Using a DAW as a pure multi-channel playback device

Question

I have a question about using DAWS as midi players.

I want to use the instruments available in Logic Pro X or Ableton to play a stream of midi events.

As a simple example I'd like to assign midi channel 1 to a piano and channel 2 to strings.

Then I want to sent midi events

noteOn channel1 noteNumber Vol1
noteOn channel2 noteNumber2 Vol2

From some external software what I'm writing.

The problem I's facing is that in Logic Pro X I can only receive and play midi events from an external source if I arm the channel by setting it in record mode, and I can only do this on a single track.

If I arm the piano track I only hear the channel 1 events - if I arm the strings track I only hear the strings - but I want to hear both (they are on different midi channels so this shoudl be possible).

I don't really want to record anything just hear sounds when midi events are received. But I have to record on a specific track (1 or 2) but cannot arrange playback on multiple tracks.

What I want to tell Logic Pro X is something like this:

listen for midi events on channel 1 and play with
software instrument 1

listen for midi events on channel 2 and play with
software instrument 2

I'm not interested in recording anything - just hearing sounds

I've tried with both Logic Pro X and Ableton but both appear to work in the same way - they seem to assume that external midi events can be recorded only on a single channel only ...

Is there anyway to do what I want???

Answer 1

This should be straightforward in Ableton Live.

• Create a new MIDI track for each instrument.
• In routing options for track:
  • select desired input device
  • select desired input channel for instrument

Are all the tracks you want to record/stream to (shift click lets you arm multiple tracks)

Then start streaming your MIDI in.

Answer 2

It looks as though this would be a solution to your problem in Logic:

Logic pro help: Control Multiple Instruments on Different MIDI Channels

(haven't tried it as I'm not at home, but looks promising)