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  • Cubase 5.5.2 with Synthogy Ivory
  • Windows 7
  • Standard USB MIDI drivers from Microsoft

I connect a Kawai VPC-1 Keyboard via USB (=USB-MIDI).

Problem: Everytime the keyboard is powered off and on, I am losing the connection to the USB MIDI. When Cubase is restarted, it works.

Can this be solved?

I guess that the USB driver is generating a new device everytime the keyboard is powered on, and cubase does not get this correctly.

askolotl
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2 Answers2

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Your guess is true. In the Good Old Times™, when USB did not yet exist, MIDI ports were fixed hardware devices that stayed there even if the cable was unplugged. So the Windows MIDI API has no easy way to report changes.

You sequencer might re-read the device list when you open its configuration dialog to select another port. But if not, then the only time when the software enumerates devices is when it starts.

If your keyboard has a 'real' MIDI output, you could connect that to a separate (USB) MIDI interface that always stays on.

CL.
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  • Thanks, I understand now how it works. In fact I would need an USB driver which stays "stable". I tried the genuine KAWAI USB driver, but this is not better. I went back to MIDI and it works. Sorry, can't upvote, because I have < 15 points. – askolotl Apr 23 '17 at 12:12
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This is standard behaviour in music applications. You can't 'hotplug' a USB device. Have everything connected and powered up before starting the program.

Don't be surprised if a USB device loses contact after the computer goes into a power-saving standby mode either.

The solution to both these issues is simply 'Don't do that, then!'

Laurence
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  • Thanks! I went now back to MIDI and it works. I understand now. In fact you need an USB driver which stays "stable". I tried the genuine KAWAI USB driver, but this is not better. Sorry, can't upvote, because I have < 15 points. – askolotl Apr 23 '17 at 12:11
  • BTW: It's interesting that the sound is now different and to me even better and more realistic, although the sound is produced by Ivory software synth. So the MIDI data seems to be different !? – askolotl Apr 23 '17 at 12:16
  • Is it really a problem? Before starting to work in Cubase, turn on your equipment. All of it! What was the old setup? The one where Ivory sounded different? – Laurence Apr 23 '17 at 13:45
  • No, itr's not a problem; I'Ve found that – askolotl Apr 23 '17 at 18:21