I wanted to start a new midi file project and for this purpose I first imported a purchased midi file into Cubase 14.20 and prepared it for export to VSTLive.
When I imported the created midifile into VSTLive (V2.2.18.xxx) using the media import function, I realized that the sound data was not being transferred to my Yamaha Genos2. All tracks play with standard GM Sound Piano. Lyrics were not set up, although I had included the text file as a Cubase export. A chord track that exists as a chord track in Cubase 14 is not imported as a chord track in VSTLive either.
I then imported the same midi file using the VSTLive internal import function.
Lyrics were now recognized, but the chords in the midifile were not.
Furthermore, the song length of the directly imported midifile is not correct. The song track ends at bar 81, although the lyrics track goes up to bar 89. See picture. This problem has been known to me for months and has still not been completely resolved.
The VSTLive file imported directly is also not played correctly. All tracks sound in GM Piano Sound. This also applies to version 2.2.17.xxx.
I have also noticed that it takes more than 15 seconds to switch from one midi file to another. See the attached video: Several times even the transport (start) stopped after clicking.
It is not possible for me to use VSTLive with Midifile at the moment.
I have also loaded the same project into VSTLive version 1.4.75.921.
There it works immediately and without errors.
I have provided the project file for you to check.
RCB-Band-MIDI.vlprj (23.3 KB)
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Herbert
Thank you, will check - but the Midifile would be even more helpful, as we canāt check without media files.
Thank you for taking a look.
I have provided the required file via PN.
I could not figure out why it takes so long to switch from one song to the next.
Herbert
Thanks a lot, weāre looking into it now.
Not here.
- set Halion Sonic as output
- in HS, goto āOptionsā and in āProgram Changeā select GM. All slots are filled with piano sound
- start VST Live from the top - slots are changed (see picture). Did not even open HS before, just imported, set HS, locate zero and play.
@musicullum
Thank you for your solution. I tried this straight away, but it did not lead to the desired success.
I made a conscious decision not to respond immediately. I wanted to wait for several updates of VST Live first.
Iām one of those of us who eagerly await the latest updates every Friday and prefer to test and try them out quietly.
So today I spent more than 8 hours dealing with my problem and its cause.
I also discovered other problems and inconsistencies. I will write a new post about this, stating the new version number.
Iāll get straight to the point. The reason why my Midifile was all set to GM - Piano Sound after the first stop and subsequent start,
can be found in the Preference setting under Midi.
If the āController Trackingā entry is activated, a midi reset is first carried out after pressing the Start button.
After this, no more controller data is sent. This means that only one GM piano is set on all channels on my Yamaha Genos 2.
After I deactivated the entry āController Trackingā, the required midifile controller data is sent to my Yamaha Genos 2 again and everything is as it should be.
Switching from song 2 to song 3 still takes more than 20 seconds (as shown in the video). Nothing has changed here.
I was able to observe several resets (3) on my GENOS2 during this process. I could not find out why this happened.
For the fact that it is only a midi file with only a few Kb, this is disappointing.
I hope you can find a quicker solution here.
Herbert
I had fits with external gear tooā¦program changes were filtered for lord knows what reasons?!?
I could get the PC events to work with VST plugins (Sonic, HALion, Bidule, etc.) with no issues, but not over physical MIDI ports (In my case a FANTOM-X Roland USB<>MIDI driver).
Now Iām using pre-release 2.2.31.353, and things are much better!
Hereās a link on my eventual solutionā¦
Note, I elected to āstart cleanā (Very new to the program, havenāt built many sets, so not much to loseā¦I wiped all my old project tests and started over), but you could give it a try without going to that extreme first and see if it helpsā¦
Why are Program Changes filtered? - VST Live - Steinberg Forums
As Herbert_Schmitt has reported, āPreferences/MIDI/Track Controllersā also observes Program Change messages, for some devices re-sending those causes long delays (although most are smart enough to check that the PGM has not changed - hence the name).
Track Controllers works at the device level, and it is more like a bug that it is not applied to plugins (will check).
If the very same MIDI Channel message is sent again to the same port, it is supressed when āTrack Controllersā is enabled so to prevent unneccesary processing.
Most devices do this anyway, because nothing changes. But if any problems of this kind occurs, simply switch that preference off. It is off by default, that is why it works after you started over. Note that āHelp/Clean all user Dataā does this as well.
In general, you are strongly advised to not change anything that you donāt know exactly what it does. It is quite ok to test such settings, but always remember to reset it to what it was before, if it doesnāt help the cause. Issues like these can cause quite some headaches, which can easily be avoided following this advice. This of course counts for each and every program, app, or plugin whatsoever.
Iām confused. ALL program changes from imported MIDI files to physical MIDI ports were flat out filtered before (seems to be fixed now). I had not fiddled with the MIDI settings for ātrack controllersā in Live. Stuff thatās never been broken in any version of Cubase to date, my Band in a Box setup, nor any other DAW or MIDI sequencer on the same system, with the same drivers/interfaces/instruments. The same MIDI files import and play perfectly in every version of Cubase I have installed (SX3, 8.5, 11, 12, 13, 14), MIDI-OX, XG Works, Reaper, Real Band, and more.
Example:
Imported SMF/Type 0 sends a simple GM Reset sysex message (F0 7E 7F 09 02 F7). That goes through, several ms later come the initial program changes, then many ticks later come the controller resets, then the music starts streaming. The device, that was JUST powered on before starting the session gets the sysex dump without issue, goes into GM mode where the defaults are bank/pc 0,121,0 for all channels but 10, which is 120,0,0. The sysex reset also puts the unitās effect units in a default state for reverb and chorus. The playback ends up being all piano sounds on every track (so obviously the PC was ādifferentā from whatever was last sent).
Iām not sure what all has changed, but things seem much better for me now with 2.2.31.353.
@musicullum
Thank you for the excellent explanation.
I think it would help you and us users a lot if such explanations could be read in an updated VST Live 2.0 help file.
This would possibly prevent many queries and misunderstandings and give you a little more time for troubleshooting and further development.
Best regards Herbert
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