Windows 8.1 Pro Tools 11 No MIDI In

[JimM]

I am no longer able to get Pro Tools 11.2.1 to respond to any MIDI input from any external keyboard using various hardware and cables in many configurations.


Hardware Used:
1 - Intel Core i7 950 3GHz/18GB RAM
2 - Digi003 rack
3 - Four different MIDI input interfaces: Digi003, MOTU MIDI Express XT, Eleven Rack, and an M-Audio Keystation 88es USB
4 - Two separate keyboards (M-Audio Keystation 88es, Korg M1)
5 - Two different MIDI cables
6 - Roland XV-3080, Alesis QSR rack synths
7 - Korg M1


Software Used:
1 - Windows 8.1 with latest updates to O/S (as of 2014-11-02)
2 - Latest Digi003 64-bit driver
3 - Latest MOTO MIDI Express XT drivers
4 - Latest Eleven Rack 64-bit driver
5 - The M-Audio Keystation 88es does not require a driver; it uses native Windows
6 - Pro Tools 11.2.1
7 - Native Instruments Komplete 10 with the latest updates for all instruments (as of 2014-11-02)
8 - Spectrasonics OmniSphere Ver 1.5.8d 64 bit, Soundsources Ver 1.0.2, and Patches ver 1.5.5
9 - Avid AIR Grand Piano


Installation Notes:
1 - This is a new computer that just came up ten days ago. It took several days to load all the software and related updates (including O/S)
2 - The computer has been cold started with all external devices and interfaces initially switched off, then on after boot-up
3 - The computer has been cold started with all external devices and interfaces initially switched on
4 - Pro Tools has been uninstalled and re-installed 3 times.
5 - Each of the previously mentioned drivers has been uninstalled and re-installed at least once.
6 - All software has been installed under "Run as Administrator" when executing the related installation package.
7 - My login for the machine is explicitly the local system administrator
8 - All USB Root Hubs have had Power Management disabled
9 - Windows Performance options->Visual Effects have been set to "Adjust for best performance"
10 - Windows Performance options->Advanced "Adjust for best performance of:" is set to "Background services"
11 - *VERY IMPORTANT* All of the above devices and interfaces work as expected in Reaper, Reason 8, and the Native Instruments free-standing hosts - only Pro Tools refuses to accept MIDI input
12 - *VERY IMPORTANT* Pro Tools actually DID work with MIDI input as expected for the first couple of days but then suddenly stopped for what seems as no apparent reason. I recorded several virtual instrument tracks in those 6-7 projects during that time.
13 - Neither new or the previously mentioned projects can receive keyboard MIDI.
14 - Pro Tools will no longer shutdown and must have its process killed in the task manager.
15 - No Pro Tools, music hardware/software, or iLok warnings/errors are recorded in the EventLog Application, Setup, or System Windows logs.
16 - Both keyboards can trigger the hardware synths when cabled directly as expected
17 - Receive indicators flash accordingly on the MIDI interfaces
18 - The identified virtual instruments tracks tried were the AIR Grand Piano, OmniSphere, and Absynthe
19 - The physical synths were specified using MIDI tracks
19 - When Pro Tools was uninstalled all references to Pro Tools in all pertinent directories was deleted (C:\Program Files\Avid\Pro Tools, C:\ Program Files (x86)\Avid\Pro Tools, C:\Users\(user name)\AppData\Roaming\Avid\Pro Tools, Documents\Pro Tools) prior to reinstallation

Method of testing:
In PT11 -
1 - Created a new session
2 - From the main menu verified Options->MIDI Thru is checked
3 - From the main menu verified Setup->Preferences->MIDI "Default Thru Instrument" is set to "first selected MIDI track"
4 - Tried with and without setting up a new instrument from the main menu under Setup->MIDI->MIDI Studio Setup... using the associated MIDI input device being tested
5 - From the main menu verified Setup->MIDI->Input Filter... is set to Record All
6 - From the main menu verified Setup->MIDI->Input Devices... either all devices are enabled (with the exception of "FW 003 MIDI AsyncMidiControl" and "FW 003 MIDI MidiControl) or only the port of the MIDI interface being tested
7 - Created either a single stereo instrument track using Kontact 5, OmniSphere, or Absynthe in Insert A, -or- a single MIDI track assigned to none, the Roland XV-3080, the QSR, or the Korg M1.
9 - Selected either "All" or the specific MIDI interface being tested when testing the aforementioned created tracks
10 - Tried "Track Record Enable" both on and off when testing the aforementioned created tracks

In Kontact, Reaper, and Reason:
1 - Any of the MIDI approaches works as expected with any of the MIDI interfaces


Connectivity Used:
1 - Cabled the keyboard being tested to Port 1 In of the interface being tested (Digi003, MOTU MIDI Express XT, or Eleven Rack) and made sure the 88es USB cable was disconnected (when used in testing its power was supplied using a wall wart)
2 - Used the USB driver of the 88es (left MIDI Out disconnected on all other keyboards)


I have generated a SANDRA report that can be accessed here: https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=...BP_NBew3emkp9Y


Thanks for the help,
Jim

[bronsoncox]

Hey Jim,

Try turning off or unplugging your MOTU device and testing the MIDI on any of the other devices.

[KD11520]

I'm wondering how this turned out!

[JimM]

Apologies to all for not giving a reply back on this sooner to help others. After troubleshooting with Avid support, at this time it is indeed a problem with Pro Tools 11.2.1 on Windows working with the MOTU MIDI driver (as bronsoncox referred to above). I have ~dozen apps that can use MIDI input other than Pro Tools and none have an issue playing nicely with the MOTU driver. I hope Avid can get to the bottom of this as there aren't many mainstream 8x8 MIDI controllers available, and MOTU is probably the biggest provider of these devices. Fortunately, I was able to implement a workable solution as I've retired most of my hardware synths in recent years opting for rich software alternatives. My guess is their developer(s) is(are) not programmatically opening/closing the MIDI device properly given the evidence of the many other apps and competing DAWs that do not have this issue.

[bronsoncox]

Had the same issue with my MOTU MTP AV and was really frustrated to find the issue. From what I've gathered it seems to only affect the MOTU devices that have their own internal routing functionality(?)

[geoffwi40]

I have the same problem with a PSR-S910 Yamaha keyboard via USB MIDI. My setup is similar in that I'm running Pro Tools HD 11.2.1 with a HD Omni on Windows 7. I find that it's hit and miss as to when it actually works. I could reboot and restart everything and 1 in 5 times it will work properly (including Pro Tools shutting down cleanly).
Other times it's the same scenario as other people have found, configuration has been done correctly (including Administrator privilege, MIDI Studio , etc, etc) but make no difference with still no MIDI and Pro Tools hanging on closing. As other people have found also, going back to Pro Tools 10 works fine (as well as standalone software), but this isn't the ideal way to work.

I get the impression this is more a general issue with Pro Tools 11 and MIDI on Windows rather than any to do with specific vendor drivers

[Southsidemusic]

Hi Guys

If anyone needs an 8X8 that works super stable with PT11/10 look at a used Midiman "MidiSport 8x8/s"

I know the drivers are only up to 10.7 or something but those works awesome in PT11 and on MacBook Pro 10.8.5

I do believe one of our super talented interns had to change something in the code to get it working on our new Mac Pro TrashCan with Mavericks and now both of those 8X8's runs every day 24/7 without hiccups

I paid like 50 USD each used and that was a sweet bargain, have had them for 7 yrs now and they still run like new.

Christopher