Hello,
I inherited a MM8 and I would like to use it as a controller.  This is my currect setup:

Mac Mini Server Quad Core
Mainstage 3
Abelton Live 9
Ominisphere

I have trouble getting sounds from MM8 in Mainstage (MS3).  MS3 sees it as I press the MM8 keybed I see the MIDI information being sent.  Yet I get no sound. I would like to play the on-board MM8 sounds in MS3.

Those of you that use your MM8 as a controller can you describe your physical connections between the MM8 and your pc/mac?  I can figure out how to configure it in MS3.

thanks!!

Hi realjazzsax,

I am unclear how you are getting MIDI to and from your Mac.

is it via USB or via 5 Pin MIDI cables?

Surely you want to be able to play the sounds in Mainstage with your MM8?

The MM8 onboard sounds come out of the analogue Left and Right audio outputs on the MM8 rear.

The sounds in Mainstage will be audible from your internal sound card unless you have an external interface you didn’t list.

The same applies to Omnisphere, running in Ableton or as stand alone.  Although if you run it inside Ableton you will need to set Abelton’s sound output to your internal sound card.

In order to hear those, you will need to connect your internal sound output on your Mac to a suitable mixer and/or amplifier and speakers.

It sounds like the MM8 is probably set up right if you have noticed that MIDI is working through your USB, but you should make sure you have installed the latest software driver for it and check that it is set up in your Audio MIDI Setup Utility in Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup Utility (in Mac OSX)

philwoodmusic - 05 November 2014 04:49 PM

Hi realjazzsax,

I am unclear how you are getting MIDI to and from your Mac.

is it via USB or via 5 Pin MIDI cables?

Surely you want to be able to play the sounds in Mainstage with your MM8?

The MM8 onboard sounds come out of the analogue Left and Right audio outputs on the MM8 rear.

The sounds in Mainstage will be audible from your internal sound card unless you have an external interface you didn’t list.

The same applies to Omnisphere, running in Ableton or as stand alone.  Although if you run it inside Ableton you will need to set Abelton’s sound output to your internal sound card.

In order to hear those, you will need to connect your internal sound output on your Mac to a suitable mixer and/or amplifier and speakers.

It sounds like the MM8 is probably set up right if you have noticed that MIDI is working through your USB, but you should make sure you have installed the latest software driver for it and check that it is set up in your Audio MIDI Setup Utility in Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup Utility (in Mac OSX)

Thanks for responding.  I am using one usb from the MM8 to the host Mac Mini.  Yes I want to play the MM8 sounds in MS3.  I have an audio interface but I did not list it cause I did not want to complicate the matter.  But if there is a solution that involves the interface then I will reconnect it.  This is the way I have it connected right now:

Mac Mini out to powered speakers.  MM8 usb to host Mac Mini.  On MM8 LOCAL is On.  KEYBOARD is ON.  PC Mode is ON.

I can play MS3 sounds on the MM8.  All I need is to play MM8 sounds using MS3.

Ah I see,

Let’s break this down a bit.

Let’s say I was using any of the well known regular DAWS and wanted to hear the MM8 through them and use the soft synths installed alongside those MM8 sounds, I’d have to make the MM8 the ‘in use’ interface by selecting it in the audio preferences of that DAW.

Once that was done, I’d have to set up a fresh audio track and set it to monitor the MM8 usb input so I could hear it.

So if this can be done in Mainstage (which I’m not perfectly sure it can) the first thing you’d need to do is make the MM8 the ‘in use’ interface from the audio prefs.

Then you’d need to create some kind of audio channel in mainstage and set that to monitor the USB inputs from the MM8.

I have no doubt that this approach will work in Ableton, I’m just not perfectly sure it does in Mainstage.

Again, check your driver before you try that because you won’t be able to choose the MM8 from any application if it is not installed.

philwoodmusic - 05 November 2014 05:37 PM

Ah I see,

Let’s break this down a bit.

Let’s say I was using any of the well known regular DAWS and wanted to hear the MM8 through them and use the soft synths installed alongside those MM8 sounds, I’d have to make the MM8 the ‘in use’ interface by selecting it in the audio preferences of that DAW.

Once that was done, I’d have to set up a fresh audio track and set it to monitor the MM8 usb input so I could hear it.

So if this can be done in Mainstage (which I’m not perfectly sure it can) the first thing you’d need to do is make the MM8 the ‘in use’ interface from the audio prefs.

Then you’d need to create some kind of audio channel in mainstage and set that to monitor the USB inputs from the MM8.

I have no doubt that this approach will work in Ableton, I’m just not perfectly sure it does in Mainstage.

Again, check your driver before you try that because you won’t be able to choose the MM8 from any application if it is not installed.

I forgot to mention I do have the current driver installed in the MAC.  It seems that I have my physical connections verified now.  All i need is to figure it out in MS3.  Thanks for your help!!

Should be in audio preferences, something like ‘device set up’ or ‘hardware set up’.

Then you need to work out how to create an audio channel and change its input to the MM8

Should be easy from there.

No worries, you’re welcome.