How to connect a Yamaha P-95 to Logic X?

Question

Level 1

9 points

How to connect a Yamaha P-95 to Logic X?

Hi everyone,

I have been trying to connect my Yamaha P-95 Keyboard to Logic Pro X but I can't find any possible way to get me round to it. I downloaded the midi driver from the Yamaha website for my keyboard and it was successfully installed but when I try to locate it in Logic > Control Surfaces > Setup I see other Yamaha Versions but mine.

The way I'm connecting the keyboard to my MacBook Pro is through a Midi USB cable that has In/Out outputs for the keyboard. I am running the latest OS system and the latest update of Logic Pro X.

Thank you everybody.

Logic Pro X, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Nov 6, 2013 4:53 AM

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Answer 1

Taddein Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 11, 2013 4:31 PM in response to The Art Of Sound

I have followed the steps you gave me, in step 4) I only removed the com.apple.logic10.plist file because the rest is working fine and I don't have any key command assigned.

Now after following your steps, I still don't get any signal from my Yamaha, I'll attach a number of pictures that may help you have an idea of what my Logic is doing.

Firstly, this is what I got when I turned on my Macbook again, but then again, I was receiving that message anyway everytime I plugged in the P-95.

Secondly, as you can see in the list of Control Surface Setup, there are a number of Yamaha version but none of them is mine.

Now in this image, I have this 01X that I clicked install on once upon and you'd probably recognise this device from the list of Yamaha versions in the previous image. If you concentrate in the Output/Input Ports you'll see there is All and Port 1. I don't know if that is correct.

Finally, in this picture is what I have found after doing what you said.

(Note: In the USB Midi cable, there are three lights, Green, Orange, Red. Everytime I connect my Yamaha it is always in Red, I have never seen it going Green. And also, when I plug the Yamaha and Run logic, the orange light flashes while the dialogue box from the first picture is displayed).

I don't know if the number of pictures were necessary but maybe, they could give you a clue.

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Answer 2

Taddein Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 12, 2013 1:10 AM in response to The Art Of Sound

I followed all the steps and deleted the file that I didn't before and still nothing.

As for the link from the Yamaha website, I have the icon in the system preferences but when I click on it, the Device Name section doesn't have any model listed, even though my P-95 is plugged in.

Another thing is that when in Logic, if I click create a new instrument and instead of using Software Instrument I use External MIDI, the Output at the bottom shows the name with which my mac named my keyboard USB2.0-MIDI Port 2 - 1. And once created, I don't get any signal still but, if I call up the keyboard in my mac's screen and start playing with the keypad of my mac then my Yamaha receive those signals and it plays every note that I play in my macbook. I hope that made sense

Here's how it lists my Yamaha when I click on create EXTERNAL MIDI, and if you can see, the notes recorded there were recorded with my mac's screen keyboard and played back by the Yamaha in its speakers. Besides in the Audio MIDI setup window > MIDI studio if I click on Test Setup and then click on channel 1 and 2 (the arrows) my keyboard makes a noise as if I was pressing all of the keys at once.

And also the MIDI cable I am using is the following (go down to the last image). What I think is that, if the keyboard receives signal from the computer rather than from the keyboard to the computer then the cable might not be problem but the problem is in Logic somewhere.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002MXP6YS/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8 &psc=1

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Answer 3

Nov 12, 2013 6:22 AM in response to Taddein

That USB to Midi cable you are using... is exactly the ultra cheap type of cable that causes the issues i spoke of..

Just read the 37+ negative reviews on the UK Amazon to see what I mean.....(There are many many more on the US Amazon Store!) and it is highly likely to be the cause of your issue.

The Yamaha utility confirms that OS X cannot see your keyboard..... and if OS X cannot 'see' it then LPX cannot use it...

As an aside.. buying and using a cheap cable like that is akin to buying a Ferrari and then fitting £30 tyres to it...

So again, get yourself a 'real' Midi Interface.. and then connect your Yamaha to it.... and Im pretty sure all your issues will go away. Order one from Amazon and you can test it and see what happens and if it doesn't fix things you can easily return it...

