Dorico with Axiom MIDI controller

Dorico
#1

Anyone any experience of setting up the Axiom 61 MIDI controller with Dorico (10.1.10), please?

I know it’s connected properly: in the Audio MIDI Setup utility the Test option works.

But no sound from Dorico. I do have General Preferences > Enable MIDI Input checked/ticked

TIA for any configuration or, “No, it’s impossible” suggestions. My hope is that I can simply use the keyboard’s USB output without additional software etc.

#2

are you in input mode on the stave you want to play back? If found that you have to enter input mode at some point even if you just exit again straight away for Dorito to know which vst to play back.

#3

Thanks, Cdh - Yes, I am. Write > Input (Orange caret etc). I see the completely correct notes appear as I play keys on any external MIDI controller. But all I hear is clicks.

#4

I’m not 100% sure anymore, but almost certain that I once had an Axiom connected to Dorico and it worked fine. And it also should work straight away.

Strange thing with you, the correct notes appear, so that means MIDI input from the Axiom is arriving.

How about when you play with the mouse on the HALion on-screen keyboard, does that sound?
What if you press play, is playback going?

#5

Ulf,

Thanks - as always - for stepping in so helpfully; and on a Sunday night!

So much appreciated.

Mouse on the HALion on-screen keyboard plays as I’d expect.

Yesterday, I noticed that my other little keyboard was behaving the same way… ping/clicks not notes. IOW MIDI not working at all.

This morning, after restarting my Mac altogether, the Axiom seems to be working as it should.

I still think I’d like to know what might be necessary to ensure I have reliable MIDI input into Dorico 100% of the time; and of course I suspect this is a system issue, not the wonderful Dorico :slight_smile:

Could it be port contention within the Audio MIDI Setup utility under 10.12.6, for instance?

#6

Hi Mark,
very strange your case. Because when the notes do get entered into Dorico, that means that the MIDI ports are working fine.
And if HALion as such is able to produce sound, then also the audio engine is working properly.
The issue here then seems to be a miscommunication between Dorico and the audio engine.
You say that you hear pings/clicks. That suggests that MIDI notes do arrive on the audio engine side, but with a way too short note length information.
As to why that would happen, I have no idea at this stage.
Even more strange, it disappears after rebooting.
Let’s hope it was just a one-of-a-kind, but let us know if it happens again (with hopefully more information on how to be able to reproduce the issue)

#7

Thank you, Ulf - your step by step description of what was happening is totally accurate.

I’ll let you know if it does happen again. Should i email you a diagnostics zip, if it does, please? Anything else?

#8

A diagnostics zip would not do any wrong, though I think in that particular case it will not bring any new insights. As I say, most interesting are the circumstances of how to get into such state. So should it happen again, do not try to fix it immediately but stand back and try to remember what you did before and then report here.

#9

Thanks, Ulf!

Yes, all I have done each time is connect the AXIOM MIDI via USB 3 to my Mac, switch it on, launch Dorico, and start a new (test) project.

(Before) the first time, I had also used the Audio MIDI setup to test the AXIOM… I did this for two reasons:

  1. activating Test there has always seemed more reliable (that is, it actually worked (better)!) than rescanning the USB Bus
  2. when it didn’t work the first time, I wondered whether there was any (port) contention between the AXIOM and the Keystation Mini 32 which was also connected via USB

Each time I work in Dorico now, though, the AXIOM performs perfectly; what’s more, I am enjoying note input that way more :slight_smile:

Maybe Dorico in the Mac environment just doesn’t like two MIDI controllers attached; I was reluctant to start changing Ports etc.

Thanks again!

#10

Works fine for me with Axiom Pro and now have pads programmed to control note lengths, ties and dots. Buttons are now configured to control navigation, triplets etc. Works great.

#11

Paul,

Yes - thanks - mine is now working every time.

I wonder whether it was either that a restart was needed (unusual for a Mac) (and/)or that Dorico doesn’t handle two MIDI controllers (or needs some sort of configuration) because of USB bus contention?

Good luck!

#12

Hi Paul,
Would it be possible to give some hints on how to program the pads and buttons on an Axiom Pro 61 to generate Dorico note lengths, ties, dots, etc.
Have been using Dorico on a Mac keyboard for several months, but would like to start using the Axiom.

Thanks, Matthew Butler

#13

Hi Matthew

With an Axiom (or any midi controller) you can program each button, pad, slider etc to output most types of midi information.

I have set the pads to midi note numbers (using notes which are unlikely to be needed). Note numbers 0-7
I have set the buttons to output midi cc information. It was necessary to set the buttons to use a CC Value + command. I have set these as send a range of 0 - 1, so only a single increment triggers.

With those set it’s simply a case of assigning the midi controllers in Dorico.

For my personal mapping I have put the note values from Semibreve to demisemiquaver on the pads (6) using 7th and 8th pad to send dot and tie. My buttons are assigned to navigation L, R, U, D, Triplet On, Triplet Off, Force Note Length, Resolution -, Resolution +

I will get around to assigning a few more when I get a minute, but these have improved the workflow for now.

It’s also important to save the setup on the Axiom, because it can store many presets of controllers.

Hope this helps

Paul

#14

Paul,

Thanks from me as well!

I’ve done a little more experimenting. My Axiom 61 is now consistently recognized by Dorico.

But it only ever sends crotchets/quarter notes.

Does the Axiom as connected - that is, without installing the DirectLink software - only send pitches (for Dorico)?

Do I need to assign note values to pads, and press a pad before the note each and every time?

Can’t the Axiom be made to send notes of different lengths/durations in accordance with how long I hold down a key?

Or would DirectLink do that; or make it easier?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions that you may have to kindly help me get off the ground in this… I did it all for Logic and Sibelius. But it’s been several years :cry:


#15

Hi Paul,

Many thanks for your reply - I’ll certainly give this a try.

Matthew

#16

Mark, have you set up the pads in Dorico?
You do it under Preferences -> Key commands. It works the same way as other key commands.

#17

andgle,

I haven’t set up pads in Dorico, No. Thanks.

In 10.1.10 I don’t immediately see a preference under Key Commands… which submenu is it in, please?

I do see MIDI Learn.

Do I then need to configure (each of) the Axiom’s eight pads (top right) to correspond to the various note values; and then press one of those pads every time I want to send a note other than a crotchet?

#18

Midi learn is the function you need. Yes, you need to configure it manually. The good news is that you can assign any function you want.

#19

Thanks, andgle!

Do I then need to configure (each of) the Axiom’s eight pads (top right) to correspond to the various note values; and then press one of those pads every time I want to send a note other than a crotchet?

Have searched for documentation on how to do this and so far drawn a blank.

#20

Just try it my friend, you’ll figure it out :smiley:
If not, maybe this might help you.