Hello
I am using a 25 key Xkey plus with MuLab 10. When I use the octave up or down buttons on the keyboard, the controller disconnects from MuLab, and renders the keyboard inoperable.
Is there a way to correct this error?
Octave change on midi keyboard disconnects the controller
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- KVRist
- 39 posts since 11 Jul, 2011 from Vestfirðir Ís
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- KVRAF
- 13851 posts since 24 Jun, 2008 from Europe
First thing i would do is check the core MIDI input stream in MuLab 10.
You can monitor that via Project menu -> Tools -> Monitor MIDI Input Events.
If you see the MIDI events coming in, and then you change the transpose on your MIDI keyboard, and if only that action stops the MIDI input stream, then i think you'll have to check the issue with your MIDI keyboard manufacturer.
You can monitor that via Project menu -> Tools -> Monitor MIDI Input Events.
If you see the MIDI events coming in, and then you change the transpose on your MIDI keyboard, and if only that action stops the MIDI input stream, then i think you'll have to check the issue with your MIDI keyboard manufacturer.
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- KVRist
- 123 posts since 20 Sep, 2010
I have same bug with Arturia minilab mkII. It's very strange 2 different manufacturers have same issue. Tested in Mixcraft, Renoise, Waveform free, Fl studio, Mulab and Openmpt, only Mulab and Openmpt have this.
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- KVRAF
- 13851 posts since 24 Jun, 2008 from Europe
Did you do the above mentioned test?
What's the test result?
Also test pitch bend and mod wheel after the keyboard's transpose issue.
I mean: Is it only the note events that get into a problem, or all MIDI coming from the keyboard.
And also this question: Is the issue happening only when doing transpose while MIDI keys are down, or also when no MIDI keys are down.
What's the test result?
Also test pitch bend and mod wheel after the keyboard's transpose issue.
I mean: Is it only the note events that get into a problem, or all MIDI coming from the keyboard.
And also this question: Is the issue happening only when doing transpose while MIDI keys are down, or also when no MIDI keys are down.
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- KVRAF
- 5377 posts since 25 Jan, 2014 from The End of The World as We Knowit
Transpose is a switch inside the controller, not a midi cc event sent to a daw.
IIRC, the Xkey is an old controller with Plus firmware from about 2013 that may be incompatible, particularly if you use MacOS
IIRC, the Xkey is an old controller with Plus firmware from about 2013 that may be incompatible, particularly if you use MacOS
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- KVRist
- 123 posts since 20 Sep, 2010
These buttons are SYSEX, not MIDI CC, and after pushing all MIDI keys and controls just dead in Monitor MIDI Input Events window. But if you reset MIDI keyboard manually in MIDI setup, works again until push these buttons. I don't think is keyboard issue cause all works in other DAW's.
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- KVRAF
- 5377 posts since 25 Jan, 2014 from The End of The World as We Knowit
BTW, need to check Monitor MIDI Input NOTES to check midi keys.pigfront wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2026 7:31 am These buttons are SYSEX, not MIDI CC, and after pushing all MIDI keys and controls just dead in Monitor MIDI Input Events window. But if you reset MIDI keyboard manually in MIDI setup, works again until push these buttons. I don't think is keyboard issue cause all works in other DAW's.
Both CME and Arturia use controller software, but CME is much older. Follow the signal path from OS settings, to controller software version, its firmware, MuLab settings, etc.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 39 posts since 11 Jul, 2011 from Vestfirðir Ís
Hello,MuTools wrote: Mon Mar 16, 2026 4:21 pm First thing i would do is check the core MIDI input stream in MuLab 10.
You can monitor that via Project menu -> Tools -> Monitor MIDI Input Events.
If you see the MIDI events coming in, and then you change the transpose on your MIDI keyboard, and if only that action stops the MIDI input stream, then i think you'll have to check the issue with your MIDI keyboard manufacturer.
I tried these tests.
Only the transpose buttons stop the midi stream.
Once these buttons are pressed all controller buttons fail, ie PitchBend, sustain no longer send messages.
I am on current Windows OS.
I am not clear why the age on the controller device is relevant given it works properly on the 7 other DAWs I have: FL Studio, Ableton Live, MultitrackStudio, Luna, Reaper, Ardour, Renoise.
If it tells you anything, the only two DAWs the transpose buttons do not work with are Aodix and SunVox…
Yes, I do have too many DAWs. At happens, I prefer MuLab, but I also prefer the XKey to my computer keyboard.
