I'm new to using MuLab and I'm finding the app otherwise quite intuitive, but I don't understand how to use (or what for) the "Project Event Input" module is in the project modular area (not composer!).
Unlike the "Project Audio Input" where I can choose a physical input from my hardware, there's just no settings for the event input module anywhere to be found.
I'm in a situation where I have multiple MIDI hardware controllers and I'd like to permanently route controller #1 to a specific module and controller #2 to another, so that they don't have to be the "focused" module in order to receive MIDI data. But I don't know how to do this because I can't create "midi input" module where I could choose the source of MIDI data...
Any help would be appreciated! (tried searching the docs but no help)
(EDIT= I have enabled all my MIDI hardware's inputs and outputs in the MIDI setup page.)
What is the "Project Event Input" module for?
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- KVRAF
- 7161 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
Project Event Input outputs any incoming Events. That's "MIDI", when the only incoming Events are MIDI messages.
MIDI generally uses Channel number to decide what module is going to process a message and MuLab follows this convention.
MIDI generally uses Channel number to decide what module is going to process a message and MuLab follows this convention.
Last edited by pljones on Sun May 12, 2024 1:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1132 posts since 6 Mar, 2004
So when I have two MIDI hardware devices connected, how do you route one to module A and the other to module B?
Why is it possible to create multiple "project event input" modules if one module automatically is the source for all incoming midi data?
Why is it possible to create multiple "project event input" modules if one module automatically is the source for all incoming midi data?
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- KVRAF
- 7161 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
You can use the Project MIDI Input Channel Targets to set up routing.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1132 posts since 6 Mar, 2004
this seems like a pretty convoluted situation. I don't get why the event input doesn't accept hardware inputs. You can actually delete the project event input module and MIDI still keeps flowing normally.
With the system as-is, one is basically forced to limit one piece of midi hardware to specific channels that on the input side cannot be shared by other devices if you want to have total control of where that input flows to. For someone with a lot of midi controllers, sequencers and other gear this becomes very messy and limiting quickly. I'm liking MuLab a lot so far, but this is definitely a weird con of the app, if I'm understanding the situation correctly.
Maybe an easy way to fix this (for the developer) would be to create separate instances of the "MIDI input channel targets" window for every piece of enabled MIDI input hardware?
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- KVRist
- 60 posts since 9 Apr, 2023
A lot of stuff on Mulab is wonderfully intuitive, I've had an easier time just perceiving where things go in MuLab then any other DAW I've tried.
And then some things could be better.
The good news is that the dev reads these boards.
How would you improve it?
What would be an even better way?
Throw some ideas on the table.
SL23 helped fix the splash screen in the forum.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1132 posts since 6 Mar, 2004
I thought I just did (multiple instances of the target window)?
Although I do think a cleaner solution that would be more in line with the actual design concepts of MuLab as a whole would be to make those Project Event Input modules work like audio inputs work.
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- KVRAF
- 7161 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
MuLab follows the standard MIDI way of handling incoming events - routing by channel. There's nothing convoluted in it, really. Having to link separate MIDI inputs to each module seems convoluted to me. It's much easier dealing with a single stream of events.
Admittedly, there's lots of things I'd like improved on MuLab's MIDI handling...
Admittedly, there's lots of things I'd like improved on MuLab's MIDI handling...
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1132 posts since 6 Mar, 2004
There's nothing inherently wrong with MIDI channels, naturally. The "convoluted" comes from having to cram multiple MIDI hardware devices into just 16 channels tops.
It's like a laptop with only one USB port. It works but trying to get a more elaborate setup built around it is going to result in seriously complicated workarounds.
I'm sure this doesn't bother the 90% who just use one MIDI keyboard and that's all they need but I'm running a production studio with easily more than 16 MIDI devices just from HW synths and samplers, and would run into problems with this. That said, as a new user I'm really surprised with how well MuLab works in general. Trying to move away from Bitwig but not yet sure if I can in practice.
It's like a laptop with only one USB port. It works but trying to get a more elaborate setup built around it is going to result in seriously complicated workarounds.
I'm sure this doesn't bother the 90% who just use one MIDI keyboard and that's all they need but I'm running a production studio with easily more than 16 MIDI devices just from HW synths and samplers, and would run into problems with this. That said, as a new user I'm really surprised with how well MuLab works in general. Trying to move away from Bitwig but not yet sure if I can in practice.
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- KVRAF
- 5858 posts since 29 Sep, 2010 from Maui
Seems like each device port can handle 16 channels concurrently and you can have an event outputfor ea port, so it's not really that bad imo. The manual is not very helpful tho imo. pljone's channel oriented comment finally made it click for me. 
*of course, I am sending out of Mulab, not the other way round mostly.
*Something like the Midronome which im using is pretty helpful to ease syncing up
everything.
*of course, I am sending out of Mulab, not the other way round mostly.
*Something like the Midronome which im using is pretty helpful to ease syncing up
everything.
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1132 posts since 6 Mar, 2004
AFAIK that's incorrect. All input ports *together* can have just 16 channels shared between them. There's no way to separate channel 1 coming from device A and channel 1 coming from device B. All MIDI data sent on ch 1 on all devices must go to the same destination.
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- KVRAF
- 5858 posts since 29 Sep, 2010 from Maui
Like I said I was sending midi out, and each output port 'can' have 16 exclusive channels going out, you can see that it works that way with the event monitor.Liero wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2024 5:43 amAFAIK that's incorrect. All input ports *together* can have just 16 channels shared between them. There's no way to separate channel 1 coming from device A and channel 1 coming from device B. All MIDI data sent on ch 1 on all devices must go to the same destination.
It's odd that it doesn't work that way in reverse, but there doesn't seem to be
a way to assign a device to a specific input port, like you can with the output port.
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- KVRAF
- 7161 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
If you're using MuLab Standalone, then there's currently no way around this. If you're using it in another host that doesn't follow MIDI Standards and treats each device as a part of some extended inclusive set of non-conformant MIDI Channels, then you can use a MIDI Plugin for each device, routing that device from the host. (Or, depending on the host routing capabilities, mix and match channels from different devices to different MuLab Plugin instances.)
However you do it, and with whatever MIDI-compliant plugin you do it, you'll be limited to 16 MIDI channels on a MIDI event. That's all the space there is in the MIDI message for the channel number.
However you do it, and with whatever MIDI-compliant plugin you do it, you'll be limited to 16 MIDI channels on a MIDI event. That's all the space there is in the MIDI message for the channel number.
Last edited by pljones on Wed May 15, 2024 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- 5858 posts since 29 Sep, 2010 from Maui
well whatever, I am able to send software midi to a specific device/devices, seemingly. which is all I am interested in really.
appreciate the explanation at any rate.
appreciate the explanation at any rate.
