1 Topic by Miscreant (edited by Miscreant 2022-08-19 20:08:43)

  • Registered: 2012-04-12
  • Posts: 43

Topic: Controlling TotalMix via midi from my DAW

Hi everyone,

Windows 10
DAW: Reaper
Fireface 800
ARC USB

Right now I am using the ARC to control TotalMix. However, I would like to add to this control additional controls out of my DAW. Specifically, I would like to send from my DAW midi messages that automatically change the snapshot I am using.

Is this possible? And if so, can I do this without disabling the ARC USB?

*Edit: let me add some more info.

The first thing that is tripping me up is I don't know what type of midi message is to be sent, and I do not really understand how to interpret RME's code for snapshot changes:

Snapshot 1: 36 / 54 / #F 3
Snapshot 2: 37 / 55 / G 3

Once I now how to interpret this code, I can then look into how to write a script in Reaper to execute an action that will automatically change the snapshot I am using in TotalMix from 1-2.

*Edit 2:

Okay, I now know that the code in question is for midi note on/off. That is the kind of midi message I would need to send from my DAW to TotalMix. Here's where that leaves me:

Right now, I am trying to send this message to the ARC USB, which is listed as a midi device in my DAW. I have configured the ARC in my DAW to receive output messages, so that seems to be good to go.

But I am unsure what my next step is? Again, I am assuming I can do this /without/ disabling the ARC as a USB controller for TotalMix?

  • Registered: 2018-05-01
  • Posts: 66

Re: Controlling TotalMix via midi from my DAW

Hi!
I think you should send your midi control messages to totalMix, not ARC. Setup a midi in from TotalMix menu options >settings >midi. Details are in the manual.
And you can still use ARC as before.

soundflix's Website

  • Registered: 2012-04-12
  • Posts: 43

Re: Controlling TotalMix via midi from my DAW

Hey--thanks for chiming in. Point well taken, as I soon learned that the ARC has nothing to do with this. After consulting the FF800 manual, I realized that setting up midi connectivity with a recognized device is straightforward.

So I went ahead and used my midi keyboard to test switching snapshots on TotalMix. But, ideally, I want to be able to trigger this midi event not from my keyboard, but directly from my DAW (Reaper).

Right now I am trying to figure out a way to do that...so I've kind of migrated over to the Reaper forum. Any tips appreciated, though.

  • Registered: 2012-04-12
  • Posts: 43

Re: Controlling TotalMix via midi from my DAW

Okay, some developments:

Once I had confirmed that I could control TotalMix via midi from my midi keyboard, I began focusing on why I could not send a note on/off midi message from my DAW to change snapshots.

I began focusing on the fact that in my midi settings on TotalMix I had to a) enable MIDI control (done) and b) choose the midi connection receiving the message. For this I chose FF800 Midi Port 1.

Now, once I did this I noticed that everytime I tried to send a note on/off midi message from my DAW to the Firefacee the 'Midi OUT' led would blink. But I think I am looking to see if the 'Midi IN' LED blinks instead...

Assuming this is right, I then considered that perhaps the snapshot in TotalMix is not changing whenever I send from my DAW this Note On/Off midi message because I have not actually ran a midi cable into the midi in on the back of the FF800. But I was not sure where this cable would be running from: I need something to relay the midi message from my computer to the FF800.

So to test this I ran a midi cable from the Midi Out/Thru on my AxeFx to the Midi In on the FF800. Now the Midi IN LED on the FF800 is blinking to the tempo of the metronome of the AxeFx. So it is getting a signal. But still when I send the Note On/Off message from my DAW to the Axe, with the hope that it will be relayed to the FF800 via the Axe's Midi Thru, nothing happens.

Can anyone help me understand where I'm going wrong here?

  • Registered: 2012-04-12
  • Posts: 43

Re: Controlling TotalMix via midi from my DAW

Issue solved!

  • Registered: 2020-10-05
  • Posts: 287

Re: Controlling TotalMix via midi from my DAW

And how did you do it finally?

ADI2, Digiface, ARC

7 Reply by Miscreant (edited by Miscreant 2022-08-22 21:44:20)

  • Registered: 2012-04-12
  • Posts: 43

Re: Controlling TotalMix via midi from my DAW

In TotalMix:
1. Enable Midi Control
2.  Settings: Remote Controller Select 2 = In Use & Midi in = FF800; Remote Controller Select 3 = In Use & Midi In = AxeFx (not sure if both of these are needed, but whenever I deselect one it appears I get less reliability...)
3. Connected the midi out/thru of the Axe to the midi in of the FF

In my DAW (Reaper)
4. Wrote an .eel script to send the relevant midi message to my Axe (this one is for Snapshot 1):

/*
Send Program Change to FF800 Midi Port 1
*/
// EEL Script for Reaper

/*
8 = Note Off
9 = Note On
10 = AfterTouch (ie, key pressure)
11 = Control Change
12 = Program (patch) change
13 = Channel Pressure
14 = Pitch Wheel
*/

msg_type = 9; // Note On
channel = 0;
function main ()
(
StuffMIDIMessage(29, msg_type*16 + channel, 54, 20);
);
main ();

msg_type = 8; // Note Off
channel = 0;
function main ()
(
StuffMIDIMessage(29, msg_type*16 + channel, 54, 0);
);

main ();

5. Turned on Midi Thru in the Axe I/O, as well as channel = omni
6. Integrated the script into a custom action in Reaper such that whenever I hit record a midi message is send to TotalMix to switch to snapshot 2, which sends to my FRFR wedges, then when I hit stop record another message is sent to switch back to my desk monitors.

Edit 1:

Someone over at the Reaper forum suggested I can use loopback in the place of the midi cable, and that this would allow me to cut out the Axe as a middle man to relay the midi message from Reaper. But I'm not sure I'm seeing how this would work, so I'm leaving it to this possibly less elegant solution until I have patience to explore more.

  • Registered: 2020-10-05
  • Posts: 287

Re: Controlling TotalMix via midi from my DAW

Thanks for sharing! With midi loopback potentially involving more software & drivers I'd also opt for this "hardware route".

ADI2, Digiface, ARC
  • Registered: 2012-04-12
  • Posts: 43

Re: Controlling TotalMix via midi from my DAW

fieldstu wrote:

Thanks for sharing! With midi loopback potentially involving more software & drivers I'd also opt for this "hardware route".

Yeah, I started looking into loopback and I understand how it works. But I'm not wrapping my head around how it would allow me to send a midi message from my DAW directly to TotalMix. When I now hear also about drivers etc., I'm just going to leave it. Solving this little problem took an afternoon already.