Newby cant get started - can anyone help please ?

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Joe 69
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:51 pm
Location: WEST MIDLANDS UK

Newby cant get started - can anyone help please ?

Post by Joe 69 »

I bought a KORG microKEY 25 last week and so far cant get a squeak.
I have installed drivers and software on my PC but no joy. I watched all the youtube vids and got the impression that this device was a plug and play like my AKAI. ANY BODY TELL ME WHERE I AM GOING WRONG ?? PLEASE .. :roll:
Those who question well learn well
voip
Platinum Member
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 2:07 pm

Post by voip »

There is very little info to go on. Is the microKEY 25 being used to control a DAW/VST? Did you install Korg MIDI drivers before connecting the microKEY? Are you using the same USB port for the MIDI controller every time. Is this the microKEY Air?

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Joe 69
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:51 pm
Location: WEST MIDLANDS UK

Newby cant get started - can anyone help please ?

Post by Joe 69 »

Hi VOIP, thanks for responding and sorry i didnt know till now as the anticipated email alert hasnt worked.
in answer to your question Is this the microKEY Air?
the answer is NO ? It is as I described a KORG microKEY 25
https://www.korg.com/uk/products/comput ... page_1.php
Is the microKEY 25 being used to control a DAW/VST?

I am a newbie so forgive my not fully comprehending what those things are because despite much effort i havent located a 'dummies' guide to midi synths.

I have an AKAI keyboard which plays ok and didnt have the hassle i am having with this device.
If its any help i had installed an app called 'midi-OX' which acknowledges the presence of the KORG device and its manipulation.
I have asked the guy whom i bought the device from to give me the keycode to download the KORG software but he says he cant help.

Can you advise please ?
Those who question well learn well
voip
Platinum Member
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 2:07 pm

Post by voip »

Which Akai keyboard is it that plays OK? Is it the Miniak synth, or is it just a MIDI only controller? How is the sound from the Akai being produced?

What software have you installed on your PC? The word "software" is non-specific and can mean all manner of things.

Without more details, it is difficult to help.

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Joe 69
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:51 pm
Location: WEST MIDLANDS UK

Newby cant get started - can anyone help please ?

Post by Joe 69 »

thanks VOIP
your response is appreciated.
be assured that I am aware of the term 'software'.
I may not be as clued up on 'midi' stuff but I have been in computing for many years.
I cant tell you too much about the AKAI because i havent used it in ages and it had a midi port and a usb adapter all i am saying is it was easier to get up and running with it.
as regards not having much to go on

well bro you are as wise as i am. i followed the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv7bn8wgYMA
and it made it look so easy
i have left a comment on the guy's channel asking for more clarification and nothing so far.
i wish i could send you a bitmap image of the long list of stuff i have installed such as drivers etc.
but cant work out how this forum accommodates the uploading of images

i had sent an email to KORG support weeks ago beggin for help, no joy there.

what else do you want to ask me ?

respect joe 69
[/img]
Those who question well learn well
Joe 69
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:51 pm
Location: WEST MIDLANDS UK

Newby cant get started - can anyone help please ?

Post by Joe 69 »

thanks VOIP
your response is appreciated.
be assured that I am aware of the term 'software'.
I may not be as clued up on 'midi' stuff but I have been in computing for many years.
I cant tell you too much about the AKAI because i havent used it in ages and it had a midi port and a usb adapter all i am saying is it was easier to get up and running with it.
as regards not having much to go on

well bro you are as wise as i am. i followed the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv7bn8wgYMA
and it made it look so easy
i have left a comment on the guy's channel asking for more clarification and nothing so far.
i wish i could send you a bitmap image of the long list of stuff i have installed such as drivers etc.
but cant work out how this forum accommodates the uploading of images

i had sent an email to KORG support weeks ago beggin for help, no joy there.

what else do you want to ask me ?

respect joe 69
[/img]
Those who question well learn well
voip
Platinum Member
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 2:07 pm

Post by voip »

The original posting contained the line "I have installed drivers and software on my PC but no joy." What were the drives and the software, exactly? I'm trying to help, but need more info to go on.

