huge midi problems

Hey guys... I've looked everywhere for help with no luck. I've got a yamaha dtxpress (original version). I'm trying to hook it up to my computer. I've got those standard $10 midi cables from amazon. I can't get my computer to recognize my dtxpress. I'm on a computer using vista, I also tried using a computer with XP. After still getting nothing, I got a second cable... still nothing. I initially was trying DTXchange to upload user kits. Nothing worked, just constant freezing of both my computer and module. Then I tried midi monitor to see if my computer was recognizing anything. initially i would get nothing. now i just get an error when i start up the program and it won't let me start it.

so... anyone?

- where do you plug the dtxpress MIDI out into the computer?

- does the dtxpress MIDI out channel match with the receiving MIDI channel?

- with what software do you want to record the dtxpress MIDI out into the computer?

- or do you only want to transfer data from the computer to the dtxpress?

i mainly want to transfer data, although i also would like to record if possible. I bought a midi-usb cable, so it has midi in and out for the dtxpress and the usb into the cpu.

- does the dtxpress MIDI out channel match with the receiving MIDI channel?

i'm not sure what you mean by this. could you explain?

thanks.

From this.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1995_articles/aug95/midibasics1.html

MIDI CHANNELS

In a basic MIDI system, the way the instruments are linked means they all receive the same MIDI information. In order to allow the master instrument to communicate with the slaves on a more selective basis, the MIDI Channel system was devised. There are 16 MIDI channels available, numbered 1 to 16, and they work in a very similar way to TV channels. Most people in the UK receive four TV channels (forget Sky just for now), yet all four channels arrive at the same aerial and reach the set down the same piece of wire. Which one we actually watch depends on which TV channel we select on the set.

With MIDI, the information sent down the MIDI cable can be transmitted on any one of 16 channels selected on the master keyboard; similarly, the sound modules may be set to receive on any of the 16 channels. If we, for example, set the master keyboard to transmit on MIDI channel 1 and connect up three different MIDI modules set to receive on channels 1, 2, and 3, only the first module set to channel 1 will respond. The others still receive the information, but the MIDI data tells them that the information is not on their channel and so they ignore it. Of course, you can set all your modules on the same MIDI channel and have them all playing at once, if you want to.

Putting it briefly, by switching channels at the master keyboard end, up to 16 different modules (set to the 16 different MIDI channels) can be addressed/played individually, even though they are all wired into the same system.

the only thing i see similar to that is the "host through port" which is set to one. I've never seen anything on my computer for any type of midi setup aside from the programs i'm using. DTXchange has no channel settings.

Sounds like you have install issues. Call product support. Meanwhile, I think Yamahas default to sending on channel one. You need to find the receive on the computer and set that to one or omni (all 16). You can also set the Yamaha to send on omni which should tell you if your computer's listening.

'Nuther thing, are you on usb or standard (round) midi connects? I know you said that already but what kind of interface do you have?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180432001648&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

that's the interface.

i don't believe there are any settings within vista to be able to change midi settings. unless there is a freeware program or something to try...

Did you install the yamaha MIDI/USB driver?

http://www.global.yamaha.com/download/usb_midi/

What he said. That should give you the settings menu or options to do something about it.

If your into MIDI, get a mac. Macs have a built in MIDI set up, it will recognize everything you hook up.

One thing I'm a bit confused about is that I haven't seen where you mentioned what program you are using on your computer. Which recording software are you using? You need to set that up to "see" the midi signal coming in. I don't think you can just transfer midi data to a file on your desktop or something.

You want to transfer midi data to where? How? Real time playing? Midi data in your computer is useless without something to interpret it. If you want to get your yamaha sounds down you could just use a line out from your module into a recording track on your computer. Midi data would still need your module to be on all the time in order to play back the sounds.

Yeah I'm still really confused about what you are trying to accomplish.

I think he wants to upload patches and vice versa.

I don't see this mentioned above.

MIDI Out on the kit goes to MIDI In on the computer.

MIDI Out on the computer goes to MIDI In on the kit.

Out to In. Out to In.

Then, on both ends, make sure nothing is set to do "MIDI Thru" (I think this was mentioned above) otherwise you get what's effectively feedback.

after doing a search before i found many people with this midi/usb cable solved their problems using an emu driver. tried that with no luck. i'll try this yamaha one once i'm home from work later today.

my next computer will likely be a mac, but i'm not going to get a new cpu just to fix a little problem.

The DTxpress has the ability to accept custom created user kits. I use a program called DTXchange which was designed specifically for this. It transfers .sysex data. on dtxpressions.com it walks you through the exact setup for configuring your dtxpress and the dtxchange program, which is why i'm fairly certain my problem lies within my computer somewhere.

correct. though if recording through midi rather than line in would sound better, i'd like to try that.

yep, i've got midi in on the cable to midi out on the dtxpress and vice versa. midi thru... not sure if i've seen that on the dtxpress, i'll check later today. but as i said, i followed the configuration setup as recommended by the program designer.

The only other thing I can think of is that the USB driver is breaking up the sysex and causing mayhem. The generic USB MIDI driver provided by Microsoft isn't great and some USB MIDI interfaces make things worse. (I recommend the Edirol UM-1ex for pain-free USB/MIDI.)

why are there so many usb's listed. could this be part of my problem? also, when i connect the interface, it appears under game/video/sound controllers. i'm not sure if it's supposed to be listed under there or under usb ports.

i tried the run the yamaha installer but it keeps saying no device is connected.

You may need to check that that cable you bought is compatible with the DTExpress at all. I had a similar problem once with the Uno (similar cable) and a Line 6 amp. Turned out I needed to run another device in between because they just wouldn't play together at all.

on the dtxpress yahoo user group i was getting help from a guy who used the same type of generic usb-midi cable purchased off ebay. i suppose it's possible that these could be made differently... but i've got a feeling they're all made in the same factory somewhere in china.

Cable is kinda suspect. Try Sweetwater.com - they'll have dependable stuff. They'll give advice too.

i agree that's a possibility. but i've gotten two of them, and i've found many people online who have used the same one for midi.