Wireless midi issues that started once I switched to Gig performer

Hi All, I’ve successfully transitioned to full Gig Performer. But I am having an issue with wireless MIDI from my keytar. I keep getting stuck notes. I was originally using a midijet pro system, tried raising the receiver antenna to the top of my keyboard stand, which helped. But I was still having problems, so I read that the Panda wireless MIDI system was a newer design, that would have better results, since it handles a few things differently. But I am still having issues, stuck notes. I’m not sure what else to try.

Anyone have any suggestions?

If you open the global midi monitor, are you seeing missing note off events there?

Just curious, can I start the midi monitor at the beginning of the gig, and let it run in the background, then go back and check the info?

Sure but you would have to sift through a lot of data.

Frankly I would be (I am) very skeptical of these wireless solutions. I had the MIDIjet system a long time ago. It had the feature where the receiver would automatically send a note off message if it lost a connection with the transmitter.

However, in my opinion, the problem today is that there is simply far too much interference from all the cell phones around the place. I had been using a wireless system to connect my iPads to my computer for live shows and worked great for years, but as more and more people have phones, it became intermittently unstable to the point where about four months ago I finally gave up and set up ethernet wired connections from my iPad to my computer.

On top of that, moving around can be a problem too with sporadic nulls in the path, even if you are close to the receiver.

I agree with the crowed spectrum, but less than a year ago, before I switched to Gig Performer, I was using a Yamaha Genos 2, and controlling it with a Roland Keytar, with not a problem, so I’m not sure if it has anything to do with Gig Performer, or its just a coincidence

If you just play with your hardwired controllers, do you experience issues?

I have not tried that yet, but I’m leading to believe it’s not that, since, if I stay in one location, I never have a stuck note or issue. I’m thinking that, which I have nothing to back this theory, is that with Gig performer, and wireless midi, I might be sending allot of info at once, and any slight delay or hiccup with the wireless midi causes the stuck notes, where on my old rig, I believe it just kinda muscled through it, since there was less information being transferred and processed ?

Or there is a gremlin living in my keytar, that I have not found as of yet

As being a long time user of the Panda wireless midi with GP I can say that the only things that can lead to stuck or missing notes are:

  • metal between transmitter and receiver
  • too long distance
  • too much business at 2.4 GHz
  • receiver too near to another transmitter

Before your gig go to every point of the stage that you will go to while your gig is on and check the transmission. All (!!!) other wireless devices (PA, mics, guitar transmitters, etc.) must be on.

Hope this helps

I use CME WiFi systems and have never had a fault.

The receiver is plugged in the powered hub and no probs.

All my gigs are open air, so maybe that’s why..

I’ve try that system also, and had the same problem, actually more frequently with that system.

@Frankieve, your hardware workstation might ignore some message types that Gig Performer actually processes by default (like active sensing and other realtime messages). This could be too much to handle for your plugins.
You should try to block any unnecessary message type at the earliest possible stage depending on your GP setup.

I’ve been pretty successfully using Pandamidi as @Flodder has, too. Affordable, low latency and stable.
However, I’ve noticed that in my region the used frequency band has become more and more crowded over the years. Additionally our new wireless access point completely smashes the transmission so I had to focus on 5 GHz Wi-Fi only.
Have you by chance changed any wireless devices on stage (even your computer searching for wireless networks could interfere with the MIDI)?

That’s actually very interesting, I guess I can put a midi filter in the path, what do you suggest I block?

Open the global MIDI monitor, see what messages are coming in first as you play. Then post a screen shot

I use two wireless systems in my Gig Performer setup. I have a fairly new CME WIDI on my Hammond SK1. It communicates both directions flawlessly. My rig sends patch change and other things like “sustain pedal on or off”. The Hammond sends note on/off and whatever controls I have programmed into it. Like I said, that setup works perfectly. I also use an old Alesis Keytar (original wireless model). It has its own built in wireless connection to a dongle that came with it. The dongle plugs into a USB port on my laptop. This setup does not work as well. I don’t get stuck notes but if I use aftertouch for things like vibrato it sometimes misses the aftertouch going back to zero. I programmed one of the pad on the keytar to be an “all notes off” command so if anything sticks I can zero it out by hitting that pad. Usually without anyone noticing. So I highly recommend the CME products. I’ll be buying a wireless MIDI hub but am waiting for the new models to shake out and then decide what will work best for me.