Subject:Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't see 49e

Posted by: pillsbur

Date:9/11/2007 11:38:26 AM

Hi,

I'm totally new to Acid and need basic help getting it to recognize my M-Audio Keystation 49e as a MIDI instrument. It's not showing up in the MIDI preferences under the "Make these devices available for MIDI input."

Windows does see the keyboard under the Hardware tab of the Sound control panel, so I'm not sure why Acid can't see it.

I just installed the latest drivers from M-Audio's site, but no dice so far...

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't see 4

Reply by: Kennymusicman

Date:9/11/2007 1:45:54 PM

What operating system are you using?

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't see 4

Reply by: pwppch

Date:9/12/2007 7:07:29 AM

What devices do appear in your MIDI Preferences Page?

Peter

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't see 4

Reply by: DKeenum

Date:9/12/2007 10:33:50 AM

It will help in the long run, to put your system specs on your profile page.

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: pillsbur

Date:9/13/2007 2:49:30 PM

Thanks for the replies -- sorry for the missing specs.

Dell GX620
2 GB RAM
Windows XP
Stock sound card
No other outboard equipment, just USB into the front of the machine. As soon as I connect the keyboard, WIndows pops up a message to say it's found it.

@SonyPCH: no other devices appear in the MIDI preference pane. In both the upper and lower panes of the window, it says "None" under Hardware and "(not enabled) under Device. Obviously this is the problem. :) Any ideas?

Thanks again!

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: pwppch

Date:9/13/2007 3:02:43 PM

no "other" or simply NO devices appear?

The MIDI drivers are not installed such that ACID can see the device.

Note, the device must be connected and powered on BEFORE you start ACID. ACID will not pick up on new devices added while it is running.

Have you installed the drivers for your M-Audio Keystation 49e?

For XP,the drivers are located here

Peter

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: pillsbur

Date:9/20/2007 12:43:49 PM

Thanks for the reply, and apologies for not getting back to you sooner.

I tried your suggestion of connecting the 49e before launching Acid but unfortunately there was no change. I'd also previously installed the drivers to see if that would do the trick. No go.

In the external MIDI preferences pane, *nothing* shows up. All it says in the device list for both playback and recording is "(None)".

Thanks,
Glenn

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: pwppch

Date:9/20/2007 12:52:51 PM

Then ACID is not seeing the drivers. If ACID cannot see the drivers, then it cannot use the devices.

Open up "Sounds and Audio Devices" from the Windows Control panel.

Select the "Audio" tab.

Look at the MIDI Music playback section.

Drop down the default device list. Is your device listed there?

Peter

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: pillsbur

Date:9/28/2007 5:07:33 PM

Thanks for the reply, Peter.

The 49e is not appearing in the Audio tab under MIDI Music playback, even after uninstalling and reinstalling the driver. However the 49e *is* referenced under the Hardware tab when I highlight "USB Audio Device." In the Device Properties section, "Location" reads "Location 0 (USB Keystation 49e)" and the Device Status says "This device is working properly."

Is this helpful to you? Thanks for your continued interest in this problem.

Glenn

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: pwppch

Date:9/28/2007 7:03:13 PM

Do you happen to have this plugged in through a USB hub?

You may also want to try a different USB port and let Windows "refind" the device.

Peter

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:9/6/2008 8:00:35 AM

Hi Glenn and Peter,

Did you ever resolve this problem? I have the same problem with ACID not recognizing my esi KeyControl 49. Most of the time it works perfectly, but sometimes (like tonight) it just won't recognize it. I've tried the steps above, and other than hope it works eventually after the umpteenth restart, I don't know what to do.

Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Kevin

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: jumbuk

Date:9/7/2008 11:37:54 PM

First, I would check whether this is an Acid-specific problem, or just a general problem getting your keyboard to communicate with your PC. You could download the free MIDI OX utility to examine MIDI messages and make sure the keyboard is communicating properly. If you have another MIDI application, you could see whether that works - perhaps download a trial version of Sonar (if it is still around) or one of the freebie sequencers.

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:9/8/2008 2:51:41 AM

Thanks jimbuk for your quick reply - I downloaded the MIDI OX thing and opened it, and it gave an error message saying there are no MIDI input devices, even though my keyboard is connected through the USB, the lights are on (on the keyboard) and the computer responded with the usual noise when I plugged it in. I tried my keyboard with finale Notepad as well and the MIDI didn't work, so I assume that perhaps it is a MIDI problem. Any suggestions as to how I could go about fixing this?

Many thanks,
Kevin

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:9/8/2008 4:37:10 AM

One thing I learned in debugging a USB drive that wouldn't work on my system is to plug the device into the USB connectors on the BACK of your computer. In doing a Google search I found several people with the same problem using the same hard drive. What I didn't know was that apparently on some motherboards there is a difference between the front USB ports and the back USB ports. I plugged the drive into the back USB port and it started working even though Windows recognized it in the front port. Just something else to try.

I use to have the same problem with my M-Audio Radium 49 as you. Unfortunately I forget how I solved it. :( I think I uninstalled, deleted the files left behind, and re-installed the software and finally got it to work reliably. It's a software driver problem and not your hardware or ACID. You've got to get MIDI OX to see it before it will work in any other application. Good Luck.

~jr

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:9/8/2008 12:47:12 PM

Thanks a lot JohnnyRoy! I'll work at it! I don't think there was any driver that I installed with my esi KeyControl, but I'll have a look and see if there's something I can do! I really appreciate your help!

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:9/8/2008 2:38:02 PM

Oh, and by the way, I have a laptop (IBM R52) with two USB ports on the side. I recently installed a webcam, and am wondering if that could have affected the running of my keyboard?

