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Organ "locks up"

I am using a laptop with Noteworthy2 to "play" service music on a midi capable Allen church organ (which has it's own midi recorder/playback drive). The Noteworthy2 works fine but occasionally the organ functionally "locks up".....i.e., nothing works on the organ until I shut it off (the organ itself)  and restart it. Then it functions normally again.
It has never locked up when the software is playing music. This morning it did it when I left the organ to get a drink of water. Anyone know what may cause this?  The organ has never done this before I started using the laptop and software and doesn't do it when the laptop midi cables are disconnected.

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #1 –
I've experienced some lockups today for the first time, too - see my two postings.  Do you get a status bar message saying the program is resetting all your ports and channels?

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #2 –
Hi!
Thanks for the reply.
No, there is no indication that anything is wrong. Even on the organ. I happened to hit one of the registration preset pistons on the organ to get ready to play a hymn and nothing happened. Since I had experienced this before, I knew right away that it had locked. But one of these times, I'm afraid I'm going to hit the keys on the organ to start playing and nothing will happen.
At first, I thought it was happening when I accidently hit the f6 key to "start" the play function instead of the f5. But today it just happened when I was not at the console.

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #3 –
It may be that you had the "reset" message at the bottom of your NWC edit window without noticing it - it isn't "in your face." 

I assume you aren't physically near the organ now, so perhaps when you're there next time, you could try to repeat the steps that caused the lockup, and look at the status bar in NWC when it happens.   

Did the organ start spontaneously playing again after a few minutes, or did you do something to restart the playback?  If the former, I wonder it your problem is the organ or NWC; if it's NWC I wonder if it's a matter of the ports and channels being reset and taking too long.

I also wonder
  • if your screen saver kicked in, interrupting the midi-out command?
    if you were working with a large file and had something else running as well that slowed down your laptop, affecting NWC's performance.


Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #4 –
Actually no, the organ did not return to being operable until I shut it off, waited a few seconds and restarted it.

What occurred exactly is that I was setting the organ up for today's two services yesterday (and using Noteworthy for this, the first time). When I tried to playback one of my Noteworthy music files, hitting the play button, the software began "playing" (notes lit up) as normal, but the organ did not play. I first thought that I had something set wrong on the organ. But when I tried it, iit was totally unresponsive. Nothing worked, no notes, no pistons, no swell pedal, etc. So I stopped the Noteworthy and switched off the organ. After switching the organ back on, everything was normal again and I hit play on the Noteworthy software and it played through the organ as it should. Then it happened again a while later.
I have NO screensaver activated on my computer (for this very reason). All of the power saving settings are also off, so the screen will stay on indefinitely.
The ironic thing is that I recently replaced ANVIL STUDIOS software (that I was using with no problems with this organ). I purchased Noteworthy because I downloaded the trial version and I liked the functionality better than the Anvil and assumed it would be better quality.
Obviously the potential for disaster during a church service is unacceptable. I was terrified the whole two hours I used it this morning, hoping I would not experience the problem at a critical moment.

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #5 –
I'm just speculating a bit here as I really have no idea, but are you using the same MIDI interface between the notebook and the organ or did you change it when you changed software?

Do you have any MIDI commands embedded in your files (like Multi Point Controllers) that the organ might not recognise?

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

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #6 –
Hi Lawrie,
Thanks for your thoughts.
The only midi hookup interface that I have is an M-Audio  Midisport. Good thought on the material though. The only files that I have used since I have started with the Noteworthy are organ midifiles that I purchased from an online vendor. I don't  know enough about how those files are constructed to know if that could be an issue. I could certainly try some other files and see if that would make a difference. The odd thing is that it never happens when the files are actually playing. It always occurs when the computer is sitting idle.

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #7 –
If you use NWC to play MIDI files you can be sure there are no MIDI commands since NWC doesn't import them.

Anyway I have to warn you: be very careful to play imported MIDI without a thorough inspection of the resulting score.
For example, NWC does NOT recognise triplets or other groups!

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #8 –
Quote from: terrylaff –
...The odd thing is that it never happens when the files are actually playing. It always occurs when the computer is sitting idle.
Perhaps there is some resident software that is interacting with the M-Audio device...  Maybe a Windows Media Player update or something that is recognising the M-Audio device as the MIDI output device and trying to monitor/scan it or something?

Is the M-Audio device the default MIDI out device in the Windows control panel Sounds and Audio Devices (Audio tab) "MIDI music playback" device?

If so, can you change it to, say, the MS internal synth and select the M-Audio device in your MIDI playback application (the way you can in NWC).  This way anything monitoring the default MIDI out device won't talk to the organ.

If you're using Windows Media Player (WMP) as your MIDI playback device (when playing MIDI's) maybe you can download and use VanBascoe's Karaoke Player, which does allow you to select a specific MIDI output device.  I don't really trust WMP...
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #9 –
You might want to look at the Midi Options Dialog Tab
Quote from: http://www.noteworthysoftware.com/nwc2/help/TAB_OPTIONSMIDI.htm
Port Usage
This box controls when MIDI devices are in use by the program. This is important if you are using other MIDI applications at the same time as NoteWorthy Composer 2. The following variations are available:
  • While Active: The MIDI devices will only be open while the program is active. When you switch to a different application, the devices will be released prior to activating the other program. If a Play operation is in progress, it is terminated at the point where a different application is activated.
  • While Playing: The MIDI devices will only be open while a score is being played back. Whenever a Play operation is not being performed, the MIDI devices are available for some other application.
  • Always: The MIDI devices are always open and available. This is a good option if you do not plan to use other applications that require the MIDI devices at the same time.
That said, I suspect a wonky MIDI Cable.
Registered user since 1996

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #10 –
First, thank you to everyone. I appreciate the support and suggestions. I will follow up on each one. I did change the Windows media player to NOT be the default player. I don't play any midi material other than when I am preparing performance stuff for the organ and when I'm doing that, I'm using Noteworthy.
I also changed the port usage to "while playing" Rick, thanks for that suggestion. Of course the midi cable could be the issue, but I have had no problems with it in the past few months that I used the Anvil Studios software.
I will try these suggested solutions during practice times at the organ at church (where I need to be to see when it happens). In the meantime, I will have to go back to using the Anvil software for organ playback during services to avoid a catastrophe. I can still of course use the Noteworthy for editing, which is why I prefer it over Anvil.
I will post as I learn.
Thanks again to everyone. I DO appreciate it.
T.

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #11 –
G'day Terry,
one thing I'd like to clarify, when the lockups occurred, was WMP actually running (either foreground, or background)?  I know it wasn't playing, but simply running may be related to the problem.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Organ "locks up"

Reply #12 –
This issue made its way to support. We appear to have ruled out a MIDI feedback loop, which was my first guess (via the MIDI Echo feature in NWC).

Our last communication raised the possibility that this issue might be related to a standby/resume/power save event on the computer while it is connected through the USB MIDI device to the organ.