MS 3.0.3 with Akai MPK88. Roland EV-5 expression pedal, no problems until recently. Set level with pedal, everything is OK, after a short time suddenly no sound. Readjust level with pedal, sound back, then craps out again. Help?
MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012), MS 3.0.3, Akai MPK 88, OSX 10.8.5
It could be the pedal. It's happened to my EV-5's. If it happens again, move the pedal up and down several times, then try plaing a sound while moving the pedal. Sometimes you'll get a scratchy sound. Take the bottom off the pedal and spray the potentiometer with contact cleaner. Caig DeOxit is the best.
It could be the pedal. It's happened to my EV-5's. If it happens again, move the pedal up and down several times, then try plaing a sound while moving the pedal. Sometimes you'll get a scratchy sound. Take the bottom off the pedal and spray the potentiometer with contact cleaner. Caig DeOxit is the best.
Thanks for the tip, lifenoise. I popped off the bottom and cleaned it up, just like you suggested. It was pretty dirty. Unfortunately, I'm still having the same problem.
Further research on compatible pedals is inconclusive. One poster suggested that an Alesis pedal is recommended in the owner's manual, while another claims that a message he received directly from Akai stated that any pedal should work, as long as it isn't proprietary.
The Roland pedal has worked fine for about six months. Not sure why it's crapping out now. Thanks again.
You need to spray contact cleaner into the potentiometer to enable a good electrical contact Insert the straw, or small tube, that came with it into the spary nozzle to direct the cleaner into the pot. I'm pretty sure it's your problem. The EV-5 will last for years with an occasional dose of contact cleaner.
Hey lifenoise - Thanks again for your help. I drowned the EV-5 in the recommended cleaner, multiple times. Still the same problem. Just out of curiosity, I purchased a brand new EV-5 from Guitar Center. Within 2 minutes of playing, the same problem occurred. I think I can safely assume that it is not a problem with the pedal. I saved the receipt, so I will be returning this $90 item...
Anyone have any other suggestions? Gigs coming up. Can't play very well this way.
I think, the jack in the MPK 88 has an issue. Maybe a solder soint has broken or so. To check, turn on MS's MIDI Message Monitor and wiggle a bit at the connector. If you see MIDI messages while wiggling, you need to check inside the MPK.
Be careful with contact cleaners and pots, not every cleaner is well suited to clean pots. A good working product is "Balistol", which is a general purpose maintenance oil. It doesn't dissolve the grease at the sliding parts inside the pot. Others do, which leads to the effect, that the pot becomes "addictive" to cleaning.
Best,
DaCaptain
Thanks, DaCaptain. No problems with the interior of the MPK 88 - I checked as you suggested
I figured out the problem - it was a software setting. Parameters on the expression pedal were set wrong, I had to manually adjust "channel pressure" to "absolute" in the Layout tab. Strange, I automapped it in the past and had no trouble - wonder why it wouldn't do the same? Maybe when I redid the layout it messed with the settings somehow. Whatever.
MS 3.0.3 problems with expression pedal
