When Playbeat 3 is loaded into an AUv3 host like AUM, the midi output settings only allow to select an existing midi device. When selecting AUM, this results in the midi beeing received in the „AUM Destionation“ .
All other AUv3 midi generator is own (and i have about 50 of these) use the midi connection supplied by the host. Only this would allow to use several instances of Playbeat 3 connected to various output instruments.
( See my list of midi generators at the Audiobus Forums Wiki )
Using the „AUM Destiantion“ is very, very uncommon - it‘s only Audiomoderns apps that do it that way.
Other apps work the following way:
When started stand-alone, a list of devices is presented
When started as IAA from a host, the IAA to host midi connection is used. One still can change the output channel, but there is no device selection.
When started as AUv3, the AUv3 midi host connection is used. One can still change the output channels, but there is no device selection
The output channel of each drum-track can the be used in the host to split one Playbeat 3 output onto several output instruments.
Thanks for reaching out to us here. I understand the confusion, indeed all of our MIDI Processor Plugins (Riffer & Chordjam) do utilize the connection that is supplied by the Host App.
However Playbeat is not a MIDI Processor Plugin, but an Instrument (Audio Sequencer)
That being said, we do think of providing a MIDI version along with the App.
Several of the AUv3 generators of the wiki list are mainly audio instruments (Drambo, Geoshred, Poly 2), but still send their midi via the AUv3 midi interface if loaded into a host - and not to the hosts midi device like Playbeat and the new Playbeat 3 does.
Playbeat (1) didn‘t add a midi output port to the top row of AUMs midi matrix, which would allow to connect to the midi input of other plugins.
Playbeat 3 added an output port which is shown in the top row of AUMs midi matrix (like the other audio instruments with additional midi output). Novice users will try to connect the output of Polybeat 3 with an input of an instrument on the right side of AUMs matrix like its usually done.
But there is no midi coming in via this port, as all Polybeat 3 midi arrives at the AUM Destination instead. This Playbeat 3 output port is also shown in the input list of all instrument and midi tracks - again without notes arriving there. This will lead to confusion.
I myself wasn‘t confused at all, as i already knew that behavior from the previous Playbeat version.
Checking if Playbeats midi behavior changed was the first thing i did after buying the new version - and i only bought the new version after EchoOpera posted a screenshot in the AB forum showing the output port being listed in AUMs matrix.
I immedialy noticed that the AUM Destination was blinking with arriving midi data, while the new port was ‚quiet‘. Which led to this bug report.
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But all will be fine, if a MIDI Processor variant is offered that uses the already added host midi connection port
I was also confused that I can’t drive MIDI from Playbeat 3 on iOS. The description on the AppStore says that I advanced MIDI sections allow me to “feed” any plugin or hardware.
If “feed” does not mean ‘send midi to’, what does it mean?
Other than this the app looks great btw, it is just that I think I would use it a lot more if it was a midi controller too.
Ah, ok, then I am confused in exactly the way that _ki describes above.
Basically, all I want to do is connect up playbeat3 to send midi to an auv3 drumkit (e.g. Slammer by Klevgard, FAC Drumkit).
As, _ki says with other auv apps on the ipad the process is very simple. In AUM…
I load up a midi receiving instrument (like Slammer) in one audio slot and load up my MIDI generating auv3 in another slot.
Then using AUMs MIDI matrix connect up the generator to the instrument.
Voila! midi notes are sent from the generator to the instrument.
Playbeat3 clearly does not work this way. Even though it appears on the midi matrix. From previous posts between you and _ki it seems sending midi notes from playbeat3 to an auv3 is possible, but is not done in the standard way. You talking about playbeat not being a MIDI proccesser but an instrument made me even more confused –clearly it can be used as an instrument, but if it also sends out midi isn’t it a processor as well?
So, I guess I have two questions:
1 How do I get playbeat 3 to send midi to an instrument in AUM
2 Why does MIDI not implement in the standard way? Why do something different here, when you use the standard way for riffer and chordjam?
Again, I like the app, and thanks for your quick response.
Hello, just made a quick test and works here
add Playbeat in an audio track
in its preferences/midi output select track 1 and choose AUM as destination
in your other track , check Midi input and select “AUM destination”
works here
@nay-seven That‘s not what the bug-report is about.
Playbeat 3 behaves differently than any other audio plus midi generating AUv3 regarding its midi output. The others send their midi via the host midi connection and not to the main virtual midi device of the host like Playbeat 3 does.
If one loads an audio + midi producing AV3 into in audio input node of AUM (or apeMatrix) no midi conenction setup is needed and the midi is send to the midi output node for that AUv3 supplied by the host. This is also the case if the AUv3 is loaded into a midi plugin slot - no setup needed and midi automatically lands at the midi output node of that plugin. Such an midi output node is shown by a host for all AUv3 that specified that they generate midi. In AUMs midi matrix, one can connect the output port of an AUv3 to the input of midi receivers (synth, other midi plugins etc).
Playbeat 3 shows such an midi output port in AUMs matrix, but Playbeats midi never is send to that port. Instead one has to select the hosts device in Playbeat 3 settings and the midi is then send to the ‚AUM Destination‘ midi output node in the matrix.
It „works“, but
a) differently than the standard behavior
b) no midi at the existing midi output node will lead to user confusion
c) its not possible to ‚naturally’ connect several instances of Playbeat 3 to different receivers, each instance with 8 tracks playing. (Two are the limit with a workaround using midi ch1-8 and 9-12 for a second instance - the standard way has no limits in instances and no setup at all)
d) External midi inputs are often used to connect hardware devices - and quite often several of the midi channels are already in use by these devices. There are only 16 channels, so it‘s likely there are not enough spare channels to be configured in Playbeat 3
The „different behavior“ of Playbeat 3 applies to all hosts - here shown in apeMatrix midi patchbay:
In my opinion the best solution would be to re-purpose the — destination (ie currently used to specify ‚None‘) in the device popup as ‚send midi to host connection’ when loaded as AUv3.
New instances will use the ‚host midi connection‘ destination without any setup needed since the — is already the current default
Existing stored sessions with assigned midi devices would use the stored settings as their order or naming didn‘t change.
No feature is taken away, Playbeat 3 AUv3 still can feed midi directly to other devices
No UI change needed, maybe use „Playbeat 3 midi out“ instead of the „-„ when loaded as AUv3 to show where midi is send
If one doesn‘t want to use the midi output, simply don‘t connect the Playbeat 3 midi out node in the host. The — destination (None) isn‘t really needed in the AUv3 use-case.
Regards, -ki
PS: Enabling midi output and assigning the correct trigger note to drive a specific drum AUv3 for each of the tracks is still needed - maybe just enable them with the current C3 / channel setting per default. Users could then send Playbeats midi to the existing Mozaic „Remap Multi-Channel Midi Drums“ midi script which will remap „C3 on different midi channels“ to 42 drum mappings of IOS drum apps or external hardware by the turn of a single knob.
