Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP8

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Discussion related to installation, configuration and use of MOTU hardware such as MIDI interfaces, audio interfaces, etc. for Mac OSX
DavidKellett
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Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP8

Post by DavidKellett »

My Motu MIDI Expess 128 arrived on Thursday last week. All seemed to go well with setting it up on a new (2months) MacBook Pro running Latest OS X 10.9.4 with latest Logic Pro X.

But notes are hanging more so if sending MIDI clock (on any Port even not the one where the notes are hanging). If I hit Stop on Logic's transport a couple of times sometimes the hanging notes stop. All the hardware synths are set to local off. If I turn all the synths off except for one and send a sequence to it it will start to play. Sometimes notes hang then. If it is playing the notes right and I turn on MIDI clock to send to that same port then notes def start to hang. If I send clock and notes together from the beginning notes hang.

I read that sometimes the USB power from Macs is not enough so I tried putting the USB(3) from the Mac out to a powered USB(2) (don't have a powered USB3) - exactly the same.

Motu support were not very helpful - said it must be Logic's fault. So I downloaded DP8 to run in Trial mode and exactly the same - notes hang. Maybe with DP8 the notes started to hang after slightly longer.

I'm at my wits end!

Any ideas from anyone?

David
magicd
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by magicd »

The Express 128 is a USB 2.0 device. Your new MacBook has USB3.0 ports. That's most likely the cause of the problem.

The fix for the symptom you describe is to use a powered USB 2.0 hub between the Express 128 and the computer.

Dave
DavidKellett
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by DavidKellett »

Thanks Dave. As you can see I tried that - the powered USB 2 hub - it didn't solve the problem,

David
DavidKellett
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by DavidKellett »

I just tried another USB Hub - just incase the other one was too old - exactly the same problem. If i send MIDI clock to any port on the MOTU MIDI Express 128 then notes start to hang - even on ports that are not receiving MIDI clock.

This is really frustrating!! And I'm not seeming to find any help anywhere,

David
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by magicd »

DavidKellett wrote:I just tried another USB Hub - just incase the other one was too old - exactly the same problem. If i send MIDI clock to any port on the MOTU MIDI Express 128 then notes start to hang - even on ports that are not receiving MIDI clock.

This is really frustrating!! And I'm not seeming to find any help anywhere,

David
David,

Your best next step is to speak to a technician. You can leave a tech link here:
http://www.motu.com/techsupport

I see you are in the UK. If you'd like to speak with with a tech by phone, MOTU distribution in the UK is handled by:

Music Track
2 The Granary Buildings
Millow, Nr Dunton
Bedfordshire SG18 8RH
Phone: +44 1767 313447
Fax: +44 1767 313557
www.musictrack.co.uk
info@musictrack.co.uk

Dave
DavidKellett
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by DavidKellett »

I'll try Music Track tomorrow. Actually they are only about 15 miles away I think!! Thanks for that info. I did not know there was any UK based Support.

It seems that the MOTU collapses if there is very much MIDI data at all. I've set up two other singe MIDI in and out devices - can send clock to them and the work fine. If I send one chord of three notes out one port of the MOTU and a similar cord out another of the MOTU's ports then try to play a "solo" via another MOTU port it manages it - but use the mod wheel a couple of times and play a few fast notes and the MOTU starts producing hanging notes on ALL the ports it's using. The other MIDI ports (a NI Kontrol 1 and an Arturia BeatStep) are unaffected by the note hanging prob and they are taking the MIDI clock fine.

David
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by DavidKellett »

Took the 128 to Music Track today - they kindly suggested this as I'm only a few miles away. They tested it on one of their set ups a slightly older Mac. No problem at all. Then they tried it on a MacBook Air with 10.9.4 - and the same probs I've been having. Seems it's an issue with the drivers on some Macs with 10.9.4. They are communicating this to Motu so fingers crossed there will be some kind if fix soon. My supplier, Juno in London, say I can send the Motu back if there is no driver fix but that I can hang into it for a bit.

I'll keep it posted here,

David
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Harry
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by Harry »

I have the same Problem with my Miditimepiece AV. A powered USB 2 Hub didn't solve the problem with
the hanging Midinotes.
It,s really frustrating. These Problems Never happened with my old PowerMac.
OS 10.14.6, iMac i7.3,5 with 32 GB Ram, 828x, Miditimepiece AV, DP 10.00 (ger.)
MachFive 3, MSi, Ethno 1, Omnisphere 2, Sampletank 4, Forest Kingdom II, Desert Winds, EWQLSO-Silver, Real Guitar 2, VLP120, PLP120, VCP120, Liquid Saxophones, Elastic, The Resource, Wave Arts PowerSuite 4+5 and Master Restoration, Kontaktplayer, Absynth 5, Ni Action Strings etc.
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joelmusic
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by joelmusic »

