Roland Forums

Hi!

So I've got this XV 88 keyboard, but I'm having a hard time controlling my VST's with it. I've got a midi-usb converter going to my pc.

I've tried a lot of settings and a couple of factory resets as well, but all it will do is send one midi key at a time. So if I press C4 I hear C4 from my VST, but when I press C4 and G4 simultaneously, I only hear one of them.

Does anyone know how I can solve this annoying problem??

Thank you!

Let me guess..

You bought this 'happy shopper' cheap USB-to-MIDI (in/out) cable.
There are usually much more trouble than they are worth.

Beg / Borrow / Steal (well ok, perhaps not the last one) a branded MIDI interface.
I managed to pick up a m-audio 2 in 2 out unit for £20, works flawlessly.

If you want to confirm the XV is not at fault (and I'm pretty sure it isn't), get a standard MIDI cable plug the MIDI out to the MIDI in, and turn off local control. You should find the XV works as it did before, no single note issues. Now unplug the MIDI cable, playing the keys results in nothing, turn the local control back on, all will be well again.

If you only want to just use the XV as a MIDI controller, you could try just plugging into the MIDI out of the XV, just in case MIDI signals are getting looped back from the PC.

Thank you for your reply S-E-A

You are very right in guessing that I bought this cheap-ass midi interface. Strange thing is though, when I plug it into my clavinova everything works fine, no single note issues etc. But with this XV 88 it gives me problems.

Is it the compatibility of the interface with the XV 88 or something?

Stranger, and stranger..

I know Yamaha like to use 'active sense'. When you plug the Clavinova into the interface, does it's MIDI in LED (assuming it has one) on the interface blink regularly?
Looking at the MIDI implementation chart of the XV-88, it too sends, and receives active sense.
The XV can also transmit MIDI clock, this would make the MIDI receive LED on the interface light almost constantly.

Here is a daft experiment..
If the Clavinova has a MIDI thru socket, try plugging a MIDI lead from the XV out to the Clavinova's MIDI in, and then the interfaces MIDI in to the MIDI thru of the Clavinova.

It's possible, and I'm clutching at straws here, that the XV's MIDI out hasn't enough current to drive the opto isolator in the MIDI in of the interface.


I've also noticed the XV has a serial port interface for direct connection to Mac/PC, thought that might be a possible route you could explore, but;
1) you need a special lead, and find one might be a challenge.
2) you need a free serial port on your computer
3) not sure if a driver is required

I think MIDI is still the easiest route, and as previously mentioned, another MIDI interface may yield more positive results hopefully.

Allright, I tried doing what you said, I hope I understood it correctly, the setup I've tried is like this:
- XV 88 midi out --> CLP midi in
- CLP midi thru --> Laptop (via Midi-Usb converter)

When I play the XV88 the CLP gives a good sound. No single notes what-so-ever. However when I fire up pianissimo/any VST it gives me single notes, hanging notes, etc.

Still though, when I simply connect the CLP via midi out to the laptop, it plays fine.

Would that mean the Midi-USB converter doesn't accept my XV88? I guess another one should to the trick then?

Replace the cheap USB/Midi with something branded (Edirol always works for me), i have one of those cheapies and it has given nothing but grief.
They can handle simple patch change or note midi data, but once system exclusive data appears to the device, these things fall apart and start passing corrupted data.

They were a copy of the M-Audio UNO at a stage when the first UNO's had a production fault, they have copied the fault too. The problem is in the device midi recieve optical isolator.

snakechaser - 29 July 2010 08:09 PM

Allright, I tried doing what you said, I hope I understood it correctly, the setup I've tried is like this:
- XV 88 midi out --> CLP midi in
- CLP midi thru --> Laptop (via Midi-Usb converter)

Spot on..

When I play the XV88 the CLP gives a good sound. No single notes what-so-ever. However when I fire up pianissimo/any VST it gives me single notes, hanging notes, etc.

Well it proves something, the XV-88 is transmitting MIDI as it should, as all notes are playing on the CLP.
The MIDI thru signal is a copy of what is entering the MIDI in.
Clearly your USB interface doesn't like the Roland.

Still though, when I simply connect the CLP via midi out to the laptop, it plays fine.

Would that mean the Midi-USB converter doesn't accept my XV88? I guess another one should to the trick then?

If you can get hold of one, hopefully yes. If you were local I could lend you one, but I doubt you are.
I did have another look at the MIDI implementation chart of the XV-88.
It does send MIDI CC all note off messages, and all sound off messages. These tend to be sent when all notes are released.
It can also send aftertouch, but I would think the CLP could too. Aftertouch can generate large amounts of MIDI data. This can cause MIDI choke. Stuck notes are a classic sign of MIDI choke, as the data to turn off a note doesn't get though.
One unusual thing is the fact that it can send note off velocity, as well as the normal note on velocity.
These shouldn't have any effect how many notes are played.

Thank you very much for your reply S-E-A. Indeed, notes get stuck. The XV88 should be capable of transmitting aftertouch yes. I'm searching if there's a way to disable it. Nevertheless, when I plugged midi out of the XV88 to midi in of the CLP everything sounded fine (so the sound in this case was coming from the CLP, no chocking effects).

Hi there

So I've bought a new external sound card, with built in midi capabalities. Everything works fine now, thank you very much for your help S-E-A!!!

Great news, and very happy that you're up and running.

Still not sure why the USB interface didn't like the XV...

Hello,
I'm having similar problems with my Fr-3X V-Accordion connected straight to my laptop with a USB-MIDI cable.
How do you turn local control off? Will it be in Cubase or my accordion settings (I couldn't see it in the manual).
My main problem is hanging notes (they keep on playing, even when the button's not pressed) and only being able to play one note at a time.
Also, the chord and the bass buttons on the accordion play the same note (they should be different). They output to different channels, but I don't know how to set them up, if I need to. I'm only using the accordion in the way Cubase has automatically set it up.
If you have any advice, my thread is here (bear in mind I know NOTHING about setting up MIDI:
http://www.rolandforums.co.uk/forums/viewthread/1375/#3311
From the above, though, I'm guessing the problem is the USB-MIDI wire. Drat. I can't get anything else for now.
Thanks for any help!