Mac OS 12.7.6 Monterey, and the MOTU MIDI Express 128

[stylemonster]

Hi,
Been hacking at this for about four hours combined - I cannot get the MIDI driver (latest from site) to install properly. (At least I think that's my problem). I'd been running fine for like 10 years on an older OS, and upgraded to 12.7.6 recently when I wanted to get some UAD plugs. My computer is a 2013 trashCan Mac, 3.7 GHz XeonE5, and 10.7.6 is the highest OS I can goto. I'm on Digital Performer 10.11. Pawing through the System Preferences - you goto Users and groups>login items, and separately system extensions, the system seems unaware that I've installed the driver, which I've done like six times with a variety of re-starts, visits to audio-MIDI setup in DP, every last thing I can think of. In 'about this computer' - hardware - the 128 does show up on the usb bus, that's about the extent of my success. In the audio-MIDI setup in DP, my config is still there, but the 128 is greyed out, and bizarrely a second unconnected one showed up there. I cant seem to edit anything there. All my audio seems fine. soooo lookin for advice ... I'm game (maybe) to upgrade DP, but I might have to go on a two month sojourn to find my confidence in all this .... hahaha. ... dont think that's related anyway
thanks,
Bruce

[mikehalloran]

Hi,
Been hacking at this for about four hours combined - I cannot get the MIDI driver (latest from site) to install properly. (At least I think that's my problem). I'd been running fine for like 10 years on an older OS, and upgraded to 12.7.6 recently when I wanted to get some UAD plugs. My computer is a 2013 trashCan Mac, 3.7 GHz XeonE5, and 10.7.6 is the highest OS I can goto. I'm on Digital Performer 10.11. Pawing through the System Preferences - you goto Users and groups>login items, and separately system extensions, the system seems unaware that I've installed the driver, which I've done like six times with a variety of re-starts, visits to audio-MIDI setup in DP, every last thing I can think of. In 'about this computer' - hardware - the 128 does show up on the usb bus, that's about the extent of my success. In the audio-MIDI setup in DP, my config is still there, but the 128 is greyed out, and bizarrely a second unconnected one showed up there. I cant seem to edit anything there. All my audio seems fine. soooo lookin for advice ... I'm game (maybe) to upgrade DP, but I might have to go on a two month sojourn to find my confidence in all this .... hahaha. ... dont think that's related anyway
thanks,
Bruce

There's more than one interface by that name. If it's the current version, MOTU Support can share your screen and take a look.
MOTU MIDI Express 128

First, reset your unit to its Default Settings. If you get lucky, that may be the only thing.
https://motu.com/techsupport/technotes/reset


Meanwhile, there are things you have to do. From Apple, you must select Reduced Security in the System Settings.

The security settings on a Mac, including the Mac Pro 6.1, are managed through the Startup Security Utility in macOS Recovery. This utility allows you to choose between "Full Security" and "Reduced Security". Reducing security means allowing the use of legacy kernel extensions, which can be necessary for older or specialized software.
Here's how to access and adjust the security settings:

Boot into macOS Recovery Mode: Shut down your Mac, then press and hold the power button until you see "Loading startup options".

Navigate to Startup Security Utility: Choose "Options" and then "Continue". In the Recovery app, go to "Utilities" and then select "Startup Security Utility".

Select Your Startup Disk: Choose the startup disk you want to modify.

Access Security Policy: If the disk is encrypted, unlock it with your password. Then, click "Security Policy".
Choose "Reduced Security": Select "Reduced Security".

Enable Legacy Kernel Extension Support: If you need to use software that relies on legacy kernel extensions, enable "Allow user management of kernel extensions from identified developers".

Apply Changes: Enter an administrator password to apply the changes.

Restart: Restart your Mac for the changes to take effect.

Then this from MOTU

https://motu.com/techsupport/technotes/ ... igh-sierra


If you have any audio drivers, those must be removed or disabled. After you have MIDI working properly, you can reinstall them.

[stylemonster]

Mike -
Thanks for all that, I'm going to have a pass through on all that security stuff. I figured out that I had no business running my older DP on 12.7.6, and I went ahead and upgraded do DP11. $500, but the way I look at it, DP has the functionality of a $300K+ studio from the 60s/70s, so there! So that leveled the ship a little bit, as the DP10 wasn't even opening anymore ... So the next thing I did was this: I noticed that one of the two express128 in audio-MIDI set up was 'on-line' or 'active' or something like that and the other wasn't. So I just moved all the connections from my synths over to the other one - did a MIDI re-scan thing and it all started working. Sorry that I cant remember the names of all these buttons, but I think you get the idea.
I'm on to figure out all the rest of the stuff that I may have broken. I use the UAD plugs, and I pretty much just need DP, an 828es, the MIDI express, and UAD. I have to investigate, but UA I think moved to a system where you have to be on-line to use their stuff which is highly annoying, but it may be for just the native plugs ... hmmm. I generally keep my audio computers away from the internet. I actually have an old cheese-grater Mac that hasn't seen the internet in like 10 years that I use for production - it has ancient versions of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, etc that work just fine (no monthly fee), and Peak which is sorely missed ...
thanks again,
Bruce