Midi problems - Motu 828 and Ultralite

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DrTroutHair
Posts: 62
Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 2:02 pm
Location: Glasgow

Midi problems - Motu 828 and Ultralite

Post by DrTroutHair » Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:23 pm

Hey folks,
I've a feeling I'm doing something fundamentally wrong and hope you point out what that is.
My entire setup has been dismantled then set back up. Also my studio machine needed to be rebuilt. As a result I had to reinstall everything.
Gear wise, I'm running a Hackintosh on High Sierra, with Ableton 9.7 and Push 2. I use both a Motu 828 mk3 and a Motu Ultralight Mk1 as an aggregate device. I use Expert Sleepers ES3 and 6 to control my modular system via light pipe on the 828.
For my other synths (Minibrute, Erebus and MS-20) I use midi from the 828. Here in lies the problem. I cannot get midi talking to any of my synths. I've tried both the Unltra light and the 828 but they are not communicating with the out board gear.
How am I trying to get it working? Dragging and external instrument into a Midi track. Setting the midi out as either the 828 or the Ultralite. All the audio ins are rigged up properly. If I play a synth the audio is coming through. I've gone through all the Midi channesl 1-16 - nowt.In the preferences I've got track and sync on, on the outputs and inputs. (I've tried switching various combinationas and it doesn't make a difference. I've tried playing Push live and also tried sending small midi loops. On the left hand side of the External Instrument I can see the midi going out - just nothing coming back in through the audio.

I've tested the cables and the midi ins on the synths. I can control the Erebus with the Minibrute no problem. I can control the Erebus with an old M-Audio midi key board. But when I connect direct from the Out of the 828 or Ultra lite and send a signal, nothing happens.
Hit me with it - I've missed something really obvious havent I? No matter how daft - please suggest it.
Cheers,
Fraser

cskracer
Posts: 116
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:53 am
Location: Perth, Australia

Re: Midi problems - Motu 828 and Ultralite

Post by cskracer » Sat Jan 20, 2018 12:25 am

Is there a MIDI receive light on the 828? Is the MIDI signal making it to the card?

Is there a MIDI light on the synths? If so are they receiving the MIDI signal?

What is Monitor set to on the channel you have your external instrument on?

DrTroutHair
Posts: 62
Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 2:02 pm
Location: Glasgow

Re: Midi problems - Motu 828 and Ultralite

Post by DrTroutHair » Sat Jan 20, 2018 12:32 am

Both Ableton and the 828 are indicating that midi is being transmitted. Unfortunately there are no midi indicators on the synths.
Indeed, I am receiving the audio back on the right channel and Ive got monitor on.
Thanks for getting back to me.

cskracer
Posts: 116
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:53 am
Location: Perth, Australia

Re: Midi problems - Motu 828 and Ultralite

Post by cskracer » Sat Jan 20, 2018 12:34 am

Try setting monitor to In and playing the push.

DrTroutHair
Posts: 62
Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 2:02 pm
Location: Glasgow

Re: Midi problems - Motu 828 and Ultralite

Post by DrTroutHair » Sat Jan 20, 2018 10:44 am

Tried that but there's no audio coming in.
Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

DrTroutHair
Posts: 62
Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 2:02 pm
Location: Glasgow

Re: Midi problems - Motu 828 and Ultralite

Post by DrTroutHair » Sat Jan 20, 2018 11:12 am

Wow!
Discovered what I've done wrong.
Lesson learned never patch up blind with a rack in place - always unmount and connect up when you can see the ports. Pg 7 of the Motu 828mk3 manual- rear panel pic has the Midi in/out the wrong way round. Therefore all this time Ive been trying to send midi down the In channel!!!
cskracer - thanks for chipping in with some suggestions - I new it was going to be something basic.

cskracer
Posts: 116
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:53 am
Location: Perth, Australia

Re: Midi problems - Motu 828 and Ultralite

Post by cskracer » Sat Jan 20, 2018 1:14 pm

That's a nasty little typo in the manual! Glad you got it sorted.

Arguelles
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2019 2:44 am

Re: Midi problems - Motu 828 and Ultralite

Post by Arguelles » Tue Jul 09, 2019 2:47 am

Just spent the last hour dealing with the same issue, same typo. Honestly the Motu user manual has proven useless to me, everything I wanted to do with this interface I had to figure it out myself or search the internet. But this, this another level of recklessness.

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