If the software was some sort of virtual synth, or music making software, it will need to be told to "listen out" for the MIDI data from the microKEY 25. The place to tell it will be somewhere in a settings or configuration screen. If the microKEY 25 doesn't show up in the list of available devices, then you will need to remove some of the installed drivers for MIDI devices using the "Uninstall KORG USB-MIDI Device" utility in the Start menu. Windows has a limit of 10 MIDI devices, which can soon be reached, since every USB port a MIDI device is plugged into creates a new MIDI device association.

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Joe 69
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:51 pm
Location: WEST MIDLANDS UK

Post by Joe 69 »

thank you VOIP

There is not a more than ten device drivers installed on my win 7 system.
there is only 2
the other is the wind synth WARBL which the system recognised and after accessing software has no problem.

the win 7 recognises the device

the midi-OX detects the microkey 25

but M1 Le
Mixpad Multitrack recorder
NCH SUITE
Wave pad sound editor ALL DONT WANT TO KNOW and

These are the pieces of software shown by reviewers of the device on youtube

so what is a layman supposed to do ?
some feedback including korg.com suggested forum discussion sites

so why cant anyone tell me whats missing to get the device to work ?

respect joe 69
Those who question well learn well
voip
Platinum Member
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 2:07 pm

Post by voip »

OK, so looking at the information given so far:

You have tried three different MIDI controllers on USB: 1) The Akai thingie, exact type unknown, 2) the WARBL wind instrument MIDI controller (it is not a synth, as far as I can determine, though please correct me if I am wrong); 3) the Korg MicroKEY 25. If all have been correctly recognised by the OS, and only EVER plugged into one USB port, then there should be at least three MIDI driver occurrences, (you say Win7 recognises the device, do you mean the WARBL or the microKEY 25?). What do you see when you run the "Uninstall KORG USB-MIDI Device" utility that comes with the Korg USB MIDI driver installation package? There should be a list of installed MIDI drivers

Only one of the software programs in the list actually generates sound, the Korg M1 Le. If any of the other pieces of software are running, stop them, and open up only the Korg M1 Le. Does it have an on-screen keyboard, and does it make any sounds when the on-screen keyboard is played using the mouse? If not, then the M1 Le needs to have its audio output sorted in the Sytem | Preferences | Audio Device tab dialogue. If the sound from the M1 Le is heard OK using the on-screen keyboard, then look in the MIDI Settings tab. Does the microKey 25 appear in the choice drop-downs?

If not, there is a chance that you have a faulty microKEY 25.

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Joe 69
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:51 pm
Location: WEST MIDLANDS UK

Newby cant get started - can anyone help please ?

Post by Joe 69 »

thank you VOIP

you asked "the Korg M1 Le. Does it have an on-screen keyboard, and does it make any sounds when the on-screen keyboard is played using the mouse?"

yes the Korg M1 L works with the mouse and the QWERTY keyboard. it produces sound.

you said the WARBL is not a synth so here is the link that clarifies what a WARBL is https://warbl.xyz/

the guy who sold me the KORG Microkey 25 told me he had it working
and i believe him
as i have no reason to doubt him

i take it that you are not familiar with the midi-OX app.?

my understanding is that it senses the digital signals produced from such a device
there is a demo of it on youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAF-5Soc-ds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2o7b4E-45Y


I am not an expert in these matters but i am methodical and a quick learner, i believe all i need is a few pointers from more experienced users.

i also believe that if the software keycodes were supplied with the device it would be working now. it seems that something is missing and i hoped that an experienced user would explain.

thanks again for your support
Those who question well learn well
voip
Platinum Member
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 2:07 pm

Post by voip »

OK, so the M1 Le configuration with the sound card is OK.

