# Multichannel Midi not working \[FIXED in v2.0-dev firmware\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Requests\ **Created:** [September 6, 2024, 9:49am UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208 "2024-09-06T09:49:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thopa](https://forum.4ms.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@thopa](https://forum.4ms.info/u/thopa)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2024, 9:49am UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/1 "2024-09-06T09:49:52Z")
Hi, Triggering modules via midi only works for 1 channel. When using multiple midi channels on same patch (for triggering diferent voices) all midi messages get merged and it also messes up modules connections This also happens after latest update (jack in midi mappings) Cheers ---
**Author:** ![kraftf](https://forum.4ms.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@kraftf](https://forum.4ms.info/u/kraftf)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/2 "2024-09-10T23:03:43Z")
yeah that’s really sad. Ignoring the midi channel is very limited especially for large midi setups that rely on midi channels. Is there a special reason midi channel gets ignored by MM? Can we really hope that midi channel will be supported in future updates? ---
**Author:** ![ekkomouse](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/ekkomouse/32/173_2.png) [@ekkomouse](https://forum.4ms.info/u/ekkomouse)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2024, 2:15pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/3 "2024-09-14T14:15:30Z")
I agree here the message not being channel specific means it’s difficult when we have other devices that are channel specific receiving midi cc, those are going to conflict with the mappings on meta-module. ---
**Author:** ![vakgro](https://forum.4ms.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/a5b964/32.png) [@vakgro](https://forum.4ms.info/u/vakgro)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 10:29am UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/4 "2024-09-21T10:29:58Z")
I tried to sequence the MM using the Teenage Engineering OP-133 KO2 as a sequencer, via USB MIDI. I’m curious if there are any plans to fix this issue in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Submit](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/submit/32/249_2.png) [@Submit](https://forum.4ms.info/u/Submit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 11:39pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/5 "2024-09-24T23:39:06Z")
Midi channels, yes please, I hope this will be implemented ---
**Author:** ![danngreen](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/danngreen/32/14_2.png) [@danngreen](https://forum.4ms.info/u/danngreen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 6:17pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/6 "2024-09-25T18:17:09Z")
We are looking at this now. Currently, MIDI on the MM just merges all channels. Perhaps I can get some feedback and various ways to handle MIDI Channels: **1) Global MIDI channel setting:** This idea is to add a setting in the System settings page that lets you choose the MIDI channel that MetaModule responds to. The options are 1 - 16, or All (current behavior). This would be easy to implement and could appear in the next firmware, no problem. **2) Per-patch MIDI channel setting:** When making a patch in VCV Rack, the MM Hub would detect what MIDI Channels you have the MIDI modules set to, and would embed this information in the patch file. Then when you load the patch, the MM would just listen to that channel. Or when creating in MM alone, you could set this in the patch info dialog box. There could still be a global MIDI channel setting (idea #1 above) which it defaults to if a patch doesn’t specify the MIDI channel. This also would be not too hard to implement but it would require updating the VCV plugin and firmware. There also would be some confusing cases, for example if you had a patch in VCV with the MIDI-\>CV module set to All Channels and the MIDI-\>CC module set to Channel 3, then the MM Hub would have to guess at what channels you want to listen to (so either CC messages would come through on all channles, or Note messages on channels other then 3 would be blocked). **3) Per-mapping MIDI Channel settings:** This would add a MIDI Channel to each jack mapping. So when creating a patch with VCV, the MM Hub would look at the MIDI module used to create the mapping and read its channel setting, and then record that information into the MIDI mappings. When making a MIDI map from within MM, you would have the option to select the MIDI Channel for each mapping you create. This is the most complex option, so we would only want to go for it if it’s really what needs to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Submit](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/submit/32/249_2.png) [@Submit](https://forum.4ms.info/u/Submit)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 6:40pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/7 "2024-09-25T18:40:44Z")
I think that option 3 (Per-mapping MIDI Channel settings) is the most valuable for MM. I use the MM in a 4Ms pod (148 ph) for traveling in combination with the OXI coral and OXI one (Sequencer). While traveling I work mostly with midi and 4 patch cables. And option 2 is the same like 3 but you must select the midi channels in VCV but you can’t change it in the MM? By the way, I love the MM ---
**Author:** ![danngreen](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/danngreen/32/14_2.png) [@danngreen](https://forum.4ms.info/u/danngreen)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 7:07pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/8 "2024-09-25T19:07:06Z")
Option 2 is a MIDI Channel for each **patch**. Option 3 is a MIDI Channel for each **jack**. In both cases you would be able to change it on MM or VCV. It just depends on if people actually want to have patches like this example: MIDI Channel 7 Note values going to a VCO V/oct input, and at the same time (in the same patch) MIDI Channel 3 Note values are going to some other VCO, and CC 74 on all MIDI Channels go to a VCF module. And at the same time you want to ignore Notes on MIDI Channels 1, 2, 4-6, and 8-16 because you have those routed to some other synth. This kind of complex patch would be the reason for Option 3. With great control comes great complexity/confusion… Or, Option 2 would be suited if you wanted to have a patch respond to all events on a particular channel. Then other synths could respond to other channels. This is a more traditional MIDI setup. I think if your setup has just one MIDI cable (not sure if yours does), then Option 1 or 2 is probably sufficient unless there’s some reason you want to filter particular MIDI Channels on particular events but not others. But, maybe there’s an example I’m not thinking about. ---
