Music-X Can't Get MIDI Keyboard To Work A500

[blainelocklair]

Hello everyone!

 

This is cross-posted at EAB (no responses), but since I hang out here, I thought I'd see if you have any ideas to help. I've cleaned it up a bit to make it one post and the most up to date.

 

I am trying to compose and perform music on an Amiga for the first time. I never had the resources for it back in the day. I have run into some problems and hope you can help me along.

First, I am using Music-X 2.0 for sequencing. It doesn't allow me to add notes by live performance by MIDI. Music-X doesn't seem to recognize my MIDI controller at all. I have an M-Audio Axiom 49 with MIDI DIN Out connector. I also have an eBay MIDI serial port adapter with in/out female cabling. I have a Monoprice male/male MIDI cable connecting the MIDI serial interface and the M-Audio MIDI out. I am not using an external MIDI sound generator, as I intend to use the genuine Amiga sounds.

Second, when I go to load samples into Music-X, there is never a directory for them. I watched the Amiga Format video on YouTube for using Music-X, and they readily access the samples in a samples folder. Why can't I find the samples? I have all four disc images for Music-X 2.0. *** Update: I can load samples from v1.0 but can't find them in v2.0.

 

Here is everything I have done to this point to verify the hardware is good.

1) Tested the M-Audio Axiom 49 MIDI Controller with the MacBook again, verified working.
2) Used a digital multimeter to verify continuity of all five lines on the new DIN-5 MIDI cable
3) Verified with the seller of the MIDI serial interface that he tested it on his own MIDI setup before shipping it (interface is new)
4) Bought a serial port loop connector and ran Advanced Amiga Analyzer on the serial port - it passed the test

 

I am using a GoTEK USB with FlashFloppy 14.0 for loading the .adf files.

I feel like the connection between the M-Audio keyboard and the serial port is fine. Yet, Music-X seems to not be able to see any of it. What am I missing? Is Music-X really picky about its settings for external MIDI input? I think maybe I just don't know where to go in Music-X to turn on the external MIDI input. I've watched the Amiga Format video on YouTube, but it's not shown there how to turn on the external MIDI input in the software. I've been through the user manual, but it's not jumping out at me.

Thank you to everyone that has read this and also to anyone that can help.

Thanks!
Blaine

[amiman99]

I have Music-X, Manual, midi box and a midi keyboard, I could help you.

Lets try something before we dive into Music-X.

Can you download OctaMed 4 or Octamed SoundStudio (I'm not sure if Soundstudio works from floppy)?

Octamed is easier to work with MIDI (simpler). You can change the instrument as a midi instrument.

You can use the Octamed to see if your setup works first before troubleshooting Music-X.

[blainelocklair]

Hello, amiman99!

 

Thank you for responding. I really need the help.

 

I have OctaMed 4 Pro on a single ,adf file. I've loaded it through the Gotek and up and running on the Amiga. Just never used the OctaMed software before so not sure how to make sure MIDI is turned on and working.

 

I'll try to find the manual and do some reading until you make it back online. Again, thank you so much for helping me out!

 

Update: I'm stuck at the loading of a synth sound. I see where they are selected by the arrows and can go to the file loading screen. I just can't find from where to load the instrument itself. The manual talks about loading instrument synth sounds native from the Amiga sound chip but doesn't say from where on the disc to load them. Looks like one I get one loaded I can at least play it from the Amiga keyboard and then click "Edit" to use the MIDI controller, if I've read correctly.

 

Thanks!

Blaine

[amiman99]

Connect your keyboard to IN and OUT of your MIDI converter

1. Load Octamed.

2 Press MIDI button

3. In the MIDI options, click on MIDI ACTIVE and INPUT, MIDI CH to 1, MIDI preset # to any instrument you want 1-128

4. To see your notes click on the button right of MISC

5. To edit notes make sure the "E" button is on (next to SP button)

 

If something is not working, try swaping the midi cables, maybe in/out is reversed.

 

If all that works and you can send and receive the notes from keyboard, we can troubleshoot the MIDI-X

[blainelocklair]

Hello again!

 

Well, I actually don't have a synthesizer proper. I have an M-Audio Axiom 49 MIDI controller keyboard. It'll do MIDI Out by the DIN cable. I have only been using it with GarageBand for the past 12 years I've owned it by the USB connection to the MacBook Pro. So I don't have a means of going to a MIDI Input (Synth or Roland or similar) from the MIDI controller. Well, I can go ti the Input on the back of the M-Audio, but the input won't make any sound. Am I supposed to connect cables to both the IN and OUT even though it's only a MIDI controller?

 

I was hoping to use the internal sound on the Amiga to create the synth sounds or sampled sounds. Either way is fine. I read in both the OctaMED and the Music-X manuals that they support Amiga internal sound. I actually want to use the internal sounds rather than a General MIDI sound producer so that they will be authentic to the Amiga sound hardware.

