Why won’t midi piano show up?

darius

Contemplating getting a simple midi keyboard for adding bass and maybe drums when it occurred to me that our home digital piano has midi outputs. So I figured I can use it instead. 

Yamaha Clavinova CLP330 into an old iMac running 10.11. 

Per the instructions I’m running from USB Host to USB on the Mac. It should just work.  It didn’t work. I downloaded the drivers from Yamaha site v1.10.5 appears to be the last to support os10.11. Still nothing. 

Device doesn’t show up in the Midi Studio or GarageBand. 

The usb bus sees ‘clavinova’ so it’s connected. 

I get the feeling there’s no midi coming out of the piano usb but I can’t find any way to force it or check it. I haven’t got a midi cable to try the midi out port. 

Any suggestions?

chotu495

Someone better than me will hopefully come along and help.

In the meantime, check your settings within Garageband, and that midi is enabled via usb (if that is possible).

Also check the midi channels, as your keyboard could be on ch2, and garageband is looking at ch1 (for example).

Ableton has little midi “send” and “recieve” lights which can help when setting kit up. Look for similar on Garageband. They may come on when you press a key, showing Garageband is receiving a midi signal.

Maybe also double-check that your Claviona is capable of midi via usb. 

Sorry if i’m a bit vague, but i’m used to Mac and Ableton. Not really used Garageband.

Good luck 

Whistler

darius said:

I haven’t got a midi cable to try the midi out port. 
Any suggestions?

The quoted sentence is the giveaway - you need to plug a MIDI cable into the MIDI OUT port. See page 72 of the manual, item 5.

darius

I normally use Reaper, was using GarageBand as an easy check. Don’t think there’s any midi options. 

I’m concluding that the piano isn’t sending midi through the usb. Even though the manual says it will. And I don’t know how to check. 

darius

Whistler said:

darius said:

I haven’t got a midi cable to try the midi out port. 
Any suggestions?

The quoted sentence is the giveaway - you need to plug a MIDI cable into the MIDI OUT port. See page 72 of the manual, item 5.

Yes but page 75 says it transmits midi also via the USB out. That’s what I’m trying. It does look very Windows oriented so maybe Mac isn’t supported. 

Might get a midi cable, might give up and get a cheap small midi controller instead. 

p90fool

Do you have your software set to all MIDI inputs? Do you need to set your keyboard to "local off"? (This used to be a thing). 

TheBigDipper

OS X 10.11 is El Capitan, yes? I used to run that and never had to do anything to get audio or MIDI working. I just plugged a USB audio interface into it (the PreSonus iTwo was my first one) and it just worked. I used a standard MIDI cable from a keyboard to the PreSonus and let it take care of the USB side of things. Good luck! 

darius

p90fool said:

Do you have your software set to all MIDI inputs? Do you need to set your keyboard to "local off"? (This used to be a thing). 

I’m afraid I don’t know what any of that means. I am totally MIDIgnorant. It didn’t plug and play so I’m stuffed. 

NPP

did you try a different USB port and cable? I have a keyboard which only works with a short USB cable and apparently it is a known problem (this is on a 2014 Macbook Air)

darius

3 cables, all the ports and another MacBook. All exactly the same result. So defo the piano. 

My SSL2 interface doesn’t have a midi in so I’d need a midi to usb cable. Shame as I was trying to use what I’ve got and spend zero money. 

Might see if I can find a Yamaha forum to help or confirm the problem. 

poopot

Have you selected your keyboard in audio/midi setup in utilities?

darius

poopot said:

Have you selected your keyboard in audio/midi setup in utilities?

It doesn’t show up to select. That’s the problem. 

Winny_Pooh

Usb over midi always gave me headaches IMO, try a midi (piano out) to USB laptop) converter cable next.

PetGerbil

I had a quick look at the manual and I'm wondering if the USB ports are just for transferring Song data back and forth to a computer.? It doesn't seem to specifically mention that you can "play" the keyboard into the computer via USB.

If so, just get one of those cheap 1 in 1 out midi to USB leads for 15 quid. (as mentioned above.)