I've been using computer sequencers for a while, with step time entry only,
but I recently tried playing notes in with a midi keyboard for the first
time (yes really). It worked fine for a while (maybe an hour or so), then
strange things started to happen.
It seems as if the midi messages are misfiring somehow. I either get notes
not appearing, not switching off (sustaining), or random low notes
appearing. These always seem to be bottom C (5 octaves below middle C) - no
matter what note I hit.

My equipment is as follows: Win2K, 736 chip, 256 RAM, SBLive card with newly
installed kX project drivers, Sibelius 1.4 notation software, Yamaha YPP-50
keyboard. I've tried using a different keyboard (Yamaha P-90) or recording
into Cakewalk, and the same thing happens.
I don't have another midi cable to test if it's that.

Anyone recognise this phenomenon?

JonR

John,

If you're using a sound source in the keyboard, make sure your setting
LOCAL=OFF.

In my experience, replacing midi cables or cleaning MIDI plugs and
reconnecting to the computer sometimes helped.

If you're using a midi thru box, try connecting straight to the computer
or sequencer.

If you're working on a computer, make sure you have the latest driver
for your MIDI interface.

I also had a cheesy keyboard controller where the midi port was just no
good...

HTH,

Dan Ash
White Plains, NY


Jon Riley wrote:
I've been using computer sequencers for a while, with step time entry only,
but I recently tried playing notes in with a midi keyboard for the first
time (yes really). It worked fine for a while (maybe an hour or so), then
strange things started to happen.
It seems as if the midi messages are misfiring somehow. I either get notes
not appearing, not switching off (sustaining), or random low notes
appearing. These always seem to be bottom C (5 octaves below middle C) - no
matter what note I hit.

My equipment is as follows: Win2K, 736 chip, 256 RAM, SBLive card with newly
installed kX project drivers, Sibelius 1.4 notation software, Yamaha YPP-50
keyboard. I've tried using a different keyboard (Yamaha P-90) or recording
into Cakewalk, and the same thing happens.
I don't have another midi cable to test if it's that.

Anyone recognise this phenomenon?

JonR

i have Sibelius G7, and i found the midi entry to be kind of flaky and
kooky, and the "Kontakt" playback to be kind of quirky too.

So I just stay with step entry.

There are some free DAW programs out there that have midi sequencing
and audio recording. See if you can play with one of them if you don't
have any DAW software. If you can get your rig working fine, then you
know Sibelius is what's letting you down.

If you can cough up $79 or so, I would recommend the M-audio Audiophile
24-96 card. The midi and drivers are great on it. And it has ASIO
drivers, which will give you a gateway into professional recording
applications. It also has GSIF drivers to drive Gigasampler. It also
works well with Windows Media Player type things. So it's basically a
great slug-around card.

"Dan Ash" wrote in message
news:thiBd.17062$fe5.3697@trndny06...
John,

If you're using a sound source in the keyboard, make sure your setting
LOCAL=OFF.

I did set this, and tried testing other midi settings on the keyboard too -
made no difference.

In my experience, replacing midi cables or cleaning MIDI plugs and
reconnecting to the computer sometimes helped.

It does seem (to my uneducated brain) like it could be this kind of thing...
Have you had a similar problem to mine?

If you're using a midi thru box, try connecting straight to the computer
or sequencer.

the keyboard connects straight to the computer soundcard, via a midi lead
into the 15-pin game port.

If you're working on a computer, make sure you have the latest driver
for your MIDI interface.

Yep - this was the idea behind downloading and installing the kx drivers,
because the initial problem I was having was latency - a half-second or so
between playing a note and hearing it from the monitors. (I've posted
queries to the kx forums too, but no solutions yet.)

I also had a cheesy keyboard controller where the midi port was just no
good...

