Using the same MIDI channel for 2 instruments

Hi all,


Firstly I'm not sure whether this is a Kontakt or a Sonar X2 issue, so please forgive me if I'm posting this in the wrong forum.

My question relates to having two instruments use the same MIDI channel but I only want to hear one of them at a time during MIDI playback and when I record MIDI notes in realtime. Is this possible?

E.g. I'm using a muted trombone patch for the first few bars of a song and then I want to use an open/normal trombone patch for the remainder of the song. With a view to saving on MIDI channel usage I've assigned them both to the same channel but I'm hearing both instruments play at the same time. Is there a way around this?

Many thanks,
Chris

 

You can't, really. If you want them separately mutable during project, you need to have them on different MIDI channels - since Kontakt doesn't allow MIDI learning instrument mute/solo controls.

 

Hello,
Well, yes it's possible, but I really do not see why you who do this. Why not 2 separate channels ?

Solution using mixing console in your DAW
Anyway you can :
- Have instrument A & B on channel 1
- Have instrument A to output 1&2
- Have instrument B to output 2&3
- In your mixing console, make automation (volume or mute) for 1&2 and 2&3 tracks.

That way, when you play A+B on Midi Channel 1, you can still mute one of the instruments in your mixing console, from you DAW.

Other solution, all in MIDI : Note to CC
- Instrument track A => insert Midi "Note to CC".
* C0 to CC#21=0
* D0 to CC#21=127

- Instrument track B => insert Midi "Note to CC".
* F0 to CC#22=0
* G0 to CC#22=127

- In Kontakt; assign
Automation volume Instrument A => CC#21
Automation volume Instrument B => CC#22


Again, why not just two channels ???

 

Ah, right. It can be done using individual outputs for each instrument - then automating mute/solo in the DAW. That would work (and it would probably be much better than MIDI learning volume controls - which doesn't free CPU when an instrument is silenced).

 

Here is something that I tried, mainly for giggles.

I added a Group Start / key selector to the Groups in each instrument then an empty Group with a different key:

• Instrument A's Groups have a start key of F0 and its empty Group has a start key of G0.
• Instrument B's Groups have a start key of G0 and its empty Group has a start key of F0.

• I press F0 and Instrument A's Groups and Instrument B's empty Group are selected, subsequent key presses play Instrument A's sounds.
• I press G0 and Instrument B's Groups and Instrument A's empty Group are selected, subsequent key presses play Instrument B's sounds.

Of course it won't work for instruments that already have key-switches.
... right-click > Open in new window

If I were really ambitious I could copy the Groups from the second instrument into the first and do away with the empty groups completely. That is, make my own key-switched articulated instrument.

 

Alternatively move one set of samples up 2 octaves in the Mapping Editor, the other down an octave (so they don't overlap) so you play each instrument on different parts of the keyboard. Or get your DAW to transpose as needed.

etc

 

And along with this myriad of answers may I add my approach in a DAW. Play/record your whole phrase using the muted patch on ch 1. Set the normal artic to ch 2. Select the notes (in the track editor) for the normal notes and asign them to ch 2. I find this a more natural way of working.