Buzzing noise from midi in

[Okopoiksht]

Hello,
I have an issue with beatstep pro. Whenever i connect midi in cable, there is a big buzz noise going. When midi out is connected, no problem, i can sequence synths without noise, but midi in really is loud. I've tryed different cables.. did anyone had this problem? Thank you

[megamarkd]

What have you got going on in your MIDI chain.  Is it running into a computer at any stage or any of the instruments going into a computer?  Are the instruments powered from the same powerpoint (wall socket) or to different ones.  Sounds like an earth loop.

[Okopoiksht]

I run everything from pc - 10 slots self powered usb hub. Then i send midi clock trough usb to couple of synths and like four controllers including beatstep pro. Then also i have midiface box and i feed two synths from there with midi. I connect two synths via midi split to beatstep pro, and because one synth has a keyboard, i want to connect to beatstep pro midi in, but like I said there is problem. Basically i have quite a bit of gear running at the same time, and they all connected to the same power source, i use like like four power socket extensions to feed evrth from one source. And yes there is a little bit of noise going when i turn them all on, but its bearable. But when i touch midi in of beatstep, ouch.

[megamarkd]

I run everything from pc - 10 slots self powered usb hub. Then i send midi clock trough usb to couple of synths and like four controllers including beatstep pro. Then also i have midiface box and i feed two synths from there with midi. I connect two synths via midi split to beatstep pro, and because one synth has a keyboard, i want to connect to beatstep pro midi in, but like I said there is problem. Basically i have quite a bit of gear running at the same time, and they all connected to the same power source, i use like like four power socket extensions to feed evrth from one source. And yes there is a little bit of noise going when i turn them all on, but its bearable. But when i touch midi in of beatstep, ouch.

When you say "ouch" do you literally mean ouch as in you get a little shock?  That would indicate most definitely you have an earth loop with your MIDI set up not allowing your instruments of earth themselves.  I'd be a little worried about your set-up without the BSP even coming into the equation also if you are indeed getting a small shock.  Even if you are not getting a shock, connecting so many devices to an unpowered USB hub can cause noise issues.  As you are essentially letting them all share a common point that they are being powered from, the current draw will eventually exceed that which your computer can provide from a single USB port and you will being to have instruments sound noisy and distorted as they start to receive insufficient amps to operate.  Try swapping to a powered hub to see if that alleviates the problem.

Aside that it certainly sounds like you have an earthing problem, which may be solved by using the Y cable that came with the BSP; plug one end into the computer and the other into a USB mains power adaptor.  Using it to power the BSP will allow it to earth via a mains outlet rather than sending the earth along the MIDI cables looking for a place to escape and another instrument then allowing it to do so via it's audio output and giving you the noise you are hearing every time you add the BSP to your set up.

[Okopoiksht]

I am runing powered hub, ofcourse. Otherwise it would be too bad.. and no, this "ouch" did not mean i get a shock haha, was just saying geting a buzz like a noise thats it:)) Anyways, i managed to get everything work, so now i run BSP from powered usb hub and also feeding it by separate power source, and what i also did, (i dont know why i did not do it before, really) is update the firmware, and now no noise and midi is working with synths and i can finally play on external keyboard recording it to BSP!!! Very happy, very thank you all for help! Wish you happy Cristmas and lots of inspiration! B)

[Ingrinator]

hello, I think I have the same problem, well...
I plugged my midi in outs of my Nord Lead to the BeatStepPRo which is plugged via usb to my ableton and I've got a huge noise impossible to play it... I didn't really understand what you guys did to make it work

cheers

[megamarkd]

hello, I think I have the same problem, well...
I plugged my midi in outs of my Nord Lead to the BeatStepPRo which is plugged via usb to my ableton and I've got a huge noise impossible to play it... I didn't really understand what you guys did to make it work

cheers

The answer is to use the Y-cable shaped USB cable that comes with the BSP, with the end that has the computer on it going to the computer and the other end to a USB power adaptor.  Okopoiksht says that they also updated to the latest firmware and that seemed to make a difference.

[betaunits]

Sorry to exhume this topic after so long but I am also having this problem. MIDI input connected causes the most god-awful noise in my rig. I do not need to connect my computer to the Beatstep, I'm running a stand-alone synth rig with it. I tried the Y-adapter with the USB cable plugged into my power strip and it's not stopping the noise. Running most current firmware as of last week. Do I have to plug both sides of the Y-adapter to power to get this to stop? Seems kind of odd, and wasteful of limited USB sockets on my power strip.