Problem Using PA5X with a Piano VST or MainStage

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This is what the Korg website has listed for MacBook Drivers...
(Using with macOS Catalina or later)
We recommend using the Apple standard driver. If you have already installed the KORG USB-MIDI Driver, you will need to uninstall it. I am using Sonoma 14.5 so no drivers are available for my pa5x.. Is the Apple standard driver already installed in my mac??? Not sure what it is and where to look for it in my mac... thanks
 

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You may be about to learn the hard lesson of the USB sound being inaccessible without the special driver.

Your best option then is a class compliant USB mixer to properly route the sound. (my first suggested workaround in this thread,)
 
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To the original poster (OP) -

I am a recent owner of a PA5X so by no means am I an expert in its capabilities. But if I understand your original post correctly, I believe the problem you have is much more basic than what anyone above has touched upon. To hopefully help, I have two questions to ask. First, is USB the only connection you have between your Mac and your PA5X? If so, my understanding is that the PA5X neither sends nor receives audio via its USB connection. USB is used strictly for sending and receiving MIDI data between the Mac and the PA5X. On the audio side, the PA5X has only analog inputs and outputs. Which leads to my second question: when you say "my PA5X speakers" do you mean that you have installed the optional "KORG PaAS Amplification System" which includes integrated speakers? If so, and if you want to use those speakers for the Mac's audio output as well as the PA5X's, I believe one way (and likely the only way) to get audio from your Mac to the PA5X is to connect your Mac's 3.5 mm audio output jack (the headphone jack) to the PA5X's audio input mini-jack using an appropriate analog cable. Because again, a direct USB connection between the Mac and the PA5X does not handle audio. Of course, I'd love to hear from someone with more hands-on experience with the PA5X if there's another way to do it. Also, for what it's worth both my PA5X and my MacBook Pro are connected to a FocusRite audio interface, the PA5X via its two stereo output jacks and the Mac via USB. The outputs of the FocusRite then go to a pair of powered external speakers. This works great. Of course, all of this refers strictly to the audio side of things. I'm not referring to establishing a MIDI connection between the PA5X and Mac, which works fine over a direct USB connection between them.
 
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I just found this on another forum regarding my problem with trying to get audio over usb.............

The Pa1000 does not contain any USB audio components. It can only pass MIDI, and storage system data via USB. This is also the case with the Pa4X and Pa5X. The Kross 2 (not the original Kross), Kronos and Nautilus are the only Korg keyboards that contain USB audio interfaces, as far as I'm aware.

Soooo ,, if this is correct , that explains why I cannot get audio back to my pa5x... I am waiting to see what Sweetwater gets back from Korg... I contacted Sweetwater tech support and they were contacting Korg support to get an answer.. We will see if Korg gets back to them... I will post the answer here... Thanks for all the suggestions and thoughts... Ron
 
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I just found this on another forum regarding my problem with trying to get audio over usb.............

The Pa1000 does not contain any USB audio components. It can only pass MIDI, and storage system data via USB. This is also the case with the Pa4X and Pa5X. The Kross 2 (not the original Kross), Kronos and Nautilus are the only Korg keyboards that contain USB audio interfaces, as far as I'm aware.

Soooo ,, if this is correct , that explains why I cannot get audio back to my pa5x... I am waiting to see what Sweetwater gets back from Korg... I contacted Sweetwater tech support and they were contacting Korg support to get an answer.. We will see if Korg gets back to them... I will post the answer here... Thanks for all the suggestions and thoughts... Ron
"The Pa1000 does not contain any USB audio components. It can only pass MIDI, and storage system data via USB. This is also the case with the Pa4X and Pa5X."

I'm guessing you posted this before reading my post immediately before your latest, as I explained that the PA5X does not carry audio over USB. This is also stated in the PA5X user manual.
 
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OK, I have a play around today.

Connected up my MacBook Air to my Pa5X via USB.

In the Audio Setup there is no option for selecting output via USB.

Nor is there any new configuration that enables me to create one and use it. If there is I do not know what to do.

Within Logic, Mainstage and Garage Band I cannot find any output for the audio via USB.

Tried all with Local off and on.

Then I connected up my Behringer UMC audio interface by USB and connected it via MIDI cables to the MIDI sockets on the 5X. Connected the audio outputs from the Behringer to the Audio inputs on the 5X. Set up audio in Mainstage to feed via the Behringer.

I am getting the audio out of the MacBook being played through the headphones connected to the Behringer interface.

Playing the 5X gets the Vu bars moving on the MacBook, so there is communication but that is it.

Started to watch a “how to“ video, then realised I reached Brain Death, so will get back to it tomorrow, its late and I’m shattered.
Did you guys not read my post?

When I connect the Behringer audio interface to the MacBook and select it in the Apps I can hear the instrument sounds that are selected in Mainstage etc in the Headphones that are connected to the Behringer.

Ergo, the 5X has to have some sort of Audio via USB.

Or am I missing something?

