I connected an Akai Fire which I want to use for automation.
1) I go to preferences and select Control Surfaces => Select Generic Midi => Then try to find the Fire in the Midi In and Out Dropdowns.
2) All I see is "unconnected" as only option.
3) I then start a2jmidid and then I get the thru port of a2j as an option in the midi in and out dropdowns.
4) Alsa unfortunately does not pass through Control Surfaces like the Akai Fire but it does detect my DMX usb system and passes that through and lists it as a member for passthrough in patchage.
5) In patchage the Akai Fire Midi inputs and Outputs are clearly present, and other applications patches to it successfully.
6) Unfortunately, Mixbus do not have Midi In and Out ports I can patch to with patchage (ONLY Clock In and Out/Sync)
Mixbus seemingly only accepts midi through a2j.
Is the latter statement correct ?
If so, is there any way to patch midi to mixbus controls by creating midi in and out ports in Mixbus so I can patch to them with Patchage/Jack ?
(06-24-2020, 03:07 AM)zimbodel Wrote: [ -> ]If so, is there any way to patch midi to mixbus controls by creating midi in and out ports in Mixbus so I can patch to them with Patchage/Jack ?
I'm not entirely sure what you mean: here's how it looks like at my place:
[
attachment=2670]
MMM
(06-24-2020, 07:28 AM)madmaxmiller Wrote: [ -> ] (06-24-2020, 03:07 AM)zimbodel Wrote: [ -> ]If so, is there any way to patch midi to mixbus controls by creating midi in and out ports in Mixbus so I can patch to them with Patchage/Jack ?
I'm not entirely sure what you mean: here's how it looks like at my place:
MMM
Max, the problem is that I cannot use a2j (which is what you use)
a2j is not necessary at all as the midi inputs and outputs for the AKAI is available in patchage ready to be routed. As already mentioned i can use the Akai with several other apps like bitwig and the likes, so the AKAI works and is available, just not Mixbus which wont accept it unless the device is routed with a2j
I need to know the following:
1) Is there any way to route a midi controller into Mixbus without using a2j.
Maybe a plugin that will pick up the AKAI and then forward the midi to the mixbus editing and function controls as usual.
2) Again the AKAI is working with a myriad of other applications on my system so the fault does not lie there. Unfortunately a2j is a very badly written piece of software that demands if it runs, other applications may not access the controllers directly. the problem is that a2j has no way to be configured to ignore a specific controller so that that controller can be used directly by other applications. To use my controllers with other applications I have to disable a2j, which means mixbus has no Midi it seems as it solely depends on a2j.
That is the problem.
(06-24-2020, 05:23 PM)zimbodel Wrote: [ -> ]a2j is not necessary at all as the midi inputs and outputs for the AKAI is available in patchage ready to be routed.
You are probably running Midi through Alsa raw or seq. If you open qjackctl you probably have two tabs with midi devices, "Alsa" (that's raw or seq) and "Midi" (that's Jack), one of the devices being a "through" device which can tunnel between the two tabs.
(06-24-2020, 05:23 PM)zimbodel Wrote: [ -> ]2) Again the AKAI is working with a myriad of other applications on my system so the fault does not lie there. Unfortunately a2j is a very badly written piece of software that demands if it runs, other applications may not access the controllers directly. the problem is that a2j has no way to be configured to ignore a specific controller so that that controller can be used directly by other applications. To use my controllers with other applications I have to disable a2j, which means mixbus has no Midi it seems as it solely depends on a2j.
One could also say that there are very badly written applications out there, which demand to exclusively access devices and don't accept providers. Bitwig being one of them.
My solution: if I have to use my keyboard in Bitwig while other things are running, I stop a2jmidid, start Bitwig, restart a2jmidid -e and keep doing what I intended to do rather than asking Harrison to bend over backwards. If I overcome my laziness one day I will write a 3-line-script to automate this, which allows me to be even lazier after
Either manual or script - all devices but the one used in Bitwig are available again system wide, and Bitwig wouldn't share that with any other application anyway.
It's more a problem of having two Midi representations under Linux and non-cooperative applications like Bitwig.
MMM
P.S.: I have chosen "midi driver = 'none' " so I have only one tab in qjackctl. This works a charm, even over network and into a Windows and a Hackintosh machine
(06-24-2020, 10:45 PM)madmaxmiller Wrote: [ -> ]One could also say that there are very badly written applications out there, which demand to exclusively access devices and don't accept providers. Bitwig being one of them.
