Getting AAE Error -20038 trying to add MPC Beats (Akai MPC225 won't work in PT)

[BLG]

Long story short I bought an MPC225 controller and I can't get it to work in PT. (Add an Inst track, add insert Xpand!2, clicking on piano roll makes sounds, but pressing keys on keyboard does not). So someone suggested that I create a file in MPC Beats and then import it using the MPC Beats plug-in, but that won't load (generates an AAE error -20038 - see attached).

I've googled it but found nothing on -20038.

[cwsand]

Not sure why the plugin isn't working. You haven't provided any info about your system (OS/computer specs/interface etc.). Help Us Help You

Is the controller showing in MIDI Input Devices in Pro Tools? Have you checked the Instrument settings as far as MIDI receive/send channels on the Instrument track? Have you set the MIDI send/receive channels on both the controller and in Pro Tools? I would focus on troubleshooting to make sure Pro Tools is receiving MIDI data from the controller.

[Darryl Ramm]

Whoa. One thing at at time. Slow down and get focused.

You want the keyboard working as a MIDI source. Absolutely no reason that should not work. But you need to debug that. You almost certainly will be doing something wrong so you need to describe exactly what you have done, what you see and what troubleshooting for that you have done.

You don't even explain what computer/operating system you are using so I'm not going to waste my time guessing or offering help there.

Do you have experience before with MIDI keyboard and Pro Tools? Are you following a tutorial/instructions for getting going? If so which ones/where do things not work as expected? Sorry but nobody here can guess what experience you have.

Test/start with Mini Grand the simplest possible VI -- not XPand2 or anything else.

What MIDI address is the keyboard using?

Make the instrument track is record armed and MIDI Thru is checked. **Both of these are likely the most common newbie mistakes with no MIDI keyboard input**

What MIDI address is the instrument track listening to? Needs to be the same or "all". Make the "Instrument" section visible in the edit or mixer window to see this. **Probably next most frequent user mistake**

None of this makes sense search for terms/explanation in the Pro Tools Reference Guide.

Did you need to install any drivers to get the MIDI keyboard part working... it's quite possible no driver are needed for that part (vs. any bundled VIs etc.).??

Check the OS configuration/the controller shows up there.

A MIDI sniffer utility (lots of freeware) might be handy to confirm the keyboard is working if nothing else shows up.

[Darryl Ramm]

Get your basic controller working first.

Google 101: As for AAE -20038 errors , there are many of posts online. If you Google for -20038 you are excluding any page that mentions 20038. It is sheer stupidity, Avid should have removed that minus sign in error messages ages ago. Blows my mind nobody cares enough to fix that. So google instead for

Pro Tools AAE "20038"

With the quotes which require 20038 to be on that page.

Then as for plugins, again you need to provide actual useful details like:

Computer make/model/specs, OS version. Exact plugin version. etc. (is that plugin, your version of Pro Tools and the OS claimed/expected to be compatible?) And what basic standard troubleshooting you have tried? You should always at least be trying to trash prefs. Start at "Help us help you" up the top of every DUC web page.