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Pitch bend sending midi unintentionally

chillbot

Sock Muppet
Anyone have any tricks or suggestions for this?

I'm asking this here because it's happened to me with multiple controllers in the past, figured it might be somewhat common.

What happens is the pitch bend wheel gets a bit "loosey goosey" and will transmit random midi pitch bend data while I'm recording midi notes. Nothing significant, not like pitch bend an entire half step, but maybe +/- 500 (on a scale of -8,192 to +8,191). Like it's not snapping back to zero entirely.

In the past when this happens I can usually scientifically fix it by giving the wheel a good "wiggle" which tends to reset it to zero. But this time I've been wiggling it all over the place and even tried a few waggles, not helping. Still transmitting random data. Doesn't seem to be connected to bumping the keyboard or playing hard velocities.

I realize as I'm typing this, since I switched from my lovely Kurzweil about 20 years ago, my last three controllers have been Yamahas (because I love the touch), so maybe it's a Yamaha wheel thing? Currently using a Motif XF8 as main controller.

Wondering if there's any hacks short of taking the entire beast apart to adjust the spring/tension or replacing the entire wheel?

(Alternatively, I could just ignore the +/- 500 and chalk it up to adding a bit of "color" or intonation, since in most cases that works out to about ~12 cents. But dang my OCD...)
 
Maybe it is Yamaha. I've never had any trouble with my Novations. Or the M-Audio one. I sometimes wonder if I can just change the pitch wheel to something else. I never use it.
 
I've had this happen on M-Audio controllers before, so it's not just a Yamaha thing. I think it's the result of the same inevitable(?) dust buildup that causes old volume knobs to crackle. Aside from just disabling the pitch wheel input entirely in your DAW's controller mapping, I'm not sure if there's much you can do about it without having to open up the keyboard to clean it.
 
But this time I've been wiggling it all over the place and even tried a few waggles, not helping.
There's an innuendo in there somewhere :P
Seriously though, I've had this happen on an M-Audio - also random volume changes which is only fixed by wiggling the controller. Could it be dust?
 
Is there a recalibration mode? I've had this, oddly enough, on a Kurzweil and it seemed the software was getting confused as a recalibration fixed the issue. Might be worth trying if that option is there before cracking it open and cleaning it out.
 
I've had this happen on M-Audio controllers before, so it's not just a Yamaha thing. I think it's the result of the same inevitable(?) dust buildup that causes old volume knobs to crackle. Aside from just disabling the pitch wheel input entirely in your DAW's controller mapping, I'm not sure if there's much you can do about it without having to open up the keyboard to clean it.
I used to have this issue with my M-Audio controller. Lately it's been gone though, and I have no idea why. Other than occasionally wiping the dust off, I haven't done any kind of special cleaning.
 
I have a similar issue with an M-Audio Axiom 25 (v1)..it was moving by itself a few cents up and down. It has stopped doing that, but when it's in the middle, it sits at 58 (instead of the default 64).
If I nudge it sideways, it goes to 64..
 
I have the same problem with my m audio keystation 88e mod wheel. I use a separate cc1 controller and sometimes the two conflict and cc1 jumps all over the place. Apparently there's a way to reassign the keyboard controller, but even reading the instructions I haven't had any luck. Frustrating as hell and pretty random.
 
As already noted you should be able to disable the pitch wheel either in the keyboard or the DAW.

But yeah, that happens. I've had it happen on an older Alesis keyboard and a Yamaha foot pedal. The mechanism just gets worn out. It should be an easy fix. You can probably just order a new wheel assembly and swap it out with nothing more than a few screws and a cable attachment. It's probably not soldered in, but even if it is that's also pretty easy to do.

rgames
 
I'd suggest opening up the keyboard, unscrewing the pitch wheel, and taking a look at what's going on - assuming that just shooting component cleaner in there first doesn't fix it.

My first thought is that the springs that return it to center are stretched out and need replacing, but I have no idea.
 
Most PBend Wheels are mechanical and use a bent wire wrapped around the wheel like those hand held wrist squeezers.
They actually get loose and drift and sometimes need to be sprung again to get it to zero out.
Just replaced my triple wheel assembly on a K4 and it lasted for 5 years but Im always blending pitches, working the wheel over pretty good.
 
Shooting compressed air into the wheel to clean it out did not magically fix the problem. :(

As already noted you should be able to disable the pitch wheel either in the keyboard or the DAW.
Disable! No! I use my wheel on EVERYthing. Ask my assistant how mad I get when we get samples (marimbas, vibes, etc, and SPITFIRE) that don't allow bending. I love to bend.

I'd suggest opening up the keyboard, unscrewing the pitch wheel, and taking a look at what's going on
Yes, yes. And I was hoping to NOT open up the keyboard. It's a bit of a 70-pound beast and sunk into the desk, not as simple as you make it sound.
 
My old Korg Microkey was giving me the same problems. The worst thing is, both pitch bend and modulation were wired together when I opened it up, so there was no way I could simply unplug the pitch bend wires.

I simply had to buy a new Korg Microkey. The wild pitchbend issue is definitely something all controller manufacturers need to look into.

I mean sure, I could simply block out pitch bend signals in my Cubase menu, but I do want to be able to use pitch bend when I need it. Having to block and unblock in Cubase all the time is quite irritating.
 
Shooting compressed air into the wheel to clean it out did not magically fix the problem. :(

Yes, yes. And I was hoping to NOT open up the keyboard. It's a bit of a 70-pound beast and sunk into the desk, not as simple as you make it sound.


It's very simple - for me, since I'm just sitting in my armchair.

:)

You might try actual contact cleaner, not just compressed air. But this isn't the OT politics section - when it comes to things like PB wheels, Chim would know what he's talking about.
 
This happened to me with my beloved Alesis Quadrasynth. I'm not a good enough tech to have fixed it myself, but my tech said he probably could - for quite a bit more than the keyboard was worth. The comment above about the wheel getting re-sprung rings a bell. This Alesis had 'space age' skewed pitch and mod wheels, so maybe it was a special spring? Anyway, the keyboard was like 20+ years old at that point, so I let it go :crying:. Built like a tank and nothing else wrong with it (other than some of the onboard sounds of course - although nothing that couldn't be fixed by distorting the crap out of them).
 
I've had to replace the wheel pot on several of mine before. It's a pain but cheap fix compared to other options. If you know how to solder, it's not too difficult. Sometimes they just get worn out, I think.
 
Well I just had a ridiculous palm-to-the-face moment (we call it a @rotho moment). I don't think I could feel any dumber, one of those things where you don't see the shit that's right in front of you.

Hey @Jdiggity1 is the pitch bend wheel you ordered for the Motif returnable?

Anyway, of interest to my problem is the fact that I have six (6) keyboards connected to my DAW which includes a grand total of six (6) different pitch bend wheels.

Of course three are in the other room and two are over in the corner, only the Motif sits directly in front of me in my line of sight. But they all send midi messages.

I powered the Motif off, hit record on the DAW, and you'd never guess what it was still recording.
 
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