'Stuck' notes on MIDI instruments

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I just recently switched from using an M-Audio MIDI adapter to a MOTU with more channels, and all of the instruments connected via the MOTU have an irritating habit of 'sticking' on the last MIDI note they were sent. It happens with a Roland Sound Canvas, my Korg M-1, and my Korg TR Rack, and there seems to be no 'logic' to when it happens (it's not all the time).

I'm actually more interested in just stopping it when it happens (without going through menus to get there).

Anyone had this experience?

TIA...
 

happyrat1

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It might be a MIDI latency problem. Google "solving MIDI latency" for some suggested solutions to your problem.
 
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Appears it is (was) some sort of timing problem. I changed the PPQ value from the default 960 (which allows accurate placement of triplets on a staff) to 1200 and the problem is apparently gone.

Thanks guys.
 

Wes

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If this happens again, look for a menu option called something like "send all notes off message".

Notes have both an on message and and off message. If the off message gets lost, the note will stay stuck until you use up all the polyphony (depending on the keyboard), or you send 'all notes off'. Messages get lost most often due to bus congestion.

Wes
 
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Thanks Wes. The 'all notes off' box was already checked, supposedly whenever the 'stop' button was pushed. I haven't had a stuck note since changing the PPQ to 1280, so fingers crossed... ;)
 
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It's certainly possible; but the 'setup' worked fine with an M-Audio MidiSport. This issue didn't show up until I needed more ports and put a MOTU adapter into the mix.
 
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May or may not be your case, but I had a cable problem with my midi connection from my VAccordion to arranger. Yes you need midi on off message for each note. Otherwise note will hang. Some modules have a panic button or sequence of buttons to reset all notes to zero. Maybe a midi expert can explain better?
Avoid off brand midi cables.
Suggest: midi solutions midi merger
 

Fred Coulter

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Yes you need midi on off message for each note.

Not necessarily true. The MIDI specs also define an all notes off command, that overrides having to send each note off separately.

Whether the receiving module understands the command is a different issue.

I don't know of any keyboard that would send that command instead of separate note offs. That command was more implemented in the bad old days before people used really sophisticated keyboards or dragged computers on stage. In those days, you had stand alone MIDI processors (mergers, channel reassignment, etc.) which sometimes screwed up. Being able to send an all notes off command was essential back then. That's what would be sent if you pushed the panic button.

Actually, my failing memory seems to recall that at least one of those little boxes on the floor implemented their panic button a little differently. First, it would send an all notes off command. Then it would send a note off command for each note separately. I don't remember if it did so on all sixteen channels. If so, I imagine it would easily overload any input buffer. A good idea that might not work quite as expected.
 

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