I did try with a 2nd keyboard, as I said (and the P-90 at least is hardly
cheesy :-)), but the problem was indentical.
I may just go out and risk the price of a new midi cable, see if it really
is that.

thanks for your help

JonR


Jon Riley wrote:
I've been using computer sequencers for a while, with step time entry
only,
but I recently tried playing notes in with a midi keyboard for the first
time (yes really). It worked fine for a while (maybe an hour or so),
then
strange things started to happen.
It seems as if the midi messages are misfiring somehow. I either get
notes
not appearing, not switching off (sustaining), or random low notes
appearing. These always seem to be bottom C (5 octaves below middle C) -
no
matter what note I hit.

My equipment is as follows: Win2K, 736 chip, 256 RAM, SBLive card with
newly
installed kX project drivers, Sibelius 1.4 notation software, Yamaha
YPP-50
keyboard. I've tried using a different keyboard (Yamaha P-90) or
recording
into Cakewalk, and the same thing happens.
I don't have another midi cable to test if it's that.

Anyone recognise this phenomenon?

JonR

wrote in message
oups.com...
i have Sibelius G7, and i found the midi entry to be kind of flaky and
kooky, and the "Kontakt" playback to be kind of quirky too.

So I just stay with step entry.

Even when the midi was working fine (when I first connected everything up),
the notation did take at least a second to appear. But this wasn't a big
deal - there was no discernible audio latency and the notation was accurate
when it did appear. (I just had to try not looking at the screen while
playing :-)).

There are some free DAW programs out there that have midi sequencing
and audio recording. See if you can play with one of them if you don't
have any DAW software. If you can get your rig working fine, then you
know Sibelius is what's letting you down.

Yes, I'll try something like this.
However, I do get the same problem using an old copy of Cakewalk Express
(midi only). It seems as if the problem is somewhere in between the keyboard
and the sequencer software, something to do with the transmission of midi
data (via cable, soundcard & driver), not its interpretation by the
software. (The audio comes out with the same garbage as is being notated.)

If you can cough up $79 or so, I would recommend the M-audio Audiophile
24-96 card. The midi and drivers are great on it. And it has ASIO
drivers, which will give you a gateway into professional recording
applications. It also has GSIF drivers to drive Gigasampler. It also
works well with Windows Media Player type things. So it's basically a
great slug-around card.

Yes, a new soundcard is something I've been thinking about for a while.
(Along with a whole new computer...:-))
Thanks for the recommendation.

JonR

Hi Dan

I just tried the keyboard and cable with an old Win95 machine (ancient
soundblaster card and cakewalk express). It worked perfectly: accurate midi
entry, no delay.
So I'm narrowing it down to these new drivers (kx project), a conflict or
incompatibility of some sort (although it's quite clear my card is
supported) - or perhaps some mistake I made in their installation. (I tried
reinstalling: no change.)
If I uninstall these, should my system return to the way it was? Sorry if
I'm being a bit dumb here, I'm not sure of all the steps I need to go
through.

Jon

"Dan Ash" wrote in message
news:thiBd.17062$fe5.3697@trndny06...
John,

If you're using a sound source in the keyboard, make sure your setting
LOCAL=OFF.

In my experience, replacing midi cables or cleaning MIDI plugs and
reconnecting to the computer sometimes helped.

If you're using a midi thru box, try connecting straight to the computer
or sequencer.

If you're working on a computer, make sure you have the latest driver
for your MIDI interface.

I also had a cheesy keyboard controller where the midi port was just no
good...

HTH,

Dan Ash
White Plains, NY


Jon Riley wrote:
I've been using computer sequencers for a while, with step time entry
only,
but I recently tried playing notes in with a midi keyboard for the first
time (yes really). It worked fine for a while (maybe an hour or so),
then
strange things started to happen.
It seems as if the midi messages are misfiring somehow. I either get
notes
not appearing, not switching off (sustaining), or random low notes
appearing. These always seem to be bottom C (5 octaves below middle C) -
no
matter what note I hit.

My equipment is as follows: Win2K, 736 chip, 256 RAM, SBLive card with
newly
installed kX project drivers, Sibelius 1.4 notation software, Yamaha
YPP-50
keyboard. I've tried using a different keyboard (Yamaha P-90) or
recording
into Cakewalk, and the same thing happens.
I don't have another midi cable to test if it's that.

Anyone recognise this phenomenon?

JonR