Reaper MIDI Stuck Notes

[Big Mike B]

I've recently started a project which makes major use of MIDI programming (multichannel symphony stuff). One issue I keep having is that random notes are being sustained during playback and rendering (as if Reaper doesn't get the "Note Off" message). This only seems to happen for about 1/200 notes, but it is extremely irritating as I have to render the project several times with hopes that not a single note in the whole project sticks.

I've done quite a bit of research on this issue. I know for a fact that it is not the VSTis I'm using, as I've had this happen with several plugins (a Piano VSTi, a Symphonic VSTi and a synthesizer VSTi). It is also not an issue with my MIDI input as most of my MIDI stuff is done in Reaper's MIDI editor and this occurs during playback. On Cockos forums I've seen mention of the issue being related to the x64 version of Reaper and the way it handles x86 plugins, and vice versa, but no definitive cause. This issue has apparently been going on for several years now.

I'm running the latest version of Reaper (4.78 x64) on Windows 7 using the Line6 UX2 interface and ASIO UX2 drivers.

Help would be greatly appreciated, as this issue is driving me nuts.

 

[GarryB]

The most common cause of stuck notes is overlapping notes of the same pitch on the same channel.
The note off for the first note occurs after the note on for the second.
Check for repeated pitches - shorten the first to prevent overlap.
Does Reaper have an option for globally setting note duration to 99% (example) of note value?

 

[gecko zzed]

I've experienced this from time to time.

There are a number of possible causes. Big Mike mentioned one, i.e. overlapping notes of the same pitch.

Sometimes it can happen when you inadvertently delete or cover up a note-off command, by, for example, trimming the end of a midi segment.

I've got one synth plug in that just seems to make up its own mind whether it is going to shut off a note or not. Sometimes I'll play back, and it stops. Other times I'll do the same, and it keeps going.

I've gone to Reaper v5.0, and in that you can go to the midi editor, and insert note-off commands if they are missing. I can't remember whether you can do that in 4.78

 

[Big Mike B]

Reaper 5?! (one f***ing week after I purchase my license), Finally!!!!!!
Sorry, excuse the excitement

There are no overlapping notes. The way I program things is just doubleclick-drag. Sometimes copy-paste.
Gecko - it's exactly as you described. Sometimes it happens, some times it doesn't. It seems completely random, regardless of the notes that follow.

Back to Reaper 5 - can I import my old settings and keymaps?

 

[gecko zzed]

There are no overlapping notes. The way I program things is just doubleclick-drag. Sometimes copy-paste.

okay . . . one potential cause eliminated

Gecko - it's exactly as you described. Sometimes it happens, some times it doesn't. It seems completely random, regardless of the notes that follow.

Is it one particular plug in that behaves erratically, or all, or some?

When I really want to use the sound of the plug in that sometimes misbehaves for me, I will sometimes create a volume envelope over the track to turn it off when I don't want it going. I haven't tried hard-inserting note off commands, but that's worth trying

Back to Reaper 5 - can I import my old settings and keymaps?

Reaper 5.0 will load over the top of 4.78 and preserve everything you've set up in 4.78.

 

[Big Mike B]

Well the only VSTi plugins I use are a drum machine and the three mentioned above. Obviously you can't really hear if a note is sustaining on drums, but it does sustain all of the others mentioned in the original post, so I think it's safe to assume it happens in both.

P.S. I didn't know Reaper 5 was out at the time of writing this post. I'm gonna update to that and hopefully that'll fix it.