Huh? My Korg Kross2 "suddenly quit working," but for MIDI only?!

[MikeRobinson]

My Korg KROSS2 synth (USB connected ...)  has both MIDI and audio capability.  Today, all of the sudden, it works for audio but I don't see any MIDI messages coming in.  In the "Audio MIDI Setup" utility, "MIDI Studio," the icon appears but it is gray and the "Device Is Online" checkbox is also gray.

So – I can't quite believe that a keyboard would fail in any such "selective" way, and right now I'm not quite sure what to do.

Update:  Even as I wrote this, I may have "fixed it."  In Audio MIDI Setup, I unplugged the device and, noticing that the icon was still there on the "MIDI Studio" screen, I deleted it.  Then, I plugged the device back  in.  Within a couple seconds, the icon reappeared, and this time it works just fine.

Does anyone have any idea what just happened??

[Atlas007]

That happen sometimes with my old MOTU MIDI Timepiece. I believe that is a connection problem. I use the same procedure you describe to solve same. Sometimes I have to delete the MOTU’s icon from within the AMS (MIDI studio window), as the faded icon remains present after the new solid icon appear.

[MikeRobinson]

Well, I don't know how it could be a "[USB] connection problem," since the audio connection continued to work perfectly.  I'm just glad that I solved the problem before losing a full day's work. 

But ... "computer geek that I am" ... I am left wondering "what the hell happened?"  And, how can we write it up to Apple as – obviously in this case – a MacOS "bug report?"  This situation came completely "out of the blue."

Obviously, Logic must rely entirely on MacOS to handle the hardware interfaces and to deliver MIDI events to it.  But it is right now not at all obvious to me why this happened ... and, why it first happened ... today.  I cannot recall doing a single thing yesterday that was different.

Edited June 28, 2022 by MikeRobinson

[Atlas007]

Perhaps the problem is with the Kross 2?

[MikeRobinson]

In this case I am confident that it is a software problem.  But, "today," it's just gotten a bit weirder.  Normally, I can record a MIDI track, then add an audio track beneath it, play the MIDI track into the keyboard, and get the audio equivalent back out.  But, at exactly the time that this first problem occurred, now I seem to have this second one.

[MikeRobinson]

P.S.: The audio input that I am now receiving – from where, I do not know – is "an impossibly square-wave signal."  A very hard buzz.  I really have no idea where  it is coming from.

P.S(2):  When I check this device on the "Sound" control panel, "Input side," I see an entirely-expected response.  I press keys and see the response from those keys.  Therefore, where in the heck is this hard square-wave coming from?!

Like I said – I've never heard anything like it ... there is nothing in my hardware which could possibly be producing it.  Therefore, where is the damned signal coming from?!

(I have no reason – yet –  to suspect that my synth has "suddenly gone terribly wrong.")

Edited June 29, 2022 by MikeRobinson

[Atlas007]

Have you tried rebooting your system? Start with a new project?

[MikeRobinson]

Yes, so far, "all of these things."  The hardware and software perform perfectly when I re-play the external MIDI track with the keyboard attached, but when I attempt to record it I get this square wave.  And, even last week, it didn't do that.

To clarify ...

When I open the "Sound" control panel, I hear silence.  Until I press a key.  Then, I hear that note as expected.  But, what Logic hears is this horrible square-wave signal ... which actually appears to initially consist of three square-wave notes.  Even though Logic's "Audio" preferences show (as does the system itself) this keyboard to be the input and output devices.

Based on all of this, I do not consider this to be a keyboard problem.  The device is not malfunctioning.

Edited June 30, 2022 by MikeRobinson

[MikeRobinson]

Now, this is totally weird.  When I attach my synthesizer and use it as "sound input," e.g. through the Sound control-panel, I hear complete silence until I start playing notes.  But that's not what I hear in Logic!  (In fact, "what I hear" is much worse than this.)  The square-wave sound grows when I play notes, and then does not subside.  Usually when the square-wave sound begins, it consists of "three notes."

I am completely flummoxed by what might be causing this.  Like I said, when I use the "Sound control panel" to check "input," I hear no sound until I press a key.  There is no "square wave."  And the "square wave" certainly does not build after the piano notes have faded out.

But, the moment I click "record" on an audio track, no matter what the "external source" may be, I am immediately confronted with this horrible square wave.

I cannot imagine what it is ... and it did not used to happen.  Maybe it is some strange "setting" of this device.  Can any of you imagine any sort of "hardware setting" which might produce this sort of behavior?  (The behavior happens only when this synth is connected, and recognized as a "sound input/output."

Edited June 30, 2022 by MikeRobinson

[Atlas007]

4 minutes ago, MikeRobinson said:

The square-wave sound grows

That looks like distortion feedback… 

[MikeRobinson]

Maybe so, Atlas, but where-the-hell is it coming from ... in an absolutely brand-new and empty Logic project?!

[Atlas007]

Does that happen only with Logic?

Does that happen with another synth?

[MikeRobinson]

Here's all that what I know ...

• When I look at this device from the Sound system control-panel, "input side," it is completely silent as I would expect.

• When I open a totally-blank new Logic project and record an audio track, as I have just shown, "I hear this."

• Furthermore, when I have past "heard this," it began with a three-note(!) build-up.  A three-step rise to the final noise.