Anyway it is now sorted.

I have a Behringer UMC204HD audio interface connected to my MacBook Air via USB.

As above, in Mainstage the instrument selected plays audio via headphones connected to the UMC audio interface and they play great.

All I had to do on the MacBook was send the audio output via settings in Mainstage to the UMC audio interface.

The Behringer UMC is connected via MIDI cables to the Pa5X, as is the Audio outputs from it which go to the Line In on the Pa5X.

In the Pa5X MIDI setup, Local is Off.

Now the Line In will not produce any sound unless it is turned on.

In the main LCD panel select Control, the fifth slider is the Line, tap under the slider to turn it On.

OR

Using the Main Sliders select Main, and the fifth slider will not be illuminated, press its button to turn it on.

With the Classic Rock Organ selected in Mainstage its sounds are heard on my Yamaha monitors, they are heard via the headphones connected to the Behringer UMC.

No sounds are heard via the MacBook speakers but as I play notes on the Pa5X the Vu bars in Mainstage move.

If I display the Virtual Keyboard in Mainstage and play notes on it the sounds are heard on both the headphones and via the Yamaha monitors.

Now you know what needs to be done, buy an Audio Interface.

Job done.
 
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Biggles -
I'm glad that you have sorted out your situation. Your use of an audio interface is definitely the best way to route audio from the Mac to the PaS MKII integrated speakers in the PA5X. It's certainly superior to simply using the Mac's mini-headphone jack to connect to the corresponding mini-input jack on the PA5X as I suggested in my post to the original poster (rb293). I sugggested that because the OP is/was not using an audio interface but rather just a direct USB connection between his Mac and PA5X. But with regard to whether the PA5X can send or receive audio over USB, I stand by what I said. It definitely does not have that functionality. When you mentioned that you can hear Mainstage sounds via the headphone jack in your Behringer interface, that does not mean that the PA5X is sending audio via USB. That's simply the result of the PA5X sending MIDI messages to Mainstage which then plays whatever virtual instrument has been selected in Mainstage. It's the Mac that is generating and sending the audio out via USB to the Behringer. There's no audio being generated by the PA5X and sent out over USB, only MIDI data to the Mac. Those Vu bars that you mentioned in Mainstage are simply displaying the volume generated by the Mainstage virtual instruments.
 
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I have a similar configuration to yours, but I also connect the line out jacks of my PA5X to a line in jack on my Focusrite audio interface so that I can play both Mac-generated sounds as well as those in the PA5X. Then I simply toggle local control on or off in the PA5X depending upon whether or not I want to use the PA5X internal sounds in the performance.
That is somewhat similar to my setup, except that I have the audio leads connected from the output of my Behringer interface to the Line In of my Pa1000. This allows me to play the Pa and the laptop virtual instrument sounds through the keyboards's internal speakers or headphones.
 
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I don't know if this will help at all but I thought I would chime in with my music 'studio' setup.
I have a Macbook Air (2024) with up to date Sequoia OS.
I tend not to use my Pa5x as a midi keyboard as I have a Nektar Panorama P4 midi keyboard I use with Logic Pro 11, etc.
I have a Behringer Xenyx QX2222 Audio Mixing console.
I have a Focusrite Scarlet 8i6 audio interface.

All audio outputs from analogue instruments as well as the various audio outputs from the Focusrite Audio Interface go to the Behringer mixer that is connected to a pair of KRK Rokit8 monitors.
The Focusrite Audio Interface interfaces with the MacBook via USB.
The Nektar MIDI keyboard connects to the Mac via USB.

After reading this thread I was wondering how I would go if I plugged my Pa5x into my Mac via USB which I hadn't yet tried.
So I did that and it seemed to work as I expected.
Looking at the Mac MIDI Studio all my MIDI devices including the Pa5x are listed.
Firing up Logic, the Pa5x worked as a MIDI keyboard as I expected, with the Pa5x analogue audio outputs outputting the Pa5x sounds via the Behringer mixer and the Logic Pro instruments (Synths etc) outputting sound as normal.

I made no changes to the Pa5x settings and just plugged the USB from the Pa5x to the Mac and it just seems to work.
So unless I have misunderstood what has been written in this post I can say that the Pa5x MIDI works just fine.

I hope this helps a little.
 
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I made no changes to the Pa5x settings and just plugged the USB from the Pa5x to the Mac and it just seems to work.
So unless I have misunderstood what has been written in this post I can say that the Pa5x MIDI works just fine.
The basic problem the OP has is that he can't get his Pa5x to do what he can with his Yamaha Montage. That is, play his VST sounds back through the keyboard and it's monitors, using only a single USB cable directly between them. As others have pointed out, the Korg Pa keyboards do not have USB Audio capabilities which of course, is not the same as MIDI. So, his MIDI is working as it's designed to do, evidenced by the fact that he can see his Macbook responding to the Pa5x being played. Using a USB Audio interface will resolve the problem.
 
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Korg finally got back to Sweetwater tech support... This is what they sent..

