Sound cutting off

[HangoverIan]

Hello Kronos community. I hope someone can help with this one, it's a bit strange...

I am using a 2-keyboard setup with my KronosX61 on the higher tier, and my trusty old Korg SP200 on the lower tier, MIDIed up to my Kronos. The idea is to use the Kronos for all sounds, setting up combis as appropriate and using MIDI channel 2 from the SP200 and leaving the Kronos global channel on 1. I'm using two Korg DS-1H damper pedals, one in each keyboard (of course!). When playing from the SP200, if I hold down the damper pedal and play lots of notes (25+ to be exact, and they can include notes already played, so 25+ key presses really), then stop playing, after a short while, all notes/sound is cut off. It is as though the emergency All Notes Off command has been issued. The easiest way to reproduce the problem is to do a big glissando while holding down the damper pedal. Keeping the pedal pressed, when you stop glissing, the sound cuts out. I have tried the same set-up with a Korg SP300 (same as SP200 but with speakers) and the same thing happens, so it's not a fault unique to my SP200. I then connected up a Roland FP7 and everything was fine. If I connect up my SP200 to my Motif Rack ES, everything is fine. So it seems to be the SP200/Kronos combination that isn't working. I also tried swapping the SP200 DS-1H pedal for a non-half-damper pedal and still got the problem.
Finally, the sound only cuts out when you stop playing new notes. I.e. you can hold the pedal down and gliss up and down without a problem - until you stop, then it cuts out. Most bizarre.
Anyone any ideas?

[Sweat]

Not sure why it only happens with the SP200, but you may be experiencing voice stealing with so many notes played.
In Global Basic Setup, try setting the the Mute mode to 'Live' instead of 'Studio'. The deselected channels then save polyphony by preventing midi triggering rather than muting its audio. This is new in Kronos software version 2.1. It may help.

[keyguy13]

Not sure, but maybe check the polarity of your damper pedal? They have switches on the bottom.

[HangoverIan]

Thanks for the replies Sweat and keyguy. Nothing doing with your suggestions, but I have now fixed the problem by switching local off on the SP200. Why this makes a difference, I have no idea; I didn't have to do this on the Roland FP-7. Anyway, a fix is a fix and I'll happily take it.

[danatkorg]

I'm glad that you've found a solution!

If you're still interested in solving the mystery of why this is happening, I believe that it's due to MIDI Active Sensing messages.

Active Sensing messages are intended to ensure the integrity of the MIDI connection from a transmitter to a receiver. Transmitters don't have to send Active Sensing messages, but if they do, they must send them at regular intervals, not to exceed a specified time (300ms). If a receiver has been seeing Active Sensing messages, and then the next message fails to arrive within the specified time, the assumption is that there is a problem with the transmitter, or that the MIDI cable has been disconnected. The receiving instrument is then supposed to turn all notes off.

The KRONOS waits 330ms, just a little bit longer than the maximum time, in order to allow a little headroom for the sender and any other devices in a MIDI daisy-chain. If that timeout is exceeded, the KRONOS complies to the MIDI spec and turns off all notes.

We've previously noticed an issue in which active sensing messages from some older SP series messages could have gaps which exceed both the MIDI spec's nominal 300ms time period, and the KRONOS's deliberately generous 330ms window. Those gaps could vary depending on what sound was being played on the SP instrument. Not playing the internal sounds, by disabling local off, might have a similar effect.

I believe this is what you've experienced. I'm glad that you've found a workaround!

[HangoverIan]

Thanks for the explanation Dan. It's always nice to know why these things happen.

[Bertotti]

I didn't know any of that Dan thanks!