[Atlas007]

3 hours ago, MikeRobinson said:

the Sound system control-panel

Could you clarify what you mean by that? Are you talking about the AMS? Speaking of AMS: are you using an aggregate?

 

3 hours ago, MikeRobinson said:

When I open a totally-blank new Logic project and record an audio track, as I have just shown, "I hear this."

Are you starting a new project from an existing template?

 

Have you tried resetting your prefs? Speaking of prefs, what are the Input and Output Devices selected in the Audio prefs?

 

BTW, you didn't answer to my previous questions (Does that happen only with Logic? Does that happen with another synth?).

 

Did you install some third party audio rerouting apps such as Loopback, BlackHole, or else? Are you using ReWire with another app?

 

OTOH, have you checked in the Troubleshooting section of your Kross manual?

Here is what I gleaned:

Quote

 

Noise or oscillation is heard

□

When you’re applying an effect

to an external audio input

signal from the MIC IN jack or LINE in jack, unwanted

oscillation (feedback) may oc

cur depending on the type

of effect or the parameter settings. If this occurs, adjust

the external audio signal’s input level, output level, or

effect parameters. Take care

especially when using high-

gain effects.

□

When using the MIDI/Tempo Sync function to control

the delay time of an effect, noise may occur in the delay

sound. This noise is due to

discontinuities in the delay

sound, and is not a malfunction.

□

Some effects, such as S19:

St. Analog Record, generate

noise intentionally. It

is also possible to create oscillation

using a filter with resonanc

e. These are not malfunctions.

□

Note that if you use the follow

ing effects with the routing

described below, a feedba

ck loop will be created,

possibly producing a loud noise. Please use caution.

If the signal from an oscillator

or timbre/track output, or

the signal after an insert effect, is sent to the FX Control

bus and that signal is output di

rectly, with this output sent

to the FX Control bus, a l

oud noise may be output. (It is

also possible that a DC component will be output at the

maximum level, producing silence.)

• When using the S03: Stereo Li

miter or S06: Stereo Gate,

and the

Env Src

(Envelope Source) of

these effects is set

as either FX Control 1 or FX Control 2, and

Trigger

Monitor

is On.

• When using D09: Vocoder, with the

Mod. Src

(Modulator Source) set to FX

Control 1 or FX Control 2,

and the

Mod. Hi Mix

(Modulator High Mi

x) set to other

than 0.

 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2022 by Atlas007

[MikeRobinson]

Sorry for the confusion.  This synth is attached to the computer via a USB cable and is sending the audio to the computer through that cable.  There is no hardware involved.  I'm using a brand-new blank project.  No plug-ins at all.

When I use the audio control panel and press keys, I hear only the proper notes.  When I play the keyboard, listening to headphones attached to its own built-in jack, I also hear only the proper notes.  But, when I record an audio track in Logic, I hear this buzzing ... which is affected by notes that I play (as you heard in the clip).  Usually, the buzz when it begins appears to consist of three notes "held down in turn."

It's very strange and "it just started happening," so yes I'm looking at the Troubleshooting section of the hardware manual.  It's a very strange combination of symptoms and observations that right now just doesn't add up. Thanks for trying to help me figure this thing out.  (My hand is poised above my forehead to say, "d'oh!")

Edited July 1, 2022 by MikeRobinson

[Atlas007]

3 hours ago, MikeRobinson said:

This synth is attached to the computer via a USB cable and is sending the audio to the computer through that cable.  There is no hardware involved.

Thanx for repeating about the connection although I had understood that previously. 😉

You state there is no hardware involved. How can you be so sure about same? In your configuration, there are at least 4 hardware items: your computer, your Kross, the USB cable and now your headphones. I would try not being misled by the strangeness of the symptoms and perform a systematic troubleshooting.

Sorry to insist, but did you try using another hardware synth? Did you try with another software than Logic, or on another Mac?

 

3 hours ago, MikeRobinson said:

I'm using a brand-new blank project.  No plug-ins at all.

I guess that you mean that brand-new blank project is not from a project template. Right?

"No plug-ins at all" is clear enough, but that doesn’t clarify about eventual use of either aggregates or presence of some third party audio rerouting background apps/services such as Loopback, BlackHole, or else? Or about using ReWire with/out another app?

 

Quote

When I use the audio control panel

Here you mention about the audio control panel while at other places you talk about Sound system control-panel. Is that the same thing? IOW, what is that? (Sorry to insist, but to optimize this communication, some clarification are needed.)

 

Again, I would like to know more about your prefs: what are the Input and Output Devices selected in the Audio prefs? Posting a screen capture of same could helpful…

 

Edited July 1, 2022 by Atlas007

[MikeRobinson]

I have only one synth now.  Yes, I mean the "Sound" control panel.  When the device is turned on, it is selected as both the audio-input and the audio-output device.  And it will, for example, flawlessly play the audio through headphones that are attached to it when I'm watching a video.  When I choose the "input" section of the Sound control panel, I see and hear no sound until I press a key: then I hear only the correct sound.  The volume indicator flickers up from zero (silence) then back down.  I hear no "square wave."

There is nothing here but Logic, having selected "New Project," the keyboard and a USB cable.

I will later post the requested screen shots.

Edited July 2, 2022 by MikeRobinson