MIDI Timepiece AV USB with USB Keyboard

[AsystoleJP]

Let me start off by saying that I just got the MIDI Timepiece AV USB and am already confused by it and the lack of current documentation but I've got some things to work sort of. So I'm working through that, and aside from directly connecting MIDI devices or usb MIDI keyboards to a DAW I have little MIDI experience.

What I'd like to do (though I'm not sure if it's possible) is use my Novation Launchkey 49 to access my hardware synths through my MIDI Timepiece on OSX. In the Audio MIDI Setup they both have arrows on the bottom side so I can't connect them together directly. I've tried creating a MIDI device and using that as a sort of conduit to connect the two devices but I haven't gotten that to work. Any help would be appreciated.

[mikehalloran]

The documentation is downloadable from MOTU.com. Look for a link to the manuals in support. The print manual has a Mac and Win section—these are downloaded separately in .pdf. The manual refers to other MOTU interfaces, also.

If you've not downloaded the latest MIDI drivers from MOTU, do so. The ones on the CD if you have it are way, way out of date.

Hopefully, the firmware is 2.0.1 and displays as such during startup. If not, it is unlikely that this will work properly an Intel Mac. That it works somewhat is a good sign.

If the settings don't save properly, replace the CR2032 battery under the top cover. It's very easy and lasts about five years or so.

[AsystoleJP]

Yeah, I have all the manuals and everything is up to date. There's no problem with the device, I just don't know how to connect a USB keyboard to it through the OSX Audio MIDI Setup or if it's even possible.

[mikehalloran]

Yeah, I have all the manuals and everything is up to date. There's no problem with the device, I just don't know how to connect a USB keyboard to it through the OSX Audio MIDI Setup or if it's even possible.

You can't connect a USB keyboard directly to/through any MIDI device that I know of. Your 5-pin MIDI modules and keyboards hook up to the MTP but your keyboard sees it through your Mac or PC.

[AsystoleJP]

Yes, I know I can't connect it directly to the interface, that's why I'm trying to connect it through the Audio MIDI Setup on the Mac. I've also tried through Ableton, but I seem to be missing something in what I'm doing.

[AsystoleJP]

Well I got it to work through Ableton last night, does anyone know if it's possible to use a USB keyboard without a DAW to route it? I'm guessing no, but if it's possible I'd appreciate the info.

[mikehalloran]

Well I got it to work through Ableton last night, does anyone know if it's possible to use a USB keyboard without a DAW to route it? I'm guessing no, but if it's possible I'd appreciate the info.

Without a DAW? I don't know, never tried. I should think you can through AudioMidi Setup.app.

There's always MainStage, not a DAW but a live performance app from Apple for $29.95—you can certainly do it through there (also comes with 13G of samples plus Alchemy).
http://www.apple.com/mainstage/plugins-and-sounds/

Without a Mac or PC? No.

Otoh, your MTP AV will function in standalone mode if you have a 5 pin MIDI out on your keyboard. Depending on your needs, you can get one of those for very little nowadays on Craigslist.

[musicman691]

Well I got it to work through Ableton last night, does anyone know if it's possible to use a USB keyboard without a DAW to route it? I'm guessing no, but if it's possible I'd appreciate the info.

Without a DAW? I don't know, never tried. I should think you can through AudioMidi Setup.app.

There's always MainStage, not a DAW but a live performance app from Apple for $29.95—you can certainly do it through there (also comes with 13G of samples plus Alchemy).
http://www.apple.com/mainstage/plugins-and-sounds/

Without a Mac or PC? No.

Otoh, your MTP AV will function in standalone mode if you have a 5 pin MIDI out on your keyboard. Depending on your needs, you can get one of those for very little nowadays on Craigslist.

The OP's Novation is a USB only keyboard but there are plenty of USB to 5 pin MIDI adapters out there. A lot depends on what exactly the op is trying to do. Does he want to control his outboard synths from both DP and the Novation? If so, and if he wants to be able to control them separately or in bunches, he's going to need the USB to 5 pin MIDI connection to make it work, especially if he's using Clockworks to do the routing. I do that here; I set up several routing possibilities in the MOTU s/w as well as a basic computer to synths routing in OSX audio/MIDI setup. That way I can have DP or whatever daw I'm using control the outboard gear and I also have control over what synths I want to play directly from my controller keyboard (Motif 7).

Never had good luck in mixed USB and 5 pin MIDI setups.

[mikehalloran]

A lot depends on what exactly the op is trying to do.

All too common issue. The OP hasn't given us a clue what he is trying to accomplish—only how he thinks he wants to do it.

[AsystoleJP]

The OP's Novation is a USB only keyboard but there are plenty of USB to 5 pin MIDI adapters out there. A lot depends on what exactly the op is trying to do. Does he want to control his outboard synths from both DP and the Novation? If so, and if he wants to be able to control them separately or in bunches, he's going to need the USB to 5 pin MIDI connection to make it work, especially if he's using Clockworks to do the routing. I do that here; I set up several routing possibilities in the MOTU s/w as well as a basic computer to synths routing in OSX audio/MIDI setup. That way I can have DP or whatever daw I'm using control the outboard gear and I also have control over what synths I want to play directly from my controller keyboard (Motif 7).

Never had good luck in mixed USB and 5 pin MIDI setups.