**Author:** ![thopa](https://forum.4ms.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@thopa](https://forum.4ms.info/u/thopa)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 7:30pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/9 "2024-09-25T19:30:20Z")
is there a option to have different modules on the same patch responding to different channels? So you could have one voice on channel 1 (pitch, gate and cc control) and another module responding on channel 2. Thinking of a multivoice setup (like 4 plaits…etc) I guess this means multichannel per patch. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Submit](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/submit/32/249_2.png) [@Submit](https://forum.4ms.info/u/Submit)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 7:31pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/10 "2024-09-25T19:31:42Z")
For me I think the option to use 3 VCO’s inside one patch with different midi channels would be the best option. I have 4 sequencers in the OXI one with different midi channels per sequencer. ---
**Author:** ![phommed](https://forum.4ms.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/ce73a5/32.png) [@phommed](https://forum.4ms.info/u/phommed)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 8:19pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/11 "2024-09-25T20:19:36Z")
I think Option 1 is an obvious first step if it can be done quickly, and handles the basic case of treating MM like a single MIDI instrument listening to either a single specific channel or all (Omni). I can’t see how you could solve the problems you identified with option 2 if the MM can only still process just a single MIDI channel or omni / merge. Which MIDI module in the Rack path would “win” ? Even if could come up with some logic to decide, how would the user know / predict ? Maybe show the selected channel on the MM VCVrack module somewhere? “With this MIDI setup, the channel I will select to use is … x”. Sounds messy and ultimately still restricts to just one MIDI stream into MM. Option 3 seems to be the “modular” way. Allow patchers to set up whatever MIDI mapping they want, MM then figures out which MIDI events in which channels to route to which patch cables. There should not be any ambiguity at that point which MIDI event should be routed to which module jack. Have you thought at all about possible MPE support in the future (I really don’t want to hijack this thread, thats a big topic in itself…)? But which option(s) would support that being added in the future , or which options would make it more difficult to do that in the future ? I use [Ahornberg MIDI Poly Expression](https://library.vcvrack.com/Ahornberg/MIDIPolyExpression) in VCVRack … one day MM could parse that module like it does the VCV MIDI modules to route polyphonic MPE data … imagine! ---
**Author:** ![offthesky](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/offthesky/32/163_2.png) [@offthesky](https://forum.4ms.info/u/offthesky)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 8:38pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/12 "2024-09-25T20:38:21Z")
+1 to option 3 as that would lend the most flex and interesting potential sonic ideas within a patch. but certainly, at least would be happy with option 1 to start off… ---
**Author:** ![TheTechnobear](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/thetechnobear/32/52_2.png) [@TheTechnobear](https://forum.4ms.info/u/TheTechnobear)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 10:29pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/13 "2024-09-25T22:29:59Z")
> [@danngreen](#): > > Option 3 is a MIDI Channel for each **jack**. +1 , I need to use different channels for different parts of patch from a dev perspective, Id like to be able to receive midi from multiple channels with the channel information intact. ---
**Author:** ![vakgro](https://forum.4ms.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/a5b964/32.png) [@vakgro](https://forum.4ms.info/u/vakgro)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2024, 12:48am UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/14 "2024-09-26T00:48:48Z")
I also think option 3 is the best because it allows us to respond to various scenarios. ``` 1. Ep133 USB MIDI 1 -> basslime 2. Ep133 USB MIDI 2 -> kick for sidechain 3. Ep133 USB MIDI 3 -> physical modeling voice ``` Or Launchcontrol (Novation) preset 1 for controlling 8-step sequencer 1 Launchcontrol preset 2 for controlling 8-step sequencer 2 Or Ultimately, it would be even better if everything could be connected using a USB hub, allowing both of the above options to work. (In this case, Ep133’s sequencer would use 1-8, and Launchcontrol would use 8-16) It would be great if things like VCV Free’s “MIDI to CV” and “MIDI to Trigger” could be ported over just as they are… ---
**Author:** ![danngreen](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/danngreen/32/14_2.png) [@danngreen](https://forum.4ms.info/u/danngreen)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2024, 4:48am UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/15 "2024-09-26T04:48:15Z")
Ok! Glad I asked! I see overwhelming support for per-jack MIDI Channel assignments. I added an issue for it and outlined what needs to happen. I could see conflict between Option 1 and Option 3, though maybe the former can go in as a temporary measure until #3 can be fully implemented. ---
