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Chapter 11 - MIDI Log

The Log panel is the raw feed: a scrolling console of every MIDI message and connection event CONNECT sees, as it happens. It's the least glamorous panel and the one you'll be gladdest of when something misbehaves.

Reading the log

Messages scroll up as they arrive, colour-coded by type so the stream is scannable at speed - note-ons and note-offs in their own colours, clock ticks, system messages, connection/debug lines, and errors standing out from all of them.

What it's for, in practice:

  • "Is anything actually arriving?" - the first question of every MIDI problem. The log answers it in one glance.
  • "What channel is that on?" - notes show their channel, which settles most routing arguments.
  • Stuck note hunting - find the note-on that never got its note-off.
  • Connection events - the Live link's ups and downs appear here too, which helps when diagnosing drops (Chapter 14).

Filters

Clock alone can flood the view - 24 messages per beat before anyone plays a note. The Filters button opens toggles for the message families:

  • Notes - note-on / note-off
  • Clock - timing ticks and transport
  • Sysex - system-exclusive traffic
  • Debug - CONNECT's own connection and transfer messages

The usual setup: Clock off, everything else on. Turn Clock back on only when the problem is timing.

Clear

Clear empties the console. Do it right before reproducing a problem - the log that follows contains only the evidence.