Thanks for the useful info. I don't know ultimately exactly what I want to do yet for sure since I've never owned or used a device like this before, so I'd like to know what my options are. At this point what I want to do is control any of my hardware synths from my Novation, one at a time. I can do that now that I found out how to route it through Ableton but the way I have it currently set up and understand it I have to switch which synth/sequencer I want to use in Ableton synth I want to access by selecting it in Ableton. Not ideal but definitely useable. I don't have DP (I bought the Timepiece used and it didn't come with the software) and I haven't been able to get it to work with clockworks without constantly switching the MIDI channel on my keyboard (which may be what I am supposed to do, I have no idea).
I know that it's probably not possible with the keyboard I have but ideally I'd like to switch which synths I'm controlling from my keyboard and have better control of what parameters the knobs on the keyboard control on the synth. Right now I really only have volume control.
In the end I'll probably need to swap this out with the Axiom Pro I have at work since that has MIDI out and much better control over the MIDI it outputs, but I thought I'd try and see if I could get this thing to work first since right now I'm still figuring out what all I might want to do besides use the keyboard on this synth or the other one at a time.
You mentioned usb to MIDI converters but the only thing I have (and have seen) is something like http://www.amazon.com/ART-M-Connect-MCo ... 0055O2AZE/. I'm assuming I'd route the Novation into that via the Audio MIDI Setup to get that to work. Is that what you were referring to or is there some other device I'm missing out on.
Anyway, as I said, I'm just seeing what's possible and I appreciate you taking the time to actually read my post.

[musicman691]

The OP's Novation is a USB only keyboard but there are plenty of USB to 5 pin MIDI adapters out there. A lot depends on what exactly the op is trying to do. Does he want to control his outboard synths from both DP and the Novation? If so, and if he wants to be able to control them separately or in bunches, he's going to need the USB to 5 pin MIDI connection to make it work, especially if he's using Clockworks to do the routing. I do that here; I set up several routing possibilities in the MOTU s/w as well as a basic computer to synths routing in OSX audio/MIDI setup. That way I can have DP or whatever daw I'm using control the outboard gear and I also have control over what synths I want to play directly from my controller keyboard (Motif 7).

Never had good luck in mixed USB and 5 pin MIDI setups.

Thanks for the useful info. I don't know ultimately exactly what I want to do yet for sure since I've never owned or used a device like this before, so I'd like to know what my options are. At this point what I want to do is control any of my hardware synths from my Novation, one at a time. I can do that now that I found out how to route it through Ableton but the way I have it currently set up and understand it I have to switch which synth/sequencer I want to use in Ableton synth I want to access by selecting it in Ableton. Not ideal but definitely useable. I don't have DP (I bought the Timepiece used and it didn't come with the software) and I haven't been able to get it to work with clockworks without constantly switching the MIDI channel on my keyboard (which may be what I am supposed to do, I have no idea).
I know that it's probably not possible with the keyboard I have but ideally I'd like to switch which synths I'm controlling from my keyboard and have better control of what parameters the knobs on the keyboard control on the synth. Right now I really only have volume control.
In the end I'll probably need to swap this out with the Axiom Pro I have at work since that has MIDI out and much better control over the MIDI it outputs, but I thought I'd try and see if I could get this thing to work first since right now I'm still figuring out what all I might want to do besides use the keyboard on this synth or the other one at a time.
You mentioned usb to MIDI converters but the only thing I have (and have seen) is something like http://www.amazon.com/ART-M-Connect-MCo ... 0055O2AZE/. I'm assuming I'd route the Novation into that via the Audio MIDI Setup to get that to work. Is that what you were referring to or is there some other device I'm missing out on.
Anyway, as I said, I'm just seeing what's possible and I appreciate you taking the time to actually read my post.

Okay; now we know a bit more on what you want to do. If I read you right you downloaded Clockworks from MOTU right? IIRC that has a manual as a pdf and I believe you can also download the pdf separately from MOTU. I'd siggest you do that as that explains a lot. It shows how you can set up routing matrixes for controlling your hardware synths and you don't have to keep changing MIDI channels on your Novation. Take your time to work through this as it's not all that intuitive. Here's a link to the download page for the manual and such (the MTPVUSB is down in the legacy products section) http://www.motu.com/techsupport/manuals

Now to the adapter business - there are plenty out there and Google is your friend. All you should have to do is to connect the USB connector to the Novation and then the 5 pin MIDI connectors to the MTPAVUSB. For usage like I mentioned above you do all your routing inside Clockworks. If you also want to record MIDI into DP you need to setup a routing in OSX audio/MIDI setup. What I don't know is how the combo of Novation & adapter presents itself to AMS and to Clockworks - does it show as the Novation, the adapter, or something else?

All this being said and however the Novation/adapter combo shows itself to the system you do this in AMS (this should get you the ability to use the hardware synths driven by MIDI in DP):
the MTPAVUSB should already be showing
add a box that would represent the Novation
add boxes that represent each of your hardware synths
connect the outs of the synths to the ins of the MTPAVUSB
connect the ins of the synths to the outs of the MTPAVUSB

Clockworks routing should go like this:
for each routing you want to your h/w synths (say you have 5) you want a routing to go from the port your Novation is connected to to go to the synth you want to control in that routing; continue on down the line until you have all 5 synths routed. This will give you 5 separate selectable routings from the front panel of the MTPAVUSB. I don't know if or how you can switch routings from the Novation; I just reach up to my MTPAVUSB and twist the front panel control.

OH yeah - because you have an older used unit you really should change the battery. An old failing battery will give you all kinds of weird issues. Also when you start up the MTPAVUSB what number shows up as the revision level?