MAINSTAGE 2.2: Sustain pedal triggering E3 note on MainStage and making notes get stuck

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Level 1

8 points

MAINSTAGE 2.2: Sustain pedal triggering E3 note on MainStage and making notes get stuck

Hey guys! I've been having issues recently with my MS and can't find to know why. I want to start of with a detailed list of what I'm using to know if this helps.

- MacBook Pro OS X 10.9 (8gb RAM and intel 2.26 core 2 DUO)

- MainStage 2.2. (32 bit)

- Keyboard controller (I normally don't take a keyboard with me but instead use my Macbook Pro to trigger sounds through MS and use the KB just as a controller, but normally I use Yamaha Motif KB's - this actually varies!)

- MIDI-IN and OUT to USB cable

- Normal, regular sustain pedal (FYI, checked that polarity is on the correct possition already!)

- Korg NanoPAD 2

- Korg NanoKONTROL 2

- USB splitter to connect (NanoPAD 2, NanoKONTROL 2 and MID-IN and OUT TO USB cable)

- Apoogee Duet 2 (connected to the most powerful USB port)

So here's the issue and what I've done to try to fix it (Troubleshooting) and also, what I know that is not affecting MS as in connections, hardware and routing processes.

ISSUE:

Every time I press the sustain pedal it triggers E3 note and it toggles between Sustain and this E3 note.

Every time I try to ASSIGN the sustain pedal in LAYOUT mode, press the ASSIGN button, hold and release the sustain pedal, it toggles between "Sustain" and "E3" noted assigned to the sustain pedal

TROUBLESHOOTING:

- I've made sure that the sustain pedal is connected to the right input on the back side of the KB (controller)

- I've made sure that the polarity is correct (switched it just in case - not working still!)

- In LAYOUT mode I ASSIGNED the pedal correctly to my sustain pedal (when it is on "Sustain" it is still triggering this E3 note)

- I've tried going through "ASSIGNMENTS & MAPPINGS" down to "PORT 1 USB2.0-MIDI" wich is the MIDI port that is shown on my MacBook Pro, and verify that it is showing "64 (Sustain)" as the mapped assignment and "SEND TO ALL" parameter (so it is triggered through all of my sounds)

- I've tried going to WORKSPACE and manually MAP PARAMETER the sustain pedal, but when I do this, it still shows that E3 note is being triggered.

- I've tried a clean boot of MS (same thing)

- I've tried a OS X clean boot (same thing)

- I've tried changing the MIDI-IN and OUT USB cable (3 different ones)

- I've tried connecting ONLY (NO SOUND DEVICE or Korg Nano devices nor USB splitter device connected) the MIDI-IN and OUT USB directly to the computer and into different USB ports (still the same thing!)

- I've tried different sustain pedals

What are your thoughts guys? Do any of you guys know how to fix this or have exp. this before? This is really strange and I'm actually thinking that it might be my Macbook Pro USB ports that are going crazy! One thing that I noticed is that sometime ago the MIDI DEVICE that was shown on "MIDI STUDIO" in System preferences was named after "USB MIDI CABLE" and now it is not available to use. Instead, now it is showing as "USB2.0-MIDI" and that's the one that is being used by my Mac. An interesting thing is that when I try "TEST" in MIDI STUDIO and play my KB, it does nothing .... no sound is heard as a MIDI signal being fed to my Mac.

PLEASE HELP! Need to fix this URGENTLY!!!

Blessings!

H

MainStage, OS X Mavericks (10.9), Korg NanoKontrol 2, Korg NanoKey 2

Posted on Dec 16, 2013 9:05 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

lifenoise

Level 4

1,019 points

Dec 16, 2013 10:20 AM in response to Bolali85

Just a stab in the dark: Do the note E3 on and sustain signal both show up in the MIDI activity monitor(in edit mode) when you press and release the pedal? If that's the case, maybe your keyboard is sending a note on message along with the sustain. Have you tried deleting the sustain pedal in layout mode and creating a new one?

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Answer 2

Bolali85 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 16, 2013 11:45 AM in response to lifenoise

Yes it does! Signal is shown in the MIDI activity monitor while pressing and releasing the pedal. I've tried with many types of KB's and it always happens the same thing. I have not tried deleting the sustain pedal in the layout mode. Will try to do that and keep you updated. THANKS! 😉

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Answer 3

Bolali85 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 16, 2013 12:00 PM in response to lifenoise

Ok. Just tried doing that (deleeting the sustain pedal and even the KB in Layout mode) and still did the same thing. In Layout mode, when I'm trying to assign the sustain pedal, after pressing the ASSIGN button, it togles between "64 (Sustain)" and "E3" despite the fact if I press and hold or just press and release. Sustain pedal is just sending the signal to trigger 64 sustain or just E3 note :/

Maybe giving out this info will help:

In Layout mode: (when toggled to E3 note)

Screen Control Inspector

Hardware Input

Device: Port 1 USB2.0-MIDI

Channel: Channel 1

Type: Note On/Off

Number: E3

MIDI thru: Automatic

Send Value to: None

--------------------------------

In Layout mode: (when toggled to sustain pedal)

Screen Control Inspector

Hardware Input

Device: Port 1 USB2.0-MIDI

Channel: Channel 1

Type: Press/Release

Number: 64 (Sustain)

MIDI thru: Automatic

Send Value to: None

Any add. ideas? Btw, Thanks for your quick response! 🙂

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Answer 4

lifenoise

Level 4

1,019 points

Dec 16, 2013 1:16 PM in response to Bolali85

If we can't figure out why it's sending a note on command, let's just find a way to make it stop. First, go to layout mode, select the sustain pedal, and make your settings manually(don't press the assign button). Set it as you described above.

