Axe-Fx USB MIDI Thru problem

Sean O'Brien said:
Smpte that’s is distributed through out the production.
Yesterday I tested my system using a copy of the show smpte on a separate computer . However the session is a few days older than the actual show code.
So for this test I used the 5 pin din on the axfx
It works flawlessly.
During a run through with the actual show code I had the same problem as before.
So as for playing back via the usb midi
It’s probably fine .
As I said before the axfx 2xl+ Does not pass correct data from the MFC through the usb midi
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Sorry my first sentence wasn’t clear
Show code is just the master smpte distributed though out the production . So lights ,media servers, pyro , mixing , guitar patch and controller info ect...can be synced
 
Got it.

Sean O'Brien said:
As I said before the axfx 2xl+ Does not pass correct data from the MFC through the usb midi
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Your last statement is the bug that "bugs" me. I saw a thread on the AXE III forum where someone was talking about using the Axe III for MIDI Guitar. That's what I wanted to do using the MFC to control volume via CC's. It should have worked with the AXE II/MFC setup via USB but it didn't. Too bad.....
 
Yes I could do that. I have a Roland USB MIDI interface that works exactly as a USB MIDI interface should. It's just extra cords to plug in. I don't think I can have the RAC-12 hooked up at the same time though. I'll have to check the manual.

I'm just not sure why Fractal's USB MIDI interface doesn't work properly. From what I got from Matt on support and reading the other "bug" reports on this subject, it seemed it was an Apple problem but the Roland interface works fine so that doesn't make sense.
 
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Bondsong - Buy an Axe-Fx, Sell all your stompboxes...but buy more MIDI gear! I half jest, but I had to buy a Roland UM-ONE like you to get my 2K+ valued Fractal unit to pass usable MIDI to my computer. Oh, the expletives that come to mind...

I'm still a bit confused about the status here. Rereading this thread I see that Matt couldn't recreate our bug --- that sort of implies to me that it works on his test system. Does that mean that it's only our problem (three people)? If that's the case perhaps we can identify some conflicting driver between us? Did anybody ever actually not have this problem?

So, I know I'm probably pissing up a rope even asking...but anyway - here goes. Has this USB MIDI problem been occurring with the Axe-Fx III and MacOS?
 
Matt said it worked for him using Logic. He was suggesting it might be a Cubase problem.

I don't use Logic but I tried it with MainStage, Midi Guitar 2 and Cubase and it didn't work. I'm assuming MainStage would be using a similar driver to Logic. They all worked properly with the UM-One.

I don't understand how Matt got it to work. The "conflicting driver" is the Axe FX USB midi driver. There's no other reasonable explanation when you look at the fact that the UM-One USB midi driver works flawlessly. How could it be anything else? I think the only reason it hasn't been addressed is because of the small number of people that want to use this feature.

I'm with you on the expletives. lol.
 
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So, today I decided that I was gonna try to solve this on my own albeit in my highly unscientific manner. After messing around with deleting potential conflicting drivers and resetting this and that I bit the bullet and reinstalled MacOS 10.13.5.

As expected:
-MIDI Monitor still shows invalid messages only for Axe-Fx USB MIDI.
-MIDI Test still shows random incorrect values only for Axe-Fx USB MIDI.
-MIDI Guitar 2 still can't accept control assigns from Axe-Fx USB MIDI...more to follow on this point...

Unexpected:
-Now I cannot see any MIDI at all from the Axe-Fx in Ableton Live 10 - I used to get at least get a signal in the MIDI IN indicator even if nothing was readable/assignable. The Axe-Fx is visible as In/Out ports but there is no MIDI coming through.
-The biggest surprise, I can see correct MIDI messages from the Axe in Logic Pro X!!! And, in Logic Pro X, I can assign controllers accurately with the AU version of MG2 (not the standalone) but not in Mainstage 3!!! No Axe MIDI arrives in Mainstage 3. MS3 could have been a decent host solution if it could replace Ableton Live 10 - but it can't yet.

I also tested the Axe via MIDI-OX on Windows 10 (Parallels MacBook) and all MIDI Thru over USB is reading nicely there.

So...now I'm more stumped than ever. I contacted Apple support since Fractal suggests it's an Apple issue. They said they'd pass it along to engineering. We'll see. I'm starting to wonder if it is, in fact, an issue with certain software packages only - Ableton Live is the clincher for me.
 
