PX 5s, MainStage and MIDI Expression pedal

[Rhodes54]

I can't figure out how to get the PX to recognize my USB 'pedal board'.  I'm layering the MainStage and PX sounds and use an Audiofront MIDI Expression Quattro for Sustain, Expression and Sostenuto (mostly as a Rotor Cabinet speed control). The Quattro goes into the Mac, not the PX.   The pedals all work in MainStage, but how to I get the PX to receive the CC#'s 11, 64 and 66?

 

I leave the PX set on Bank 0-0 and then change tones as needed. 

In Settings I have:

Local Control = ON

Midi Out = Key

Midi In Enable = ON

USB IN Enable = ON

All of the RX Filters are OFF

 

[Choppin]

In the scenario you describe, MainStage should be sending the control codes as midi thru.  The pedal into the Mac, Mainstage receives the information through a soft midi port assigned by the os, Mainstage sends the information out through another midi port (via a separate USB than the pedal), Px receives output from MainStage.  What channel is MainStage sending out to?  And can you test if notes sent from mainstage can be received by the PX?

[Rhodes54]

Thanks for the reply.   

The PX bank is 0-0 which should be Channel 1.  The PX isn't receiving controller OR note on data from USB (MainStage or the Midi Expression unit)  I'm not sure how to check what channel MainStage itself  is sending to, since I've never had to use MIDI out from MainStage. 

[Choppin]

You may have to add an external instrument to Mainstage.  A quick search on the web brings up the link below.  See if this information is useful:

 

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH13578?locale=en_US

 

 

[Rhodes54]

Adding the external instrument to MainStage is the right direction, but then it wouldn't play the MainStage instruments. All I could hear was the reverb of the PX piano in Bank 0-0, which is odd since i turned the volume of in all zones.  Pressing the sustain pedal would increase the reverb in the PX, but didn't sustain.  

All I'm trying to do is layer MainStage with the PX and have the pedals (Sustain, Expression and Sostenuto) control both instruments.  Maybe there's a tutorial somewhere on this?

[Choppin]

Sorry I can't be of more help.  I understand the theory of how the setup should work, but not the parameters and configuration of Mainstage as I am not familiar with that product.

 

The theoretical setup is:

 

Pedal -> Computer via midi DIN or USB

Computer runs DAW software which captures pedal input

Daw Software outputs to virtual Midi ports on assigned channels

A MIDI Thru is assigned from the DAW to pass the input of the pedal through the computer -> USB or Midi DIN Px-5s
 

[Rhodes54]

 

On August 18, 2016 at 10:10 PM, Choppin said:

 

The theoretical setup is:

 

Pedal -> Computer via midi DIN or USB

Computer runs DAW software which captures pedal input

Daw Software outputs to virtual Midi ports on assigned channels

A MIDI Thru is assigned from the DAW to pass the input of the pedal through the computer -> USB or Midi DIN Px-5s
 

 

Substitute "Mainstage" for "DAW" in the above setup and that's me.  I just can't figure out how to get the incoming MIDI (from the MIDI Expression Quattro)  to pass through to the PX.  I've added an external instrument to MS (tried both at Concert and Patch level)  I've been all over the MainStage Midi settings in both the Channel Strip inspector and in Layout and tried every channel.  There must be some setting I'm missing. 

 

[Choppin]

What makes it weird is that you said notes aren't playing either.  Generally, out of the box, you should be able to connect the PX-5s to a DAW, load or create a file in the DAW, press play, and hear the PX play whatever file is in the DAW.  According to the midi settings you posted above, it should work.

 

Try setting the Sync Mode in the Midi settings of PX-5s to Slave.  Look for a control for timing, clock, or sync in Mainstage and set it to Master.  Then play a file through Mainstage.

 

Do you have any kind of generic midi player on your Mac that you could load a midi file into and output it to channel 1 and USB?  The test here is just to get some midi playing from your computer on the PX.  If that can happen without any trouble, then that at least helps narrow it down to settings on Mainstage that need to be tweaked.

 

 

[Rhodes54]

Maybe turning on Sync Mode solved it (that and/or deleting/ re-adding an external instrument)  but it's now working correctly with all pedals.  Thanks so much for your help.