Sending MIDI to Control a VST in Abelton through Rewire

[dab1984]

Hello,

I have just begun using Ableton and a synth which I really love of the VST variety.

Is there a way to sequence MIDI in Reason but send it to be played by a VST in Ableton?

I only have Ableton Lite (hence limitations) - and I am also much more seasoned with Reason, so I would like to compose and arrange in Reason but send this to the synth in Ableton for one of my tracks.

I suspect I would need to use the External Midi Instrument, is that right? But I fail to find Ableton on it (only my keyboard shows up) and do not know how to set up the rack for this (or the Hardware Interface).

Any suggestions or explanations would be greatly appreciated!

[jam-s]

You will also need som (virtual) midi loopback in addition to the emi.

[QVprod]

Hello,

I have just begun using Ableton and a synth which I really love of the VST variety.

Is there a way to sequence MIDI in Reason but send it to be played by a VST in Ableton?

I only have Ableton Lite (hence limitations) - and I am also much more seasoned with Reason, so I would like to compose and arrange in Reason but send this to the synth in Ableton for one of my tracks.

I suspect I would need to use the External Midi Instrument, is that right? But I fail to find Ableton on it (only my keyboard shows up) and do not know how to set up the rack for this (or the Hardware Interface).

Any suggestions or explanations would be greatly appreciated!

Actually made a tutorial about this a few years back.

[dab1984]

Thank you so much.
But do you happen to have (and maybe willing to share) a template for this?

[QVprod]

No I don't have a template. I don't really use this method myself, just made the video to show that it was possible for those who desired to work this way. It's really simple though. Once you set up virtual midi, VSTs in Ableton function as normal. From there you just send output from Reason using the EMI (midi out) to the desired channels the VSTs are set to be triggered by.

[Goriila Texas]

Got it working.

[dab1984]

u got it working? how?

[Goriila Texas]

u got it working? how?

I use Studio One 3 and just select loopmidi as a midi keyboard for EMI Then select loopmidi in Reason midi clock out. So happy to be able to use all the players on Nexus and Kontakt yay!!

[QVprod]

u got it working? how?

I use Studio One 3 and just select loopmidi as a midi keyboard for EMI Then select loopmidi in Reason midi clock out. So happy to be able to use all the players on Nexus and Kontakt yay!!

You don't even need to set midi clock out. Rewire does all the midi syncing for you.

@dab1984 what part are you confused about? Did you install loopMidi (assuming you're using a PC)? Did you set Abelton to receive midi from LoopMidi?

There's really no way to template this since it requires individual set up on a computer.

[dab1984]

u got it working? how?

I use Studio One 3 and just select loopmidi as a midi keyboard for EMI Then select loopmidi in Reason midi clock out. So happy to be able to use all the players on Nexus and Kontakt yay!!

You don't even need to set midi clock out. Rewire does all the midi syncing for you.

@dab1984 what part are you confused about? Did you install loopMidi (assuming you're using a PC)? Did you set Ableton to receive midi from LoopMidi?

There's really no way to template this since it requires individual set up on a computer.

Firstly, thanks to everyone here who has responded!

In answer to your questions: Yes I did install loopmidi and yes I am on PC.

The gist of the matter is that even though I'm a seasoned Reason user, I have very limited experience with Ableton or other DAWs and thus with Rewire.

For an album I am working on I need to use some VSTs that I just obtained. I am confused about how to setup both Reason and Ableton (or Acoustica Mixcraft or perhaps other DAWs if they are easier to setup) so that I control the VST loaded in the DAW with Reason, i.e. not the standard use of Rewire where you control Reason with a DAW. I have the composition on Reason and want to play certain tracks on reason with VST instruments. (I realize Reason must remain in slave mode but I want to sequence in Reason not in the other DAW and most importantly, control VSTs with Reason).

I apologize if I am asking a stupid and/or amature question!

