Midi Hell :(

Hey guys, first of all yes I have searched the forum and read my Manual
Mods feel free to move this if you think it should be in a different forum

I'm having a hard time using a Midi Controller on my MPC 1000 (JJOS 1 version 4.97b). Despite hooking up midi properly, no notes or events record when I hit keys or move sliders.

I have the Outs of the Midi Controller, plugged into the Midi In of the MPC

MPC Setup
Midi Settings:
Active track receive channel: ALL
Soft Thru: As track
Sequence Change by Program: I've tried off and on
Pad to internal sounds: Tried off and on

Track Settings:
Type: Midi
Program: OFF
Midi Channel: 1A

First I tried using an Oxygen 8. It's worked once or twice before, sometimes acting buggy and recording the wrong notes/events. Now it doesn't work at all. I tested the Oxygen 8 by connecting it to my computer using a Roland UM1ex interface and it worked fine, so the problem isn't the port on the Keyboard.

I've also tried an Oxygen 49 to no avail.

At this point, I thought that maybe the Midi In ports on the MPC were busted, so I used the Roland UM1EX to connect my computer to the MPC In Ports. I attempted to sync the MPC to FL Studio and it synced without a problem on both ports, so I'm assuming the Midi In ports are fine as well.

I've tried 3 different NEW Hosa Midi Cables that I'd recently purchased.

I've tried using USB power for the keyboards, as well as AC power.

What on Earth is there left to try?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. The only other thing I can think of is buying another brand of Midi cables instead of Hosa, but I highly doubt that'll make a difference

Don't know if this would help, but it doesn't seem to me that it could
hurt to try it. You stated:

"I have the Outs of the Midi Controller, plugged into the Midi In of the MPC "

but you didn't mention connecting the OUT of the MPC into the
IN of the Controller...

One of our Forum Mates has done an excellent YouTube tutorial
on this topic - there may be some good clues in here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPhf3Y1_-js

GOOD LUCK. I can *totally* relate to MIDI Hell. I spend a
fair amount of my life there.

rainbird wrote:Don't know if this would help, but it doesn't seem to me that it could
hurt to try it. You stated:

"I have the Outs of the Midi Controller, plugged into the Midi In of the MPC "

but you didn't mention connecting the OUT of the MPC into the
IN of the Controller...

One of our Forum Mates has done an excellent YouTube tutorial
on this topic - there may be some good clues in here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPhf3Y1_-js

GOOD LUCK. I can *totally* relate to MIDI Hell. I spend a
fair amount of my life there.

Thanks for the reply man, but my Controller doesn't have any Midi In port. I wouldn't need it really. I don't need to transmit any data from MPC back to the Keyboard

what midi in port on the mpc are you plugged into ...A or B ,then on the mpc set the track channel to 1-16 A or B depending on which one you are plugged into

@ sicksentz:

i have the exact same setup. 1k, jjos 4.97, and an oxygen 8. i am at work, but will go step by step on my setup when i get home if you dont figure it out by then.

cozy wrote:@ sicksentz:

i have the exact same setup. 1k, jjos 4.97, and an oxygen 8. i am at work, but will go step by step on my setup when i get home if you dont figure it out by then.

I really appreciate that man.

kingmob i also checked to make sure I was using 1A/1B etc. No luck though

whats up man?

ok, im on os1 4.97

on the oxygen 8

im using the power adapter instead of usb power

i have my midi cable connected to the output labeled "keyboard".

in the mpc

os1 4.97

the midi cable is connected to midi in #2

mode + pad 9:

active track receive channel: all
soft thru: off
sequence change by program change: off
pad to internal sound: on


i dont have to have a midi channel selected (bottom right corner of the main screen) in order to play samples in the mpc. only to control something external with the mpc.

which midi connection do you have connected on the back of the oxygen 8??

cozy wrote:whats up man?

ok, im on os1 4.97

on the oxygen 8

im using the power adapter instead of usb power

i have my midi cable connected to the output labeled "keyboard".

in the mpc

os1 4.97

the midi cable is connected to midi in #2

mode + pad 9:

active track receive channel: all
soft thru: off
sequence change by program change: off
pad to internal sound: on


i dont have to have a midi channel selected (bottom right corner of the main screen) in order to play samples in the mpc. only to control something external with the mpc.

which midi connection do you have connected on the back of the oxygen 8??

I really appreciate your response man. Thank you


Set mine up identically and still no luck. I have the Midi connection connected to Keyboard out on the Oxygen.

what are you trying to trigger with the keyboard? an auto chromated program?

try this, and you probably already have, but go to an empty track and hit record and play start like your going to record a sequence.

when the recording starts, just hit random keys for 2 bars or whatever.
hit stop and then hit play start. look above the Tr in the bottom left corner, above t.c. and tell me if you see any squares flashing there.

also, try swapping your midi cable with another one.

cozy wrote:what are you trying to trigger with the keyboard? an auto chromated program?

try this, and you probably already have, but go to an empty track and hit record and play start like your going to record a sequence.

when the recording starts, just hit random keys for 2 bars or whatever.
hit stop and then hit play start. look above the Tr in the bottom left corner, above t.c. and tell me if you see any squares flashing there.

also, try swapping your midi cable with another one.

I'm trying to sequence in the MPC, and use Reason. I've gone through 3 Midi Cables so far lol.

No squares flash when I try the random note thing.

I'm also on suicide watch at this point

ok, so you are trying to control reason through the mpc? have you tried controlling reason through usb? to make sure the o8 is working? it has to be something simple that you are overlooking.

for that situation you are going to need to set the soft thru to as track like you did originally.

did you try reseting the keyboard? midi select button-reset-midi select button.

cozy wrote:ok, so you are trying to control reason through the mpc? have you tried controlling reason through usb? to make sure the o8 is working? it has to be something simple that you are overlooking.

for that situation you are going to need to set the soft thru to as track like you did originally.

did you try reseting the keyboard? midi select button-reset-midi select button.

Yup, tried controlling reason via usb and had no problems at all. I also reset the keyboard. I've even used a brand new keyboard (oxygen 49) lol.

what about trying the other midi input on the mpc? you said that before this update it worked fine? maybe re download and reinstall 4.97 again. because i cannot for the life of me think of a reason why it wont work. let me sleep on it and i will get back to you. let me know if you get it and what it was. i am curious now,

So basically, despite all your settings, connections and external hardware being OK you can't get the MPC to record any MIDI when you press the RECORD button, right?

The basic rule with problems like this is: Do the (ERASE+POWER ON) system reset. The only time I get screwy problems like this is when I upgrade and don't perform the reset immediately afterwards.

BTW I have the same OS version as you and use external midi extensively.

elektrik_muz wrote:So basically, despite all your settings, connections and external hardware being OK you can't get the MPC to record any MIDI when you press the RECORD button, right?

The basic rule with problems like this is: Do the (ERASE+POWER ON) system reset. The only time I get screwy problems like this is when I upgrade and don't perform the reset immediately afterwards.

BTW I have the same OS version as you and use external midi extensively.

I just tried the reset, also didn't work. This is dumbfounding to me right now. I've got a gang of drum sounds for whoever can figure this one out lol.

What's also odd is, I connected the midi controller via usb to FL studio, and then did a Midi Out Channel from FL to the MPC, and THAT recorded notes.