Hi guys,
On Windows, I can’t use the same MIDI device in two apps at the same time. If Cubase is open, any other app gets blocked from using the device. On mac, this isn’t a problem , multiple apps can share the same MIDI input just fine.
I heard about something called Windows MIDI Services. It’s supposed to add proper multi-client support and make this issue go away.
Does Cubase support this yet? Honnestly Would be great to stop relying on things like loopMIDI and workarounds on windows?
Microsoft has not released them yet. Therefore Cubase can’t support them yet.
You could ask @Psychlist1972 MSFT, who posts here occasionally.
I don’t think a Microsoft employee (even as nice as Pete) will answer if or when Cubase will support Windows MIDI Services.
I’m able to use some devices in a multi client MIDI way, but not others.
REMOVED section due to clarification by Pete Brown:
To the best of my understanding, that depends on which Windows MIDI API is being used by the Device driver. There’s an older single client Windows MIDI API and a newer (although it has been around for quite a few years already) multi-client Windows MIDI API (2016).
And some hardware developers have been using the older single client driver rather than the newer multi client driver for whatever reasons. It’s a real pain in the behind for us users.
CORRECTION: According to Pete Brown some software makers wrote custom code to make multi-client MIDI work in Windows - apparently the multi-client API was in Windows 10 for only a year or so.
For example:
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I’m able to see NI Maschine MK 3 output simultaneously in Cubase and MidiOX.
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But I’m not able to see NI Komplete Kontrol MK 3 in more than one client application at a time, although it’s a much newer device and does some things better than Maschine MK 3.
Microsoft has not released them yet. Therefore Cubase can’t support them yet.
Thanks Johonny , but what made you say Microsoft hasn’t released Windows MIDI Services yet? I only ask because I found this: it’s the official page, and you can actually download and use it right now… It even says it supports multi-client by default, which is what I was originally asking about. So from what I can tell, it has been released no? , maybe not built into Windows yet, but it’s out there and working.
It’s a preview, not an official release. It is not finished yet.
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… yes, you may preview it.
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Oh, BTW, these two bullet points from the web-site that you linked to could answer your question already:
- Supports your Existing Apps. The existing WinMM and WinRT MIDI 1.0 APIs have been repointed to the new Windows Service. This provides a subset of the new features, including multi-client so your apps will continue to work as today, but will be even better.
- Multi-client by default. Any endpoint (including MIDI 1.0 devices) can be used by multiple applications at the same time. That means you can use a librarian or controller app at the same time your DAW has a connection open.
In theory it should work out of the box without Steinberg having to do anything.
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So, what is the actual situation, here, hence my asking @Psychlist1972.
It’s a customer preview (i.e. test at your own risk) and there’s already a pretty long list of “issues” – Pete has posted a number of them there himself, so I’m sure he’ll be along here at some point when he’s not too busy.
Personally I would sum up the current status as “not production-ready, but should be soon – not now, but before next year”. Somewhere here, Pete himself has stated that it will be available on Windows 10 before that itself goes out of support in a few months.
Read that last line very carefully.
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Sorry for the late reply. I’m on vacation visiting Iceland /Scotland /London with my son 
It’s in preview right now. Requires latest Windows Insider Canary release to use.
If Steinberg does nothing, you’ll still get multi client. When they use the new SDK, (they have been working with us on that) you’ll get full MIDI 2 support and more.
NOTE: We’re not going to hit the windows 10 timeline so we’re looking at ways interested people can still install on windows 10 themselves and get some features, just not the new faster USB driver or MIDI 2 USB support(both of which require USB stack updates).
The problem with Windows 10 is we have no way to fix bugs after September-ish so risk is very high that we could replace the MIDI stack, break it due to some bug with specific devices or apps, and then be stuck with broken MIDI for customers who choose to stay on Windows 10.
If you are running Windows Insider Canary releases today, you are using the new MIDI stack.
Pete
Microsoft
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Some companies have released their own USB drivers specifically to support multi client for their devices. It’s a workaround, and not universal.
Doesn’t matter which MIDI 1.0 API they use.
Pete
Microsoft
Oh, that sounds lovely. Quite a cultural shock between Iceland and London, I’d wager.
What a bummer, even though I kind of expected it already.
Well, I don’t like the direction MS has taken with Win11. I will remain on Win10 for the next few years and then see, which options I’ll have.
So, that was MIDI 2.0 for me for the next few years.
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Are you sure?
i.e. Did I misunderstand your blog post from way back in 2016, where you wrote about the new Windows 10 MIDI API:
One great feature of the new API is that it is multi-client. As long as all apps with the port open are using the Windows 10 UWP MIDI API and not the older Win32 MME or DirectMusic APIs, they can share the same device. This is something the older APIs don’t handle without custom drivers and was a common request from our partners and customers.
You didn’t misunderstand. Multi client was originally in that API. But it was too slow for some apps, so it was removed a year or so later.
Pete
Microsoft
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ahhh - that explains a lot!
My thoughts exactly, and thanks for the candor. Enjoy the vacation! 
I intend to use the Registry Hack, that I think Microsoft have mentioned so I will be on Windows 11 at some point, since my machine has to be connected to the internet to work (EmvoiceOne) and I have a Kaby Lake CPU, as well as a TPM 2.0 security chip and for whatever reason, it isn’t officially supported but I wager it will work quite well for maybe years to come.
So, my question is, what don’t you like about Windows 11?
Personally, I am happy to be close to the bleeding edge but not too close because I am a DAW user first and not a technician.
Cheers
Microsoft could pull the mat out from under you at any time.
All of my kit is capable of running Windows 11 comfortably (I know, because I used said hack in testing) and I even bought a TPM 2.0 module for the motherboard of my main rig, but still, none of my kit is on the hardware compatibility list for Windows 11.
My response? Linux on everything now, except the Windows 10 main rig, which will be off the internet.
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