I do not think this is possible
I made a post about this in the past and also have seen other similar posts but I just wanted to verify something about MIDI channels.
This is a general question for all MIDI tracks but I think a perfect example for this question is the Ace Fluidsynth plugin.
This plugin can load up soundfont files that contain multiple patches, which can be assigned to MIDI channels 1-16.
Is it possible to have one MIDI track for all the MIDI note data from all the 16 channels, but then be able to “fan out” these 16 MIDI channels each to their own Mixer channel, to be processed separately?
I know that plugins designed to support multi outputs can achieve this but I was not sure if this could also be achieved with MIDI channels 1-16.
It was mentioned that you can use the Channel Selector but this as far as I know, just filters out how many of the 16 channels are used in and out.
If someone wanted to achieve this, is the only way to basically manually duplicate MIDI track into the amount needed and then use Channel Selector filter for each duplicate?
It won’t be possible because, by definition, if the plugin doesn’t support multiple output channels, then its audio output is going to be a stereo (or mono) mix of all of the rendering of the input channels.
The only way Ardour could create separate audio channels from that would be some sort of stem-separation which is unlikely to go well.
My gut feeling would be to create multiple MIDI buses (up to the number of outputs) and connect filtered outputs from the main track to each of these, and then put the plugin on each of those busses.
There may be better ways to do this, and it may be possible to automate the building of this with LUA (or just create a template).
Only if the synth has separate audio outputs corresponding to each MIDI channel input. So here 32 Stereo outputs.
What are you actually trying to accomplish? Given that it is easy to write such a synth plugin, but none really exist, there is a very good chance that there is a better solution for your eventual goal.
Hey guys thank you for the responses.
Again I know this is not really possible because I am just associating the multi out (fanned out) capabilities of plugins that are designed to offer this, and I am associating this “concept” (of being able to have each out go to a separate Mixer channel), with how instrument plugins allow for 16 MIDI channels.
So, lets use the example I mentioned with Ace Fluidsynth soundfont player because of how it can in essence can provide a scenario where multiple instruments can be assigned each to their own MIDI channel.
So let’s say you have a soundfont font where
Patch 1 = Piano = MIDI channel 1
Patch 2 = Guitar = MIDI channel 2
Patch 3 = Bass = MIDI channel 3
The benefit of this is that only 1 soundfont player plugin is being used and it is playing 3 instruments.
Now lets say you wanted to assign a different effect to each of those 3 instruments
Patch 1 = Piano = MIDI channel 1 = reverb
Patch 2 = Guitar = MIDI channel 2 = distortion
Patch 3 = Bass = MIDI channel 3 = compressor
The idea would be a way to be able to send each MIDI channel into its own Mixer channel, to be processed differently from one another.
Am I correct in saying that this cannot be achieved?
The only way would be to open 3 separate instances of Ace Fluidsynth in their own MIDI tracks and then process them?
Funny that you mentioned MIDI busses, I never really looked into them because I had not had a use for them, but the other day before typing this original thread post, I was looking into/wondering if they would be able to provide something similar to what I was mentioning.
I was having some trouble visuallizing how they worked, because I am associating them with how I view Audio busses, where multiple tracks are sent INTO them.
I could not visuallize this for MIDI because the MIDI bus track would have to have the instrument plugin inserted into it, but then how would multiple other MIDI tracks be able to send only their MIDI data/notes into it?
I tried it the other day, but did not work for me.
If you create MIDI regions without instruments and then hit Play, does it send the MIDI notes into the MIDI bus?
Because like in my example of Ace Fluidsynth, would a MIDI track without an instrument plugin inserted, but set to use say MIDI channel 3, would it send its notes into MIDI track bus channel 3 to play the bass?