We have heard from Korg and they apologize for the delayed response.



They have sent the following information for the setup ypu are wanting to do:



“They will need to connect the headphone out of the computer to the audio input jack on the Pa5x which will enable them to play the audio from Native Instruments Kontakt 7 through the Pa5x outputs.

Please ask the customer to follow the steps below to route the incoming audio to the Pa5x outputs.”

image001.png
image001.png


I will be trying this tonight to see if it works.... I will let you know... thanks to all who have contributed to this problem...
 
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Well I tried everything Korg suggested and it still doesn't work.... I get sound from the VST only when I press the keys with the mouse or trackpad it will come through the speakers.. but No sound if I play the keys on the pa5x... only the pa5x itself, not the vst sounds...Well,,,, I give up...
 
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I don't know if this will help at all but I thought I would chime in with my music 'studio' setup.
I have a Macbook Air (2024) with up to date Sequoia OS.
I tend not to use my Pa5x as a midi keyboard as I have a Nektar Panorama P4 midi keyboard I use with Logic Pro 11, etc.
I have a Behringer Xenyx QX2222 Audio Mixing console.
I have a Focusrite Scarlet 8i6 audio interface.

All audio outputs from analogue instruments as well as the various audio outputs from the Focusrite Audio Interface go to the Behringer mixer that is connected to a pair of KRK Rokit8 monitors.
The Focusrite Audio Interface interfaces with the MacBook via USB.
The Nektar MIDI keyboard connects to the Mac via USB.

After reading this thread I was wondering how I would go if I plugged my Pa5x into my Mac via USB which I hadn't yet tried.
So I did that and it seemed to work as I expected.
Looking at the Mac MIDI Studio all my MIDI devices including the Pa5x are listed.
Firing up Logic, the Pa5x worked as a MIDI keyboard as I expected, with the Pa5x analogue audio outputs outputting the Pa5x sounds via the Behringer mixer and the Logic Pro instruments (Synths etc) outputting sound as normal.

I made no changes to the Pa5x settings and just plugged the USB from the Pa5x to the Mac and it just seems to work.
So unless I have misunderstood what has been written in this post I can say that the Pa5x MIDI works just fine.

I hope this helps a little.
Thanks for this, Luke. This is pretty much my setup as well, absent the mixer.
I have a different though somewhat related question re your Mac configuration: how has your experience been so far running Logic 11 and any third party music software you might use under Sequoia? I'm currently running Logic 11.0.1 under Ventura, and I am very hesitant to upgrade Logic to the latest version (11.1.X), as it requires updating the MacOS to Sonoma at a minimum. I've read a number of horror stories on REDDIT from people who have upgraded from Ventura to Sonoma and run into lots of problems with Logic. In fact, a number of people there are claiming that one is better off jumping straight from Ventura to Seqouia, even though technically not all music software companies have certified their products to run under Sequoia.
 

happyrat1

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I'm running the latest sequoia and logic pro xi runs like a charm. My only problem was an HP printer with defective drivers until I trashed the printer and bought a brother.
 
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Well I tried everything Korg suggested and it still doesn't work.... I get sound from the VST only when I press the keys with the mouse or trackpad it will come through the speakers.. but No sound if I play the keys on the pa5x... only the pa5x itself, not the vst sounds...Well,,,, I give up...
To rb293 -

I assume when you say 'through the speakers' you mean the PA5X's integrated speakers? If so, the good news is that you've apparently successfully configured the Mac-to-PA5X audio connection. The fact that you are able to hear VSTs when the Mac's virtual music keyboard is pressed but not when a physical key is pressed on the PA5X suggests that your MIDI connection is not configured properly. I"m not sure what music software you're using on the Mac but you should check whether the PA5X shows up in the list of registered MIDI input devices. If it doesn't, that's your problem. If it does, then I'm guessing you might need to adjust the MIDI settings on the PA5X. You can do that by pressing the SETTINGS button and then touch the MIDI icon that then is displayed on the touchscreen (if you don't see the MIDI icon, then try pressing the MENU button after pressing the SETTINGS button). Pressing the MIDI icon should put you into the PA5X's MIDI configuration section where you can select from a whole bunch of MIDI presets that have preconfigured MIDI input and MIDI output settings covering a variety of situations. There is one called 'Tablet' that should work for establishing both MIDI IN and MIDI OUT with a computer. I hope this helps.
 

happyrat1

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My advice is don't skip the OS updates on your mac if you want all the latest features.
 

happyrat1

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Like I said at the beginning of this thread, buy a $50 Behringer mixer with USB and use that to drive your speakswers.
 
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I tried upgrading my OS to sequoia but no luck... I also tried using the Tablet setting and all the other presets in the midi section but none of them worked... OH well,,, I should have purchased a Genos... lol
 
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You have been given the solutions multiple times.

Time to spend your cash $100 on one of these or $6000 on a Genos, your choice.

Other makes are available.

IMG_5929.jpeg
 

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