DP 5.12: MIDI problems still present

[nadeama]

Hi,

I just wanted to give a heads-up to those who have been having MIDI problems with DP 5.x (sudden volume outbursts, notes not playing, etc.), as I have seen it discussed here on the board.

I just downloaded DP 5.12 and tried it on a test sequence that has been giving me problems (but which works flawlessy in DP 4.61) and the problems are still present.

Just wanted to save some of you the aggravation of trying the update if you're in the middle of a project or something.

This is really disappointing. DP 5 has been unusable for me since version 5.0 (as I rely too much on MIDI). I hope they fix it one of these days. For now, this may have been the worst $200 I've ever spent on software upgrade...

[Matcher]

Yep,

I really could live without the sudden velocity and volume increasements. That's something you can not have in a professional working enviroment.

[Frodo]

Matcher, you are experiencing this on an MBP? Is that correct?

Nadaema-- what computer and OS are you using?

Thanks.

[Matcher]

Yes Frodo, on the MBP. It's happening with MIDI and audio only projects and ones with both kinds of tracks. Looping seems to make it happen at least under some circumstances.

[Frodo]

Yes Frodo, on the MBP. It's happening with MIDI and audio only projects and ones with both kinds of tracks. Looping seems to make it happen at least under some circumstances.

It may be a while before I put 5.11 aside. I can't afford another setback right now, having just gotten 5.11 installed on my MacPro.

[auptown]

Hi,

I just wanted to give a heads-up to those who have been having MIDI problems with DP 5.x (sudden volume outbursts, notes not playing, etc.), as I have seen it discussed here on the board.

I just downloaded DP 5.12 and tried it on a test sequence that has been giving me problems (but which works flawlessy in DP 4.61) and the problems are still present.

Just wanted to save some of you the aggravation of trying the update if you're in the middle of a project or something.

This is really disappointing. DP 5 has been unusable for me since version 5.0 (as I rely too much on MIDI). I hope they fix it one of these days. For now, this may have been the worst $200 I've ever spent on software upgrade...

Dumb question I'm sure, but have you sent the offending file to MOTU tech support? In my software development world, I would love getting a repeatable failure example, because then I had something that I could fix.

[nadeama]

Hi guys,

I'm having this problem on a G5 dual 2-Ghz with OS 10.4.9 (but it's been happening on previous OS versions too). All versions of DP 5.x have had the problem, so I'm using DP 4.61 as my main DAW and sequencer.

Just to elaborate on the problem: in my case it's been happening only with MIDI data. Not only do I get the volume outbursts, but sometimes a sequence will simply not send any of its MIDI data at all. Then, if I press stop and play again, MIDI data will be sent in an erratic fashion (volume outbursts, bad MIDI timing, etc.). Although this doesn't always happen, it sometimes also has the unfortunate effect of crashing one or even all of my Giga PC slaves. Very bad. None of this happens on DP 4.61 with the rest of my setup being exactly the same.

I've contacted MOTU tech support a little while ago, and they told me they were aware of the problem but found it very difficult to reproduce. I did send them my most problematic sequence, as well as run other tests at their request. No idea if it was of any help.

Anyway, I was really hoping when I saw the update today, but it was not to be. DP updates are generally not very frequent, so I'm afraid we might have to wait another several months before we get a fix, if we ever get one at all. I'm sure everybody feels this way about any bug that's causing them grief, but as far as I'm concerned this should be priority #1 for the DP developpers. Until they can fix this, my copy of DP 5 will have to gather dust in a drawer.

[synthtek2k]

I'm use MIDI heavily and I'm not experiencing this.

Is it mainly with VI's or is it happening with hardware?

I'm still on 10.4.8...

john

[Mr_Clifford]

I also suspect that the reason this is proving very hard to track down is because it has something to do with OSX's Core-MIDI as well as the drivers for the MIDI interfaces. Since I got my MIDI Express128 I haven't had any MIDI problems at all.

[PeterMcCStrat]

Martin,

Sorry to hear of the issue. On my Mac Pro 5.11 and seemingly 5.12 now, work great,. no issues like this at all.

I wonder if you remove Giga from the equation, do you still have it?
I experimented and still dink with my Giga PC and Mac, but GS has issues.
without giga everything is great.

another thing to try, you probably do. Are you taking a snap shot of the sequence? at the start?

you might try that, I like to do that so DP gets all the correct MIDI infoo when the project opens, it works well

may be worth a shot.

good luck

Peter

[Kevin Kliesch]

Just to elaborate on the problem: in my case it's been happening only with MIDI data. Not only do I get the volume outbursts, but sometimes a sequence will simply not send any of its MIDI data at all. Then, if I press stop and play again, MIDI data will be sent in an erratic fashion (volume outbursts, bad MIDI timing, etc.).

Your problem sounds almost exactly like the one I have been having for well over two years (!) now. I've been wrestling with stuck notes, notes that won't trigger, MIDI bombs (gobs of data being sent all at once, usually a minute after I stop the transport), duplicate MIDI data being sent, MIDI volume ramps, etc.

I installed MIDI monitor to see exactly what was going on and found out that the stuck note issue was caused by DP sending duplicate MIDI data. What is infuriating to troubleshoot is the fact that the problem is intermittent - I will play back a sequence with no problem, only to find that on a subsequent playback, DP will exhibit one of the behaviors mentioned above.

The problem gets worse when I have DP in slave mode (slaved to MTC generated by ProTools HD on a second machine thru MIDI over LAN). The stuck notes really come out at this point. It is not uncommon for me to have to try more than 10 (!) times to get DP to not trigger a stuck note (caused by duplicate MIDI data being sent).

Sorry for the long tangential post; I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of disappointment over not having this long-standing bug finally squashed.

[digitalt]

Yes, I can also back these annoyances up!!! It's been happening in my setups for quite some time. It doesn't seem to matter if you're triggering VIs or Hardware Modules, or if your using a non intel or intel, or if your using a Power Book or Tower. I've tryed on multiple setups!!! There's always been intermittent erratic MIDI behavior in 5.X.

I have long suspected that the proplems started happening when Motu implemented MIDI Event Time Stamping - which was supposed improve MIDI timing.

BTW, I also heavily rely on MIDI and most things I do in DP involve huge amounts of MIDI tracks. I would cream myself if Motu finally fixed the long existing MIDI problems!!!! I'm getting tired of the "Logic" guys having us nailed on superior MIDI timming.

[monkey man]

Dumb question I'm sure, but have you sent the offending file to MOTU tech support? In my software development world, I would love getting a repeatable failure example, because then I had something that I could fix.

Good call Andy.
It seems MOTU's already been sent some files.
They asked me to send any offending sequences too.

MOTU's debut album is due for release some time before the bug is fixed.

[PeterMcCStrat]

Martin,

I didn't see any system specs of yours,. might help to list them?

FWIW, I think the MIDI timing is fantastsic in DP, it is worlds better than either Nuendo or Cubase, that's for sure.

I've exhibited none of the issues you mention, have you tried changing the MIDI i/o?
I read somewhere that the throughput on the MTP is poor, and can only handle small amounts properlly, (Don't flame the messenger guys)
not sure what you use?
and removing Giga from the equation? should be done as well.
no offense meant here, but I have giga,. It would be the first thing I'd suspect causing any system problems.
IMO, it's the closest thing to having a Trojan virus on your system as it gets.

Peter

[pencilina]

I still have occasional annoying jumps in MIDI volume with 5.12. I'm not sure if its worse or the same as 5.11