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- KVRAF
- 5377 posts since 25 Jan, 2014 from The End of The World as We Knowit
No, I said the ca. 2013 Xkey Plus controller software.Littlewoodg wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2026 9:45 am I am not clear why the age on the controller device is relevant
Why? Because computer system.
It is not unusual to be the only person in the world with a particular issue.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 39 posts since 11 Jul, 2011 from Vestfirðir Ís
True thatMichael L wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2026 9:55 amNo, I said the ca. 2013 Xkey Plus controller software.Littlewoodg wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2026 9:45 am I am not clear why the age on the controller device is relevant
Why? Because computer system.
It is not unusual to be the only person in the world with a particular issue.
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- KVRAF
- 13851 posts since 24 Jun, 2008 from Europe
Thanks for the additional info on this issue, especially the fact that this seems to be sysex related.
MuLab indeed does not support sysex. But that should not cause a problem.
Now just thinking wild: Maybe the fact that MuLab does not read the incoming sysex data causes that specific MIDI keyboard driver to get overloaded/confused because the sysex data stays unread. If that's indeed the case then that feels like an issue on driver side, imho, as a MIDI client app is not obliged to read incoming sysex.
As a quick test with my setup here i played some notes with the MIDI keyboard to MuLab, they played fine as expected, then i sent out some sysex from my MIDI keyboard to MuLab, and then i again played some notes, and yes the notes still played fine as expected even after having sent sysex to MuLab, which MuLab did not read.
The fact that the issue doesn't happen in several other DAWs probably means that those DAWs do read incoming sysex data which avoids that specific MIDI device driver to get into problem zone.
Anyway, if my suspicion is right, the issue is with the MIDI device driver, and this should be reported to the respective manufacturer. Unless someone proves me wrong.
Alternatively MuLab could be extended so it simply reads and then ignores incoming sysex data from the MIDI device driver, just to help that MIDI device driver, but that's not yet planned on short term.
MuLab indeed does not support sysex. But that should not cause a problem.
Now just thinking wild: Maybe the fact that MuLab does not read the incoming sysex data causes that specific MIDI keyboard driver to get overloaded/confused because the sysex data stays unread. If that's indeed the case then that feels like an issue on driver side, imho, as a MIDI client app is not obliged to read incoming sysex.
As a quick test with my setup here i played some notes with the MIDI keyboard to MuLab, they played fine as expected, then i sent out some sysex from my MIDI keyboard to MuLab, and then i again played some notes, and yes the notes still played fine as expected even after having sent sysex to MuLab, which MuLab did not read.
The fact that the issue doesn't happen in several other DAWs probably means that those DAWs do read incoming sysex data which avoids that specific MIDI device driver to get into problem zone.
Anyway, if my suspicion is right, the issue is with the MIDI device driver, and this should be reported to the respective manufacturer. Unless someone proves me wrong.
Alternatively MuLab could be extended so it simply reads and then ignores incoming sysex data from the MIDI device driver, just to help that MIDI device driver, but that's not yet planned on short term.
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- KVRAF
- 5377 posts since 25 Jan, 2014 from The End of The World as We Knowit
in the xkey plus app you might be able to change the format of the Transport message. I have an older Novation controller. Transport sends midi machine control messages (to control hardware), and sysex message formats can be edited.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 39 posts since 11 Jul, 2011 from Vestfirðir Ís
Dug into the app and played with available options without luck.Michael L wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2026 12:41 am in the xkey plus app you might be able to change the format of the Transport message. I have an older Novation controller. Transport sends midi machine control messages (to control hardware), and sysex message formats can be edited.
Maybe as expected, mod wheel and sustain functions do not disconnect the flow. Not sure if that is information that helps diagnosis.
Meanwhile making it work within the 25 keys, or pc keyboard
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- KVRist
- 183 posts since 10 Dec, 2007 from A'pen
my novation keyboards and controllers do transpose and ML keeps working
don't send SYSEX though
(MIDI MMC is not sysex btw)
will send some (unrelated) MIDI sysex into ML to test
don't send SYSEX though
(MIDI MMC is not sysex btw)
will send some (unrelated) MIDI sysex into ML to test
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- KVRAF
- 7411 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
Ideally MuLab would record MIDI SysEx events as, without them, playback might not be as expected. Even if it just dumps the data between Start and End into a buffer that can be seen as a single event that could be moved or deleted but otherwise not touched would be better.