The MidiRedirector VSTi is a speciallized plugin from HomeGrown Software Development. It is designed to accept midi from a host (BiaB) and redirect it to the midi port you select. You may select a hardware port with an attached hardware synth or other midi device you wish to access. The idea is to circumvent BiaBs limitation of using only hard or soft synths exclusively.
MidiRedirector v1.00
Installation[]
Unzip the contents of this file. Copy or move MidiRedirect.dll to the folder where you keep your VSTs. This is usually Program Files\VSTPlugins or Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins.
Inside BiaB click on the Synth button, choose the track you wish to redirect and, in the top, VSTi, slot choose the Add VST plugin option. Navigate to the folder where you stored MidiRedirect.dll and select it. It should open in the VSTi panel.
Using MidiRedirector[]
With MidiRedirector open in the VSTi panel .select the midi port you want to send the midi data to in the combobox. This will list all ports registered with your OS. At this point the Port Status light should be green indicating the port is open. Now you can play your BiaB song and the Port Activity light should blink as midi data is redirected.
There are a couple of ways to use MidiRedirector depending on what you would like to do.
If you simply want to send one track to a hardware synth, such as the Ketron SD2, or to a vocal processor/harmonizer, then you would add the plugin to that particular track and select the port your device is attached to. Keep in mind, you can only open a port that is not in use by another program or plugin, This is the primary way this plugin was intended to be used.
If you want most tracks to go to your hardware synth you could install this plugin on the Default Synth tab and select the appropriate port as above. Then you would go to the individual track tabs that you want to send to soft synths and select a different VSTi, such as SampleTank for example, to play the midi on that track. Be aware, though, you might experience latency issues using this method unless you are using ASIO drivers and have a fast system.
For the best way to send multiple tracks to a hardware device see the next section.
Beating the One Port One Plugin Limitation[]
There is a way to beat the one port one plugin limitation without risking unacceptable latency. Download and install Midi Ox and its companion Midi Yoke. Midi Yoke will install eight midi ports (by default) on your system. Using Midi Ox you can link those ports to your single hardware port.
This will allow you to select different ports in each instance of MidiRedirector even though the output will all end up at the single hardware port.
Limitations[]
- This VSTi is strictly 32 bit.
- You can only have one instance per available midi port. This utility cannot access a port held open by another program including BiaB and an open instance of this redirector itself.
- Midi ports are volatile. Saving a song with this utility configured to send midi to a port MIGHT not work when you reopen the song if the port selected is either not avaiilable or loaded in a different order. If your system is seldom reconfigured this probaly won't be a problem but you need to be aware.
- It sends no Sysex data. It's not needed for most purposes and is a crap load of work to code. Maybe later.
- There is no Audio Thru provided. Again, it's not needed for the main purpose. Maybe later.
- You can't render a file with the hardware voice you select. You could perhaps record it and make it a performance track but you'd likely be better off using RealBand for this.
Trouble Shooting[]
Q: There are no ports in the combobox. A: You may not have any midi ports or they may not be installed correctly.
Q: the port status light does not turn green. A: Your midi port may be in use by another program or by BiaB itself. Make sure BiaB is not using the port you are trying to access. Go to Midi Options and select a different port in the list of midi outputs. If this doesn't work check if you have any other programs open that might be using the port and close them.
Q: The port activity light doesn't blink even though the port status light is lit. A: You may not have any midi data on the chosen track. Check the note dispaly in BiaB.
Q: The port activity light blinks but no midi gets to the device I'm sending it to. A: Maybe another device in the chain is 'eating' the data or it isn't turned on. Perhaps it needs some special midi commands embedded in the track.