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Answer 4

Taddein Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 22, 2013 12:13 PM in response to The Art Of Sound

Hi Nigel

Again here, to inform you how things went. Well, I basically got my UX16 delivered today and went again through all of the steps you told me to get it working but still, I do not get sound coming.

If you look at the screen shots I posted when I said that it records sound if I choose to add an External MIDI instrument rather than a Software Instrumen. Well, from the same notes recorded in that screenshot, the only thing the usb cable does is it flashes the green light every time the cursor passes by those strings but no sound comes out of those notes. Only from the rest of the instruments.

What's more, when I clicked on the Setup Surfaces, all of the other instruments had disappeared and all I was left with was this.

I set the inputs and outputs to Yamaha UX16 because at last I can see the name of what I am using unlike the other time. (By the way, I don't know when the rest of the Control Surfaces Disappeared as I haven't opened Logic since the last time you posted your message.)

Hope you're alright!

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Answer 5

Nov 11, 2013 3:49 PM in response to Taddein

Okay.. now making sure your other keyboard is disconnected... test in Logic

If that doesn't work... Quit Logic,

Then do the following...

Delete the user preferences

You can resolve many issues by restoring Logic Pro X back to its original settings. This will not impact your media files. To reset your Logic Pro X user preference settings to their original state, do the following:

In the Finder, choose Go to Folder from the Go menu.
Type ~/Library/Preferences in the "Go to the folder" field.
Press the Go button.
Remove the com.apple.logic10.plist file from the Preferences folder. Note that if you have programmed any custom key commands, this will reset them to the defaults. You may wish to export your custom key command as a preset before performing this step. See the Logic Pro X User Manual for details on how to do this. If you are having trouble with a control surface in Logic Pro X, then you may also wish to delete the com.apple.logic.pro.cs file from the preferences folder.
If you have upgraded from an earlier version of Logic Pro, you should also remove~/Library/Preferences/Logic/com.apple.logic.pro.

Important: Now shut down your Mac,.

Unplug the Yamaha (and any other midi devices/controllers etc)

Plug just the Yamaha back in..

Restart your Mac

Got to Audio Midi and confirm your yamaha shows as being connected

Start Logic and Test

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Answer 6

Nov 6, 2013 6:51 AM in response to Taddein

The P-95 isn't a control surface.... Its a keyboard capable of sending/receiving midi data.

Open the Audio/Midi setup app found in applications and check if your P-95 is listed there.. and is active.

Once that is done LPX will 'see' and use it automatically as a midi keyboard to send midi data to Software instruments etc....

if you want to use/record the sounds in the P-95 you will have to route audio from your P-95's audio outputs to a Audio track created in Logic. .. You will probably need an external Audio interface to achieve this efficiently.

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Answer 7

Taddein Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 11, 2013 10:31 AM in response to The Art Of Sound

Thanks for taking your time in asnwering. What Audio Interface under £150.00 would you recommend me, and would I plug the keyboard into the Interface with a Jack to Jack lead or how should the process would be done?

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Answer 8

Nov 11, 2013 10:41 AM in response to Taddein

Unfortunately I cannot recommend any audio interface in that price range. I have simply found in the past that cheap Audio Interfaces are just not worth spending money on given the cost of quality level of your Mac and LPX...

It's kind of like buying a Ferrari and then putting $50 tires on it...

Especially avoid anything by M-Audio/Digidesign/Avid..... as they are known to have driver issues at times with LPX

So, bearing that in mind....Personally I'd recommend any of the Motu range...

You will need an Audio interface with 2 jack inputs and you will need two jack to jack cords to connect the audio from your keyboard's output to your Audio Interface..

However......

I wouldn't use the internal sounds of your Yamaha but instead use the Software Instruments inside of Logic Pro X..... and just use your Yamaha as a Midi keyboard to send midi info to LPX to record/play the software insruments.. That way you don't need an Audio Interface.... and the quality of the sounds in LPX is equal to and often better than those found in your Yamaha.. and certainly you will have a much wider range of sounds to choose from... and you can easily record multiple tracks of different software intruments without having to dela with Audio recordings....

