odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

re:dream · Post by **re:dream** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 4:25 pm

my akai is behaving oddly

When I first installed it, it was plug and play straight out of the box

Since then, quite often, when I start up live, it does not pick up the Akai. I have to close everything and start up again.

Today it would not even see the Akai in the midi set up section. The midi ports were reddish and the dump indicator was on. Then even that disappeared and there were no port options.

I restarted everything again and then there was a whole lot of possible Akai ports (mpd32, MIDIIN2(AKAI mpd32, MIDIIN3 (AKAImpd 32)

Now it is working fine again but for the life of me I can'tfigure out this unreliability...

Any advice?

georgeblunt · Post by **georgeblunt** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 5:56 pm

I've got the same problem with my launchpad. No idea how to fix it.

panten · Post by **panten** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 7:03 pm

Not sure if this will help you in your situation but I use my MPD32 with Bomes MIDI translator and Loopbe1. They're basically middlemen between the MPD32 & Live. With this setup you can unplug/plug in your MPD32 as many times as you want without restarting Live.

You probably wouldn't even need Bomes and just route your MIDI through Loopbe1, but that's just my setup and it works great. Just make sure you have Loopbe1 loaded up before you open Ableton and you're good to go.

*edit* Forgot to mention you setup your MIDI using Vyzex but you already knew that right

yur2die4 · Post by **yur2die4** » Wed Feb 20, 2013 8:22 pm

Have you tried using other USB cables on it? Always be careful with connectors. They can wear down. Either te cables or the physical jacks on the back. Treat them like newborn babies

.

Also, do you consistently connect to the same USB port on your computer??

jestermgee · Post by **jestermgee** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 12:23 am

panten wrote:Not sure if this will help you in your situation but I use my MPD32 with Bomes MIDI translator and Loopbe1. They're basically middlemen between the MPD32 & Live. With this setup you can unplug/plug in your MPD32 as many times as you want without restarting Live.

You probably wouldn't even need Bomes and just route your MIDI through Loopbe1, but that's just my setup and it works great. Just make sure you have Loopbe1 loaded up before you open Ableton and you're good to go.

*edit* Forgot to mention you setup your MIDI using Vyzex but you already knew that right

Same here, very handy.

The MPD32 seem to have some hissy fit issues from time to time it seems. Not for everyone but I do see the odd thing around. For me I have a similar issue where the MPD32 from power up just doesn't send any MIDI unless I either unplug/replug it OR hammer a button on the MPD about 30 times then it starts transmitting.

This could be to do with the USB hub but it's easily worked around so for me its no deal breaker.

re:dream · Post by **re:dream** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:20 am

panten wrote:
*edit* Forgot to mention you setup your MIDI using Vyzex but you already knew that right

hmmmm..... huh?

re:dream · Post by **re:dream** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:21 am

yur2die4 wrote:Have you tried using other USB cables on it? Always be careful with connectors. They can wear down. Either te cables or the physical jacks on the back. Treat them like newborn babies .

Also, do you consistently connect to the same USB port on your computer??

It's a fresh, new, hardly used USB cable.

And yes, it's always throug the same USB port.

panten · Post by **panten** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 1:46 pm

jestermgee wrote: ... OR hammer a button on the MPD about 30 times then it starts transmitting.

This is actually a well known issue with the MPD32 and something that I guess you just have to deal with. PITA though.

re:dream · Post by **re:dream** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 3:04 pm

Clearly I need to find out about Vyzex

re:dream · Post by **re:dream** » Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:56 pm

OK Vyzex was NOT what I needed.

I will try Loopbe & see if it solves the problem. From what I can see on the web, it transfers midi data between computer programs. Not sure how it will help me with hardware, but there is no harm in checking it out...

re:dream · Post by **re:dream** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 6:18 am

Not getting anywhere.

Akai comes and goes.

At the moment I seem to be able to pick it up from time to time, but the latency is off the charts. I don't understand why there should be hectic latency (250 -500 ms) when I have an empty set, nothing else runnng on the computer, and just Akai connected.

Any help would really be appreciated.

Willyum · Post by **Willyum** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 9:14 pm

panten wrote:
jestermgee wrote: ... OR hammer a button on the MPD about 30 times then it starts transmitting.
This is actually a well known issue with the MPD32 and something that I guess you just have to deal with. PITA though.

I stopped using mine for a LONG time until recently because of that...
I had to figure out a solution because the new 'MPD32 script' NativeKontrol.com did for Live 9 is really, really impressive.
So I used real life midi plugs and just hooked up the MPD32 to one of the midi-port-in's on my other controller (you could use your audio interface's midi port too... most people forget it's even there... I used a properly rated (multi-tip) power adapter that I got from the dollar store on the corner... Now my MPD32 runs super solid and non-stop (no matter which script i use, all I had to do was assign the propper port... so for mine, I use the new NativeKontrol script over my 'Midi2 input' from my Axiom61, which is where my MPD32 is plugged in. I never get drop outs at all any more using the direct midi plug!

re:dream · Post by **re:dream** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:38 pm

Willyum wrote:
panten wrote:
jestermgee wrote: ... OR hammer a button on the MPD about 30 times then it starts transmitting.
This is actually a well known issue with the MPD32 and something that I guess you just have to deal with. PITA though.
I stopped using mine for a LONG time until recently because of that...
I had to figure out a solution because the new 'MPD32 script' NativeKontrol.com did for Live 9 is really, really impressive.
So I used real life midi plugs and just hooked up the MPD32 to one of the midi-port-in's on my other controller (you could use your audio interface's midi port too... most people forget it's even there... I used a properly rated (multi-tip) power adapter that I got from the dollar store on the corner... Now my MPD32 runs super solid and non-stop (no matter which script i use, all I had to do was assign the propper port... so for mine, I use the new NativeKontrol script over my 'Midi2 input' from my Axiom61, which is where my MPD32 is plugged in. I never get drop outs at all any more using the direct midi plug!

That's a brilliant idea... I was wondering whether I could sort the problem by using midi cables instead.

I have only two midi ports on my edirol audio card... but perhaps I could use midi through via my virus? I will investigate.

yur2die4 · Post by **yur2die4** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:26 pm

Oh man, that is actually what I ended up having to do with my Axiom! My Axiom USB outlet was cutting in and out so I stopped using it until I had acquired a power adapter for using midi cable instead.

re:dream · Post by **re:dream** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 7:42 am

hmmm. routing the akai to my virus midi through does not work.

I will look at some kind of midi port switcher now...

odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32

Re: odd behaviour from akai mpd 32