I'm familiar with MIDI-OX. What does the MIDI-OX "Monitor - Output" window show? In particular, do you see Note on and Note off messages when the microKEY keys are pressed and released and, if so, what is the channel number associated with those messages? To work with the M1 Le, it should, by default, be sending MIDI messages on MIDI channel 1. If it isn't, use the Korg KONTROL Editor to configure the microKEY 25 to transmit note messages on MIDI channel 1, although it might be better, in the first instance, to perform a Factory Reset on the microKEY.

Looking at the available info on the Web, the WARBL is clearly not a synth. It is a nuanced MIDI controller, creating a stream of MIDI Note on and Note off messages, merged with Control Change messages, based on air pressure via the mouthpiece, and finger position over the apertures in the barrel of the controller. It is rather cleverly implemented.

This may help regarding authorisation of the M1 Le:

https://support.korguser.net/hc/en-us/a ... 217151066/

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Joe 69
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:51 pm
Location: WEST MIDLANDS UK

Newby cant get started - can anyone help please ?

Post by Joe 69 »

hi VOIP
Thanks again for your response

in answer to your latest questions

1. What does the MIDI-OX "Monitor - Output" window show? I
Answer = it shows values according to the manipulation of the keys and joystick
the channel is 1
2. factory reset ?
answer = i do not know how to perform a Factory Reset on the microKEY.

when i plug in the korg device
ms windows installs the drivers and i can see them in the device manager display
however the app 'korg controller' doesnt recognise the presence of the device
and under the communication drop down menu
receiving or writing scene data returns
'failed to open the midi port' message.
and a value of 0 is displayed in a long box

there is a red light on the korg device when i connect it
so somethings getting through ??


as regards warbl
i have had that thing working on the pc. not brilliant but the very basic settings work with the online calibration software

ok i think i have given you all i can for now

what do you think i could try next please ?

regards JOE of UK
Those who question well learn well
voip
Platinum Member
Posts: 4016
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 2:07 pm

Post by voip »

Factory reset, from the microKEY Owner's Manual:

If you turn on the power while holding down the OCTAVE DOWN button and OCTAVE UP button, the sett ings of the microKEY will return to their factory-set default values, and the power LED will light up. The process of restoring the factory sett ings will take several seconds after you turn on the power. You must not turn off the power during this time.

Link to manuals and other info is here:

https://www.korg.com/us/support/download/product/0/151/

Here's some advice from Korg, for a different device, but the principle will be the same, and the same drivers are used across a wide range of Korg products:

Disconnect the SV1, then navigate to your main hard drive (usually CSmile [C:], open the Program Files (x86) folder, then the KORG folder, then the KORG USB-MIDI Driver folder. There you should find UnInstDrv.exe. Please run this, click “Next,” and you should see a list of MIDI entries that can be uninstalled. Check every one of the ones that mentions your SV1, then click “Next” again. Click “OK” to confirm.

Then, go to the Start menu, type “regedit”, and press Enter.
Open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then SOFTWARE, then Microsoft, then Windows NT, then Drivers32.
You should see midi1, midi2, midi3, etc. Please delete all these entries.

Next, reconnect the SV1, and run the “Install KORG USB-MIDI Device” utility to install the SV1 again.


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Joe 69
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:51 pm
Location: WEST MIDLANDS UK

Post by Joe 69 »

Thanks VOIP,

thats quite a bit of stuff youve sent and enough to keep me busy chippin away at my problem.

incidentally whats an sv1 ?


thanks again for your support

Joe of UK
Those who question well learn well
Joe 69
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2019 5:51 pm
Location: WEST MIDLANDS UK

Newby cant get started - can anyone help please ?

Post by Joe 69 »

Thanks VOIP,

thats quite a bit of stuff youve sent and enough to keep me busy chippin away at my problem.

incidentally whats an sv1 ?


thanks again for your support

Joe of UK
Those who question well learn well
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