Guide to making MIDI Express XT compatible w/Big Sur

[karmi]

Motu website announcement says that MIDI Express XT is not yet compatible with Big Sur.
If you are impatient, or upgraded and realized your mistake too late (like me), here's how you can make your current driver run. It took me a couple hours to figure out, so hopefully will save you some time. I tried to make the description accessible to all, not only the computer-literate.

• 1. Install the latest available OSX 10.15 driver from Motu website (if you haven't already).
  2. Restart holding down Command-R to reboot into Recovery Mode.
  3. Select Utilities --> Terminal from the top menu.
  4. Type two commands, each followed by Enter.
  • 1. [to disable SIP]: csrutil disable
    2. [to mark Motu's dev ID "always trusted"]: /usr/sbin/spctl kext-consent add KRCLLMGZ2D
  5. Restart
  6. Open Terminal
  7. Paste this exact line into Terminal: sudo kextload /Library/Extensions/Motu\ MIDI\ Driver.kext
  8. Enter your password, press Enter
  9. Go to System Preferences --> Security --> enter your password --> click the "Allow" button.
  10. Restart normally
  11. Confirm that you can see and use your MIDI device
  12. Restart into Recovery Mode and open Terminal (#2-3 above)
  13. Type: csrutil enable
  14. Press enter --> restart your computer normally.

You are done.

[geoffg]

Thank you so much karmi. I can confirm that these steps also work for the MOTU Fastlane MIDI interface. Finally - it's working in Big Sur.

[mikehalloran]

I'll go out on a limb and guess that the issue is the Installer — and MOTU has to build one.

In the mean time, please keep 'em coming!

I'm a few apps away from even testing Big Sur — but that day will come.

[adelaideviewer]

Karmi - thank you so much!
I have the MOTU Microlite.

I was toying with having to go back to Catlina but I followed your process and it works!.

Many thanks

Regards
Stuart

[tmav]

This appears to work for the MTPAV USB though I have only tested very briefly going through the ports and seeing if all 16 show up as I have two connected together. Routing appears to be working.

Much appreciated!

[dmil2469]

An ENORMOUS THANK YOU, karmi, for these instructions.

I can confirm that this worked for my MOTU MIDI Express 128 even with the Big Sur upgrade to 11.2! You saved me a whole lot of frustration...I actually went out and got two iConnectivity mio 1 x 1 interfaces and attempted to get around the Express 128 issue by daisy-chaining my 6 external synth modules into two sets: one set of three for each mio interface. i didn't realize how much additional work it would be to reconfigure the tracks inside Logic Pro X to compensate for the change in port count and other issues (because Logic was expecting to see the Express 128). Not to mention the track naming would be all off, it would have just been a big mess to deal with until the updated drivers came out.

So thank you again!

[traveler1]

Woah dmil2469 Just noticed your new comment whilst I was also right in the middle of trying this on Big Sur 11.2. I also have a MIDI Express 128.

I'm ecstatic to learn it can work...but it's not working for me -not sure why.
Nothing seems to happen when I input the second line (into safe mode terminal) /usr/sbin/spctl kext-consent add KRCLLMGZ2D

Forgive my ignorance, but is the 'usr' section supposed to be replaced by my mac username? Or should that be copied exactly as it is?

[traveler1]

Hmm, I tried again and again, but still no joy with my MIDI Express 128 on Big Sur 11.2

I followed everything, step by step 100%. Can anyone think of a reason why it's not working for me? It's still greyed out / not recognised in Ableton Live.
The green I/O light on the front is on the 128. And MIDI channels light up when I play synths routed to it. But still no communication with my iMac.

Btw, re. step 4 -I asked already, but should I get a command response when I type in the second command? -cause not much happens.

My terminal screen looks like this at step. 4

[-bash-3-2# csrutil disable
System Intengrity Protection is off
Restart the machine for the changes to take effect.
[-bash-3-2# /usr/sbin/spctl kext-consent add KRCLLMGZ2D
-bash-3.2#

I follow everything before and beyond that to the tee, but still no joy :/

Am I doing something wrong? Should I try a uninstall / reinstall of all drivers perhaps?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Btw, the Motu 128 deffo works. It was working fine yesterday before I made the damn leap to Big Sur.

[christiangierden]

Alright! Good stuff.

Here's what happens on my brand new M1 Mac Mini 16GB.

