MIDI Problem With Sustain Pedal

bmb · 05-17-2012, 12:27 PM

I bought USB to MIDI adapter to connect my Yamaha Keyboard to my MacBook. The adapter is working both in Garageband as well as Synthesia. The only problem is the sustain pedal is doing something else than it's supposed to. Instead of sustaining the notes, when I depress the pedal I simply get another note altogether. It's as if the midi driver is interpreting the pedal as one of the keys on the keyboard. I don't have any experience with MIDI so I have no idea how to fix ths issue. I appreciate any help on this issue. Thank you.

EQUIPMENT

-Yamaha p155 keyboard
-Unbranded USB to MIDI adapter (amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004IJ5FEU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00)
-Apple Macbook Pro (2010 model)

SOFTWARE
-Garageband 2011
-Synthesia
-MAC OS X Lion 10.7.4

Freebase Dali · 05-17-2012, 02:38 PM

You might have to manually map the sustain pedal to a particular midi function (sustain) on whatever synthesizer or software you're controlling. I'm not sure how your software operates, but in mine, in order to use my hardware synth as a MIDI controller, I had to set the software I wanted to control to "midi learn" mode, and select each control and then activate a corresponding key on my keyboard so it would learn to respond accordingly.
The black and white keys, however, were automatically mapped, so I think that's pretty standard, but I had to map the other stuff manually.

I don't know if that will help you, but perhaps if you read up on your software's manuals, there may be something about MIDI mapping or MIDI learn.

bmb · 05-17-2012, 02:56 PM

I understand what you are saying but I don't believe the software I am using (Garegeband, Synthesia) has bult-in MIDI mapping facilities. There is some information in the manual for the keyboard but I don't know where I can input that. Thanks for your help anyway. It got me farther then I was in this issue.

bmb · 05-20-2012, 09:17 AM

I've partially solved the problem by unplugging the MDI IN cable to the keyboard (=MIDI OUT from the computer). What seems to be happening is a cumulative effect between 1) and 2) whereas 1) depressing the sustain pedal is causing a note (E3 or E4) to be played, and 2) there seems to be some effect of a MIDI feedback loop where the sound goes from the keyboard to the computer, back to the keyboard and so on. Unplugging one of the MIDI cables as stated above seems to have reduced the MIDI feedback loop VOLUME but hasn't gotten rid of it. The sustain pedal trigering a note in the first place still remains the unsolved problem. Any ideas?

05-17-2012, 12:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
bmb Groupie Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Europe Posts: 3	MIDI Problem With Sustain Pedal I bought USB to MIDI adapter to connect my Yamaha Keyboard to my MacBook. The adapter is working both in Garageband as well as Synthesia. The only problem is the sustain pedal is doing something else than it's supposed to. Instead of sustaining the notes, when I depress the pedal I simply get another note altogether. It's as if the midi driver is interpreting the pedal as one of the keys on the keyboard. I don't have any experience with MIDI so I have no idea how to fix ths issue. I appreciate any help on this issue. Thank you. EQUIPMENT -Yamaha p155 keyboard -Unbranded USB to MIDI adapter (amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004IJ5FEU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00) -Apple Macbook Pro (2010 model) SOFTWARE -Garageband 2011 -Synthesia -MAC OS X Lion 10.7.4

05-20-2012, 09:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
bmb Groupie Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Europe Posts: 3	Sustain Pedal Causes MIDI Feedback Loop I've partially solved the problem by unplugging the MDI IN cable to the keyboard (=MIDI OUT from the computer). What seems to be happening is a cumulative effect between 1) and 2) whereas 1) depressing the sustain pedal is causing a note (E3 or E4) to be played, and 2) there seems to be some effect of a MIDI feedback loop where the sound goes from the keyboard to the computer, back to the keyboard and so on. Unplugging one of the MIDI cables as stated above seems to have reduced the MIDI feedback loop VOLUME but hasn't gotten rid of it. The sustain pedal trigering a note in the first place still remains the unsolved problem. Any ideas?

05-17-2012, 02:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Freebase Dali Partying on the inside Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,584	You might have to manually map the sustain pedal to a particular midi function (sustain) on whatever synthesizer or software you're controlling. I'm not sure how your software operates, but in mine, in order to use my hardware synth as a MIDI controller, I had to set the software I wanted to control to "midi learn" mode, and select each control and then activate a corresponding key on my keyboard so it would learn to respond accordingly. The black and white keys, however, were automatically mapped, so I think that's pretty standard, but I had to map the other stuff manually. I don't know if that will help you, but perhaps if you read up on your software's manuals, there may be something about MIDI mapping or MIDI learn.

05-17-2012, 02:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
bmb Groupie Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Europe Posts: 3	I understand what you are saying but I don't believe the software I am using (Garegeband, Synthesia) has bult-in MIDI mapping facilities. There is some information in the manual for the keyboard but I don't know where I can input that. Thanks for your help anyway. It got me farther then I was in this issue.