The quick answer
Load BUFFR as a VST3, CLAP, or AUv2 plug-in and choose the MIDI source that matches your workflow. Host MIDI remembers events the DAW sends to that instance. Global MIDI opens one hardware controller directly, so BUFFR can retain the performance while sitting on a bus or master.
If capture was already active and the performance remains inside the selected one-to-120-minute history, select it on BUFFR’s MIDI lane and drag it into the DAW as a Standard MIDI File. BUFFR cannot recover MIDI from before it was running or from a source that never reached it.
What retrospective MIDI recording means
A normal MIDI recorder starts when you arm a track and press Record. A retrospective recorder keeps a rolling event history while you play, then lets you decide afterward which phrase matters. It is useful for improvisation, sound design, chord discovery, and the take that happened before recording felt necessary.
Several DAWs already provide their own version. Ableton Live’sCapture MIDIcreates clips from armed or monitored tracks, and Cubase documentsRetrospective Recording. Use the DAW feature when it already covers the route and result you need. BUFFR adds the same recorder and timeline across supported hosts, plus audio, System Audio, and direct-controller history.
Host MIDI, Global MIDI, or both?
Host MIDI
The DAW delivers Host MIDI to BUFFR with host-timeline timing. Put the plug-in where the DAW routes the events you want. An instance on the master does not automatically receive every MIDI clip or instrument track in a project.
Global MIDI
Global MIDI listens directly to one selected physical controller. It preserves the performance spacing with approximate DAW alignment and is the useful safety net when BUFFR sits on a bus or master rather than the armed instrument track.
Host + Global
This mode retains both routes. Do not send the same controller through both unless that is intentional, because transformed or delayed routes can become distinct events. If a device cannot be opened by the DAW and BUFFR at the same time, follow the platform-specific routing steps in the BUFFR manual.
What the MIDI history retains
- All 16 MIDI channels rather than a notes-only preview.
- Notes, velocity, CC, program changes, pitch bend, and channel pressure.
- Polyphonic expression including MPE and host note-expression events.
- Chord labels, velocity labels, timing offsets, markers, and inferred rhythmic context in the editor.
- Linked audio and MIDI selections when both belong to the captured performance.
Standard MIDI Files cannot represent every rich event exactly. BUFFR converts the selected performance into a broadly compatible .mid file and preserves a richer companion for BUFFR’s own workflow. Current DAWs normally import the Standard MIDI File, so verify expression that depends on newer event formats after dragging it in.
Recover and drag the MIDI performance
- Choose Host, Global, or Host + Global in Capture Sources.
- Confirm the controller or DAW route moves the MIDI lane.
- Play without changing your normal creative workflow.
- Find the useful phrase, drag across it, and adjust the selection edges.
- Use Raw, Human, or Precision timing when the take needs Smart Quantize.
- Drag the result into the DAW or use Export to save a Standard MIDI File.
Smart Quantize is optional. Raw preserves the played timing; Human and Precision let you tighten a selection without forcing every performance into the same grid.
BUFFR, MIDI Cap, Mucap, or the DAW?
MIDI Cap is a dedicated retrospective MIDI plug-in with a long history and simple MIDI-file drag-out.Mucap is a free, open-source retrospective MIDI recorder for Linux. Both are focused choices when MIDI alone is the job.
BUFFR is the better fit when the MIDI needs to remain beside retrospective DAW audio, a separate System Audio lane, markers, waveform edits, or a linked audio selection. The sourced recorder comparison separates those workflows feature by feature.
Frequently asked questions
Can BUFFR record MIDI without arming the instrument track?
Yes, when Global MIDI is active and listening directly to that hardware controller. Host MIDI still depends on DAW routing.
Is BUFFR a MIDI effect or instrument?
BUFFR is a recorder and editor plug-in. It retains the audio and MIDI delivered to its enabled sources; it is not a software instrument.
Does it record MPE?
Yes. BUFFR retains MPE and other expressive events, then converts the selection to what a Standard MIDI File can carry for drag-out.
How far back can the MIDI recorder recover?
From one minute up to two hours, according to the configured history and the material still retained.