I have the same problem with my new iMac & USB 3 through either my MTPAV or MIDI Express. MOTU says that it's a known issue and they are working on resolving. I have been in contact with high-level Apple folks and after trying the usual USB 2 hub (powered and non-powered) and USB 3 hub (powered) with NO results (so frustrating) they have finally just put it on the 3rd party developers. I'm hoping it's a MOTU thing - today I'm looking for ANY MIDI interface that lists as USB 3 compatible. Anyone know of one? Apple says if I use Logic (Apple), a USB 3 interface and keyboard, that notes won't stick. But they WON'T tell me what they used to successfully test this, which leads me to believe that they are saying this in theory, and have not actually tested it. I'm at my wit's end - any tips from anyone would be most welcome - thanks.
Mac Studio Max - 32GB Ram, Komplete Kontrol S88, Komplete 13, DP11, UAD Apollo Twin Duo, East/West Composer Cloud, Vienna, Arturia V8, Yamaha Enspire Pro Disklavier Piano
silasmera
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by silasmera »

My trusty AMT 8 from 2001 finally died ( which was USB 1.0 and ROCK solid) i'm running a new Mac Mini with Mavericks 10.9 , USB3 and logic X and the MIDI express XT just crumbles under the data load of 4 Mackie control surfaces, can't even track the SMPTE or beat counter, lights and buttons stay "on" etc.. Right in the middle of a couple big projects too, what a pain in the ass. Please let me know if anyone finds a fix, I'm going to try a 2.0 Hub tomorrow, But it sounds like that doesn't really work either.
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by sloiselle »

This issue has been driving me bonkers, because it's for an EM lab in a college and my students are essentially unable to do their assignments.

It (so far at least appears that it) isn't the inputs into the Express 128, it's the outputs. Software is DP8 running on a new iMac running 10.9.5. I tried LP, and also using a MBP running 10.8.5 with the same results. I've swapped cables as well.

The main controllers are a G8, a Triton and a VG99. Routing through DP with local off on the synths causes nearly constant stuck notes. But when triggering softsynths, no stuck notes. But this class is all about hardware so I don't want to try and rebuild the entire lab content mid-semester.

After swapping out nearly everything, I have found the first (and so far only) situation where there are no stuck notes. The audio interface is an old Digi 003 rack. I'm using a thunderbolt to FW800 adapter, and then a FW800 to FW400 cable to connect it. It has 2 hardware MIDI outs. Feeding either of those to any of the synths gives no stuck notes, even though the inputs are still routed through the express 128. Based on what others have written, I'm thinking maybe it is not that the 003 works, but that it is not using USB.

And that makes me wonder if possibly going through the thunderbolt port and _then_ into a thunderbolt-to-usb adapter (if such a thing exists) will do the trick.

Scott Loiselle
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by sloiselle »

I might have found a workaround that fixes the problem. I borrowed an Apple thunderbolt display and used it as essentially a giant thunderbolt-to-USB hub. I plugged the USB on the display directly into the Express 128.

I only had the display for 5 minutes, but I got no stuck notes, and that was with me really trying to make 'em stick. So I'm ordering a thunderbolt hub with USB outs, and am hoping that it does the trick. I'll post here within a week or so, after it gets here and is beat up by the students for a while.

Scott
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joelmusic
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by joelmusic »

Cool, Scott - please let us know if that works. MOTU says that Yosemite might address the problem, but if this works that would be great...pretty painful working over here.
Mac Studio Max - 32GB Ram, Komplete Kontrol S88, Komplete 13, DP11, UAD Apollo Twin Duo, East/West Composer Cloud, Vienna, Arturia V8, Yamaha Enspire Pro Disklavier Piano
sloiselle
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by sloiselle »

Sorry it took this long for me to get back to this.

Unhappy news is that the thunderbolt hub did _not_ work. So I am feeding everything in the whole lab from the 2 MIDI outs on the 003, freakin' lame.

I also tried a MOTU Fastlane, and the results were the same, almost constant stuck notes - totally unusable. I find it crazy that I could BOMBARD a system with multiple dense MIDI streams using an Opcode Studio 4 on a Powermac 7100 in 1996 (let alone an Atari ST running Hybrid Arts SMPTE Track in '87) and never get these kinds of problems.

If anyone reading this is using a USB interface with a Mac running Mavericks and NOT getting stuck notes, please post what you are using.
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joelmusic
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Re: Motu MIDI Express 128 - hanging notes Logic Pro X and DP

Post by joelmusic »

Just installed Yosemite but still hanging & rogue notes. Argh. USB 3 issue. Please post workarounds anyone
Mac Studio Max - 32GB Ram, Komplete Kontrol S88, Komplete 13, DP11, UAD Apollo Twin Duo, East/West Composer Cloud, Vienna, Arturia V8, Yamaha Enspire Pro Disklavier Piano
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