M-Audio Midi Driver Removal / PT 2024

[asmason]

Hi, I am a Pro Tools user who is troubled that Avid would unnecessarily remove the M-Audio midi driver from Pro Tools that has been included for...I don't know how long. At least for the 15 years I've been using the program.

I think many users will see this and ignore because it doesn't affect them..but I think it's really important that we highlight when Avid actively REMOVES features with no justification. Please, please voice your concern..if this concerns you. Which I think it should.

I've spent lots of time and energy (my pleasure, really) to find creative workarounds to achieve control over Pro Tools in ways that significantly elevate the software for me. I've found wonderfully useful tools created by others that help me do the same. I heavily rely on this midi driver.

This change by Avid doesn't turn me into a potential customer for other Avid products. It just substantially degrades my experience for the one that I am currently paying for.

Aaron

[Benny_Cha_Cha]

In the same boat here. Removing the driver has blown up my workflow for mixing by breaking both V-Control Pro and Mulligan. I wouldn’t be upset if PT offered those functions in-house. But they don’t. Please fix this Avid. Telling us to use the ancient, ancient HUI protocol is not helpful.


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[mist_basix]

Same here.

[DetroitT]

M-Audio Midi is class-compliant on Mac
Please add more detail.

[TimNielsen]

Agree, this sudden and unexpected removal of the driver has been really disruptive. Avid said only 'they had issues with the driver'. Well then fix the driver rather than just abandon it. They have also provided zero detail about what supposedly was the issue.

The cynic in me assumes they just pulled it to try and force the sales of S1s.

I doubt Avid will ever restore it, but I hope they reverse course and do so.

[Leigh Marble]

Originally Posted by DetroitT

M-Audio Midi is class-compliant on Mac
Please add more detail.

This isn't about using regular MIDI from an M-Audio product.

This is about the M-Audio Keyboard driver, which up until Pro Tools version 2024.3 appeared in Setup > Peripherals > MIDI Controllers as a control surface profile. This enabled M-Audio keyboards (like the Axiom Pro and others) to have extensive control over the transport, tracks, and plugins.

When it came to controlling plugins, the M-Audio Keyboard driver had a massive advantage over HUI, in that it allowed the user to customize the order of plugin parameters, and map them to 8 knobs at a time. (HUI has 4 knobs and 4 switches for plugin control, and no way to change the order of the plugin parameters.)

[Mr.O]

Same here, we have 3 Eucon controller, but they are limited.

[zoundsabar]

I’ve been using Pro Tools for as long as it’s been around. The Avid controllers are great, but lots of us have miscellaneous midi controllers and would be very happy if we could use these third party controllers for more than entering notes and continuous controller data. The M-Audio driver was added while that company was owned by Avid and the driver was given special powers to control the transport, mixer, and plug-ins. After they off loaded M-Audio the driver stuck around, like HUI and JLC Panner, which have been a continuous boon to many users and has allowed industrious software developers to use the hooks in the drivers to add otherwise unavailable features to miscellaneous third party controllers, not only M-Audio ones.

It’s obviously part of Avid’s business model to use proprietary controllers for access to a majority of the mixing functionality that most users would want, but it has always been very frustrating that I need to have an Avid controller to control Pro Tools, and a different midi controller to control instruments inside or thru PT. Keeping the M-Audio driver working would be a way to relieve pressure on beginners and fill holes for users like me, who might want a few more knobs than are available on my S3, but can’t afford an S6.

[Semeraro]

Really not happy about the removal of the M-Audio keyboard driver from the recent update. As a hobby user of Pro Tools artist, the ability to use the Mulligan plugin controller, which depends on the M-Audio keyboard driver, was very significant to me. It provided a very economical way to get tactile control over plugins that worked for me. I'm sure lots of others feel the same way.

I can't understand what positive value removing the M-Audio keyboard driver could have and why you can't simply put it back now that the need for it has become apparent.

[rchambrz]

I just purchased a Impact LX88+ keyboard last month for $340.00. To be able to use many of its features I need the M-Audio midi driver. This is very disappointing. I will be going back to 2023.12 and will probably not update from here on.