Is it possible to let multiple layers share the same MIDI channel ?
I would love to use my MIDI controller to control multiple effects without wasting a channel on each effect.
Sorry, but I don’t get this. “Clone MIDI to” sounds to me that I have two channels occupied by the plugin in the end. What I am missing is the simple option that “used” MIDI channels simply do not disappear from the channel list but can be assigned to more than one effect / layer etc.
Nope, you’re cloning the midi messages, not the layer.
Also, just give it a go! it’s not like trying it is going to void the warranty or end the world.
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The sky is falling!!! 
In the bold select menu you should have select Clone MIDI to… not Begin Ragnarök…. (Really I think that should be under the Admin menu anyway.)
Me thinks we may be undermining the validity of this issue! I think this is a limitation of the device which I agree could be better implented. Submit a feature request over at GitHub.
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I will file a bug report on GitHub. And just to comment on this thread: Yes, I felt quite annoyed about getting joking responses instead of this taken seriously. Ease of use is something that I find important. Not just to ease the work flow, but to make the system as accessible to everybody as possible. When I posted my initial question I was in the run up to a bad migraine attack. Not in the mood for testing etc. While am I saying this ? There might be people using Zynthian who are not that good at working things out, or that even have permanent mental problems. I do love this system and I want it as accessible and welcoming to everybody. This includes that people do not feel turned away from asking (sometimes silly) questions.
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My initial response was not a joke, although I admit it was couched in humor. You will not void any warranty or end the world by trying things.
I’m sorry you were unwell at the time of your response but really we can’t realistically do anything to help you with that and we certainly had no way of knowing that was the case.
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Regarding the issue, yes, you can see this as a limitation, but …
There was a time when zynthian supported having several engines in the same MIDI channel, and this was causing important limitations too.
You have to realize that non-LV2 engines are mostly controlled with MIDI-CC messages exclusively (ZynAddSubFX, FluidSynth, setBfree, Pianoteq, Aeolus, PureData), so by having several engines on the same MIDI channel, the CCs are bond together, so you couldn’t adjust volume, pan, etc. independently for every engine on the same channel.
Today, the MIDI router has improved quite a bit and we could find a way to circumvent this problem, but it’s not so easy to implement and we should refactorize a good bunch of critical code.
In the short term, I would like to release the need of assigning a MIDI channel to pure Audio-effect layers and also allowing to assign ALL channels to pure MIDI-effect layers.
Regarding synth layers, the cloning feature allows several engines to receive the same notes, while having the possibility of deciding what CCs are cloned (bold-click a channel from the clone dialog). This is OK for most of use-cases, but i’m open to listen about use cases that are not easily addressed by the “clone” feature.
A good middle point would be to allow LV2 engines to share its MIDI channel with other LV2 engines while keeping the limitation for non-LV2 engines.
Regards,
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This makes sense.
That may not be the best of times to be posting on forums.
Nothing wrong with asking questions, but when you’re given an answer that you can’t be bothered to test, volunteers putting their own time into helping others in projects like this, may get a little cranky in return.
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I don’t think anyone got cranky. @Baggypants made a point about just trying it to see and wrapped that in a comical comment and I reacted to his comical comment with my own. We are from the same country so share a common culture. Others may not appreciate (nor even recognise) this humour hence I suggested we steer back to the original poster’s issue. We are a pretty friendly bunch here and any offence is usually unintentional (unless targetted at @wyleu who quite frankly deserves more than he gets 
).
I know the impact migraine can have and how such a debilitating attack is frustrating when you just want to get on with your day. I hope you recovered without too much discomfort. I find that catching it at the first signs (which for me tends to be an aura) and medicating (with a combination of asprin, paracetamol and caffeine) then resting allows me to mostly recover within about 40 minutes but am left drained for much of the day.
Good to see @jofemodo ride to the rescue and explain the constraints and possible options.