# Bizarre Piano Sound Coming from Cubase When MIDI Keyboard Connected



## bobbyz123 (Mar 24, 2022)

So I am trying to EQ my library via Vienna Ensemble Pro on a separate slave computer, but when I hit the notes on my MIDI piano, I get the desired sound of the strings as well as a bizarre phantom piano that I can't figure out how to turn off. I get this sound even when using an empty, new Cubase project file. Any help on how to turn it off?


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## j_kranz (Mar 24, 2022)

Not a Windows user but I vaguely recall there being some sort of Windows default piano sound that would respond to MIDI... maybe google that.


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## bobbyz123 (Mar 24, 2022)

j_kranz said:


> Not a Windows user but I vaguely recall there being some sort of Windows default piano sound that would respond to MIDI... maybe google that.


I am using Mac


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## AcousTech (Mar 24, 2022)

MIDI Piano, you say? More detail may help. As in what specific device are you working with? If the device you are playing notes on can generate its own sounds(often true of a MIDI piano) then you may need to search for how to set LOCAL OFF on that device. Meaning disable the playing of any sound generators that are “local” to the MIDI piano itself. Maybe you know all of that, and it would seem you might if you are already mucking about with VEP, but maybe it helps?


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## j_kranz (Mar 28, 2022)

bobbyz123 said:


> I am using Mac


Yeah more info is really needed here... you said a slave computer, are both computers macs? Does your MIDI keyboard make sounds (what keyboard is it?)?


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## Seabass001 (May 11, 2022)

Hello,

I'm having the same issue and can't find a solution anywhere.

Using a Nektar LX49 on Mac Mini M1 and Logic Pro 10.7.4

I checked the manual, watched videos, etc. and not sure if Local Thru/Off is called something else on Nektar products?

Inputting notes generates the desired instruments sound, but also a piano sound with it. On playback, there is no piano sound.

This just started today. Only thing different than yesterday is that I created a new blank project when yesterday was working from a Spitfire template.

Anyone know how to stop this?

Thanks,
Seabass


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## Seabass001 (May 11, 2022)

New thing.

Before the "other" sound I was hearing was a piano, for some reason now, when I changed piano instruments on a track, now I hear a violin as the ghost voice.

A second, unwanted instrument is still sounding. Now it's a violin instead of piano.

If I quit and open it up again, it goes back to piano. This seems to happen after opening Spitfire Audio LABS interface.

??????

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.


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## AcousTech (May 11, 2022)

OK. Just to make sure, are you using the LX49, or LX49+? 

Do you have their Logic control software installed?





Logic Setup and Troubleshooting: Impact







nektartech.com





As for the “ghost” note issue - is the Layer button on the LX lit up? Which lets you layer two instruments on top of each other? If so press that so it is no longer lit up and see what you get.

I don’t think you have a Local Off issue here, as this device is ”just” a MIDI controller. Which is to say it is not also a tone generator, so there aren’t any local-to-the-LX sounds that it can make.


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## Seabass001 (May 11, 2022)

AcousTech said:


> OK. Just to make sure, are you using the LX49, or LX49+?
> 
> Do you have their Logic control software installed?
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply, think I figured out the issue, but don't know how to stop it.

I have both MuseScore and Logic open, so when I play in one program, instruments from both programs are being triggered at the same time.

I have an older LX49, and do not see a Layer button. In my manual it says Layer and Split buttons are only on the LX88.

- Anyone know how to make it so that when switching between Logic and MuseScore only the instrument from that program is triggered? (Other than quitting and re-opening a million times a day?)

Does it have anything to do with MIDI mapping? I've never touched that stuff and haven't learned it yet. Muting the selected instrument staff in MuseScore's mixer doesn't stop the sound from triggering.

I'm writing in MuseScore, then exporting individual instrument parts as MIDI, dragging those .mid files to Logic and playing around with them.

- Is there a better way to do that?

Thanks!
Seabass


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## AcousTech (May 11, 2022)

Ahhhh. OK. That makes more sense. So, both MuseScore and Logic will be listening on a MIDI channel. Your LX49 is also sending on a MIDI Channel. By default, they will likely all use Channel 1. If the LX49 is sending on Channel 1, and both MuseScore and Logic are listening on Channel 1, then they will both "play" whatever instrument they are currently configured for. The easy way to test this is to just close one of them while you are trying this and see if the "ghost" notes go away. 

If that solves it, then you have options. You can change the MIDI channel that one of them listens on, even temporarily, like change the channel in Logic when you want to "play" from MuseScore, and vice versa, and that will solve the problem. Try that and let us know how you get on.


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## Seabass001 (May 11, 2022)

I tried every combo of Logic/MuseScore with MIDI port 1-2 combinations, but no luck. Will play around with it more later.

The other workaround so far is to add a blank staff in MS, and turn that instrument's mixer fader to zero. This means I still have to make sure to click in that blank staff before switching windows to Logic. No big deal, but it's getting annoying since I'm back and forth b/t the two programs constantly and isn't helping my already-slow-novice workflow.

I asked this question on the MS forum and will let you know what I hear.

Thanks, AcousTech!


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## AcousTech (May 11, 2022)

Did you close one of them completely as a test? It sure seems like they are both responding to what you are playing on the LX49 at the same time. Turning one of the apps off will at least validate that theory. If that “solves” it, then we just have a bit more work to do teasing out the particulars.


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## Seabass001 (May 13, 2022)

Yes. Closing one completely eliminates the problem.


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## AcousTech (May 13, 2022)

OK. That’s good confirmation. I still suspect this is a MIDI configuration issue. Like does one of the programs have a MIDI echo on, which the other program would “hear”, and thus you get the ghost notes again? Unfortunately, without seeing the MIDI settings of Cubase, MuseScore, and the LX49 - all 3 components - it’s hard to confidently declare where the issue actually is.


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## rgames (May 13, 2022)

That happens to me in Cubase under Windows. In my case it's because Cubase will route a new MIDI track to the default Windows synth with a default piano sound. I get that when I'm trying to record MIDI inputs from hardware synths that I'm recording to audio - combo of the synth sound and piano. So I have to set the routing to "none" before I start recording.

Not sure if that's what's happening to you but you might look for something like that.


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## AcousTech (May 13, 2022)

Good call out, though there’s a Mac being used in this case.


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## Seabass001 (May 13, 2022)

I'm on a Mac M1 Catalina, using Logic Pro 10.7.4. 

It must be a MIDI configuration thing. I'll play around with it when I get the chance.

Thanks for the help!


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