I’m asking because the scenario below happened when I was trying out connecting my Keylab Essential-49 (the early version that has a separate power supply) to my computer via MIDI out instead of USB. I connected the USB to power with a cube plug adapter then connected the Keylab MIDI out to the MIDI in on a Behringer UMC 1820 interface.
It seemed to work fine until I noticed the main knob and buttons in the Preset Browser section
had stopped sending MIDI data. I had always used the arrow keys below the main knob to navigate patches in MainStage when connected with USB but I couldn’t do it when connected with MIDI.
It was the same when I tried V-Collection instruments in standalone mode with the Keylab connected via MIDI. I couldn’t browse presets using the knob, Cat/Char, Preset or arrow buttons.
I ended up reconnecting with USB and doing a factory reset on the Keylab to restore all the functions in the preset browser controls. The only possible cause I can identify was using the USB port for power instead of the separate power supply.
Anyone else had something like this happen?
There are limits to what data can be sent via DIN MIDI cables compared to USB. You’ll get a way tighter integration via USB than with MIDI cables. MIDI is literally a 40 y/o technology for linking synthesizers and drum machines to hardware sequencers.
These are designed to run via USB, so no.
Hi @Matt62704
To echo what @Jon_Vincent and @Davebass5 have already said…
The only scenarios i can think of that might cause that issue would be a power spike, which you’re MUCH more likekly to experience using a ‘wall wart’ power supply, computer based USB power is smoothed and should cause no issues like power spikes.
Your USB cable might be starting to die, make sure you have at least one spare, most of us have many as they can and DO wear out.
Your USB port/s on your computer might be going into sleep mode, i’m assuming you’re using a Mac as you mentioned ‘Mainstage’, i’m not sure how sleep mode works on USB ports on a Mac or if it even has that.
Lastly, it could be a bit of dirt/dust/lint in a USB socket causing momentary loss of connection.
As @Jon_Vincent said, USB is MUCH more useful and powerful than ‘oldschool’ Midi, MANY of us on here could have only dreamed of the bandwidth USB provides, no more having to thin data because of ‘buffer clog’ etc…
HTH!
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Thanks everyone. I was only trying this experiment because I have two older MIDI-only keyboards that I use live and was toying with the idea of connecting everything via MIDI (into a MIDI Solutions Quadra Merge then into my interface) to reduce the cable count.
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