[Massive] Did update 1.7.0 broke computer keyboard play?

Monochrome
Monochrome Member Posts: 1,405 Expert
in Massive X & Synths

According to the Manual, it is possible to play notes with your computer's keyboard:

If you don’t have a MIDI controller available, you can still play MIDI notes by using the computer’s keyboard. We have assigned the four rows of alphanumeric keys in a similar pattern to that of a piano keyboard. For example, the bottom row of keys on your computer keyboard (from Z on the left to / on the right) is assigned to the white keys of the piano keyboard, with the Z key being assigned to C. The row of keys above that (from S to ;) covers the corresponding black keys, with S assigned to C#. The two rows of keys above are assigned in a similar pattern, but one octave higher.

… and I remember it worked very well before.

After updating to the newest version, it does not anymore?

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Best Answer

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 6,341 mod
    Answer ✓

    I can confirm that the computer keyboard doesn't work as midi keyboard for either on Massive. If it is a bug then maybe you ought to report it to support (?)

Answers

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 6,341 mod
    Answer ✓

    I can confirm that the computer keyboard doesn't work as midi keyboard for either on Massive. If it is a bug then maybe you ought to report it to support (?)

  • Digitalsound1
    Digitalsound1 Member Posts: 6 Newcomer

    Is there anything Native can do to update this software? I paid for this software and it is unusable. I don't own a physical music keyboard and it won't fit on my desk. I don't understand why the computer keyboard can't work as a music keyboard. I have Absynth 5 and I don't have this problem.

  • Maciej Repetowski
    Maciej Repetowski Member Posts: 707 Guru
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/219347#Comment_219347

    It’s just a bug, those things can happen. Have you contacted NI support about this, so they can log it as a bug and hopefully fix it soon?

  • Digitalsound1
    Digitalsound1 Member Posts: 6 Newcomer

    How do I contact NI support? I can't find anything on the website where I can contact them. I only found this page:

    Ni Locations

    I don't live in the U.K. and I don't know if I should contact that email address.

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 6,341 mod
    edited April 2
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/219533#Comment_219533

    How do I contact NI support?

    N.I. Support Other products

    In case that you need guidance contacting support : Please read : how to get support !

    Besides then you most likely can make a workaround yourself by installing a program that will get the keyboard input and turn it into Midi and then patch the output of that into the Massive synth.

    E.g. try using FreePiano and then use loopMidi between FreePiano and Massive (set as Midi in/source in Massive)

  • Digitalsound1
    Digitalsound1 Member Posts: 6 Newcomer

    Thanks for the links. Unfortunately, I can't find any contact information. I don't understand why Native Instruments is making it impossible for me to contact anyone. Are there any direct links to contact them?

    I downloaded FreePiano and loopMidi. Unfortunately, I can't get them to work on Massive.

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 6,341 mod
    edited April 3
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/219697#Comment_219697

    Thanks for the links. Unfortunately, I can't find any contact information.

    In case that you need guidance contacting support : Please read : how to get support !

    I downloaded FreePiano and loopMidi. Unfortunately, I can't get them to work on Massive.

    It works just fine.

    1 : Download and unzip FreePiano

    2 : Download and install loopMidi

    3 : Restart computer

    4 : Start loopMidi if not started and make sure that you have a Midi port added

    5 : Start FreePiano

    6 : In FreePiano choose loopMidi port as instrument , and if you want turn on background input for the PC keyboard to work also when FreePiano is not in foreground.

    7 : Start Massive

    8 : In Massive Midi options turn on loopMidi port

    9 : Enjoy

    image.png

    image.png
  • Digitalsound1
    Digitalsound1 Member Posts: 6 Newcomer

    Thanks, for your help! I appreciate it! I got it to work finally. Do you know how I can make recordings on Massive? I want to play on the Massive synthesizer and want to record what I did. I tried creating Wav files on FreePiano, but so far it didn't work.

