MIDI Input: what am I doing wrong?

Ike

I've the cables hooked up correctly in the back of the keyboard:

I've got MIDIIN3 chosen for MIDI In and MIDIOUT3 chosen for MIDI Out:

I've got "Use MIDI Device for Input" checked:

What am I missing?

Ike

Well, I want to thank all of my discussion partners here. The truth is not exactly as simple as we have declared so far, because I am now running MIDI out from the ports in the back of the keyboard, and MIDI in through USB at the same time, and it's working.

The only thing I can say definitively is that for now in Finale, KONTROL 49 MK3 is the only MIDI Input setting that will allow me to do speedy note entry using the MK3, and I can use MIDI Thru to hear what I'm playing as a workaround.

Thanks again, everyone. I tried at least 5 things I never would have thought of because of your great ideas in this thread.

Ike

Oh!

Windows 10

Finale 27.4.1.110

Kontrol S49 MK3 (Latest firmware)

mykejb

What do you have connected to the MIDI cables? Is it an external synth/drum pad or something?

Ike

The MIDI cables connect to my computer via USB.

PK The DJ

My suggestion would be to check that they are plugged in to the correct sockets.

Sometimes with these types of cables it's not always clear which is in and which is out. There may be arrows on the DIN shell.

Connect the 'out' of the keyboard to the 'in' cable and vice versa.

Ike

Thank you, PK the DJ. I have followed the included cable instructions and plugged the IN cable into the OUT port, and the OUT cable into the IN port. So, the cables are plugged in correctly.

LostInFoundation

Shouldn’t it be the opposite in the settings?

if you want the keyboard to control your software, the MIDI IN of the software should come from the MIDI out of the keyboard (keyboard is outputting the midi signal that the input of the software should be receiving)

A little drawing (don’t watch the quality 😂) to explain midi flowing:

mykejb

I'm still a bit confused as to why you need MIDI cables if you don't have external hardware. The MIDI from the MK3 will go to the computer via USB. The MIDI ports are generally used if you want to route MIDI to/from external hardware into the PC.

LostInFoundation

What mykejb says is correct. A simple usb cable would be the best solution, since you say you are using usb anyway on the computer side (so I think the cables we see in your picture are an adapter 5Pin to usb). If you were plugging the din to other din ports on an audio interface, it would be different. But also in this case, the Out from one device should always go in the In of the other

If you are trying to connect an usb cable AND one Din to usb adapter in order to have some kind of double signal to control 2 things at the same time, I highly doubt it will work

PK The DJ

I agree the ins and outs on the computer settings are probably reversed - but also those settings are for the direct USB connection to the S49.

Using the USB MIDI cable as pictured, the name of the keyboard would not show. It would be the name of the USB-MIDI cable.

Ike

Lots of responses here; I really appreciate all of the support. I am going to address each response in a different post for the sake of clarity (hopefully this thread may be instructive to other NI/Finale users in the future.)

@LostInFoundation, that makes a lot of sense to me. But in this case, I think Finale is trying to "simplify" the user experience by making inverted reference to the sources. You'll notice in the screenshots below, that Finale doesn't even allow for a user to choose MIDI OUT under the MIDI In section. Having successfully used this MIDI interface with other keyboards in the past, I feel very confident about this.

Ike

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/142492#Comment_142492

@mykejb This is a really great point, and it strikes me that I should have explained what I'm trying to do. What I'm trying to do is route MIDI keys to KONTAKT 7 so that I can hear what I'm playing and simultaneously route them to Finale to capture them for creating sheet music. This may not be possible, though it doesn't seem unreasonable to me based on the idea that the Mk3 offers 3 MIDI inputs/outputs. Using the MIDI cables just seemed like another option to try when the most obvious options weren't working. I'm certainly open to any option that works!

Ike

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/142494#Comment_142494

@LostInFoundation I'm beginning to think you are correct about this.

Can someone answer this question? If I want to make use of MIDIIN/OUT 2&3 from the Mk3 just using the USB connection to my computer, do I need to assign those in any way in Kontakt & or should I ONLY assign them in my computer software? Also, Should I expect MIDIIN/OUT 2&3 from the Mk3 to behave in the same way MIDIIN/OUT 1 does or not?

Ike

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/142504#Comment_142504

I talked above about why I don't think the ins and outs are reversed, but I DO think you are right about the direct USB connection v. the USB-MIDI cable. When I checked my options, I found the "USB MIDI" Interface as a new option there.

It still doesn't work, but I think that's because the Mk3 is not currently sending any information out those rear MIDI terminals. When I press the keys on the Mk3, neither the IN or OUT indicator lights on the interface blink.

PK The DJ

From the manual:

If you power up the Kontrol keyboard without USB host connection to your computer, the keyboard

automatically switches to MIDI mode and sends its MIDI messages to the MIDI OUT socket on the

keyboard’s rear panel.

In other words it's USB or MIDI sockets, not both.

As for sending MIDI to more than one place, there are MIDI splitter hardware/software to do that.

mykejb

Ah ok, I understand now. As I @PK The DJ says, you're hitting the situation on the MK3 where if you have the USB connected the outputs to the MIDI connectors are disabled. That's what happens here - using a USB midi adaptor similar to yours I see incoming MIDI with the keyboard powered only by the power socket. As soon as I connect the computer USB the incoming MIDI via the adaptor stops. Very odd design decision, but it is what it is unfortunately.