 

I've attached photos of the ends of the MIDI adapter cables and the screen as I set it up. I bought the cable from an Amiga guy in FL, who assured me it worked and the white wire is the IN connection to the Amiga. Strangely (or not), both ends of the MIDI adapter cables have arrows facing the same direction (see pics). I would have expected one to show one way and the other in the opposite way.

 

Pics below of the MIDI adapter and the screen as I set it up. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks again!

 

Blaine

[amiman99]

OK, let's try

MIDI keyboard OUT to Amiga MIDI IN

MIDI CH: NO MIDI

MIDI ACTIVE on

INPUT on

Click on FILES, load your sample from df0, dh1, etc... by selecting the file and click on LOAD INSTR

Click on INSTR, your sample should be there on 01 slot.

To start inputting the notes, make sure that the "E" is selected next to the 12 and SP

Click the icon next to MISC ==, to see the notes.

 

If nothing works, swap midi ports on amiga adapter

 

You should be able to input the notes. You can also use the Amiga keys to input notes.

[amiman99]

I had few minutes of play time and everything works fine on my end. I use a keyboard to play notes, that Amiga replays with sample.so technically it should work with keyboard controller. Midi is Midi.

[blainelocklair]

Ok, more progress.

 

I set up the settings above. They click fine, and I can get to DF0. I just can't find the samples on the disc. I know I'm overlooking something simple, but I just don't see them. I've attached a screen of what I see when I go to the load screen. Does one of these directories contain the samples somewhere, or is there a separate floppy image needed for them?

 

Thanks!

Blaine

[amiman99]

Samples are not on the disk, you need to find them yourself on the net, or make them yourself. You can also rip them from other mods.

[blainelocklair]

Are the instruments on the disks? The synth instruments? Or are they also found online?

 

Thanks!
Blaine

[amiman99]

Are the instruments on the disks? The synth instruments? Or are they also found online?

 

Thanks!

Blaine

No instruments on the disk at all.

You can get some instruments on Aminet here: http://aminet.net/mods/inst

They are in compressed LHA format, so you have to decompress them.

 

It's easier to get things going if you have a harddrive on Amiga. You could also make the ADF disks yourself using image maker (I forgot a name, give me some time to find it...)

 

Edit: found it, it's HxCFloppyEmulator. You can make blank 880kb disks and then add files, like sounds in IFF format etc, then save.

Edited February 6, 2019 by amiman99

[blainelocklair]

Ok, pulled down a piano sample set from Aminet and uncompressed it. With the Gotek, these would be best placed on the root of the USB stick to make them easy to find in OctaMED? Or they have to be converted to a single .adf file and then are readable by the Amiga/Gotek setup?

 

Thanks for fielding so many questions. I'm experienced with music composition and performance on the Mac. Trying to go back and do it on the computer I was never able to before due to lack of resources and information. Both are available now, which is amazing. Please bear with me while I get caught up on things. Never used the DAWs on an Amiga before. In fact, when I had my A500 in the 90s, I don't think I did much of anything with it other than play games that auto booted. Used Workbench 1.3 just a bit for disk management, but that was probably about it. So I'm actually trying to go past my original Amiga experience, which was wonderful enough to make me want another to keep for good this time. So glad to have your help with my learning curve on this.

 

Thanks!
Blaine

[amiman99]

No problem.

Back in the 90s I used Amiga mostly for Graphics, 3D, some music, and some games. I remember being blown away when I heard musing on Amiga.

 

Here is ADF disk I made for you from Aminet. See if it works.

 

ST-02.zip

[blainelocklair]

Yes! Thank you! The .adf worked and I was able to load it from DF0. I can see an acoustic guitar sound loaded and can play it with the Amiga keyboard. Still can't get MIDI going. Should I retry some of the steps above at this point or try something different to see if it works?

 

Also, wanted to note I have the "E" on between 12 and SP. The Amiga keyboard shows note entry happening, but still nothing from the M-Audio through the MIDI.

 

Thanks!

Blaine

Edited February 6, 2019 by blainelocklair

[amiman99]

It should work with settings from you first screenshot, plus that "E" needs to be selected to record, or press ESC to enable it.

Maybe you could borrow some cheap Casio or Yamaha keyboard from someone wit midi ports?

 

Is there a windows config software for your kbrd controller, maybe something needs to be enabled?

 

OCTAMED workflow here:

Edited February 6, 2019 by amiman99

[blainelocklair]

I've combed through the manual for the M-Audio 49 Axiom to see if control needs to be handed off from the USB side to the MIDI IN/OUT side. I can't find anything there that indicates it is needed. I will try calling them tomorrow to see if someone can help me out. I tried logging in with them but even though I have an account with them it won't sign me in. I think at this point there is either a handoff issue or something could be wrong with the MIDI adapter itself. Improbable, but not impossible.

