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Topic: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues (Read 35950 times) previous topic - next topic

M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

hey Everyone...

I recently bought an M-Audio Keystation 49e. I set it up following the directions provided, but NWC won't give me it as an option.

I've installed all of the latest drivers and software from M-Audio, and am running NWC 1.75b. I am on XP Pro on a laptop.

If anyone's set this keyboard up and can offer  hand, that would be great,

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #1 –
G'day thebugman,
while I'm not familiar with this device I may still be able to help.

  • Firstly, does the keyboard work with the bundled application?
  • If so can you check the configuration of the software and see what MIDI device is being referenced?
  • If not then the USB to MIDI driver probably hasn't installed properly
  • Remember that the MIDI device listed will almost certainly not reflect the name of the keyboard
  • Are there any new MIDI devices listed?
  • More importantly perhaps, are there ANY MIDI devices listed?
  • Have you tried all the MIDI devices presented to you in NWC?

Hope that helps to chase down the problem.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #2 –
Hi Lawrie... Thanks for the quick reply!

1. No... The keyboard doesn't seem to want to work with ANY application. I've left voicenail with M-Audio support on it too.
2. N/A... See number 1.
3. The device is appearing in the device manager.
4. It's listed as "USB Audio Device"... Which is what the manual told e to expect.
5/6/7. NWC (And the bundled program) BOTH list no MIDI devices.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #3 –
OK, lets delve a bit deeper...
If you open your control panel "Sounds and Audio Devices" applet and select the "Audio" tab you'll see 3 areas on the window.

The bottom one is for MIDI music playback where you have an opportunity to select a default device.

Is the "USB Audio Device" listed as an available option? (Actually I don't think it will be or you'd have it available to NWC as well)

If it isn't there try unplugging the device and then plugging it back in.  (with Windows running, USB devices SHOULD be inserted and removed while Windows is active or it won't always recognise they're presence.  E.G. I have an Edirol UM-1 USB to MIDI device that WILL NOT activate unless I plug it in AFTER starting Windows, Ditto the USB flash drive that lives in one port on my PC)

Another test you can try is to open device mangler.. err device manager... and stretch the window vertically so you can see everything with all categorys closed up EXCEPT "Sound Video and Game Controllers".  You should be able to see the "USB Audio Device" appear and disappear as you unplug and then replug it.

If that doesn't work, I'd uninstall the software, including the driver that came with the keyboard and start again.  I'm almost certain that it hasn't installed correctly.

Of course, it could always be faulty...

Quote from: thebugman –
Hi Lawrie... Thanks for the quick reply!

1. No... The keyboard doesn't seem to want to work with ANY application. I've left voicenail with M-Audio support on it too.
2. N/A... See number 1.
3. The device is appearing in the device manager.
4. It's listed as "USB Audio Device"... Which is what the manual told e to expect.
5/6/7. NWC (And the bundled program) BOTH list no MIDI devices.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #4 –
Thebugman, your Keystation 49 is not a playback device since it has no MIDI sound module, that is, no synth.  It is an input device only, intended to control or trigger a softsynth or hardware synth.  Look under Tools-Options on the Record tab and it should show up as an input device.  It will not show up on Tools-Options on the MIDI tab.  Instead, use whatever synth you were using before you got the Keystation.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #5 –
G'day Milton,
are you sure it won't show?  I don't have any experience with input only MIDI ports...  All the MIDI ports I've used, whether the attached device was input only (like my creative "BlasterKeys") or not would still show up as both an input and an output port because the port itself was both.

thebugman, I'd be really interested if, when you check both the MIDI and the Record tabs in NWC, you do see the device in the Record tab and not the MIDI tab.  That said, I have several more devices available in my MIDI tab than in my Record tab as NWC shows both MIDI IO ports and synths (both hardware and software) in the MIDI tab and only MIDI IO ports in the record tab.

BTW, you must have at least one working device in your MIDI tab or you wouldn't be able to play anything back in NWC...

Quote from: Milton –
Thebugman, your Keystation 49 is not a playback device since it has no MIDI sound module, that is, no synth.  It is an input device only, intended to control or trigger a softsynth or hardware synth...
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #6 –
Lawrie, you said, "G'day Milton,
are you sure it won't show?"

