How do I play my MIDI keyboard and hear noise in playback mode? [Solved]

#1

I have a simple project with a drumbeat on one track, and a synth plugin loaded into a second midi track.

When playback is paused, I can play sounds using my Arturia Keystep – including with the arpeggiator and sequences saved on the device.

I can also record MIDI, as you would expect.

However, if I want to practice a keyboard part without recording, and simply press play (with no tracks armed) I can’t get any synth sounds to play. As soon as I stop playback I can play hear synth sounds again.

Doesn’t matter what synth plugin I use – same result.

What am I doing wrong?

#2

In Ardour 5.x, during playback the program can play back either the data from disk (audio or MIDI) OR the incoming data. It cannot do both. So you can either listen to the recorded MIDI, or the sounds generated from the incoming MIDI, but not both.

In Ardour 6.x (not yet released and there is no date planned yet), you can do both (or either, as you choose).

#3

Thanks for the reply. I guess I’ll wait for v6 then!!

#4

No need to wait. Just add a MIDI bus with the same plugin, and it will play sound based on your input during playback.

#5

Heh, I clicked the “Monitor Input” button on the channel mixer and bingo!

Thanks for your help.

#6

That will let you hear what you’re playing live, but you won’t be able to hear what’s already in the track (which I thought was your goal).

Glad you made progress.