.MIDNAM Friggin' NIGHTMARE!!!

[fingerz88d]

I've just switched from PT 5.2 to 7.1 on a new Mac G5 2.0.

After years of trouble free success with OMS, I've now become beyond frustrated to the point of considering returning the whole Pro Tools shebang and looking elsewhere for a DAW for my project studio business. I've actually had to cancell and reroute some clients over this catastrophe, costing me & my family $.

I stumbled across this post by Digi, and wondered if indeed this is a workable solution. I DO have the full folder of MOTU .midman & middev. so I'm praying, hoping, holding my breath;



Here's the post:

"After downloading the MOTU patch names, you should have a folder called "MOTU" - inside that folder are 'midnam' and 'middev' files. To enable a particular patch name document in Pro Tools, place the device or manufacturers 'middev' file in MacHD>Library>Audio>Midi Devices. Then place the 'midnam' file in MacHD>Library>Audio>Midi Patch names folder for the same device.

As an example, let's take the ART Multiverb Alpha 2.0. In the MOTU folder is a folder name 'ART' - inside that folder is the ART.middev file. Put that file in the Midi Devices folder, then take the rest of the folder, which contains the Multiverb Alpha 2.0.midnam file and put that into the Midi Patch Names folder. You should now be able to use that patch name document in Pro Tools.

The instructions given in the first post are ONLY used if you have ONLY the patch name document, but no 'middev' file. If you have both, as in the ART case above, there is no need to alter a middev file to indicate the new device that you have the patch name for.

Keep in mind that the MOTU folder has some 'middev' files, but no patch name documents for those devices, which could possibly cause a bit of confusion.

--------------------
Digi Tech Support


Sooooo....my question is: DOES THIS REALLY WORK??? IF SO I'M SET! IF NOT....I don't know what else to do. I tried Cherry Picker too, and had trouble understanding it.

Thanks so very much for any help on this matter. I'm looking for Roland XV-5080 and all the SRX expansion patch lists.

Thank again!

[fingerz88d]

Not a Soul?

[jeremyroberts]

Not a Soul?

Well, considering you start your rant saying you moved from 5.2 (OS9) to 7.x (OSX) and you lost work, etc....

Then you ask if the midnam technology works...

Slow down a little, give yourself 2 weeks of downtime to move from OS9 to OSX/PT5 to PT7 -- this is a major,MAJOR upgrade as you must have discovered by now --

You will need to make some minor and some major changes to your workflow.

OS9, PT5 and OMS are dead... there are replacement technologies. Some better, some not. Do your homework, RTFM, etc...

Yes, MIDNAM works, and editing XML files is not rocket science. And there are many guys on the net who have done the dirty work for you (free or cheap.)

If you're not willing/able to do your homework, why do expect others to help you? If your post was, "i tried loading a midnam and I must not be doing something right here - help, please?" - that would get you pages of responses...

Your rant sounds like a guy who didn't do any homework. Threatening to return the whole thing says to me that you probably should.

[fingerz88d]

Well, considering you start your rant saying you moved from 5.2 (OS9) to 7.x (OSX) and you lost work, etc....

Then you ask if the midnam technology works...

Slow down a little, give yourself 2 weeks of downtime to move from OS9 to OSX/PT5 to PT7 -- this is a major,MAJOR upgrade as you must have discovered by now --

You will need to make some minor and some major changes to your workflow.

OS9, PT5 and OMS are dead... there are replacement technologies. Some better, some not. Do your homework, RTFM, etc...

Yes, MIDNAM works, and editing XML files is not rocket science. And there are many guys on the net who have done the dirty work for you (free or cheap.)

If you're not willing/able to do your homework, why do expect others to help you? If your post was, "i tried loading a midnam and I must not be doing something right here - help, please?" - that would get you pages of responses...

Your rant sounds like a guy who didn't do any homework. Threatening to return the whole thing says to me that you probably should.

You were extremely helpful and full of wonderful thoughts and ideas. I wish you the best!

[cherrypicker]

" I tried Cherry Picker too, and had trouble understanding it. "

Hard to know how to help - what did you try? There's a link in the menu to send me an email, and I'll try to help if you use it.

[jeremyroberts]

I wish you the best!

You obviously didn't wish me the best in your email to me:

>> My guess is that you're a judgmental [bleep]. Glad I'm not you.

Whatever. Read the ****** manual, search the DUC and the net, try to make it work, come back with a question, and you'll have a dozen responses from experienced pros.

Or just rant away... your choice. Whatever.

I wish YOU the best. Honest. Good luck.

[Lee Blaske]

This whole business of managing MIDI hardware via computer is only going to get tougher with each passing month. Dealing with MIDI names is one thing, but on top of that you've got librarian and editor applications to deal with. The world is switching over to AU/VST/RTAS plug-ins in a big way. The marketplace and manufacturers don't seem to care about MIDI hardware keyboards and boxes much anymore. It's dying.

For the long term, if you're planning on hanging in there with vintage MIDI gear, it probably makes sense to get some kind of MIDI patch bay unit, and then set up an old computer to manage all your MIDI librarians, editors, etc. Switch things to the old computer for finding/editing patches, and then switch them back to your modern rig to use.

Selling all your MIDI boxes and going exclusively to plug-ins would be the simplest route.

Lee Blaske

[minister]

tough room, eh fingerz?

as hard-***** as jeremy may seem, it is a good exhortation...when you skip over versions and do a major upgrade : schedule time to learn!!

that said, the .midnam stuff is a frustrating, confusing, unfortunate nightmare! did you see the MIDI name sticky here? read it.

what lee says may be the cold reality, but it doesn't do you or me any good....i am switching to VI's but i still have midi boxes. and we should still be able to use them. i have the same midi module you do and i also use reverb boxes to save on DSP...(and have better sounding verbs)...

yes, if you do a net search, there are some name files already done. and again, read the manual, it explains how to do it. ... sort of... i had problems figuring it out...and had to keep trying things until i got it.

[cherrypicker]

BTW - I assume you've been to the Roland site and used their 'Patch Builder' utility that will generate a ProTools compatible midnam/middev file for the XV-5080? (along with with whatever SRX expansion cards you have, and instructions on installing it)

If not, you might want to try: <http://www.rolandus.com/mojo/patch_script_builder.aspx>

[fingerz88d]

Thanks you Mr. Cherry Picker man...now we're getting somewhere! I will check out the Roland site right now!

I had a brief conversation with the folks over at GrooveBoxMusic.com about including a Cherry Picker video tutorial and it seemed to possibly interest them, we'll see.

The jump for me wasn't hard, G5 or Pro Tools 7.....just the MIDNAM stuff.

As the former Eastern Region rep. for OPCODE SYSTEMS (up until their untimely demise), I do actually have a feel for these things, read F'in manuals religiously (just check my bathroom!) and don't need scolding from absolute strange strangers, thank you.

Some of you need to relax and take some Peace pills.

Rock on!