New To MIDI, Maybe An Easy Question

Cubase
#1

Hi. I’m totally new to the forums and midi, so I’m guessing/hoping my problem is caused by a lack of knowledge/me missing something simple. I know my explanation is a bit lengthy, but I just want to be sure and cover all the mistakes I’m NOT making.

I’m running Cubase 5.0.1 on a Mac Snow Leopard 10.6.8 with an Axe Fx 2 over USB as my midi interface. I’m trying to control Halion One with Roland V-Drums TD-3, which I have set to Local Control Off.

I’ve got my cables set up correctly, haven’t made the newbie mistake of in/out cables confused. The midi LED lights up on the Axe FX when I hit a pad, confirming that it is receiving some kind of signal.

I downloaded the driver from Fractal Audio, which is recognized as active when I look under Device Setup in Cubase. Midi Thru Active is checked under preferences.

I’ve had monitor on and off, but Cubase shows absolutely no sign that it’s receiving any signal at all. The volume meters stay dead when I play. If I try to record, no midi notes show up. I tried simply plugging the USB cable into a different slot, just in case, but still no results.

Now, I read something about the V-Drums being on channel ten like most other drums, but I’m not real clear about what this means. I can turn a knob on the Axe Fx to choose midi channel, but it doesn’t seem to matter. Whether I’m on channel 1, 10, or omni the LED still lights up just the same when I hit a drum pad. But still no sound.

Do I have to define the drums as a midi controller or do something with drum mapping or…?
Like I said, I’m new and completely unsure of what to do.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

#2

Audio-Midi setup in OSX and Cubase correctly adapted to all your gear?

#3

And I presume that you have set the MIDI Input of the track to be the Axe 2?

#4

Yes I do have the MIDI Input set to be the Axe Fx 2.

Checking my mac under Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup the Axe does indeed show up. When I hit Test Setup and click the midi-out port (down arrow beneath axe fx icon) the midi LED on the AXE FX lights up, showing that it receives a signal. However, when I hit a drum pad, the midi-in port (up arrow) does nothing.

So I guess everything seems to be communicating properly except that I can’t get any signal INTO the computer.

I forgot to mention in my previous post, I’m actually using a USB 2.0 cable (though I don’t think that should matter).

Any suggestions?

#5

You write…

The midi LED lights up on the Axe FX when I hit a pad, confirming that it is receiving some kind of signal.

and also…

When I hit Test Setup and click the midi-out port (down arrow beneath axe fx icon) the midi LED on the AXE FX lights up, showing that it receives a signal. However, when I hit a drum pad, the midi-in port (up arrow) does nothing.

So I guess everything seems to be communicating properly except that I can’t get any signal INTO the computer.

So, I agree with your assessment.
That suggests that the problem is probably within the Axe (which is a machine I do not know at all).
I’ve just had a look at the pdf manual…
Check out page #132… it seems there are some switchable parameters as regards MIDI input/output via USB (I can’t promise anything there, but definitely worth looking at).

#6

I had read those pages prior to attempting to set up. I went back and reread them very closely and everything seems to be set right.

I bought a new USB cord, just in case. Same results. I can get midi out but not in.

Any other suggestions?

#7

If you don’t have it already, download the freeware “MIDI Monitor”…
http://download.cnet.com/MIDI-Monitor/3000-2170_4-20747.html?tag=mncol;2
Try running that instead of Cubase. Even if you don’t understand exactly what the window may show, at least you’ll know if it is receiving something.