Troubleshooting Input Devices

This topic applies to Musink Pro Only

This is a troubleshooting page for input devices. For general MIDI troubleshooting, see this page.

Your MIDI device, such as a USB-MIDI cable, is not listed under Input Device Settings

There are several reasons for this. Most commonly, the device has recently been plugged into the computer and either:

• Windows has not found it yet, or
• Windows is still installing drivers for it, or
• It was plugged in after loading the Input Device Settings Window.

Usually, the best thing to do is to wait a few seconds, then hit the Refresh button. Drivers can sometimes take a few minutes to install, so it may pay to be patient.

If you don't believe these are your issues, then Windows is not listing your device as a valid MIDI device. Reasons for this could be:

• Your device requires additional drivers that you have not installed. Install those drivers, restart windows, then try again.
• Your device has malfunctioned. Try unplugging it, waiting a few seconds, then plugging it back in
• Windows has not found a driver for your device. You may need to manually install one.
• A Windows or soundcard issue means that devices are not working correctly. Try restarting your computer.
• Your device is damaged
• If it plugged into USB, the USB plug may be malfunctioning. Try a different USB port, or restarting. You can test the USB port by plugging a different USB device into it.

The best way to investigate a device like this is to use Windows' Device Manager.

This issue is very unlikely to be due to Musink. If you have eliminated the above possibilities, and can demonstrate that your device works with other software, please contact support.

Musink registers notes, but makes no sound.

In certain circumstances Musink will not play sound while calibrating a MIDI device. If you are in the Input Device Settings Window, do not worry if no sound it made.

If this occurs while writing music, ensure that Pass data thru to output device is turned on in Input Device Settings.

If the issue still exists, it may be an output device, rather than input device problem. See Output Device Troubleshooting

You hit notes on your MIDI device, but Musink does not register them at all. This is different to Musink not making sounds of notes.

There are several possible reasons for this.

First check that:

1. Your MIDI device is switched on
2. Its plugs are in and around the correct way
3. You have connected and set up your MIDI device to work with Musink

If your problem only appears once you have finished setting up Input Device Settings, then:

1. Ensure MIDI Step Entry is on.
2. Hover over, or click a guide note
3. Play a note on your MIDI device

If a note is added, then Musink is working! Have a good read through of this wiki on how to use the MIDI functions.

Under some circumstances, Windows drops MIDI connections without warning or notification.

1. Open the Input Device Settings Window. If it is already open, go to the first window by pressing the Previous button.
2. Hit the Refresh Button
3. Set your device up in the normal manner

It is possible, but unlikely, that there is something wrong with your calibration. Try setting up your MIDI device again, from scratch.

It is possible, but unlikely, that your device is sending strange or corrupt MIDI Data. Steps forward from here are to:

• Disconnect your device, turn it off, turn it on, then reconnect it
• Check that it works with other MIDI software, such as MIDI-Ox
• Connect your device to MIDI-Ox. Check that Note-On data are being sent through when you play notes, and that data appear valid

If you are receiving bad data, try using shorter cables, new cables, or contact your device manufacturer.

If you have tried all of the above, and can receive messages in MIDI-Ox, including Note-On data, then try to:

1. Restart you computer
2. Close all programs except for Musink
3. Select a different output device from Musink (something as simple as possible)
4. Try to use your input device

This would be a good time to contact support.

There is a delay between playing a note on a MIDI device and that note playing through Musink.

This is a soundcard issue. It is not a Musink bug nor is it a compatibility issue. Some soundcards have are very slow at processing incoming MIDI data, so Musink does not receive messages till a while after you have played a note.

Replacing your MIDI device, Musink, or MIDI cables is very unlikely to fix this problem. There are several ways you can deal with this issue.

Utilise Musink Pro's Delay Compensation. This tells Musink to take into account the delay when quantising your recording. This will not remove the delay, but will ensure your notes are in time. Delay compensation is set in Input Device Settings. Also see Use Your Device's Speaker, below.

If your MIDI device has a speaker, use that speaker - it should have no delay. You can stop your device's sounds coming from the computer by unchecking Pass data thru to output device in Input Device Settings. Ideally, also use delay compensation (see above) so that Musink understands a delay is involved.

Use MIDI Step Entry instead of Record MIDI in Musink. Delays here do not matter.

Use a MIDI-Out device that utilises an ASIO driver. ASIO drivers temporarily 'take over' your soundcard, and usually remove all delay. Help with ASIO drivers is beyond the scope of Musink help. While many find this as an effective solution, it can be tricky to set up for novices. For legal reasons, Musink Ltd makes no claims as to the safety of 3rd party software.

As this issue is very likely a soundcard issue, a better soundcard ultimately will solve your problems. For legal reasons, we cannot endorse any particular soundcards or recording equipment. MIDI latency is quite a common issue for MIDI users, and we think that moderately computer savvy individuals should be able to solve this issue without having to purchase new gear.