Keyboard/MIDI problem

Discussion in 'Instruments' started by thepopenale, Jan 8, 2014.

  1. thepopenale

    thepopenale Noisemaker

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    Im using FL Studio, keyboard is Alesis Micron for MIDI.

    Recently the pitchwheel has been moving by itself and I cant figure out how to disable the MIDI signal for it.

    I tried rightclick -> link-to-controller on FL to get to some settings but Im stumped. The pitchwheel 'moves' and hides the menu as soon as I bring it up.

    I dont NEED MIDI/pitchwheel so I just wanna disable it permanently. Its driving me crazy because it keeps pitching sounds of instruments in every project AND the freakin pitch data saves if I record a part.

    Help desperately needed cos Im gonna throw the thing off a wall pretty soon :snuffy:
     
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  3. SillySausage

    SillySausage Producer

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    have you tried resetting FL? or using generic controller?

    also check your multilink connection for the pitchwheel (maybe linked to another midi cc?) I think midi cc6 is for pitch
     
  4. Synthetech

    Synthetech Newbie

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    It sounds like the pot for the pitch wheel is getting intermittent connection to voltage.
    So when it disconnects, the ground "floats" and the little uP is translating it as if you were moving the pot/wheel. It will constantly do this until the connection is properly established.

    Simply opening up the keyboard and disconnecting the small connector on the pot for the pitchwheel will not help, since it is completely disconnecting the voltage source and again causes a floating ground/voltage.
    Now if you disconnected the connector and jumped the Wiper terminal to Ground, it will fool the uP into thinking you have bottomed out your pitch wheel.
    If you connect the Wiper terminal to +5v, it will fool it into thinking you have topped out the pitch wheel.


    To fix it right, you will need to trace down where the connection problem is, it can be inside the pot itself and you'd have to remove/replace it. It could be a loose connection at the connector on the pot or at the PCB on the other end of that connector.
    It could also be a bad connection for the connector on the PCB itself.


    I have fixed many units that had impact damage from a knob taking a good whack. Last one I fixed was an M-Audio 25key with 8 pots. It would change values on that pot without touching it, then when I did put my hand on it and pushed down a little bit, it would quit since it re-established the connection temporarily.
    Additionally, the outermost pot was not only damaged internally, it also transferred the shock thru the pot to the PCB and lifted one of the traces off the PCB where the pot's lead was soldered in.
    I ended up carefully removing the old 10k pot, replacing it with a new one and very carefully fixed the lifted trace.
    It immediately began to work correctly and has been fine since the repairs.

    Hope this helps.. if you are not comfortable with opening up your Micron, take it to a TV shop and let them trace down the bad connection for you and perhaps fix it.. they are probably cheaper than any other place and I'm sure they would love to have an "easy fix" and something different to work on for a change.. they might only charge about $40-50 if you are lucky.

    I can try to help you remotely if you have the patience.. but it sounds like either way, there will be some digging into the unit to locate the problem and do a proper repair.

    HTH's and good luck!
     
  5. Synthetech

    Synthetech Newbie

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    I forgot to add...

    Try disconnecting the Micron from your DAW completely. Then go in the DAW, right click the pitch bend in the plugin's pitch control. Now it should be stable so you can hit RESET to clear out/ignore the Micron's pitch bend msgs.

    Be sure to always disconnect the Micron from the DAW before you try to assign any virtual knob to a real one.

    This might get you by until you can fix the Micron.
     
  6. thepopenale

    thepopenale Noisemaker

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    By resetting do you mean turn off FL and restart? Ive shutdown/restarted turned on/off all the hardware and computer multiple times and no joy. The freakin wheel still glows at me, taunting.

    Thanks Ill check these out in a while and let you know how it went!
     
  7. Synthetech

    Synthetech Newbie

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    Just turn the Micron off. Restarting FL isn't necessary.

    When I say RESET. I'm referring to the dialogue box that opens when you right click the plugin's pitch GUI knob.
    When the MIDI control assignment dialogue window pops up, click RESET to clear out the Micron's pitch bend MIDI msg assignment to that plug-in.

    Then you should be able to turn the Micron back on and the plugin will ignore the pitchbend msgs from it.
     
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