 

I have a buddy that has guitars and one keyboard. I'll see if it has MIDI output and see about borrowing it. It's not a keyboard, but I do have a Yamaha electronic drum set with MIDI OUT on it for this kind of thing. I wonder if I could try it just to see if a signal is sent and received. Hmm...

 

Worst case, I'll check the local Craigslist to see if I can find something on the cheap for test purposes.

 

Thanks!
Blaine

[blainelocklair]

Well, whaddya know? I did some more reading in the owner's manual, and guess what I found? A MIDI Out transfer two-button press on the controller near the top-left. Pressed it, set up OctaMED like the screenshot, and wham-o! Instant MIDI keyboard control. And to think, I finally figured this out at 2:30AM in the morning. Wow.

 

Ok, so now that we know the MIDI interface from the keyboard all the way to the Amiga is good, are we ok to move forward to Music-X? Would those same samples in the .adf file work in Music-X?

 

Thanks again for getting me through this! It's very cool.

 

Blaine

[amiman99]

No problem again.

 

Those samples and probably all iff samples should work with Music-X.

[blainelocklair]

Good afternoon!

 

Sorry for the delay in getting back to this. Everyone in the house has had some kind of virus for most of this year. SC DHEC reports that the flu is "widespread" in SC so far this year. Pay no attention to the lure of the travel magazines to come here: it's a trap, as Ackbar would say.

 

Ok, back to Amiga.

 

I loaded Music-X 2.0, but it didn't like the samples adf disc. It said the samples weren't in IFF format, which I'm sure they were or they wouldn't have worked in OcatMED. I dropped back to Music-X 1.0 and loaded one of the four stock samples, mellosynth. I can play it with the "C" key in the samples screen. I can now start a recording by pressing a key on the M-Audio, which means the signal is in fact being sent to the Amiga and being received in Music-X. However, I can't hear the sample sound in the main sequencer page and can't input any data from the M-Audio once I start the recording. There's nothing showing up in the edit screen either. I'm sure at this point it's just a setting somewhere in Music-X. I think it just isn't getting that I want the mellosynth sample at the composer screen. When I watch the Amiga Format video, they can freely play the sample at the composer and enter MIDI data from the controller from the composer screen by clicking record and starting to play.

 

I'm so close on this. It's exciting. What do I do from here to get it fired up 100%?

 

Again, thanks so much for helping me along!

 

Blaine

[amiman99]

I need to setup my other Amiga for this. My A1200 is not too happy with v1 Music-X.

[blainelocklair]

Ok. I was able to load the mellosynth from v1.0 into v2.0 so that there is an IFF file loaded. I think the issues I'm having are not understanding what to do once the sample is loaded. When I go back to the composer screen, I can click on record and start the recording by pressing a key on the M-Audio. There's definitely a connection. I just don't hear anything or get any input during recording. Gotta be something I'm just overlooking.

 

Close. So close!

 

Thanks!
Blaine

[amiman99]

Did you change the EXT to INT, INT is for internal Amiga sounds, see the picture...

 

[blainelocklair]

More progress! I am able to see and hear notes when I record and use the M-Audio (see attached screenshot). Here are the challenges at the moment:

 

First, I don't hear the correct instrument. It is using the metronome sound sample instead of the mellosynth sample. I don't know where to go to assign the correct sample to the track. Mellosynth is the only other sample I have loaded at this time other than the metronome sample and the default performance.

 

2) I don't hear any preview sounds while I am recording. I will hear the sounds after the recording is complete, but nothing during the actual recording process. It sure makes it tough to play something without any feedback from the instrument itself.

 

I set the feedback and output to "Amiga" in the edit page. The edit page shows the notes as played by the M-Audio and will make them the sound of the metronome.

 

Closer and closer we inch! Thank you again!

 

Blaine

[amiman99]

See pics on how to change or add samples

 

[blainelocklair]

It's strange. I do exactly that to load the mellysynth IFF sample from the floppy adf. It goes in fine and will play with the press of the "C" key at the load samples screen. When I go back to the composer screen, that's where I lose the ability to hear the sample. I click on #02 on the screen above where you've got the yellow arrow, line #02. I can't use the Amiga keyboard to hear the notes nor the MIDI M-Audio. It will record the playing of them into memory, but I can't hear them. I think I'm missing at least one step after loading the IFF sample. I load the sample and then return to the composition screen. I click on begin to go to the beginning of the song and click record. The "click go or press a key to start" pop-up comes up, and doing either willl start the recording. It's taking in the MIDI data during recording, but I can't hear anything during the recording. I can hear the playback, but only on the metronome sample. I've gotta be doing something wrong after going to "Load Sample" and "IFF" and then clicking on the sample name (mellosynth) to load it. It shows up in the #2 sample slot just fine. I go back to composter and no longer hear anything.

 

Am I missing a step after loading the sample and starting the recording? Is there a menu option on the composer screen I need to click to get the sample in the right place? Since I can load multiple samples from the load sample screen, there must be some way to "stick" the sample to the correct track.

 

Thanks!
Blaine