Still trying to track to what you are trying to do and I still suspect it is simply a setup issue. There are at least 2^4th record/playback variations when you are setting up Scaler in your DAW so lets start with the basics.
1st - yes, you can drag chords or sets of chords (patterns) directly to a track on your DAW and you will get all of the midi notes AND any other performance or settings MIDI. If you have a performance mode turned on, that midi is automatically written to each chord. This also includes certain settings such as chord duration. It is a fast and easy way to get specific midi into Scaler and I use it almost everyday.
This might be more basic than you need and I’m not trying to drive an external instrument, but you might try this as a starting point so you fully understand how Scaler works in this setting. Unfortuantley I don’t know your DAW or Nexus so caveat emptor.
- New song in your DAW
- 1 track - name it T1
- 1 instance of Scaler on T1
- Set your Instrument Output on T1 to Scaler (this is Studio One language…it is the processor/instrument of any midi on that track
- Set your Instrument Input of T1 to your midi device (this is what the track listens to for midi data)
Now, if you play your midi device you will hear whatever you have Scaler set to but the record function in your DAW will only record what notes you play on your midi device. It is not listening to Scaler’s processed midi. When you playback that midi, you will get one of 3 things:
- A Scaler Performance - if you have that enabled
- Scaler Chords - if bound to notes you played
- Just the notes - if bind is not on
This is happening because Scaler is processing any midi on T1
However, if you play the Scaler interface directly (including automatic playback) with your mouse, you will probably hear things but you will not see any midi activity in your DAW and you will not record anything on that track. There is no midi being generated by your standard midi input devices and that is what T1 is listening for. You can however, drag chords directly to a track and you will get any midi associated with those chords. You can also enable midi capture, play what ever you want on you midi device or with your mouse and then drag all that midi to a track. Scaler does not miss anything coming through Scaler in it’s midi capture.
Now, if you want to record the output of Scaler, chords, patterns and or performances we need to make a change to your track setup (at least in Studio One)
- Set T1 Instrument Output to None
- Set T1 Instrument Input to Scaler
If both are set to Scaler, a nasty feedback loops occurs…as it should.
Now when you hit record and you play from WITHIN Scaler (not from your midi device), you will record whatever you play because Scaler is sending midi as a device to your track. However, you still might not be able to play your midi keyboard to drive Scaler.
[this will vary by DAW]
In my case, I need to tell Scaler to listen to my midi device directly. For me this is done w/in the Scaler wrapper UI under MIDI inputs.
Now, regardless of how I play Scaler, with my midi device, my mouse or with Scaler playback, everything is captured without missing a beat. Including any truncated notes that perform mode might generate as it tries to use midi that is not quantize aligned.
Once you get this working as you expect, I suspect you can just load Nexus and bind it to the Instrument Output of T1 and set Scaler’s sound to none. Now Scaler drives Nexus and you can record that midi.
Understanding these setup variations should give you what you need to work with external instruments to create and capture whatever you want.
Good luck.