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Answer 9

Taddein Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 11, 2013 2:51 PM in response to The Art Of Sound

Yeah that is exactly what I was asking but I misunderstood your first message. What I want to do is use my P-95 as a Midi keyboard, but I've tried in so many ways and Logic can't find it. Although, in the

Audio MIDI Setup window > MIDI Studio, I can see my Yamaha listed there with the name of USB2.0-MIDI plus my other keyboard that I normally use. I have another keyboard that is a control surface but the amount of keys is too short, therefore I would much rather make my Yamaha work and give it great use..

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Answer 10

Nov 11, 2013 4:54 PM in response to Taddein

You must remove that CS file as that is Control Surfaces not Key Commands,,.. and the error you are getting is because of the Control Surface which could be blocking things.. (I should have emphasized you needed to remove both plist files so my apologies..)

So....

Please follow the instructions I gave, to the letter and test again... This may not fix things but it is all part of the step by step troubleshooting method... and will help eliminate a few possible causes...

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Answer 11

Nov 11, 2013 5:12 PM in response to The Art Of Sound

Btw.. did you do this?

http://faq.yamaha.com/us/en/article/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/ p_series/p-95_color_variation/4713/4209/?current_page_id=1&sort=best&type=

and finally, are you using a cheap USB to Midi cable? (it is a cable with a USB plug on one end and two midi connectors on the other)

If you are sure you have connected the two midi connectors the correct way around on your P95 (check and test both ways to be sure)

Then, it is likely to the USB to Midi cable is the cause of your issue... and the tests above will tell you if the Mac can 'see' your P95 correctly and if the P95 responds to commands..

If not.. I would say, you need to buy a proper Midi interface... rather than one of these cheap USB to Midi things as they are known to have all sorts of issues including what you are suffering from.

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Answer 12

Taddein Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 13, 2013 2:55 PM in response to The Art Of Sound

Yeah, I see what you mean, it is a bit of a pricey cable if I get the Yamah UX16. I will let you know how it goes when I get it, but thank you very much for your help and time to help me solve my problem. You are a genious! 😉

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Answer 13

Nov 22, 2013 12:37 PM in response to Taddein

I think you are misunderstanding how everything works....

Midi is not audio.... so when you play notes on your keyboards the actual audio will not be recorded because again midi is not audio.. it's just computer data..

So.. lets take this one step at a time..

Quit Logic

Start Logic and then open Logic's Audio Preferences

Make sure the Audio settings both say Internal Audio

Then...

1) Create a new project and when asked, create an instrument track (Not an external Instrument track)

2) Select a software Instrument from the library like a piano...

3) Make sure the piano track is selected in the Arrange window.

4) Play notes on your keyboard and see if you can hear the piano sound via your internal speakers.

If you can, your keyboard is transmitting Midi data and Logic is receiving it... This is how you play and record Logic's own software instruments using your Yamaha keyboard.

If you cannot hear sounds then either ...

You have the midi cables connected incorrectly (Check you have the right cables in the right Midi ports on your Yamaha...

Or

Your Midi interface is not setup correctly...

Or

You did not setup the internal Audio settings correctly in Logic

Or

You did not create an Instrument track but something else instead.

Do this first and then let us know how it goes..

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Answer 14

Taddein Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 22, 2013 3:14 PM in response to The Art Of Sound

I did what you said, and when I played the notes in the piano I could not hear it in my speakers but in the piano speakers. Which means it is not sending any midi signal because the levels in the faders of LP never move.

I checked the midi cable and its plugged in, in the right channels.

My Midi interface as we discussed before is installed and it is now showing the name of the Midi cable in the slot. Though, when I click on Send All Note ON in the link you gave me, my piano should be playing a note but it doesn't.

I did create a Software Instrument Track but nothing happens.

I understood what you meant about the MIDI, it was just me who wanted to get solutions quickly.

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Answer 15

Taddein Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 22, 2013 3:24 PM in response to Taddein

Actually you know what? I made it work by connecting the Output channel in the Input and the Input in the Output and it is now working.

That's fantastic!!!!!!!

Thank you for your help again buddy, I owe you one!

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