Thanks!
Kevin

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:9/10/2008 2:21:55 AM

Thank you so much! This problem appears solved! I downloaded a driver from the esi website and it works perfectly! I'm not sure why my keyboard worked sometimes without it! Thanks so much for all your help!

Cheers!
Kevin

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:9/10/2008 5:42:19 AM

You're welcome. Glad you got it going.

~jr

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:9/12/2008 6:42:28 PM

Hi again,

More problems! It worked fine for about an hour, then I suffered a blue screen crash with the message DRIVER "IRQ NOT LESS OR EQUAL"! Anyway, every time I start ACID, I check my preferences and the keycontrol appears in the list of input devices (which is GREAT - it never used to - that's thanks to the driver), but when I select it and click apply, the blue screen crash happens and the computer restarts - every time since, which has been about five or six frustrating times! I dropped into the place I bought the keyboard and they suggested perhaps some sort of patch may be available to help with windows, do any of you have any suggestions?

Many thanks!
Kevin :)

I just want to start making music again!!!!! :D

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:9/12/2008 6:47:30 PM

What is the module that's causing the crash? At the bottom of the blue screen it should list a DLL or SYS file or something. This will tell you what's causing the crash. It might not be the MIDI keyboard but rather another USB device that is sharing the same USB bus.

~jr

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:9/13/2008 2:33:18 PM

G'day again, thanks for your continuing support!

It's esikey49.sys that's causing the problem apparently - I had my camera handy this time (as the blue screen doesn't hang around) - if you follow this link there's seven or eight screen shots (taken with a camera but you can still make out what's going on ok) that describe the process!



Thanks a lot! Looking forward to learning more and getting closer to solving this one!
:)

Kevin

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:9/13/2008 5:30:07 PM

That screenshot helps a lot. 0x000000D1 DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL means that the system attempted to access pageable memory using a kernel process IRQL that was too high. Drivers that have used improper addresses typically cause this error. The driver in question is definitely the MIDI keyboard driver. I would contact ESI and tell them about this and have ask them for a fix to their driver. I have never heard of ESI so I don't know how responsive they will be. Their web site actually says "for Microsoft Windows XP (SP1)". So I guess they don't support SP2 or SP3. That's why I stick with name brand companies.

~jr

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:9/13/2008 9:17:57 PM

Hey JohnnyRoy!

You sure did your research - I too noticed it said SP1, does this mean that since I have SP2 I might as well be running a different operating system altogether? It's not looking good for me I'm thinking! I contacted ESI with the screen shots and am waiting to hear from them after the weekend if they're up for responding!

Cheers!
Kevin

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:9/14/2008 5:09:45 AM

G'day again,

I'm kind of tiring of this problem - if I don't get a solution from ESI come business hours, I'm off for another keyboard. What do you consider to be a recognized brand? I was just browsing some options - M-Audio seem to make plenty - would you say they're reliable? Any other recommendations?

Cheers!
Kevin

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:9/14/2008 6:09:15 AM

The interesting thing about that error when I looked it up is that the explanation on the Microsoft site talked about some changes in SP2 that was causing older code to have problems. That's why the explicit mention of SP1 on the ESI web site raised a red flag with me. The best solution for the ESI keyboard may be eBay. ;-)

I have an M-Audio MIDI keyboard and I like it (it's the older Radium 49 that they don't make any more). It works great with ACID. Their Oxygen series is great, Axioms are even better. The Keystations are too basic. You want a controller that has knobs and faders because you can assign those knobs and faders to control your soft-synths! This is really an awesome feature. It gives you control over software syths as if they were hardware (something I'd been missing). The Oxygen's are like my Radium and the Axiom adds drum pads!

Edirol also makes MIDI controllers that are similar to M-Audios. I've never tried them but I hear they are good. I prefer the M-Audio over the Edirol because M-Audio has the mod wheel / pitch bend wheel like my Minimoog and Edirol does not. This is critical for me as I'm really use to having the mod wheel and pitch bend side-by-side. Edirol has a sideways pitch bend like my ARP Odyssey which I hated! (it never made sense to me)

Of course, Korg, Yamaha, Roland, etc. are big name brands and all make MIDI keyboard controllers but they often don't have the knobs and faders and pads that M-Audio has because they are more geared for live performance than computer control.

I can tell you that my next controller will be the M-Audio Axiom, I haven't decided on the 49 or 61 note yet. The 49 takes up less space is easier to just place on you lap in front of the computer and capture a performance quickly but the 61 gives me the same size as my performing keyboards. I do miss the extra octave some times. ;-)

~jr

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:10/17/2008 5:29:18 AM

Hi!

Being short on cash, I explored my options, and got the keyboard working on an older computer (my housemate's). So it seems it was a problem with something on my laptop. This computer doesn't have a DVD drive though, I managed to install ACID Pro 6.0 by downloading the demo and entering the serial number, do any of you have any tips on how I could get Kompakt across as well? I tried copying all the NI folders and files on a USB drive, but I still don't know how to install it. Perhaps I just need to get a DVD drive installed! Anywho, any tips would be appreciated! Many thanks!

Kev - excited to get his keyboard working again!

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: Patrick@Denman

Date:10/17/2008 12:02:04 PM

Kevin, you'll actually need to run the setup for KOMPAKT on your new machine. The setup creates the required registry entries and you'll need a new activation code. I'm not sure if the old registration tool still works...you may need to download the latest NI Service Center app from Native Instruments to activate KOMPAKT on the new machine.

So the bottom line is that you'll need to be able to access your install DVD from the new machine. If you can network to another computer with a DVD drive then you can probably install it that way.

Subject:RE: Newbie can't get started: Acid doesn't se

Reply by: KevinJackson

Date:10/17/2008 12:39:30 PM

Thanks, I'll give it a shot!

Update: Thanks a lot Patrick! Worked like a charm!