To boot to recovery i hold down the power button until the options sign appears.
i go to terminal and type csrutil disable enter. i enter my password.
on the kext consent line i get 10 long lines in response to the effect that the appwrapper as well as 9 other things is implemented in both

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SystemPolicy.Framework/Versions/SystemPolicy and /usr/sbin/spctl. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.

i restart.

upon restart i open terminal.

Executing: /usr/bin/kmutil load -p /Library/Extensions/Motu MIDI Driver.kext

Error Domain=KMErrorDomain Code=71 "Incompatible architecture: Binary is for x86_64, but needed arch arm64e" UserInfo=NSLocalizedDescription=Incompatible architecture: Binary is for x86_64, but needed arch arm64e}
christiangierden@Minivonhristian ~ % sudo kextload /Library/Extensions/Motu\ MIDI\ Driver.kext
Executing: /usr/bin/kmutil load -p /Library/Extensions/Motu MIDI Driver.kext
Error Domain=KMErrorDomain Code=71 "Incompatible architecture: Binary is for x86_64, but needed arch arm64e" UserInfo={NSLocalizedDescription=Incompatible architecture: Binary is for x86_64, but needed arch arm64e}
christiangierden@Minivonhristian ~ %

any tips by impatient code wizards? otherwise the wait is going to be a bit longer for me, isn't it.

any help much appreciated. i can test run things on am m1 now, if that helps

great thread. cheers!

[traveler1]

After tons of attempts / some trial and error, I finally got my 128 MIDI Express to work on Big Sur 11.2, too

Thanks so much!! This is great.

Not sure what exactly was preventing it but I deleted ALL MIDI drivers from this folder user/library/audio/mididrivers before running your steps again.

I also did an SRAM reset on both my startup disk and secondary disk before it worked –– which also somehow solved another annoying Big Sur problem I had (Ableton taking over 3 minutes to boot, for eg)

Thanks again

[douzzz]

mikehalloran, do you think this is a reasonable option? I've trusted your advice prior. Any chance of other issues? douzzz

[dadadroog]

Hello. I also have tried this a few times and I can't get it to work I'm using a mac mini intel running 11.1 big sur. MIDI express 128 is my MIDI interface. Any ideas would be most appreciated.
Regards
Gordo

[traveler1]

It took me a while, too. But what worked for me is deleting all redundant / older unused Motu drivers from user/library/audio/mididrivers and then doing all the steps again. (Also got a 128 Big Sur 11.2.2)

Also did a SRAM reset. Not sure what exactly did the trick.

Also, turn off OS auto-updates too, cause I had to do the process all over again recently with the jump to 11.2.2

[QuantaAlesis]

Hello, Thanks for the code. Few issues due to a name change of the .kext file

Update, what worked for me..
I tried the formula above given by the OP, there was a small modification required as the "MOTU MIDI driver.kext" is now called "MOTUProAudio.kext"

Steps were for me,

1. Install latest OSX Driver "MOTU Pro Audio Installer 2.0 (84544).pkg" "Install drivers from Motu Website"
2. Restart computer Hold down "Command R" to reboot into recovery mode, Select user and sign in
3. Go to Utilities (top bar) Select Terminal
4. Type the following two codes

First code [Disables system integrity protection] Type below code.

csrutil disable

Press enter
Second Code [Allows Motus device Identification to be "Always Trusted" Type below code.

/usr/sbin/spctl kext-consent add KRCLLMGZ2D

Press enter

5. Restart
6. When started normally login, open Terminal:
7. "Type or copy this exact line below"

sudo kextload /Library/Extensions/MOTUProAudio.kext

Press enter
8. Enter your Password
Press enter
9. Box may greet you, Click or Go to system Preferences, (Click padlock down the bottom) enter password and press "Allow button"
10. Restart normally
11. Confirm Device can be seen (for me I can see 828es in the output for speaker selection)
12. Restart again in Recovery mode - open terminal again
13. Type code below to Enable "system Integrity protection"

csrutil enable

press enter
14. Restart and all should be sweet!!

Im running 828ES and all is working fine now!

[copesetic]

Hello, I am trying this trick for my Motu ultralite AVB but the terminal is telling me no such directory after entering the code with KRCLLMGZ2D

Any ideas?
Please help
Thx in advance

Typo, I got a little further. I entered: the sudo line and my terminal, entered my password and it says “command not found”

After not knowing how to help myself, I reinstalled the driver and my system asked me to go to security and allow the changes. I can now see my ultralite AVB in MOTU Discovery. Now I seem to have the problem that Pro Tools can’t see it.
aaaah... stupid me...
“Let there be sound, and the was sound”
Thx for the help guys. I’m back in business...