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I have two MIDI controllers.

Some of them are sending data on their own (seem to happen with specific controls, more than others).

  1. Is it static, EMI, or something else, and what can I do about it?

  2. Have they been somehow permanently damaged/sensitized/(de)magnetised)?

Disclaimer:
I have Googled this, and there are no articles on stackexchange that answer this question. I will provide further specs if needed, but for starters, this question includes any MIDI controller/power setup/computer type/possible interference sources.

Dom
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Ate Somebits
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1 Answers1

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Midi is on a 5-volt line (3.3v in more modern devices). No chance it could be static. It's more likely to be active sensing, a dusty pot in a control, mod wheel etc, or even possibly clock.
Connect an analyser (hardware or software, DAW etc) to the other end, see what's being transmitted.

Tetsujin
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  • I know what's being transmitted, there's an LCD on the MPD. Some of the 360 knobs keep getting triggered by some voodoe. Same for data entry slider on my keyboard (which, by the way, is connected thru the MPD via the old MIDI cable). Important side effect, this affects the saved state of a DAW project. – Ate Somebits Nov 24 '20 at 16:46
  • No clocks in my setup (none active anyway). Active sensing with Live - it's too random. Mod wheel is Roland style pitchmod combo, but it goes thru anyway. Dusty pot, very good chance. I also suspect percussive pads being next to pots, the whole thing's a bit loose, heh. – Ate Somebits Nov 24 '20 at 16:54
  • Do you have some tips on analysing transmitted data, like frequency and change direction, so as to infer the cause? – Ate Somebits Nov 24 '20 at 16:58
  • I actually have an ancient (late 80s) Studiomaster MA-36 midi analyser. Used to be *de rigueur* back then. These days I guess it's a case of opening up all the filters on a DAW & see what it records. Ouch! Just checked eBay, the MA36 is fetching £150 these days. They gave me mine (perks of being in the biz;) but I think they were 50 quid new. – Tetsujin Nov 24 '20 at 17:10
  • are those hardware analyzers? Cause that sounds cool. I mean, one analyzer for 150 quid is worth it. – Ate Somebits Feb 02 '21 at 00:41
  • Yeah - google it, they come up for sale every so often, sometimes cheap, sometimes not. – Tetsujin Feb 02 '21 at 07:00