In Layout mode: (when toggled to sustain pedal)

Screen Control Inspector

Hardware Input

Device: Port 1 USB2.0-MIDI

Channel: Channel 1

Type: Press/Release

Number: 64 (Sustain)

MIDI thru: Automatic

Send Value to: None

Next, copy the sustain pedal control(the easiest way is command>C then command>V). It will look like this:

Select the new pedal and manually set it to:

In Layout mode: (when toggled to sustain pedal)

Screen Control Inspector

Hardware Input

Device: Port 1 USB2.0-MIDI

Channel: Channel 1

Type: Note On/Off

Number: C-2

MIDI thru: Do not pass Through

Send Value to: None

The idea is to send that unwanted note the the lowest note(0) so it won't be in the way. I don't know if it will work for you, but it's worth a try.

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Answer 5

Bolali85 Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 16, 2013 3:47 PM in response to lifenoise

Ok. The funny thing is that it is still triggering that E3 note no matter what I do. Even if I change the note value to C-2 or to any other parameter. E3 continues being triggered. I honnestly think it might have to do with MIDI language in my MacBook Pro. Now let's suppose that what you said helped. It will still continue to hold that C-2 note that we manually re-assign and therefore it will hold that note and the rest of the notes that I play at the moment. The main issue is not only that E3 is beig played but when it does, (and I press and hold the sustain pedal) it holds the notes that I am currently playing (as it should) and then they get stuck, (along with the E3/C-2 note - or any that I re-assign). This will be the main issue. I honestly think this is a bug that my MS has, and certainly can be fixed, but it's going to take a while. I will try to do a system clean boot and try re installing everything. The problem here is also that Logic is being affected by this now. So now, every time that I press the sustain pedal, logic is triggering E3 note (think this makes a lot a sense as Logic and MS run together) but maybe it does not make sense and it should not be like this.

How about if we tried TS from LOGIC 9 instead to see if it does the same thing when re routing? Do you know how to do this?

Thanks! 🙂

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Answer 6

lifenoise

Level 4

1,019 points

Dec 16, 2013 4:19 PM in response to Bolali85

What is TS? Do you have MIDI Monitor installed on your Mac(free app from snoize)? You can see exactly what MIDI data is coming into the Mac. I just thought of another angle. Do you you have another USB MIDI cable? I had one that sent MIDI stop commands for no apparent reason. It caused a lot of problems. I traced the problem with MIDI Monitor.

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Answer 7

lifenoise

Level 4

1,019 points

Dec 17, 2013 6:21 AM in response to lifenoise

One other thing. Try disconnecting other controllers- Nanopad, NanoKontrol. Let's make sure that a pad or or other controller isn't somehow mapped to your keyboard.

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Answer 8

Mar 14, 2014 4:59 PM in response to Bolali85

Hey did you ever figure out how to fix this problem I have the same issue it's very frustrating

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Answer 9

Bolali85 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 14, 2014 8:54 PM in response to Harper409

Ok ... this actually drove me crazy (and stil kind of does cuz I'm not 100% sure what fixed it) ... But I was able to fix it!!! I literally did EVERYTHING I could ... to the point that I had to use other macs for my performances ... I'm still not happy with MS and as a matter of fact, I'm planning in the near future to change for anything else that is more stable ... MS is way unstable, even with good macs (newer ones with more RAM memory and nice procesors) ... So bottom line this is (as far as I know) the solution to this issue ...

THE USB to MIDI cable (cheap, chinese (with all the respecto of my chinese friends and people around!), disgustingly unreliable USB to MIDI cable!!!) Unfortunately I have like 4 or 5 of these so I always chaged them for a new one thinking this could be the issue and it did the same E3 note stuff ... so I never thought it could be the USB cable ... now that I changed it for another one (but older one that I had before and used - when MS used to work well) it worked pretty good! 🙂

I bought this cheap (3 dollars) USB to MIDI cable from eBay and they all came defective!!!! My advise is to use a good one (pay money for this) or just invest in a MIDI to USB Hub (more or less 150 dollars, not 3 dollars as this cable!) and be sure to have nice cables that run good from and into your mac.

Another thing I noticed with the defective MIDI cables were that on the LAYOUT window where it says: HARDWARE INPUT (to the right side of the screen) it said something like ''USB 2.0'' something, something ... and with this ''new'' working cable it shows like this:

and instead it says: ''USB MIDI CABLE'' and I recall this was the type of cable that it used to work fine and that's what it said there before I used the ''defective'' type of cable.

I also was not sure if my MIDI ports where working good .... but just in case I tried connecting my MIDI cable straight into one of the USB ports and not using a USB spiiter (as I normally do) and still did the same ... so I think it is the MIDI CABLE!!!

BOTTOM LINE: CHANGE IT AND USE A GOOD ONE INSTEAD!!! 🙂

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Answer 10

Mar 20, 2014 8:26 PM in response to Bolali85

Thank you soo much!!! best advice! I knew I shouldn't have trusted my $1.99 midi usb cord. I will let you know when it starts working for sure!

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Answer 11

Bolali85 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 20, 2014 11:26 PM in response to Harper409

You are welcome ... I'm still trying to find what is best for my live gig. MS is not that reliable specially using these cheap USB to MIDI cables. Right now I am using the Uno 1 in 1 Out USB Bus Powered MIDI interface cable. It has worked ok but I now have this problem where notes are triggered randomly, not any more by the pedal though which is a good thing! 🙂 Still, I have this same problem and sometimes even notes will hold on sustain and wont stop. Drives me crazy when I'm playing live. Will continue to research what caused this E3 note issue and will post again, but I'm quite sure it is the MIDI cable that does it! ...

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