MMM
P.S.: I have chosen "midi driver = 'none' " so I have only one tab in qjackctl. This works a charm, even over network and into a Windows and a Hackintosh machine
I have been running midi driver = 'none' for years and it doesnt fix the problem that a2j CANNOT ignore a midi device in the case you select a2j. That is a fatal flaw and absolute. Any software that want to be an absolute is badly written. SystemD is another such prime example.
I can also write a bash script in 10 seconds flat to toggle a2j , the shebang might take the longest, that is not the issue. The issue is a2j that is totalitarian with midi devices and the inability of mixbus to accept midi outside a2j.
Regarding insinuation:
I dont ask mixbus to bent over backwards.
Where did I ask that ?
I asked if anyone know if there is an existing plugin that will act as a midi bridge to the internal mixbus controls.
That is all..
I keep forgetting that this is most likely an ardour problem and not Mixbus as the latter is basically just an analogizer shell of ardour so these questions are most likely rather for Ardour.
I will ask there and post back here if there is any solution.
(06-24-2020, 11:05 PM)zimbodel Wrote: [ -> ]The issue is a2j that is totalitarian with midi devices and the inability of mixbus to accept midi outside a2j.
Or some of your applications doing the same other way 'round - not accepting Midi from a2jmidid (a2j is a useless wrapper around a2jmidid). Totally total totalitarian, if you ask me.
Btw, there are other bridges around, for example
https://kokkinizita.linuxaudio.org/linux...guide.html
but you probably know it all.
EDIT: sorry, my fault, this is only audio
(06-24-2020, 11:05 PM)zimbodel Wrote: [ -> ]Regarding insinuation:
...
title of the thread: Mixbus Midi Issues with controllers
...
the inability of mixbus to accept midi outside a2j.
...
I keep forgetting that this is most likely an ardour problem
...
Easy to see: It's not a problem of anything else but Ardour/Mixbus, right? Looks like fingerpointing to me.
I'm out of here, good luck.
MMM
No problem.
You did help me a lot .. warts and all.
I appreciate that.
(06-25-2020, 01:20 AM)zimbodel Wrote: [ -> ]No problem.
You did help me a lot .. warts and all.
I appreciate that.
Thanks...
and sorry for the zita-bridge, it's only audio unfortunately.
MMM
(06-24-2020, 03:07 AM)zimbodel Wrote: [ -> ]3) I then start a2jmidid and then I get the thru port of a2j as an option in the midi in and out dropdowns.
a2jmidid needs to have -e (--export-hw) option to also bridge hardware ports. With that, everything works for me.
(06-25-2020, 09:45 AM)tavasti Wrote: [ -> ] (06-24-2020, 03:07 AM)zimbodel Wrote: [ -> ]3) I then start a2jmidid and then I get the thru port of a2j as an option in the midi in and out dropdowns.
a2jmidid needs to have -e (--export-hw) option to also bridge hardware ports. With that, everything works for me.
The point is that a2j cuts off by default all the other controllers that are connected to Bitwig and other applications.
Therefore either you use Mixbus +Controller (a2j on) and Bitwig loses it's controller , or you use Bitwig + Controller (a2j off) and mixbus loses it's controller (since mixbus can only be controlled through a2j given jack is running.
the problem is not the amount of devices or device displayed in a2j. a2j cuts all communication between applications and their direct connection to controller pads if a2j is active. That is the problem.
The problem can be solved by:
1) a2j developers assing a devce ignore config file so that it not just grabs everything exclusively when it starts. I contacted them.
2) Mixbus needs explicit jack routable midi ports for interface control to circumvent the use of a2j. a2j is clearly not becessary, but only used to make it easy for midi beginners who cannot jack-route midi.
Check for yourself using patchage. Mixbus has timing/sync midi in and outs which are jack routable, but there are no midi data in out jack routable ports avaialble.
I will request that from the ardour developers.
Either of the two solutions above will solve the problem and will resolve the midi one-trick-pony situation that currently exists.
I will take this up with Ardour/a2j as these implementations are not really mixbus issues. Since Mixbus is basically a skin and analog engine on top of Ardour, it is better to ask Ardour about this as they do the heavy lifting and communication with alsa etc etc.