**Author:** ![TheTechnobear](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/thetechnobear/32/52_2.png) [@TheTechnobear](https://forum.4ms.info/u/TheTechnobear)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2024, 11:29am UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/16 "2024-09-26T11:29:34Z")
you could use a combo of all 3… basically a ‘filter heirarchy’ global filter → patch filter → jack filter high level takes precedence… so if you way to use jack filter you need all → all → jack a -1 , jack b - 2 (though, honestly, I think global is not really needed, I think patch level is fine) also perhaps jack is a little fine grained, and might be better as ‘module level’ ie… all jacks on that module. the use-case Im thinking here is oscillator with v/oct and trig (e.g. plaits) , then you’ll not want the note on to be separate channels, so kind of makes sense that all midi input to that modules is from one channel. I guess the counter case, would be something like a drum module where note on trigs are used from different channels… but of this comes back to be dev question/point… I think there are some interesting midi modules that could be used to do this mapping and that are present on the MM itself (unlike the vcv mid module which ‘disappear’) , these would need access to full midi stream. but they’d avoid you having to try to cope with all use-cases in the vcv-\>mm translation. ---
**Author:** ![danngreen](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/danngreen/32/14_2.png) [@danngreen](https://forum.4ms.info/u/danngreen)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 4:46am UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/17 "2024-09-27T04:46:05Z")
> [@TheTechnobear](#): > > but of this comes back to be dev question/point… > I think there are some interesting midi modules that could be used to do this mapping and that are present on the MM itself (unlike the vcv mid module which ‘disappear’) , these would need access to full midi stream. > > but they’d avoid you having to try to cope with all use-cases in the vcv-\>mm translation. I’m glad you have brought this up (early and again now), because the more I think about it, this is really a viable option. It would solve all the issues. There are some downsides, but ultimately it’s the most flexible solution and familiar to users coming from VCV Rack. The downsides are that extra modules and cables on the screen makes for more clutter in the patch, and there will be inherently more CPU consumed (since the MIDI module has to be run and its signals passed by the audio engine, vs. the current method is to process MIDI in parallel on the co-processor core). Technically there will be slightly more latency (but at minimum just one audio frame, so nothing anyone would notice). The upside is that MIDI can be handled in any number of ways depending on what MIDI modules you choose for the patch. Whether to continue processing MIDI internally in parallel with the raw MIDI stream would be a decision to make. One hurdle is that without polyphonic cables, the MIDI modules would need Split modules tied to them, so we would create custom MIDI-\>CV module with 8xCV outs, 8xGate outs, 8xVel outs, etc… It would be huge (40+ jacks), but there could be a mono-phonic version to save space. Let’s call this Option 4: Allow MIDI modules to parse the raw MIDI stream and output CV, gates, or whatever signals they want on regular virtual jacks. E.g. The VCV Free MIDI-\>CV module would appear as a normal module. ---
**Author:** ![TheTechnobear](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/thetechnobear/32/52_2.png) [@TheTechnobear](https://forum.4ms.info/u/TheTechnobear)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 9:35am UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/18 "2024-09-27T09:35:18Z")
indeed, it does create a small overhead… but I think for the flexibility (and potential creativity in module design) its brings its worth it. also it could run alongside the existing solutions. polyphonic cables - indeed these help, but I think must be considered a separate development, which would just benefit his scenario if/when implemented. indeed until then, you need various splitting options … as you do with other polyphonic modules. that said, there are some use cases where a module could use multi channel midi directly. e.g. polyphonic full voice module which supported mpe. Ive been considering these for a while, since theres many optimisations that can be done when you are processing a full (polyphonic) voice within one module. I guess, at the end of the day… the idea is, yes at user levels we need need multi channel midi support. but, separately, allowing modules full access to midi streams brings new possibilities to what can be created within a single module. ---
**Author:** ![danngreen](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/danngreen/32/14_2.png) [@danngreen](https://forum.4ms.info/u/danngreen)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2024, 6:15pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/19 "2024-09-27T18:15:01Z")
Ok, I’ll make a branch and start testing this out. At first, in parallel to the existing MIDI framework. And at first for proof-of-concept we encode the raw MIDI values in the floats, so as not to create havoc with the API. You mentioned you already do this in the eigenharp VCV? I looked through the Meta Morph project on your github, but didn’t see any MIDI stuff so it must be elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![TheTechnobear](https://forum.4ms.info/user_avatar/forum.4ms.info/thetechnobear/32/52_2.png) [@TheTechnobear](https://forum.4ms.info/u/TheTechnobear)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2024, 5:03pm UTC](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208/20 "2024-09-28T17:03:38Z")
> [@danngreen](#): > > You mentioned you already do this in the eigenharp VCV? I looked through the Meta Morph project on your github, but didn’t see any MIDI stuff so it must be elsewhere. no the eigenharp is a proprietary usb protocol… so I encode its data stream as 32bit floats. > the interfacing to the Eigenharp is in my EigenLite sub project, then Metamorph builds on the C++ api I expose there, then encode (some of) those messages over a single jack / float so the above is where I encode a few (key) streams that I use… there is another one for leds in LightWire.h the reason I do this, is to avoid having to have 10 jacks for a single connection. and as the eigenharp is throwing data at 2khz , a serial data stream at sample rate (48khz) is fine 🙂 though… I do have to be careful on the lightwire since potentially I can be sending led information for over 120 leds ! so I implement these as led region msgs. [Next page](https://forum.4ms.info/t/multichannel-midi-not-working-fixed-in-v2-0-dev-firmware/208.md?page=2)