dodgy set-up - midi

pogba wrote:I am using windows 7 pro 64 bit and there seems to be issues with midi output.

Dude, it depends on software, you have to enable it sometimes in host and plug-in, I don't know PT to tell you how to set it up, but there are no any issues with this cable on 64 win 7.

ok so I did get the blue LED when I have Midi out set up to the cable, but the sound is just terrible and I dont record anything.



if it s a PT issue, I might try on their dedicated forums...

Maybe try to explain exactly what you are trying to do with MIDI in Pro Tools.

What do you mean by 'the sound is terrible'?

Where is the terrible sound coming from, what is creating the sound?

Where is the MIDI data that you are trying to record on the Pro Tools MIDI track coming from, and where are you sending it to out of that track?

SimonInAustralia wrote:Maybe try to explain exactly what you are trying to do with MIDI in Pro Tools.

what I want is to play VST plug ins from Pro Tools with my usb keyboard and record it into my mpc.

SimonInAustralia wrote:What do you mean by 'the sound is terrible'?
Where is the terrible sound coming from, what is creating the sound?

im talking about the outputs (from pc to mpc). sound is distorted like some radio frequency you cant hear clearly (not sure if im clear...)

SimonInAustralia wrote:Where is the MIDI data that you are trying to record on the Pro Tools MIDI track coming from, and where are you sending it to out of that track?

I dont understand this question Simon.

pogba wrote:

SimonInAustralia wrote:Maybe try to explain exactly what you are trying to do with MIDI in Pro Tools.

what I want is to play VST plug ins from Pro Tools with my usb keyboard and record it into my mpc.

You probably should refer to them as software instrument plugins, as Pro Tools does not support VST plug ins(without some sort of VST wrapper), they would possibly be RTAS or AAX Native plugins, if they work directly within Pro Tools.

pogba wrote:

SimonInAustralia wrote:What do you mean by 'the sound is terrible'?
Where is the terrible sound coming from, what is creating the sound?

im talking about the outputs (from pc to mpc). sound is distorted like some radio frequency you cant hear clearly (not sure if im clear...)

What sort of output from the computer is it, what sort of audio interface, and what sort of cables are you using?

It sounds like maybe you are using incorrect cables.

Does it sound right straight out of Pro Tools, before you try to plug the audio outputs of Pro Tools into the MPC?

pogba wrote:

SimonInAustralia wrote:Where is the MIDI data that you are trying to record on the Pro Tools MIDI track coming from, and where are you sending it to out of that track?

I dont understand this question Simon.

Looking at your screen shot above, you seem to be pointing to a Pro Tools MIDI track.

You probably don't need to use a MIDI track, to play internal Pro Tools software instruments, you just need a single instrument track, which takes the incoming MIDI and plays sound from the inserted software instrument.

What sort of output from the computer is it, what sort of audio interface, and what sort of cables are you using?

It sounds like maybe you are using incorrect cables.

Does it sound right straight out of Pro Tools, before you try to plug the audio outputs of Pro Tools into the MPC?

ok so for the cables:
Mbox mini is :
- connected via usb
- connected to the monitors with two jacks

mpc is :
- connected to the monitors with two jacks
- connected to the pc with midi - usb cable
- (connected to the pc with usb cable)

keyboard is:
- connected to pc with usb cable

if you want the specific jack types I need to look it up...

pogba wrote:im talking about the outputs (from pc to mpc). sound is distorted like some radio frequency you cant hear clearly (not sure if im clear...)

Are you plugging the audio outputs of the MPC into the audio inputs on the monitors, and the audio outputs of the MBox into the audio inputs of the MPC?

If so, what cables are you using to do that, a pair of 1/4" TRS to TRS, or a pair of 1/4" TS to TS, or something else.

Just trying to narrow down exactly what the problem is, and where it is coming from.

Is the problem with the output of the MBox, from the Pro Tools software instrument, going through the MPC, and then into your monitors?

When listening to the output of the MPC sound engine by itself, not the Pro Tools software instrument, into the monitors, does it have the same sound problems?

When you plug the output of the MBox into the monitors directly, instead of into the MPC, and listen to the output of Pro Tools through the monitors, does it have the same sound problems?

If you disconnect the USB-MIDI and USB connections between the computer and the MPC, does it still have the same sound problems?

I appreciate the help.

here are my cables (i just cant find their names):
Mbox to monitors

Mbox is connected to the Line

MPC to monitors

mpc is indeed connected to TRS

let me know if it s incorrect, Im starting to thin I am missing a connection between mbox and mpc.

the problem with the output comes when the blue led was on for the midi-usb cable, when white is on, no problem.
by default it is on white and I can play the instrument with my mpc pads.

I am having trouble understanding exactly what you are trying to do, how you have it connected, and where the distorted sound is coming from.

What audio outputs are you listening to, when you have the distorted sound?

Is it the output of the MBox, or the output of the MPC?

pogba wrote:Im starting to thin I am missing a connection between mbox and mpc.

You said this earlier...

pogba wrote:what I want is to play VST plug ins from Pro Tools with my usb keyboard and record it into my mpc.

pogba wrote:im talking about the outputs (from pc to mpc). sound is distorted like some radio frequency you cant hear clearly (not sure if im clear...)

...so I thought that you had an audio connection from your MBox into your MPC, but you don't mention that in your list of cables/connections that you posted above.


