MIDI setup

I’m about to add a XK-3C Hammond organ to my home studio setup.
My audio/MIDI interface is an RME Fireface 400 which states that it has 32 channels of MIDI via 2 x MIDI I/Os.
Does the following proposed changes in my MIDI/Audio setup look correct and is there anything that I need to do in Cubase 6.5
in order for it to see 16 channels from my Korg TS and 16 from my XK-3C?

thanks,
ciao, Dan

That looks fine to me.
Would you really need 16 channels for the hammond though? It can’t hurt, but I don’t think it’s multitimbral is it?

The audio is working fine but I can’t figure out how to connect the MIDI.
The XK-3C is multitimbral in that all notes are transmitted and received for the top manual keyboard on CH1,
on the lower manual keyboard on CH2 and the pedals use CH3.
In my case right now, I’m just using the upper manual.

Input transformer to filter input channels.

I have a FireFace 800, so I only have one set of MIDI ports, but the same applies… I don’t know this for sure, but If you don’t see your second set of MIDI ports in Cubase, you may need to activate them using the FireFace setup app before you start Cubase! Cubase will then scan for it during startup! ( Just trying to think ahead!)

Have a look at this:
MIDI Select.jpg
I know there are more efficient ways to setup an external Instrument, but this should get you started!
Hope it helps!

Al

Input transformer, I see.
But what exactly.
Found this post

where exactly is the Channel Filtering subfolder?
thx.

Presets

ok. I found the subfolder with what appear to be presets for the 16 MIDI channels, yes?
So on a MIDI track I have
ALL MIDI Inputs
Fireface MIDI Port 2
CH 1
In my inspector.

When I open up the Input Transformer
I choose Local → Channel filtering → Pass CH 01
A Transformer window opens up with
Filter target → Channel
Condition → unequal
Parameter 1 → 1

Tried to record on that MIDI channel from my XK-3C keyboard and nothing is being created.
Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong?
thx.

Does the RME indicate MIDI Events being received on “MIDI In 2” from the Hammond, while playing it?
Does Cubase indicate MIDI Events being received at all, on the Transport (F2), while playing the Hammond?
Does the RME indicate MIDI Out being transmitted on ANY of its MIDI Ports (while playing the Hammond)?

The MIDI light on the front of my FF400 for Input 2 is blinking regardless if I am playing the organ or not, while Input 1 is a solid light.
While playing the organ,
No indication on the transport.
No indication of MIDI out being transmitted.
One thing I noticed when opening up the FF settings is that each of the tabs had a suffix of 1, eg Fireface (1), Analog (1), LTC (1)

About:
Driver Date: 17.01.12
Driver Version: 3.067
Hardware Revision: 1.71

okay, this appears to be strictly a MIDI i/f problem between Cubase and the XK-3c.
I moved MIDI wiring around, moving the Korg TS to Port 2 and the XK-3c to Port 1 and got the same results.
That is, Port 2 is working fine on the RME from my Korg TS and no MIDI is recognized on Port 1 between the XK-3c and Cubase.
So the problem is not with my RME FF400.

Mention of setting up the Input Transformer appears that my solution lies with this function.
However, I have no idea what I should be filtering from this post.

Would much appreciate any help regarding this matter.
thx,
ciao, Dan

How do you know that MIDI is even being output by the XK-3c? You could have an electrical problem with the MIDI plugs on the XK-3c, or a cable problem, or improper configuration of the XK-3c itself! How is a filter in Cubase going to help If you cannot ascertain whether the MIDI signal is even reaching Cubase in the first place?

There is a free program called MIDI-OX (Google!) that will be able to help with determining what is actually being output by your devices, or if there is a breakdown somewhere else in the signal path!

Al

Hi MoPro,
I replaced the cables with new ones, so I don’t think that is the problem.
I also looked on the RME forums and found that when the light is blinking on the front panel of my Fireface 400, it indicates that there is a MIDI connection being made (Active Sensing), at least from the Xk-3c to my RME i/f.

Didn’t see any versions of MIDI-OX on their website that works under Win 7 64-bit, but I will try it out.
I would have thought that I would need to define the Xk-3c to MIDI Device Manager in Cubase so that Cubase would recognize it as a MIDI device.
There is a MIDI Implementation Chart in the back of the Hammond User manual.
If I knew what parameters I needed to define in order to build a script for the XK3c, I would gladly do it,
but I haven’t a clue where to start.
???

I have a Fireface 800, so I’m familiar with the blinking MIDI indicator…you might also notice that same indicator will flash more frequently to almost steady while you are pressing the keys on your controller indicating MIDI information is being transferred…but you still don’t know exactly what MIDI information is being sent! That is what MIDI-OX will tell you!


Check the MIDI-OX Forum…there is at least one person that has indicated it is working on Win7 64bit!


Cubase does not see your Hammond directly… It sees the MIDI connection from the Fireface, which is what you see in the track inspector! You don’t need to define anything reguarding the MIDI device manager! From what you’ve indicated… you can’t get any MIDI throughput into Cubase! That to me suggests either a cable routing, or configuration error from the XK-3c…provided the Fireface is configured and working properly!

It looks to me that the XK-3c has a rather unusual set of MIDI connectors on the rear panel with two inputs (for the lower manual and pedals) and one merged output! I would study the user manual from pg. 90 on if you haven’t already done so… It gives a fairly detailed illustration on how to connect to your sequencer, and also mentions something about recalling “Seq. Play” by the MIDI template! :open_mouth:

Al

Hi Al,
I will check into MIDI-OX.
Cables and RME Port2 are working as I have switched them around to my Korg TS.

Tried setting ALL MIDI Inputs and Fireface MIDI Port 2 (ANY channel) with no luck.

Yes, my guess is that they set up the MIDI, first to be able to hook up a lower manual and pedals via the connections, and secondly to be able to hook up to a sequencer.
i did read the manual and “Seq. Record” and “Seq. Play” are the defaults (pgs 96).
Thx for the reply.

Ok. Here is something else I tried.
I recorded a keyboard track from my KORG TS (FF 400 port 1) and moved it over onto the Hammond track (port 2).
When I tried to play it back, there was definitely MIDI activity as the transport showed MIDI Out activity as well as
the OUT 2 light on the front of my FF400 lite up as well.
But I didn’t hear any Audio at all. ???

You must have something mis-configured on the XK-3c! I would also look for a forum with a lot of Hammond users (I don’t know if Hammond has one)! I would also make a call to Hammond tech support… you can’t be the only person that is having this issue.

I did see in the manual that the XK-3c can transmit and receive over 9 MIDI channels… not just 3! You might take another look at the MIDI configuration on the XK-3c!

Good luck!
Al

Yeah, I’ve got questions on a couple of Hammond forums and i can’t believe that i’m the first to run into this problem either.

I’m configured just as stated on pg. 90 for both Recording and Playback .

But I tell you, I have no idea what Step 2 & 5 mean in the Recording setup. :open_mouth:

Okay, the MIDI problem has been resolved.
In the defining the correct MIDI template to use, I was not pressing the #4 value key to initiate that template.
Other problems now like not having the Leslie Fast, Slow be recorded and hearing overtones of bass notes even though I requested M. Bass and split keyboard, yet the upper drawbars are affecting the sound of those bass notes being played. But that is a matter do take up with the Hammond forums.
Thanks to everyone for their input.
ciao, Dan