Sequence -> MIDI = no sound

I've had some severe errors on the 5k and would like to dump what I can from it.

I did a "Save Sequence" and it produced a MIDI file. That seems ok.

I brought the file into Ableton, and could get no sound out of it, so I dropped
it on my PC to play it there. Same thing. It just "plays" silence for the
duration of the sequence. I do notice that in Ableton, it is recognizing that
there's data on 2 tracks...but those notes don't appear (or sound) anywhere.

I understand the 5k saves as SMF1, which should be compatible with Ableton,
and should(?) play on a PC as "all piano", correct". This is fine since it's a
piano piece...and actually, I'd just re-sequence it, but this piece is not only
big (made for 4 hands), but it's extremely technical (to the point that I can't play
it all out in realtime). You know, the old "my mind is more musical than my ability"
kind of thing.

Are there any special settings I need to make before exporting
a sequence as a MIDI file so that it will produce the type of file
that can be played on a PC's sound card?

If you have any external sound modules or keyboards, see if this data will trigger any sounds from them.

I use cubase/nuendo and I'm capable of recording of course both audio & midi, but I can also create notation from my mpc as well.

It's how I have things set up & routed that makes this happen.

So I say this thinking that the same will work for you.

dabmeister wrote:If you have any external sound modules or keyboards, see if this data will trigger any sounds from them.

I use cubase/nuendo and I'm capable of recording of course both audio & midi, but I can also create notation from my mpc as well.

It's how I have things set up & routed that makes this happen.

So I say this thinking that the same will work for you.

Thanks for your reply.

I've got it worked out. The 5k is outputting bad MIDI files as well as the other troubles it's having. In this case, they are barely audible...and I don't think it saved a single note from the actual key the sequence was in.

Beginning at measure 34, notes were saved...just...the wrong notes, wrong velocities, wrong durations, wrong placements. I would have continued to think it was a blank midi file, but I used "MIDI File Analyzer II" and found that 90% of what was saved was SYSEX messages and proprietary Akai data...the rest was random note garbage. I think this box has shit the bed...but it's an old machine and all... you know, 2 months old now. =\

Man, you just don't know the pain I feel for you katz with these 5k's. In the begining, I never thought or could imagine any of this would be laid out like this down the pike.

And the sad thing is, is that akai isn't really taking in any of this to try and rectify the many problems associated with the 5k from what I've observed.

Their quality assurance & customer service will take a hit because of this. It'll show when the next flagship mpc hits the market (if that will ever happen).