Sorry, I don't think I can help, hopefully someone else can.

there is no direct connection between the mbox and the mpc.
should there be?
I think it shows my newbiness, but I dont get why there should be a connection, I thought that PT was sending data to the mpc via the usb-midi cable.

MIDI note on/off data is not audio, it is data that is sent from one device to another, that tells the receiving device that a particular key on the keyboard has been pressed.

You have a USB-MIDI keyboard, connected to the computer, so it is sending those MIDI note on/off messages, when you play keys on the keyboard, into the computer.

You have a software instrument running inside Pro Tools. That software instrument receives MIDI note on/off messages, creates sound from those MIDI note on/off messages, and sends that sound out of the Pro Tools (MBox) audio outputs.


What do you want to record into the MPC, the audio output of the Pro Tools software instrument, to use as a sample within the MPC sample engine?

Or do you want to record the MIDI note on/off messages, from the USB-MIDI keyboard, into the MPC sequencer, so that when you playback the MPC sequence, it sends those MIDI note on/off messages out of the MPC and into the Pro Tools software instrument, which then creates the sounds and sends them out of the Pro Tools audio outputs?


Either way, you have sound coming out of the Pro Tools audio outputs, from the Pro Tools software instrument, and you possibly also have sound coming out of the MPC audio outputs, from the MPC internal sample engine, and the MPC sequencer metronome click.


I am not exactly sure what you are trying to achieve, so am unable to help any further.

Maybe someone else can see more clearly what you are trying to achieve, and provide better assistance than I can.

pogba wrote:there is no direct connection between the mbox and the mpc.
should there be?
I think it shows my newbiness, but I dont get why there should be a connection, I thought that PT was sending data to the mpc via the usb-midi cable.

To my knowledge (at least back when i was using the 1000) mpc 1000 cannot record audio thru the usb, usb on ure mpc is only used for data transfer. Midi cannot transmit real time audio data. If what u r trying to do is record from your cpu u have to use the analog or digital in/outs of the respective devices. And to be honest im not sure the mpc 1000 can even record while its sequencer is active (im sure simon knows off the top, i dont.)

SimonInAustralia wrote:What do you want to record into the MPC, the audio output of the Pro Tools software instrument, to use as a sample within the MPC sample engine?

Or do you want to record the MIDI note on/off messages, from the USB-MIDI keyboard, into the MPC sequencer, so that when you playback the MPC sequence, it sends those MIDI note on/off messages out of the MPC and into the Pro Tools software instrument, which then creates the sounds and sends them out of the Pro Tools audio outputs?


Either way, you have sound coming out of the Pro Tools audio outputs, from the Pro Tools software instrument, and you possibly also have sound coming out of the MPC audio outputs, from the MPC internal sample engine, and the MPC sequencer metronome click.


I am not exactly sure what you are trying to achieve, so am unable to help any further.

ok perhaps we have tackled this the wrong way.

this is still new to me but the way I see it is:
use the mpc to sequence
play drums with the mpc pads
play melody with the keyboard. there are some virtual instruments on PT.

that s it.



so that would be this option:

Or do you want to record the MIDI note on/off messages, from the USB-MIDI keyboard, into the MPC sequencer, so that when you playback the MPC sequence, it sends those MIDI note on/off messages out of the MPC and into the Pro Tools software instrument, which then creates the sounds and sends them out of the Pro Tools audio outputs?

just curious, I thought this would be a basic set up if you dont use samples, Im open to other options if it s easier.
how are you guys making music then?

OK, nothing difficult, just that your keyboard is connecting into the computer via USB, so possibly a little confusing and convoluted. Normally you would have a keyboard with a MIDI output, so that it can be connected directly to the MPC MIDI input.

The keyboard will output MIDI over USB, into the computer, then you have to send it back out of the computer, into the MPC as a MIDI signal, so that you can record the MIDI note on/off messages into the MPC sequencer, and then send it back from the MPC sequencer into the computer as a MIDI signal, to play the Pro Tools software instruments.


First thing I would do would be to try to get the Pro Tools software instruments being triggered from the MPC pads, and the playing of the pads triggering the Pro Tools software instruments recorded into the MPC sequencer.

After you get the MPC pads/sequencer triggering the Pro Tools software instruments, then I would work out the routing of the keyboard through the computer and into the MPC.


Can you play a Pro Tools software instrument from the pads, and record that playing into the MPC sequencer?

You need to set an MPC sequencer track to MIDI, and set the MIDI channel to the same channel that the Pro Tools software instrument is set to respond to, and set the MIDI port to the same MPC MIDI output port that is connected to the computer MIDI input.

SimonInAustralia wrote:First thing I would do would be to try to get the Pro Tools software instruments being triggered from the MPC pads, and the playing of the pads triggering the Pro Tools software instruments recorded into the MPC sequencer.


Can you play a Pro Tools software instrument from the pads, and record that playing into the MPC sequencer?

yes this is possible.

on the mpc midi is set on 1A and it works like a charm.
USB midi cable has white LED flashing when I trigger the pads.

and PT is like so:

basically, default settings for an instrument track.

You need to set an MPC sequencer track to MIDI, and set the MIDI channel to the same channel that the Pro Tools software instrument is set to respond to, and set the MIDI port to the same MPC MIDI output port that is connected to the computer MIDI input.

that s related to the question above I assume.

After you get the MPC pads/sequencer triggering the Pro Tools software instruments, then I would work out the routing of the keyboard through the computer and into the MPC.

yes that s where I am stuck now.