Pretty sure, since NWC seems to be able to detect and differentiate between MIDI I/O ports that do or do not have actual playback devices attached.  An exception might be a MIDI Yoke port (installed in MIDI OX) or other virtual patchbay such as Hubi's Loopback.  I have MIDI Yoke installed and those ports do indeed show up as both Available Play Devices and as Input Devices.  Thebugman, Lawrie is absolutely right, "BTW, you must have at least one working device in your MIDI tab or you wouldn't be able to play anything back in NWC..."  Unlike, say, a Yamaha PSR keyboard which has its own MIDI synth inside, the Keystation can't playback sound or produce its own sound as a free-standing unit, it must control a synth of some sort.  So NWC can't use the Keystation as a playback device either.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #7 –
Thebugman, are you running Windows XP or 2000?  If so, you should at least have "Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth" as an available playback device in NWC.  If you are using Win XP/2000 and that synth does not show up, try rebooting, especially if you have not rebooted since installing the USB driver for the Keystation.  If using Win XP/2000 and still no synth shows after reboot, or if you are running an earlier version of Windows, you need to get some sort of synth.  In that case, use a keyboard with a MIDI sound module (any keyboard with speakers) and MIDI In and Out ports for the synth.  You can pick up used ones cheap or get a Yamaha PSR-292 with the USB port to interface with your computer.  Or search the posts here for "Yamaha S-YXG 50" softsynth for a site to download and install it on your computer.  Sorry if any of this seems basic or obvious.  It's usually the basic and obvious stuff lurking unnoticed that causes our problems!

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #8 –
I already knew it was input-only...

When I unplug it from my computer, it most definately vanishes from the DM... And plugging it back in makes 'USB Audio Device' show back up under "Sound, video and Game Controllers".

NWC is showing me 2 things in the MIDI tab: "Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth" and "Microsoft MIDI Mapper". Ony the first one appears in the MIDI section of the Audio tab in the Sounds contol panel.... which doesn't surprise me as I believe that dropdown lists playback devices, and the 49e is input-only.

I am running XP Pro, all paches and service packs .... And decided to count reboots associated with the keyboard, installs, uninstalls and so on. I'm at 14.


Thanks for all of the wonderful help. I really can't wait to get this up and running!

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #9 –
Hey bugman,
I'm back again for a short while...

You didn't say if anything appears in the Record tab of NWC...

Midi Mapper is what you get when you set a default MIDI synth in control panel... Whatever you set there is what Midi Mapper maps your output to if you don't specify another synth.

In NWC you ALWAYS have to specify the output synth, including if you want to use the Midi Mapped one.

If you have uninstalled and reinstalled and still nothing I'd be beginning to suspect a faulty device about now.  Can you try it on another PC?

I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #10 –
Sorry... I thought I might have missed one, but was in a rush posting and didn't double-check. There is NOTHING that appears in the worlds-most-annoying dropdown in the Record Tab. ... Stupid dropdown. *sigh* Sorry.... starting to get frustrated.

I just so happen to work in an environment where we have about 50 PCs avilable... So a second test just means an OK from the boss.... Which is easier said then done.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #11 –
G'day again bugman,
I'm around on and off for about the next 28 hours or so.  After that you won't get me for a couple of weeks...  So go for the big "ask" and tell me how you get on.

Maybe the boss will be helpful, hey, he might even be interested - he's not a muso is he?
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #12 –
28 hours, eh? ... Talk about adding a time pressure!

Sadly, the boss is a ... uh... let's put this nicely... jerk... yeah... and doesn't tend to like a lot happening that isn't directly work-related going on.

He's not a musician, or even a music lover.... but he likes his tech toys.... so I think I may have a shot.

I'll let you know how things pan out.... Are we completely out of options for my system now?

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #13 –
I'm a pretty methodical fault finder... 
At this point, assuming you've done the uninstall/reinstall of the software and driver, the device being faulty is, in my opinion, a fairly high probability and I would like to eliminate it.

The next highest probability is a corrupt Windows registry or possibly dodgy driver files.

We need to eliminate something so a good start is to see if the device works in another machine.  If it does then your PC gets the nod as being the problem, if it doesn't then we look at the device itself OR the associated software.

Assume that its the software, look for updated drivers - I think you've already done that so perhaps we have a faulty device after all.

Have you had a response from their tech support?
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #14 –
Bugman, one other remote possiblity.  If I remember right, the Keystation can be powered from the USB port alone or powered from an AC adapter.  Just maybe if you are depending on the USB port power alone from your laptop, it is not providing sufficient power.  Try powering the Keystation with an AC adapter and see if that makes any difference.  Not likely, but maybe worth trying.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #15 –
So... just got home from work.... Got a no-go on the being allowed to test there. Sucks, I know.

I may be able to get another machine to test on.... but it won't be today...

I stumped the Maudio tech support guy who called me... but he's opened a support ticket for someone to call me back within 10 business days.