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 6,341 mod
    edited April 5
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/220052#Comment_220052

    I want to play on the Massive synthesizer and want to record what I did.

    I tried creating Wav files on FreePiano, but so far it didn't work.

    I have done a short look into the recording and exporting as creating Wav files using FreePiano.

    And that all works just fine too…

    It appear to be a problem of misunderstanding of how things and FreePiano works.

    If using FreePiano and Massive as setup here then Massive is outside and 'downstream' from FreePiano and FreePiano as used here simply is only used to generate Midi. You can see at the picture of setup that I posted earlier that it says 'Midi' to the right of loopMidi when you choose loopMidi as instrument in FreePiano. So seen from the point of view of FreePiano and it's Wave export mechanism then it doesn't produce any sound since all that it does is send midi data to Massive and it is Massive that produce the sound.

    You can easily get FreePiano Wav sound export to work just nicely if what you choose as instrument is a VSTi that produce a sound in FreePiano in which case you do not need having anything else open than FreePiano. Most VSTi ought to do but for demo purpose then I have chosen the mdaPiano that I think comes with FreePiano itself. Please see picture below.

    However then there is a great limitation in using the VSTi as instrument inside FreePiano in as much as that from what I can see then FreePiano will allow to use the VSTi, meaning that you can also use Massive as VSTi instrument inside FreePiano, but FreePiano apparently does not have the ability to let you open the VSTi interface/GUI inside the FreePiano GUI to do any VSTi settings.

    But all this is going far beyond your initial N.I. software related 'problem' which were to find a work-around to let you use the Massive standalone app with your PC keyboard.

    And also there is a sort of built-in schism / problem with your new/next request because what you would really want, if your computer is up to the task, is what a DAW can deliver and there is a number or DAWs, including very cheap and even free that you could use without a Midi keyboard and some of them have their own PC keyboard-to Midi functionality and that you then would/could use to open and use the VST version of instruments. In a decent DAW then you can also edit the whole project including the Midi date that you have generated by playing and switch all sorts of settings including the instrument used. (ideally you would use a DAW with at least a cheap Midi keyboard)(in N.I. terms a 'cheap Midi keyboard' would be KOMPLETE KONTROL M32 or KOMPLETE KONTROL A25 which both comes with a free version of the DAW Ableton Live Lite.)

    But while you ultimately wants what only a DAW can deliver then at the same time then you ideally want to stick with using the PC keyboard with FreePiano , loopMidi and Massive standalone.

    But fear not , yet again there is a work around ! 😃

    What you want as work around here to allow you to start recording audio without having to use even a free DAW is the use of something that will allow you to record most any audio played on your computer (typically described as recording "what you hear"). And there are both free and paid apps that will allow you to do that. A free app that will allow you to record audio could be something like Ashampoo Audio Recorder FREE and you could edit waves using something like Audacity or perhaps even easier then simply just use Audacity for 'Recording desktop audio'. Using such programs might require you to do correct sound driver setup if not working 'right out of the box'.

    Once again , you would be much better off using a DAW with the Massive plugin which would give you so many more possibilities including with respect to editing. (The actual use of a DAW can appear very intimidating but it all depends on the DAW used and how well it suits you.). DAWs are programs such as e.g. Ableton Live Lite , Mixcraft , Reaper, BitWig, FL Studio, Cubase, ……..

    image.png
  • Digitalsound1
    Digitalsound1 Member Posts: 6 Newcomer

    I wasn't able to get it to work :(

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 6,341 mod
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/220216#Comment_220216

    I wasn't able to get it to work :(

    You need to be a bit more specific.

    You could not get what to work ? trying to get it to work how ?

    You couldn't get FreePiano to export Wav using the mdaPiano VSTi ? Or you couldn't record Massive playing using Audacity for 'Recording desktop audio' ?

    If the latter then as I wrote then you would have to set audio settings to make it work if there was a problem , and in any case you do not give any information at all.

    Also you ought to consider using a DAW.

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