[QVprod]

Firstly, thanks to everyone here who has responded!

In answer to your questions: Yes I did install loopmidi and yes I am on PC.

The gist of the matter is that even though I'm a seasoned Reason user, I have very limited experience with Ableton or other DAWs and thus with Rewire.

For an album I am working on I need to use some VSTs that I just obtained. I am confused about how to setup both Reason and Ableton (or Acoustica Mixcraft or perhaps other DAWs if they are easier to setup) so that I control the VST loaded in the DAW with Reason, i.e. not the standard use of Rewire where you control Reason with a DAW. I have the composition on Reason and want to play certain tracks on reason with VST instruments. (I realize Reason must remain in slave mode but I want to sequence in Reason not in the other DAW and most importantly, control VSTs with Reason).

I apologize if I am asking a stupid and/or amature question!

Ok, I think the problem you're having is you haven't enabled loopmidi as a midi input in Ableton. Mixcraft would be the same process. Basically the same way you enable midi controllers to trigger Reason. you have to do that in other DAWs as well. LoopMidi in this case would function as a midi controller.

Once you set loopmidi as as a controller and set the VST to be triggered by loopmidi (or just make loopmidi the only controller in your DAW) then all you're doing is sending midi out via the EMI and it will automatically trigger whatever VSTs you have set to respond to that midi channel.

[dab1984]

Firstly, thanks to everyone here who has responded!

In answer to your questions: Yes I did install loopmidi and yes I am on PC.

The gist of the matter is that even though I'm a seasoned Reason user, I have very limited experience with Ableton or other DAWs and thus with Rewire.

For an album I am working on I need to use some VSTs that I just obtained. I am confused about how to setup both Reason and Ableton (or Acoustica Mixcraft or perhaps other DAWs if they are easier to setup) so that I control the VST loaded in the DAW with Reason, i.e. not the standard use of Rewire where you control Reason with a DAW. I have the composition on Reason and want to play certain tracks on reason with VST instruments. (I realize Reason must remain in slave mode but I want to sequence in Reason not in the other DAW and most importantly, control VSTs with Reason).

I apologize if I am asking a stupid and/or amature question!

Ok, I think the problem you're having is you haven't enabled loopmidi as a midi input in Ableton. Mixcraft would be the same process. Basically the same way you enable midi controllers to trigger Reason. you have to do that in other DAWs as well. LoopMidi in this case would function as a midi controller.

Once you set loopmidi as as a controller and set the VST to be triggered by loopmidi (or just make loopmidi the only controller in your DAW) then all you're doing is sending midi out via the EMI and it will automatically trigger whatever VSTs you have set to respond to that midi channel.

Thank you kind sir! I'll try exactly as you suggest.
One question though: is there a role for Reason's External Midi Instrument in this kind of thing?

[Goriila Texas]

EMI = External Midi Instrument

[dab1984]

EMI = External Midi Instrument

Ha! Sorry, I am sleep deprived. I didn't notice.
OK I have another question if you please. How do I route the EMI and the Hardware Interface?

[dab1984]

I am using Mixcraft not Ableton FYI.

[jam-s]

Reason (Sequencer-->EMI) --> LoopMidi (MidiBus) --> DAW --> VST/AU --> Audio --> Loopback (virtual or hardware) --> Reason (Audio-In on the Hardware Interface)

[QVprod]

EMI = External Midi Instrument

Ha! Sorry, I am sleep deprived. I didn't notice.
OK I have another question if you please. How do I route the EMI and the Hardware Interface?

You don't do anything with the Hardware interface. On the EMI you select Loopmidi and the midi channel. That's it. In Mixcraft just make sure the VSTs are set to respond to different midi channels and are enabled to receive midi input. Refer back to the video where needed . Everything that needs to be done to route the midi is done in the video, just skip the Redrum part.

*sidenote: I may update the video to make it more of a step by step guide, also since the addition of drag and drop make this method even better.