MIDI malfunction: piano keys work, controls don't

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I am running T6 on Linux. After clicking a MIDI track and selecting my external MIDI keyboard as input, Tracktion accepts input from it, but... just the piano keys. Nothing else.

The keyboard also has a bunch of buttons and everything works in almost every MIDI supporting music application I have here, and they are many. The only one exception is Bitwig, which never accepts any MIDI input at all, but whatever. I have many others that do, and Tracktion is also an exception because it sits in the middle: it accepts input, but not completely.

Is there anything I can do so I can use the other buttons and controls?

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You didn't specify which keyboard - it may be easier if there is an existing template for it.

However, what you can do is create a template for basically anything that can send midi events.

Settings / control surfaces.
Create a custom control surface. Name it
Create a custom mapping.
You can then select many of the common tracktion functions, then just press the key you want on the keyboard. Continue until you have all your buttons you want mapped.

Note that you can also map normal keys on your keyboard as well, so careful; or you may have middle C starting to record <grin>. Unassigned keys work normally.
Waveform 11; Win10 desktop/8 Gig; Win8 Laptop 4Gig; MPK261; VFX+disfunctional ESQ-1

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Thanks. That worked.
Two more questions, though:

1) Suppose I actually press a piano key, such as middle C. How do I delete the assignment? I can't find that option in the Control Mapping editor.

2) Why can't I just use MIDI learn? How can the application acknowledge piano keys and ignore all other MIDI messages? In fact, I have another MIDI controller that works completely, including in MIDI learn mode, but it's not a keyboard and I don't have enough room on my desk for both controllers. I would understand (though I wouldn't like it) if the entire keyboard controller failed, but it works partially. Which means one part has been neglected. Why do developers do things like that? Do they ever test anything? Why won't DAW/music application developers give more attention to MIDI? Grumble. :x

Thank you again.

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lmv wrote:Thanks. That worked.
Two more questions, though:

1) Suppose I actually press a piano key, such as middle C. How do I delete the assignment? I can't find that option in the Control Mapping editor.

2) Why can't I just use MIDI learn? How can the application acknowledge piano keys and ignore all other MIDI messages? In fact, I have another MIDI controller that works completely, including in MIDI learn mode, but it's not a keyboard and I don't have enough room on my desk for both controllers. I would understand (though I wouldn't like it) if the entire keyboard controller failed, but it works partially. Which means one part has been neglected. Why do developers do things like that? Do they ever test anything? Why won't DAW/music application developers give more attention to MIDI? Grumble. :x

Thank you again.
Again, it would help people figure out what is wrong with your keyboard, if you told them which one it is.
"my gosh it's a friggin hardware"

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Thank you for your interest.

It's the M-Audio Axiom A.I.R. Mini 32.

I can use the buttons and knobs now by setting them up in Settings -> Control Surfaces as instructed by Peter Widdicombe above. I just can't use MIDI learn. But those settings don't last long. Sometimes I launch Tracktion and the buttons just won't respond anymore until I go to Settings -> Control Surfaces and set everything up again. The old settings are still there, they just don't work until I click each one of them and give the button a wiggle. The piano keys always work provided I select the device as input for a track.
chico.co.uk wrote:Again, it would help people figure out what is wrong with your keyboard, if you told them which one it is.
What infuriates me about this whole thing is that there is nothing wrong with my keyboard. Please take a look at this list if you're still interested:

Midisnoop
Mixxx
Ardour
Qtractor
MuLab (running on Wine)
Rosegarden
Hydrogen
LMMS
ZynAddSubFX
amsynth
drumkv1
synthv1
yoshimi
sooperlooper
Carla (and most of the Linux or Windows plugins that it can host)
The Gimp

These are all open source applications that have no problem with my MIDI controllers. Why can't Tracktion behave the same?

I have the opposite problem on Bitwig, which I try from time to time: I can make the knobs work, but no other buttons, and no piano keys. I have tried really hard, researched all the interwebs and can't make it work.

