Hi all,
The last time I used a keyboard on my Mac was 2010. The keyboard wasn't my main device so it was a cheap Midiplus 25 Origin. It worked so I was happy.
Fast forward 10 years and I have a 5-year-old daughter who is fond of playing the Garageband Grand Piano on the iPad. I would like her to use the keyboard on my newer MacBook Pro but the Mac driver on the Midiplus web site doesn't install on Catalina.
I'm connecting via USB (using DC power for now)
What can I do now? I will not buy a new keyboard so how can I get this to work (or not)? Would there be a brand-neutral-all-purpose-midi-driver I can download/use?
Midiplus driver question for Mac OS
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- KVRer
- 6 posts since 22 Mar, 2020
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- KVRAF
- 2061 posts since 8 Feb, 2013 from Switzerland
This keyboard doesn't work with the generic macOS MIDI driver?
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 6 posts since 22 Mar, 2020
Not sure how to check this ... definitely doesn't work using my current minimal knowledge 
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- KVRAF
- 2061 posts since 8 Feb, 2013 from Switzerland
So keyboard has power and is MIDI connected via USB to your newer MacBook Pro. If you run GarageBand there, load the piano patch and press any physical keys what happens? Sound or nothing?
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 6 posts since 22 Mar, 2020
Keyboard power: ok
USB connection: ok
Using Garageband I have sound with the laptop keyboard but no sound with the midi keyboard.
I tried Midi Monitor to check if 'something was happening' but apparently noting is noted on midi level.
2 Days ago I did delete all the midi drivers as suggested by some web site (in Library/audio/midi drivers) for both root as for user. I'm not convinced this was a good move but haven't checked yet IF I needed them as some related to my older APC40 or other stuff.
USB connection: ok
Using Garageband I have sound with the laptop keyboard but no sound with the midi keyboard.
I tried Midi Monitor to check if 'something was happening' but apparently noting is noted on midi level.
2 Days ago I did delete all the midi drivers as suggested by some web site (in Library/audio/midi drivers) for both root as for user. I'm not convinced this was a good move
but haven't checked yet IF I needed them as some related to my older APC40 or other stuff.-
- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 6 posts since 22 Mar, 2020
Hi Etienne, any other suggestions? I noticed that the kb works well on my former Macbook pro (OSX 10.5) but still want to figure out how I can 'restore' the midi drivers on Catalina
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- KVRAF
- 2061 posts since 8 Feb, 2013 from Switzerland
Hi Erwin. It seems the Midiplus 25 Origin keyboard doesn't work with macOS' native MIDI driver. Next I would try to copy manually the special MIDI driver from your former Mac to your new MacBook Pro. Catalina? Let's hope this MIDI driver is not 32Bit. But give it a try first.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 6 posts since 22 Mar, 2020
Copying the driver didn't change a thing. I found 3 files in (root)\library\audio\Midi Drivers: EmagicUSBMIDIDriver.plugin which I believe is the one I would need, and 2 other plugins from NI on USB Traktor Kontrol. I copied them all over to the new Mac.
1. The old Mac is running 10.10.2 Yosemite and using Garageband (v10.0.3) I can use the keyboard.
Using AudioMIDISetup, I noticed that I have 2 entries for Soundflower in the Audio Devices list, which I do not have on the new Mac. The MIDI Studio shows me the IAC Driver (offline), Network (online), Ta Horng MIDI I/O (online) and Bluetooth (online)
2. The new Mac runs 10.15.3 Catalina and Garageband 10.3.4, I restarted the laptop after copying the plugins but the keyboard still doesn't work.
Using AudioMIDISetup, I notice Audiojingle mentioned twice in the Audio Devices list. Using Audio MIDI Setup, I see the IAC driver and a non-active Ta HorngMIDI I/O. I cannot delete/change the Ta Horng.
On both Macs, using Audio MIDI Setup's preferences, I noticed in the Info section that I'm using CoreMIDI.framework 1.10 and CoreMIDIServer.framework 1.10. Maybe not relevant ...
Is there a way to force-load the plugin? Maybe it is not loaded upon startup.
Is Soundflower of importance?
1. The old Mac is running 10.10.2 Yosemite and using Garageband (v10.0.3) I can use the keyboard.
Using AudioMIDISetup, I noticed that I have 2 entries for Soundflower in the Audio Devices list, which I do not have on the new Mac. The MIDI Studio shows me the IAC Driver (offline), Network (online), Ta Horng MIDI I/O (online) and Bluetooth (online)
2. The new Mac runs 10.15.3 Catalina and Garageband 10.3.4, I restarted the laptop after copying the plugins but the keyboard still doesn't work.
Using AudioMIDISetup, I notice Audiojingle mentioned twice in the Audio Devices list. Using Audio MIDI Setup, I see the IAC driver and a non-active Ta HorngMIDI I/O. I cannot delete/change the Ta Horng.
On both Macs, using Audio MIDI Setup's preferences, I noticed in the Info section that I'm using CoreMIDI.framework 1.10 and CoreMIDIServer.framework 1.10. Maybe not relevant ...
Is there a way to force-load the plugin? Maybe it is not loaded upon startup.
Is Soundflower of importance?
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- KVRAF
- 2061 posts since 8 Feb, 2013 from Switzerland
AFAIK you would only need if you had an Emagic MIDI Interface.ErwinVervacke wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 7:48 pmEmagicUSBMIDIDriver.plugin which I believe is the one I would need
No.
Ta Horng seems the original vendor name. We need to get this MIDI connection active. Is it greyed out despite the MIDI keyboard is connected via USB?ErwinVervacke wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 7:48 pm2. The new Mac runs 10.15.3 Catalina and Garageband 10.3.4, ... a non-active Ta HorngMIDI I/O. I cannot delete/change the Ta Horng.
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- KVRAF
- 9563 posts since 6 Jan, 2017 from Outer Space
A vendor who made a Midi device 2005 which needs a driver? They must have missed the development of the last 9 years (before 2005...)
Anyway, the company seems to be still active, and the driver might just not be notarized. Get to their support. It is possible, that a firmware update solves that problem (they seemed to have realized the useless idea of drivers around 2007...)
Or see if you can go back to a previous version of MacOS with your time machine. Install the driver from their web site and either stay on maximum Mojave or see if an update to Catalina would work then...
If the driver is 32-bit, which is even likely, you are almost out of luck for Catalina though.
Almost, because you can still get a cheap Midi interface and connect the keyboard via Midi. It has those connections sitting in the back...
Anyway, the company seems to be still active, and the driver might just not be notarized. Get to their support. It is possible, that a firmware update solves that problem (they seemed to have realized the useless idea of drivers around 2007...)
Or see if you can go back to a previous version of MacOS with your time machine. Install the driver from their web site and either stay on maximum Mojave or see if an update to Catalina would work then...
If the driver is 32-bit, which is even likely, you are almost out of luck for Catalina though.
Almost, because you can still get a cheap Midi interface and connect the keyboard via Midi. It has those connections sitting in the back...
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 6 posts since 22 Mar, 2020
Thanks guys! For now, I have reverted to using my old Macbook Pro for my daughter. It seems to work well enough and she's only using it about 40 minutes/day (on AC power as the battery is dead). Tj's idea was also nice as I get to have a cheap solution and don't have to squander my own time on this
I moved to Mac in 2008 to end my life a family-pc-helpdesk-guy ... I like to keep it that way, haha.
I moved to Mac in 2008 to end my life a family-pc-helpdesk-guy ... I like to keep it that way, haha.