OCTAOPAD as a sound module PT9 HELP!

B

bruiser1964

Member
Hi, I recently bought a Roland Octapad SPD 30 and V Drums (snare, hi hat and kick) (triggering the Octapad) all of which works and sounds fine.

The intention was to use this as a drum input to pro tools 9 which again seems to work but I'm struggling to use the Octapad as a sound module I.e. I cannot use the midi I have recorded in protools to trigger the sounds in the Octapad, has anyone got this working?

I like the sounds of the pad and it is a hassle to assign drums in protools when I am perfectly content with the sounds from the Octapad.

I have tried all possibilities and done various searches on the Internet but am at a loss, in a nutshell I wish to use the Octapad to record midi to protools, then playback the recorded midi using the Octapads internal sounds, this should be easy no?

Setup - OCTAPAD SPD 30 / PT 9 / connected via usb.

Thanks any help apreciated :)
 
Check that the settings in the Octapad MIDI input are on the same MIDI channel as PT is sending, and that MIDI receive is on.
 
Pretty simple, there should be a MIDI In/Out plug. Your Out from your Interface card should go to the In to your MIDI device. Set the channel of your track and the channel of your device (Say channel 1 on both). I have to assume you know how to do that, if not you need to look it up. Once you get Pro to communicate with the device, and it triggers the sound, you will need to take the MIDI devices analog outputs and connect to your Analog input. Create and arm a track in Pro, play the MIDI drum track, Record the MIDI device as if it were a regular device.

This is the old school way of using MIDI. You will get some delays, therefore you will need to line up the tracks. But it will work.
 
Hey guys sorry for the delay in getting back, thanks for the advice, I've been back and fore and tried it all again with no success, so frustrating.

After calming down I took a long hard look at things, essentially as I said I can send and record the midi drum pattern, I can hear the sounds through the desk at the same time or when I'm jamming, but when I try to replay the track the data is there but nothing from the Octapad..... Grrrr

I have tried a full reset, local on and off and any variety of different channels but with the same results.

I can send midi messages to my effects devices with no problems and use my keyboard controller but no success with the Octapad.

I have bit the bullet today and contacted Roland logging it as a warranty fault, adding that the outputs are unacceptably noisy (even with the +6db fix from Roland) so we will see what they come back with and I'll update then.
Cheers
 
Hi guys, I'm back and no further forward. Its looking more like the problem is with Pro Tools 9 not sending MIDI to the Octapad, here's why I think that....

I did a complete reinstall of everything, no joy
I downloaded Midi Ox, exported my drum track to the desktop, played it with the player in Midi Ox and it works fine....
put it back in pro tools, no luck same midi channel. What's going on?

I can see the Midi data in PT but it wont send it to the octapad

Any ideas? any midi Guru's out there?

Thanks
Bruce
 
Not sure if you are good with the connections. Pro has been around a long time, so I am sure that an old standard like MIDI that have right.

Connections - From Pro to your interface to you hardware MIDI device. Interface - MIDI Out to MIDI device. Make sure that all of the channels are open (this is a communication port, you can either set it to a channel, say channel 2 and make sure Pro MIDI out is set to 2, or make it easy and just set it to all), then through headphones or what not, see if the signals are getting to your device. Until you get this right, nothing else matters. Don't worry if it is the right instrument, that is a different command. If in question of the signal, set it to any device that accepts the full range of MIDI signals.

Post back your results.
 
Hi guys, sorry its been so long again.

DM60 said:
Not sure if you are good with the connections. Pro has been around a long time, so I am sure that an old standard like MIDI that have right.

Connections - From Pro to your interface to you hardware MIDI device. Interface - MIDI Out to MIDI device. Make sure that all of the channels are open (this is a communication port, you can either set it to a channel, say channel 2 and make sure Pro MIDI out is set to 2, or make it easy and just set it to all), then through headphones or what not, see if the signals are getting to your device. Until you get this right, nothing else matters. Don't worry if it is the right instrument, that is a different command. If in question of the signal, set it to any device that accepts the full range of MIDI signals.

Post back your results.
Click to expand...

I went over and over the connections and I thought the same - it couldn't be pro-tools?

I was on my third full reinstall when I looked again at the separate drivers disk for PT9 and found a folder called Midi setup ( I had always disregarded this thinking it was intended for old M-Audio products) . that couldn't be it could it? its been running my keyboard controller all these years no bother, surely a drum pad is no different?
Well I installed it and it now works...... either it was a lucky install or it was indeed the extra midi drivers I don't know.

I had already installed studio one and was thinking of trying different DAW's in desperation but through a combination of luck and cursing it now seems to work, I certainly couldn't tell you why but thanks your help.
Bruce
 
c7sus said:
Have you tried using the keyboard controller direct to the Octapad?
Click to expand...

Yeah C7sus that was the thing it worked with my controller (direct) or with my I pad and Nord Drum app via a midi usb link (direct again) and in a limited way with MidiOx from the pc, Pro tools would receive the midi data but wouldn't transmit it (even though you could see the track data) sooooo frustrating it was very nearly on eBay!

Sorted now though - I'm off to annoy the wife with my "silent" drumming tap tap tappity tap!
Bruce
 
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