Now here is an experiment: I load a midi monitor plugin (it displays a pop up window that shows the MIDI messages being received in real time) on a Tracktion track and press keys and turn knobs. Remember I told you I sometimes have to back go to Settings -> Control Surfaces and set everything up again? I usually get lazy and just set up about half of what I really wanted. Well, those buttons I just set up again become invisible to the midi monitor plugin. The others are detected. So Tracktion is intercepting keys (as in not letting them through) for some reason. Why??? The open source programs don't do any of that and MIDI just works. It's an open, unencumbered standard, for chrissakes. What do developers have to reinvent square shaped wheels?

Thank you for your contact.

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You'll probably find it's not that the developers have done it deliberately to annoy you, it'll turn out to be a bug that they'd quite like to fix too.

It looks like the Axiom AIR mini 32 has controllers that change their function if you press the "HyperControl mode button". Reads like that changes what the controllers actually control (vol or pan or instrument FX mode, or midi mode). I wonder if that makes a difference to the controllers sending midi messages through to tracktion, while the keys still keep sending midi messages (just as a hardware specific example ...)
"my gosh it's a friggin hardware"

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chico.co.uk wrote:You'll probably find it's not that the developers have done it deliberately to annoy you, it'll turn out to be a bug that they'd quite like to fix too.

It looks like the Axiom AIR mini 32 has controllers that change their function if you press the "HyperControl mode button". Reads like that changes what the controllers actually control (vol or pan or instrument FX mode, or midi mode). I wonder if that makes a difference to the controllers sending midi messages through to tracktion, while the keys still keep sending midi messages (just as a hardware specific example ...)
I believe we may safely ignore that HyperControl thing for the following reasons:

1) I don't think I have touched that button in about a year, and nothing has changed in other applications.

2) The manual says the DAW has to support it. AFAIK, only Ignite does (it comes bundled in a CD but I never installed it, I don't even have Windows).

3) The manual says LEDs are supposed to light up according to the selected mode. My unit does not have such LEDs. It only has the button.

4) I just tested the unit with Midisnoop, pressing that HyperControl button and testing other controls. It doesn't cause any change in the CC messages.

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lmv wrote:
chico.co.uk wrote:You'll probably find it's not that the developers have done it deliberately to annoy you, it'll turn out to be a bug that they'd quite like to fix too.

It looks like the Axiom AIR mini 32 has controllers that change their function if you press the "HyperControl mode button". Reads like that changes what the controllers actually control (vol or pan or instrument FX mode, or midi mode). I wonder if that makes a difference to the controllers sending midi messages through to tracktion, while the keys still keep sending midi messages (just as a hardware specific example ...)
I believe we may safely ignore that HyperControl thing for the following reasons:

1) I don't think I have touched that button in about a year, and nothing has changed in other applications.

2) The manual says the DAW has to support it. AFAIK, only Ignite does (it comes bundled in a CD but I never installed it, I don't even have Windows).

3) The manual says LEDs are supposed to light up according to the selected mode. My unit does not have such LEDs. It only has the button.

4) I just tested the unit with Midisnoop, pressing that HyperControl button and testing other controls. It doesn't cause any change in the CC messages.
So if I follow this right, note on and note off midi messages (like you pressing a key) work, but Midi CC messages (like you turning a knob) don't?

What exactly are you trying to control, in tracktion, or a plugin, with the knobs? It's still not clear to me, at least, i'm afraid.

What about the settings on the Midi Devices settings page, under the midi input, for "Allow MIDI controller remapping", how is that set, and does toggling it make any difference?

Have you got a specific midi channel or program set on the midi input, and do you have "enable input monitoring" turned on or off?
"my gosh it's a friggin hardware"

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Just noticed this upcoming bugfix, by the way, which sounds like it might be relevant to your problem ...

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 1&start=30
"my gosh it's a friggin hardware"

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Thanks, but as stated above, I followed fellow forum member Peter Widdicombe's suggestion and it worked for me. I just can't use MIDI learn, but that's OK.

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Thanx for this thread, helped me figure out how to map my M-Audio Oxygen 49. But one question wasn't answered and it would be a huge help..how do you delete a map assignment ?? I always inevitibly end up hitting a fader, knob or button I have already assigned and it then controls either both or the wrong parameter..I have been just deleting the custom map and starting over, but what a pain in the butt. Is there a way to clear an assignment ?? I also have multiple banks, so I could technically map several different setups. Not sure whether I should be creating a seperate custom map for each or not. That part isn't that important to me..having all the faders,knobs etc really comes in handy for mixing and mastering.

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