#1

I have a bit of a unique setup, but have been using MIDI for a long time and cannot understand how to drive separate MIDI instrument tracks in Bitwig via the IAC bus.

I am running a Monome using Mark Eats Sequencer, output on IAC Bus 2. I have it running a drum machine in Bitwig perfectly on page 1, which outputs on MIDI channel 1. Page 2, which outputs on channel 2, I would like to assign to a different instrument track, say a VST synth or my Bass Station 2, but I have no visible way of limiting the notes that come into the synth tracks just to MIDI channel 2.

For simplicity’s sake, let’s take a VST like Serum. When I hit the record indicator on the Serum track, it starts playing the notes from the drum machine track, which I do not want. When I add a sequence playing out on page 2 / channel 2, it adds those notes to the Serum track, BUT DOES NOT ADD THEM TO THE EXISTING DRUM TRACK ON CHANNEL 1’s drum hits. This is maddening. :x

So to recap. MIDI channel 1 sequence is firing notes on my MIDI Channel 1 drums and my MIDI channel 2 synth. MIDI channel 2 sequence is firing notes on my MIDI channel 2 synth, but not to my MIDI channel 1 drums.

So how to I stop the MIDI channel 1 drums from going to my MIDI channel 2 synth?

Sorry. Worst word-problem ever. I just cannot believe that I cannot figure this out. Bonus points for whoever figures this out in 30 seconds and says I am a n00b!

#2

Bitwig treats all Midi devices as omnichannel. It’s a much requested feature and probably the most frustrating bit of Bitwig imo. A very nice man named Tom wrote a script that gives you multichannel midi in Bitwig, https://github.com/ThomasHelzle/Toms_Bitwig_Scripts/blob/master/TomsGeneric/TomsGenericMultiControl.control.js

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#3

Oh wow! That’s just… yeah. Interesting. The searching that I did prior to posting kind of led to this, but I thought that I had to be missing something. This is MIDI 1.0 stuff that should definitely be in there.

I love BW regardless and can deal with this. Will definitely give the script a whirl though. Thanks for the heads up!

#4

I have put the script in its place and am looking for some sort of documentation in order to make it work. It is not showing up under detect controller nor as a manual add controller. How shall I access the features? Thanks

#5

I’m not an expert on it, but I think you add it as the script for a particular midi device, then you’ll see all the channels selectable. That’s not working for you?

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#6

Well, I added the script to the scripts folder inside a sub folder called TomsGeneric, but nothing is showing up in the controller add area for the script. I wish there were some documentation as to how to run this thing.

#7

I got it working. I was using the wrong version of the script, and then used trial and error to get the outputs to show up. It’s all good now. So relieved!

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#8

Glad to hear it! What version of the script did you end up using?

#9

Tom’s Multicontroller for BW 1.x

I have set up the controller using the script in BW, with MIDI in coming from Mark Eats Sequencer, and the out going to IAC Bus 2. Then when you have an instrument track, you can changer the controller to Tom’s Multi omni and 1-16. It works so sweet. The clock is a little jittery for my taste. I ma thinking about getting an external dedicated clock like the E-RM Multiclock, but I need to confirm that I can get that clock back into BW to make it useful. Currently BW does not support slave to clock. Boooooooo!

It’s a pretty trick setup. I have Sequencer running VSTs and a drum rack device through Bitwig, and have my synth and FX parameters being mapped to the MF Twister. Lots of fun.