Yamaha DTXpress/DTXplorer/DTXtreme

Hi, 

Has anyone else tried controlling the DTXpress brain from their computer
via the midi port.

My computer / sequencer software will receive midi from the brain no
problem but when I try to transmit midi to the brain to trigger the
sounds I get an error on the brain's display - "MIDI FRAMING ERROR"

Not being a MIDI expert I haven't got a clue what this is ?

Can anyone out there help ?

Thanks

Andy

MIDI framing errors occur when the DTXpress loses "sync" with your sequencer. This could be a number of things :

You have a bad connection on your MIDI Out jack. I got this error once when I pulled out the jack without turning off the unit. The brain lost the MIDI signal and lost the "frame". 

I'm not sure but I think the DTXpress uses Active Sensing. It might have nothing to do with it but check your sequencer is filtering out that message anyway.

The message that controls playback is MIDI Clock. The sequencer starts playback on the brain by sending a MIDI Start message. The MIDI Start message alerts the brain that, upon receipt of the very next MIDI Clock message, it should start playback. Check that your sequencer MIDI clock source is set to "internal" or "MIDI Clock" and not MTC Time Code or SMPTE.

If you have many MIDI Thru devices connected, you may get timing errors. There is a limit to the number of MIDI Thru devices that can be daisy-chained. Disconnect any of these and just use one MIDI cable between the PC and brain.

If none of this works, let us know what sequencer you're using and note down as many settings as you can. We're here to help.


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Andy, 
I'm using Cubase VST and had initial problems - one key thing is to set the DTXpress to EXTERNAL clock/sync (its in the UTIL menu somewhere).

Despite this, using a Studiomaster midi analyser to check the DTX, it still outputs some sort of timing midi, which confuses the analyser, and shows as a steady flashing LED on the midi I/F, but Cubase VST just sits and ignores it - just as well. Point to note is that prior to changing the EXTERNAL sync above, the LED was on the midi I/F was on almost continuously.

Once I achieved input to Cubase VST, I then had problems with the note values of snare and kick drums, which initially did not play back, but thanks to help from the list, I discovered that you can change the output note values from the UTIL menu. I set these to the Cubase VST default notes. Since then VST has recorded and played back to the DTX all ok.

I'm using a Steinberg USB midi interface (which is a dream to install), but I also spotted other USB midi products coming available - one was from Midiman. These use the normal 5 pin din in/outs and should be no different to the standard sound card midi I/F, and they are a good way to expand your midi ports to address synths separately from your sound card. They cost about \ufffd69.

Now that I can record/play midi I'm now trying to figure out how to change the drum kit on the DTX from VST with midi - any ideas anyone.

MIDI - Most Infuriating Digital Interface

Paul Brow

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	andy.welch1@... [SMTP:andy.welch1@...]
> Sent:	Tuesday, January 11, 2000 6:24 PM
> To:	DTXpress@onelist.com
> Subject:	[DTXpress] Midi problems
> 
> From: andy.welch1@...
> 
> Hi, 
> 
> Has anyone else tried controlling the DTXpress brain from their computer
> via the midi port.
> 
> My computer / sequencer software will receive midi from the brain no
> problem but when I try to transmit midi to the brain to trigger the
> sounds I get an error on the brain's display - "MIDI FRAMING ERROR"
> 
> Not being a MIDI expert I haven't got a clue what this is ?
> 
> Can anyone out there help ?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Andy
>

Andy and Paul

I think there's some confusion here. I understand that
Andy wants to control the brain from his sequencer,
ie. play songs thru it. If you look at the sequencer
as being the master and the DTXpress the slave - the
master device controls the slave by sending it MIDI
timing. The slave waits for that data. If you set the
sequencer to Internal MIDI clock, the sequencer will
generate its own timing data and send it to the slave.
If you set the sequencer to "External", this will make
the sequencer wait for a timing signal from the
DTXpress (which isn't going to happen-unless you've
set it up that way)

The signal coming from the brain you refer to is
Active Sensing. This can be filtered via the
sequencer.

Paul
You change kits on the brain by sending a Program
Change command from your sequencer. Check the manual
on how to do this. I've found that if you want to
select kit 50, say - you send a PC 1 with a value of
51 (or is it 49?). Anyway it's either +1 or -1 the kit
number. You say you have a MIDI monitor - fire it up
and then change kits on the brain - you'll see the
Program Change messages coming in.

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hi Giles
I think there are 2 different issues - the midi clock and some sort of external control setting. I'll look it up tonight to clear the confusion but I know I had to set something to external to get VST to receive correctly. (damned complexity!!).

I have tried sending basic program change commands but with only limited success. I have not yet found a consistent formula. Also I cannot get it to select user kits (from 49 onwards) at all (but as usual, there must be a way!). Also, sometimes a program change must be preceded by a 'bank select' command.

Keep the info flowing guys - it all helps...

Plus - has anyone purchased extra cymbals/pads and where from. I could do with another complete bracket, arm, and cymbal pad

Paul Brow

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Giles Hearn [SMTP:giles_hearn@...]
> Sent:	Wednesday, January 12, 2000 12:06 PM
> To:	DTXpress@onelist.com
> Subject:	RE: [DTXpress] Midi problems
> 
> From: Giles Hearn <giles_hearn@...>
> 
> Andy and Paul
> 
> I think there's some confusion here. I understand that
> Andy wants to control the brain from his sequencer,
> ie. play songs thru it. If you look at the sequencer
> as being the master and the DTXpress the slave - the
> master device controls the slave by sending it MIDI
> timing. The slave waits for that data. If you set the
> sequencer to Internal MIDI clock, the sequencer will
> generate its own timing data and send it to the slave.
> If you set the sequencer to "External", this will make
> the sequencer wait for a timing signal from the
> DTXpress (which isn't going to happen-unless you've
> set it up that way)
> 
> The signal coming from the brain you refer to is
> Active Sensing. This can be filtered via the
> sequencer.
> 
> Paul
> You change kits on the brain by sending a Program
> Change command from your sequencer. Check the manual
> on how to do this. I've found that if you want to
> select kit 50, say - you send a PC 1 with a value of
> 51 (or is it 49?). Anyway it's either +1 or -1 the kit
> number. You say you have a MIDI monitor - fire it up
> and then change kits on the brain - you'll see the
> Program Change messages coming in.
>

Yeah, I think you're right about the Bank Select. I
think the whole command is Bank Select (MSB and LSB)
and then Program Change.

I've just found this brilliant site on MIDI
http://www.borg.com/~jglatt/tutr/miditutr.htm
-there's a section there on Program Changes

TTFN
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