor plugin will work. Shouldn't the Kronos also be receiving the external controller's MIDI data this way? After all, I wouldn't want to run an additional USB cable from one of the Kronos's USB-A ports to one of the computer's USB-A ports. Am I missing something simple here? If not, suggestions how to troubleshoot?

I should add that if, at the same time, I plug a different controller on channel 1 into one of the Kronos's USB-A, it works as expected.

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 1:33 pm

I don't think the editor VSTi passes any notes or other messages through to the kronos from it's own track input.

You need to route the controller directly to the Kronos' MIDI port in your DAW.

JimmyTheSaint · Post by **JimmyTheSaint** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 1:38 pm

Meaning, then, there's no way for MIDI to be sent through the same cable that the Editor plugin is using to communicate with the Kronos? In that case, there's no safe way to use any controllers plugged into my computer with the Kronos because that would require me to connect a USB-A port on the computer with a USB-A port on the Kronos, which I'm told is electronically unsound. Am I correct?

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 1:42 pm

First of all, it is not possible to connect a USB-A port on any device to another device's USB-A port. That makes no sense. It won't do anything, in fact will probably just break something. The cables to do that aren't even widely available.
So not only is it electrically unsound, it just plain won't work. You won't achieve anything with that so there's no need to even mention it, it's just not an option.

Second of all, you can absolutely use the editor at the same time as sending other messages to the Kronos. You simply select the Kronos as a MIDI Out port for a track in your DAW.

JimmyTheSaint · Post by **JimmyTheSaint** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 1:57 pm

X-Trade wrote:you can absolutely use the editor at the same time as sending other messages to the Kronos. You simply select the Kronos as a MIDI Out port for a track in your DAW.

I think this is what I'm saying isn't working. The Kronos (like Kontakt) is a track in my DAW (REAPER). For its MIDI input in that track, I have it set to "all MIDI inputs>channel 1," which is the same setting as Kontakt. When I play the controller that sends MIDI on channel 1, it plays Kontakt, but the Kronos doesn't respond. Meanwhile, if I go play the Kronos's built-in keyboard, it outputs audio as expected.

As you describe, it's quite straightforward, so I must be missing something simple.

In case it's relevant, my computer has a powered USB hub plugged into it, and the Kronos and all controllers plug into that hub.

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 2:26 pm

As I was saying before though, I don't think the editor passes on messages to the Kronos from the editor's own track input.

You have to create another MIDI track, set the input to your controller, set the output to your Kronos, and enable monitoring and/or record-arm.

I don't know if there is a more elegant way to do that in your DAW (Reaper), but that would be the standard way in most DAWs.

JimmyTheSaint · Post by **JimmyTheSaint** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:40 pm

OK, thanks, now I see why what I was originally doing wasn't likely to work. It's still not working for me, so before I go ask at the REAPER forum, I'll post here in case there's any additional suggestion.

I added another MIDI track separate from the one for the Editor plugin and armed it for recording. I set it to receive from all MIDI inputs on channel 1. On that track, under its "MIDI Hardware Output" dropdown, it offers me the choice of nothing or "KRONOS 1 SOUND," so I choose the latter.

The manual says, "MIDI Hardware Output – Use this option to direct MIDI output to an external device or to the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth."

But I still get no response from the Kronos, so apparently there's stuff I don't understand about configuring the routing matrix even though I'm RTFM'ing.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:51 am

I assume you have the K in combi or sequence mode, you have selected an outgoing channel in Reaper in addition to the "Kronos Sound" port, and you can see notes coming in in Reaper? Also, yes, input monitoring needs to be on on the track in Reaper if you want to play "live".