And no-go on the second power connector... :(

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #16 –
Hi gang. I'll just put my two cents worth in here.

Looking at the specs at http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Keystation49e-focus.html, the keyboard should provide both midi in and midi out (it has a midi-thru port, which should act as  midi out as far as NWC is concerned).

It claims to be Plug and Play compliant

it claims to be USB powerable, so shouldn't need the power pack. But Milton's suggestion is a good one. If you have a lot of devices on that hub, it may be drawing too much.

One thing. Are you hooked up to the USB via a multi-port or a USB extension cord? If so, get them out of the way so that the USB connection is as "clean" as possible. I guess since it is being seen by the system probably means the USB connection is okay, though.

BugMan, Maudio say that they bundle Ableton Live Lite 4 with it.
Can LiveLite communicate with it at all?  Sounds to me like a driver issue.

Lawrie, enjoy your skiing. Give me a call, but I'm off-my-face busy at the moment. The world has become a bewildering blur.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #17 –
Quote from: Andrew Purdam –
Looking at the specs at http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Keystation49e-focus.html, the keyboard should provide both midi in and midi out.

Thanks for the link, Andrew. Since this keyboard "functions as a standalone USB MIDI interface" (from the specs), it should appear in both device lists of NWC. However, unless you actually have a MIDI sound module attached to the MIDI output port on the keyboard, there appears to be no reason to select it as the NWC play back device.

If the device does not appear in the Input Device drop down of Tools, Options, Record tab of NWC, then the device has not yet installed a proper MIDI input device driver for itself in the system. Things that you should generally try when this happens:

  • First, you should review any special instructions from the manufacturer, and follow them. The following language appears on the manufacturer's web site with regard to installing its device drivers:

    Quote
    Please note: In order to avoid unnecessary technical problems, please read the README file that is included with the driver download before installation.

    Keeping the contents of the README in mind, here are some ideas on what to try.

  • Unplug the device, shutdown the computer, then power it back up
  • Using the device's setup CD, (re)install the drivers for the device
  • Plug the device into its USB port
  • Open NWC and visit Tools, Options, Record and look in the Input Device drop down box
  • If nothing appears, check the Device Manager to see if any devices are reporting a problem

See also:
FAQ - How do I set up to use a MIDI keyboard with NWC?
http://ntworthy.com/composer/faq/52.htm

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #18 –
So... I'll tackle Andrew's first: It's hooked directly to the computer through a singl USB cable... No extentions or hubs or anything... My laptop also has 2 ports that care connected directly to the motherboard inside, and 3 more acting as a built-in USB hub. I've been trying all 5... but sticing to the 2 direct ports more. Sadly, the power pack didn't do the trick. Ableton Live Lite doesn't see it. or does NWC, or this old copy of Fruity Loops I had kicking around... No go in any of them.

And thanks for the info, NWO... but I have tried the steps at M-Audio over, and over, and over, and over. I even tried installing the Windows 2000 drivers on XP, knowing that they're the same architecture, and hoping that might help. No avail.


I'm really starting to see why people used to call things 'Plug and Pray'........

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #19 –
Did you try using the XP drivers from the manufacture's web site? They appear to be from 2003, but it is always a good idea to try online versions when having trouble.

Also, are you running as an Admininstrator while doing this (you should be)?

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #20 –
Those are the ones I was referring to with the "over and over" comment.... And yes, I'm running as an Administrator right now.

Re: M-Audio Keystation 49e Issues

Reply #21 –
Bugman, after all the re-installs and reboots you've done, this probably doesn't apply, but I just read a tech tip on Musician's Friend about using USB ports with music devices and applications that might hold a clue.  Here's the link:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/document?doc_id=100881&src=3NL6GDA&c_lid=b1

Here's the section I thought might possibly apply:

"Let's add a couple tips for Windows users. If the little USB icon appears in your taskbar to indicate a USB peripheral is connected, pay attention.

Never disconnect a USB device simply by unplugging it if this icon is in the taskbar. Click on the icon, and choose "Safely remove [device name]." Shortly after you do this, you'll be told you can remove it. Only then should you disconnect the peripheral.

Another tip involves the "case of the unrecognized peripheral." Here's the deal: You install a driver for a USB device plugged into a particular port. At some point you disconnect it. A few days later you come back, plug it in, and . . . oops, nothing happens. This usually means you plugged into a different port. Disconnect, and plug into the port you originally used. This time, it should work."

Hope you get the chance to try the Keystation on another PC to see if there is a problem with the device itself.