Andromeda is not receiving midi...

gr8ape · Joined: Jun 24, 2009 Posts: 10 Location: montreal

Hi all i just received my andromeda, I hooked it up and played with it a bit, sounds fine BUT for some reason it is not receiving midi data
I have my usb keyboard plugged, and the midi out of my soundcard goes into synth #1....thru to synth#2 and thru to the andromeda
I select keyboard channel and whatnot...nothing happens when I use my midi keyboard or I play from the sequencer

Any ideas? Or settings i could not be aware about. Thanks!

gr8ape · Joined: Jun 24, 2009 Posts: 10 Location: montreal

it also does not send midi, and midi thru doesnt work

soundwave106 · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:11 am Post subject:

Check Global / TXMode. If you want the A6 to transmit MIDI, do *not*set to "Local".

I actually don't think you can turn off MIDI receive, though (you can in multi-mode but not in patches). So assuming the channel is correct. I'd check your connections:

(*) Check that everything is plugged in, nothing is loose

(*) Check that it's plugged in to the right output. Usually you plug into the main output (the default patches all go to the main output), but there's also an Aux output that bypasses the FX. There's a little light on the right hand side that tells you where to plug in.

(*) Check that the patch actually produces sound. A few of the default patches are meant for processing FX. Try creating an initialized patch. This should have sound going through the main outputs.

gr8ape · Joined: Jun 24, 2009 Posts: 10 Location: montreal

* I plug it in correctly, or at least I think. The midi ports on the andromeda feel very loose. Also I dont know if this is normal, but my midi in port seems more caved in the synth than the 2 other ports

*If I play from the andromeda keyboard everything is fine. Its if I try sending midi data from my sequencer or my other midi keyboard that I dont get anything. I sent an email to alesis and they told me to be sure i was in mix mode. Can the andromeda only receive midi if its in mix mode?

*patch is ok, as I said, everything is ok, except when I try to sequence midi

im at work now, so ill try using mix mode and see what happens

edit: also heres a few tests I did:

I tried pluging the midi out into another synth of mine. set on MIDI only, played some notes and nothing happens

I plugged the midi output of my computer into midi in of the andromeda, and plugged the thru into my other synth, data was not transmitted to the other synth

soundwave106 · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:22 am Post subject:

The MIDI In being more "in" than the rest of the ports is normal (that's a trick to help you distinguish which port is which in those dark environments musicians often have to set up in Smile

).

The rest honestly does sound like you have a non-functioning MIDI circuit. It may be as simple as loose ribbons -- I cannot remember whether the MIDI portion of the board is connected to the main board by ribbons, but if they are, Alesis's ribbon connectors between boards are pretty easy to knock loose, so it's worth opening the synth to check.

Elsewise, unless your cables are bad you'll probably have to send it in for repair. Sad

A MIDI Thru issue in particular points to a problem -- unless the A6 is different from most synths, the MIDI Thru circuit should not be affected by software configuration issues... such a problem indicates a hardware issue to me.

gr8ape · Joined: Jun 24, 2009 Posts: 10 Location: montreal

fucking shitty luck.....

Opening the synth blows the warranty right? I dont feel very confident about opening it...how delicate is it

soundwave106 · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:41 am Post subject:

Yeah, opening the synth might void the warranty. If it's still under warranty, I'd just send it back. Sorry. Sad

gr8ape · Joined: Jun 24, 2009 Posts: 10 Location: montreal

im sad now

gr8ape · Joined: Jun 24, 2009 Posts: 10 Location: montreal

How delicate and hard is it to open it? Do I risk flat out breaking it?

Because if I was sure it was a loose ribbon id do it....but I dont know

soundwave106 · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:20 pm Post subject:

It's not that hard at all. I don't quite know how to describe it though in just words. I remember an earlier thread somewhere (Harmony Central? VSE? AH?) that went into detail on how to open an Alesis Andromeda.

Essentially the front panel and back are hinged to the bottom; the plastic endcaps hold it all together. It'd be easier to see if I could find the thread with the pictures...

gr8ape · Joined: Jun 24, 2009 Posts: 10 Location: montreal

well in any case i found my problem Very Happy

was very very stupid

Blue Hell · Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:00 pm Post subject:

How far is andromeda from us ... and is MIDI old enough for the signals from here to have reached andromeda already?

gr8ape · Joined: Jun 24, 2009 Posts: 10 Location: montreal

kpatz · Joined: Oct 29, 2008 Posts: 22 Location: NH

elektrod · Joined: Oct 30, 2009 Posts: 1 Location: Brussels

WHAT DID YOU DO gr8ape ? i have the same issue and it drives me CRAZY .... PLease telle me !!!

Many thanks in advance

sunny pedaal · Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:07 am Post subject:

? switch the midi cables ?? ( you wrote very very very stupid, so thought of this first )