APC40 MkII Problem on New Machine Setup: Live 12 no longer responding to many commands

[otalgia99]

Hello, everyone

I hope that perhaps I might find some suggestions here to solve a speedbump that I've hit while setting up a new laptop.

On this new system Live 12 is no longer responding to many of the usual commands from my APC40 Mk II.

HARDWARE DETAILS

- MacBook Pro 2023 M3 Max (OS 14.7)
- Akai APC40 Mk II connected via hub

SOFTWARE DETAILS

- Live 12 Suite

DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM

- At this time, Live only responds to a limited number of APC40 functions on this system
- Previous hardware system (2015 MBP i7) saw all APC controls functioning as expected

Controls that still function as expected include:
- CLIP LAUNCH (Focus shifts to channel where clip has been launched).
- CLIP STOP
- PAN
- STOP ALL CLIPS
- TEMPO Knob Controller
- CHANNEL BANK SELECT
- SCENE LAUNCH
- DEVICE CONTROL POTS (can still control the first 8 parameters of a selected device or Macros -- parameters or Macros 9 and above cannot be banked to)

Controls no longer functioning include:
- CHANNEL selector
- DEVICE Selector
- DEVICE ON / OFF
- DEVICE BANK (Left / Right) (e.g. for selecting Macro knobs 9 and above)
- PLAY
- ARRANGEMENT RECORD
- PAN / SENDS / USER Buttons (PAN cannot be un-selected)
- TAP TEMPO
- METRONOME
- CLIP / DEVICE VIEW

STEPS TAKEN

Test as many controls as possible
- See list (above)

Installed Snoize Midi Monitor (I have very little experience with Snoize however)
- De-selected CLOCK to try to filter out some of the vast number of messages logged by Snoize
- Tested APC40 DEVICE SELECT (Left / Right) button

• no response from Live (as noted above)

• no message is recorded by Snoize

- Tested selection of device by mouse click

• Device can be selected by clicking on it.

• Snoize records many messages.

I'm sorry that I am not more experienced with Snoize and can't really use it to provide more data. I'm not really knowledgeable enough to interpret its reports, but I can certainly tell when an action produces no output!

With thanks for any suggestions,
o99

[yur2die4]

In the bottom half of midi preferences in Live, make sure ‘Remote’ is Off for the APC. This turns of midi mapping, midi mapping would override the native functionality of the controller if Remote is on.

[otalgia99]

Thank you SO much for getting back to me -- the APC is critical to my performance process and I'm anxious to restore its former glory.

Adding a few additional functionality details I have now noticed:

TRACK ON / OFF; A|B; RECORD buttons all functioning as expected
SOLO button not functioning as expected

I apologize that my original post left out any details about the "Settings" settings -- that was not so helpful!

I've done as you suggest and turned off REMOTE on both INPUT and OUTPUT PORTS.

Unfortunately this hasn't restored full functionality, the trouble continues as described originally.

I have requested permission to attach a screenshot of the current state of the MIDI Settings but for the moment I'm not able to upload attachments.

If a description is good enough I can that provide here (I'm sure that not every parameter I'm listing is relevant).

Show Link = ON
Start Stop Sync = ON
Show Tempo = HIDE
Input Channel = 1/2
Show Resync = HIDE

MIDI
Control Surface Input Output
APC40MKII APC40MKII APC40MKII

Input Ports Track Sync Remote MPE
APC40MKII ON ON OFF OFF
Sync Delay = 0.00 ms
Sync Type = MIDI CLOCK
MTC Rate = ALL
MTC Offset = 00: 00: 00: 00:

Output Ports Track Sync Remote
APC40MKII Output ON ON OFF
MIDI Clock Sync Delay = 0.00 ms
Clock Type = SONG
Hardware Resync = STOP AND START

Thanks again -- your willingness to assist is enormously appreciated.
o99

[otalgia99]

I see that my reply got reformatted in a way that confuses the MIDI Pane details. Here they are again in list form:

Input Ports APC40_MkII Input (APC40 mkII)

Track = ON
Sync = ON
Remote = OFF
MPE = OFF

Sync Delay = 0.00 ms
Sync Type = MIDI CLOCK
MTC Rate = ALL
MTC Offset = 00: 00: 00: 00:

Input Ports APC40_MkII Input (APC40 mkII)

Track = ON
Sync = ON
Remote = OFF

MIDI Clock Sync Delay = 0.00 ms
Clock Type = SONG
Hardware Resync = STOP AND START

[S4racen]

Have you delete all manual MIDI Mappings? You don't need Track switched on either.
Cheers
D

[otalgia99]

Have you delete all manual MIDI Mappings?

I haven't done that -- but I don't think I have very many (or even any) manual mappings in the first place.

Just to be sure that I confirm this as follows:

- Launch Live
- in (empty) Default Set:
- Open Browser
- Click "MIDI" (Map Button)

Result: No mappings appear listed in browser pane. Then:

- Open test set
- Open Browser
- Click "MIDI" (Map Button)

Result: Once again, no mappings appear listed in browser pane.

So I think there may be no mappings to delete.

You don't need Track switched on either.

OK, and thanks! Turning TRACK off restores CHANNEL SELECTION button functionality.

Functions still not responding:

DEVICE <- ->
BANK <- ->
DEVICE ON / OFF
CLIP / DEVICE VIEW
PLAY

...and so forth, as listed previously.

However, I'm happy for the progress you've given me and appreciate it enormously. Keep those suggestions coming! I'm looking for anything that will restore full functionality.

o99

[otalgia99]

Stop the presses -- I might have just hit upon the answer.

I went back to my former MBP and connected that system. The APC problem showed up there as well, so the source of the trouble isn't the new laptop.

Re-connected the new MBP and swapped out the MIDI cable connecting the APC40 -- functionality is restored.

I can't think of why this might be the case, I really take as good care of my peripherals as I possibly can (I know how to properly coil a cable).

This system did just come off a 16-hour travel day a week ago and maybe something happened in that time tho again, I wouldn't bet on that.

The cable I was using up til now has one Ferrite Bead, the cable I have in there now (the one that got the system working again) does not. Again I'm not sure how to parse that one either, since the cable with the Bead had been working fine for a long time.

If you all have any thoughts about the Ferrite Bead Question, I would be very interested to know them.

Whatever the case, I'm just happy to see Live responding as I would like.

Thank you all once again!