I found a work around for my particular problem. I connected the Yamaha md bt01 to the AXEFX and RAC12. Then I turned off the USB adaptor mode in the Axe midi settings. I can now send controller messages properly to Midi Guitar from the MFC. This won’t help anyone who is having trouble sending CC messages to a Mac unless they have a Yamaha md bt01 or some other USB midi interface but it works for me. The thing about the md bt01 is I can leave it plugged in in my rack and don’t have to use another USB port.
 
Hopefully they get u sorted man. Only connection issues I ever get are the damn "Unkown device- version information could not be queried" when I first fire up the rig, Mac, and axe edit. Requires an axe shut down and restart every time! Annoying as f because it's gonna take its toll on my machine! Only responses I get are to update all software and drivers and if u research, this 99% of time never corrects the issue. As if the issue isn't valid unless you're on the "latest" which is total bs! Sorry I'm ranting I apologize. I guess I'll make my post a bit more relevant and suggest changing the cables. Have u installed the latest softwares and drivers? Lol
 
@vaultnaemsae has some more data on the issue that he got from the guy who makes Snoize Midi Monitor when he was helping someone who owned an Axe FX with this problem. If @vaultnaemsae wants to share it you may be interested in what the problem is.

The problem seems to be that Fractal uses Apple's USB midi driver for transfer of data from the Axe FX to the computer and that driver doesn't send the data the way it's supposed to be sent. It does something weird to CC messages. If @vaultnaemsae wants to share his data you can see what it is exactly. This explains why the Roland UM-one works and Fractal's driver doesn't. Roland makes their own driver. So either Apple would have to fix their driver or Fractal would have to make their own working USB MIDI driver. I don't think they're interested in doing that. We can always hope or harrass Apple into fixing theirs.
 
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bondsong said:
We can always hope or harass Apple into fixing theirs.
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I'm willing to bet most issues with drivers or anything USB/data transfer related problem stems from something with a stupid apple on it. Prob the same poisonous apple Eve bite into. U can even see it's been bit
 
I've had a couple of conversations with Apple. I'm not sure if the information from Kurt at Snoize is really relevant to anybody but Fractal Audio and Apple Engineering at this stage though. I'm waiting to hear back from the Apple guy and depending on the outcome I'll likely contact Matt at Fractal Audio Support again. If anybody is interested I can share what Kurt told me. He clearly put alot of effort into investigating this issue.

But it remains that the Axe-Fx II's USB MIDI is broken on MacOS only (except for certain applications). Only Apple and Fractal Audio can fix it and each has said to me that it is the other's problem.
 
vaultnaemsae said:
each has said to me that it is the other's problem.
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EXACTLY!!! This is so frikkin typical of major companies of many different types, when they know you're working across multiple platforms I.e. Fractal product with an Apple product, or whatever it may be. It's all a blame game at that point it pisses me off something fierce!! But I'm still going to side with Fractal one for obvious reasons;)
 
Billbill said:
EXACTLY!!! This is so frikkin typical of major companies of many different types, when they know you're working across multiple platforms I.e. Fractal product with an Apple product, or whatever it may be. It's all a blame game at that point it pisses me off something fierce!! But I'm still going to side with Fractal one for obvious reasons;)
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So if you delete all other midi drivers
And only use logic (an apple owned program?) it works ? You can record control and patch changes into logic?
How about more than on MFC prefomance simultaneously? (ie 2 or 3 people at once on separate midi channels )
Honestly it still doesn’t help me . I’m using Digital performer at work.
 
My personal opinion on this is that Fractal should not rely on Apple's USB MIDI driver when it doesn't work since it cannot be relied on in actual practice. However having said that, I have no idea of the logistics or cost of creating your own USB driver for a company the size of Fractal. It might be totally impractical. I have no idea. I have no doubt they could do it properly but $,time and/or resources are most likely the major stumbling block. Too bad because it can be done correctly as evidenced by other companies making USB MIDI drivers that work great.
I can't see this being any better in the Axe FX III either as they will be using the very same buggy Apple USB MIDI driver.

Just my opinion...
 
I noticed that Line6 uses the Apple driver but also has their own driver for USB audio and MIDI. I really wish Fractal would go that route. The Apple driver is also limited to 48kHz.
 
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