USB MIDI problems

[Brain]

I have used my Encore music-editing software on my lapop for years, but just connected a keyboard for the first time to do step input from the keyboard.

I initially purchased a Hosa USB/MIDI adapter for use with my old Yamaha V50. However, after the first few notes, the software quit recording notes, and I had to close, then re-open the software to get a few more.

Assuming the problem was perhaps the vintage of the V50 (which has a dead internal battery anyway) in combination with newer technologies, I returned the Hosa adapter and instead purchased a Yamaha YPT-330 (PSR-E333) keyboard, which has an integrated USB MIDI interface.

I get the same behavior: the first few notes appear on the screen as I play them, and then the software quits responding to the MIDI input.Thh program does not freeze, as I can still input notes manually via my mouse and otherwise interact with it, including local playback via the computer sound card. I have to close & re-open the program to get it to work for a few more notes.

I just downloaded & installed the Yamaha standard USB/MIDI driver, carefully following the installation instructions, but it changed nothing. I removed all USB devices except keyboard/mouse & the MIDI cable, also to no avail.

Is there a trick to getting MIDI data to transmit reliably from the keyboard to the computer? I am doing step input only, not realtime recording, so timing should not be an issue.

Because this is connected to a laptop in a docking station, I cannot just add a PCI card for my MIDI interface. I already posted this issue to an Encore forum but have not yet received any responses.

 

[Brain]

Found one solution

UPDATE: I just tested realtime input, and it works fine; however, I am not enough of a keyboardist for this to be useful. Given the plethora of USB/MIDI-related complaints I see on various forums, I would have expected realtime input to fail where step input would work, not vice versa, which is my problem.
So...after some more searching on the Encore site, I found a forum topic with a link to another topic that got me a fix: open the windows Task Manager, right-click Encore, then Set Priority -> High, it seems to continue recording stepwise as I continue to play notes. This is after about a two-minute test; however, the difference in response was very clear.

To automate this so that I do not have to change it in the task manager every time I open it, this is accomplished by using the Start command. In Windows 7, I could not call it directly from a shortcut on the start menu, so I opened Notepad, pasted in this command:
START "Encore" /HIGH "C:\Program Files (x86)\Encore-5.0.2\Encore.exe"

(C:\Program Files (x86)\Encore-5.0.2\Encore.exe is the path to Encore).

I saved the file as "StartEncore.bat", and double-clicking it (or a shortcut to it on the Start Menu) opens Encore in high priority, which seems to make USB MIDI stepwise input work correctly.

Maybe this will help some other poor soul struggling with a similar issue, even with another software package.

 

[The Y_man]

Try a different software to see if it works? Anvil etc.

The Y-man

 

[Kirkwood123]

Are you computer knowledgable enough to tell me how to do this in XP?
To get the same outcome?
thanks!

UPDATE: I just tested realtime input, and it works fine; however, I am not enough of a keyboardist for this to be useful. Given the plethora of USB/MIDI-related complaints I see on various forums, I would have expected realtime input to fail where step input would work, not vice versa, which is my problem.
So...after some more searching on the Encore site, I found a forum topic with a link to another topic that got me a fix: open the windows Task Manager, right-click Encore, then Set Priority -> High, it seems to continue recording stepwise as I continue to play notes. This is after about a two-minute test; however, the difference in response was very clear.

To automate this so that I do not have to change it in the task manager every time I open it, this is accomplished by using the Start command. In Windows 7, I could not call it directly from a shortcut on the start menu, so I opened Notepad, pasted in this command:
START "Encore" /HIGH "C:\Program Files (x86)\Encore-5.0.2\Encore.exe"

(C:\Program Files (x86)\Encore-5.0.2\Encore.exe is the path to Encore).

I saved the file as "StartEncore.bat", and double-clicking it (or a shortcut to it on the Start Menu) opens Encore in high priority, which seems to make USB MIDI stepwise input work correctly.

Maybe this will help some other poor soul struggling with a similar issue, even with another software package.

 

[Brain]

Try this first:

Right-click your desktop.
Click New -> Shortcut
Copy and paste the next line.

START "Encore" /HIGH "C:\Program Files\Encore-5.0.2\Encore.exe"

Modify the path (C:\Program Files\Encore...\Encore.exe) so that it matches the location of your Encore program.

Click Next.
Type a name for the shortcut, such as Encore.
Click Finish.

If it indicates it cannot find the START file, then cancel and try this alternate method.

Open Notepad (Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Notepad.

Copy the next line and paste it into your Notepad window:

START "Encore" /HIGH "C:\Program Files\Encore-5.0.2\Encore.exe"

Modify the folder in the path (C:\Program Files\Encore...\Encore.exe) so that it matches the location of your Encore program.

Click File -> Save.
Navigate to the Desktop.
Change the filename to Encore.bat.
Change the Save as type to All files
Click Save.

You should now be able to just double-click your new batch file to open Encore in high priority. You can drag it to the Start menu to get a shortcut there.