MidiBro 2 in Ableton Live

Two-track routing: the Master feeds one instrument, a Receiver each feeds the rest

HostLive 11 or newer FormatVST3 ReceiverReceiver Instrument StatusVerified
SIGNAL FLOW
MIDI TRACK 1
MidiBro Master
silent, your browser
auto-connect
no MIDI cabling
MIDI TRACK 2
MidiBro Receiver Instrument
plays the MidiStack cell
MIDI From: plugin tap
Monitor: In
MIDI TRACK 3
Your Synth
what you hear

Ableton does not host a third-party MIDI effect in front of an instrument, so the Receiver gets a track of its own. Master and Receiver find each other automatically, so the only routing you set by hand is the orange arrow. For a single instrument you can leave the Receiver out and take the notes straight off the Master track the same way.

Overview

MidiBro is plugin-only (no standalone app). Two plugins work together:

  • MidiBro Master: the browser and controller. Load it once; it makes no sound.
  • MidiBro Receiver Instrument: plays the selected MidiStack cell; you route its MIDI to your synth on another track.

Master and Receivers connect automatically over MidiBro’s internal link. You do not route MIDI between Master and Receiver by hand.

Ableton does not host a third-party MIDI effect before an instrument on the same track, so MidiBro always uses two-track routing: one track sends, the instrument track receives.

There are two senders, and you can mix them in one set:

  • Straight from the Master. Set a MidiStack row’s output to This track (MidiBro Master) and its notes leave through the Master’s own MIDI output. Any track can pick them up. No Receiver needed.
  • Through a Receiver. All direct rows share that single output, so as soon as you want a second instrument playing something else, give each one a MidiBro Receiver Instrument track of its own.

Prerequisites

  • Ableton Live 11 or newer
  • MidiBro Master VST3 and MidiBro Receiver Instrument VST3
    • Mac: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/
    • Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\ (vendor: ivoschi)

Setup

  1. 1
    #Create a MIDI track for the Master and drop MidiBro Master on it. It stays silent; this is your browser/controller.
  2. 2
    #Create a MIDI track for your instrument (Operator, Serum, a Drum Rack).
  3. 3
    #Decide what feeds that track. For the first instrument, nothing more to load: the Master feeds it directly. For every further instrument, add one more MIDI track and drop MidiBro Receiver Instrument on it.
  4. 4
    #On the instrument track, set MIDI From to the track that feeds it, so either the Master track or its Receiver track. In the second dropdown choose the plugin name (MidiBro Master or MidiBro Receiver Instrument), not “Post FX”. Set Monitor to In.
  5. 5
    #In the Master, set the output of the MidiStack row: This track (MidiBro Master) for the direct route, or the Receiver’s name. Launch a cell, and the instrument plays.
Both routes in one set. The Drum Rack takes MIDI straight from the MidiBro Master tap; the Bass track takes it from the “Bass MB Rcv” Receiver track. The second MIDI From dropdown names the plugin, never “Post FX”. Monitor reads “Auto” here, which works because those two tracks are record-armed; “In” works either way.
Both routes in one set. The Drum Rack takes MIDI straight from the MidiBro Master tap; the Bass track takes it from the “Bass MB Rcv” Receiver track. The second MIDI From dropdown names the plugin, never “Post FX”. Monitor reads “Auto” here, which works because those two tracks are record-armed; “In” works either way.

Which plugin variant

For one instrument you need no Receiver at all: route the MidiStack row to This track (MidiBro Master).

From the second instrument on, use MidiBro Receiver Instrument (VST3), one per voice. The plain MIDI-FX Receiver cannot sit before an instrument in Ableton; on Windows it may not load at all.

Troubleshooting

Problem Solution
No sound Instrument track: MIDI From = the plugin tap, Monitor = In
Nothing on the direct route Set the MidiStack row’s output to This track (MidiBro Master); if it still points at the internal GM synth, the notes never leave the plugin
Two synths play the same notes In “MIDI From” pick the plugin name, not “Post FX”
Receiver not listed as MIDI From Load the Receiver Instrument first, then re-open the dropdown
Status “Disconnected” Confirm the Master is loaded; they connect automatically, allow a few seconds

Still stuck?

Write to ivo@midibro.de. You'll get me, not a bot.

Open contact form

UPDATED 2026-08-07 · TIP: PRESS CMD/CTRL+P FOR A PRINTABLE COPY