I’ve had an “interresting” situation recently; I’ve used to send audio from my ipad using StageTraxx3 to my A&H via Usb-C. A digital hardwiering that has been working flawlessly for some time now.
After putting in midi code to my lyrics to change presets and scenes on my Quad Cortex, The A&H mixer is changing settings radically when playing some of my songs (only some songs though).
I guess some of the midi syntax ive put into the lyrics for the quad cortex are getting picked up by the mixer and making changes which is 100% out of my control as for now!
I havent found a practical on how to manage midi on the cq18t🤷♂️ so im just skipping the subject entierly.
Allthough, the CQ18t reading midi messages is a terrible problem now.
Ive looked through the menu of the A&H CQ18t for turning midi off completely because i dont need it, but i cant even find midi mentioned anywhere.
On my last gig i had to send audio via the bluetooth on the mixer not to mess out my mixer setting during the gig. Bummer!
Does anyone know how to disable midi on the A&H CQ18t? I dont want the unit to recieve midi at all.
I think you need to revisit your MIDI structure and commands. MIDI commands should include a device address so that other devices don’t accidentally “fire” on commands intended for other devices. I suspect your CQ and Quad Cortex are setup with the same MIDI address which is causing your issues.
Ive just read through the a&h manual about midi, and as i suspected, it seem that the cq18t recieves midi at channel 1. So you might very well be right👍
Now i «only» need to re-program all my 115 lyrics not to send to ch1…
It would bea bit easier if i just could change the recieving channel on the mixer - or switch off all midi entierely as i really dont need midi acivated on my mixer.
Firstly, the midi protocol documentation can be found with all the other CQ documentation in the A&H website download/support area, if you can interpret.
Second, as you found, CQ ONLY works on channel 1and is NRPT formatting ( excuse if acronym is wrong but you know what I mean).
If you still use midi controls for the CQ then you will need to either change all your midi channel messaging to aviod 1, use the various devices perhaps to port and filter your message routing.
BUT the simplest way, if you no longer use the midi control on the CQ is disconnectbthe USB link between the CQ and the iPad message source.
As far asn I know, USB is the only midi connection to the CQ.
I too run a setlist app on iPad thru an interface but midi thereafter is via 5 pin din. I have extensive studio styled setup at home for tinkering with synths, practice, and various audio processing and recording band stuff, the usb can play havoc when using the iPad in stage setup simulation, messages go all over the place and is aother story, but it reiterates your issues with the CQ.
If you are really struggling, I ve seen a new product release from the CME stable, very clever midi mapping filtering and routing device with various connections and a software config app.
CMEH4MIDI WC. Its a thing on my shopping list at under 50 notes UK and I think is a USA product.
I do run USB into my CQ from a separate laptop and connect as an Audio Device thru windows, the laptop runs a DJ app Inuse via windows remote control on another iPad so Incan pause playback off stage and trigger walkons etc sonthe audio is direct to CQ saving me another 2 input sockets (No we dont have a soundguy to do this)
Im quite happy with the CQ being a digital mixer with touch screen, function knobs and the ability to act (and with good quality ) as an audio interface, which was the reason for me going for this mixer.
With The StageTraxx 3 app I’m able to play back stereo files AND stereo stem files, routed directly within the app to my CQ. And the stream has to go through the USB-connection. With midi notes directly in the lyrics, the ST3 app flawlessly connects wireless to the CME Widi Master dongle.
Now, IMO the CQ series mixers from A&H is NOT made for wired external control. That’s ok. There are several options on other brands of mixers made for connecting external control, and the 18t is super for small sol acts, duos or bands. And you’ve got the app control. Super!
What I experienced last Saturday - four hours prior to gig, shouldn’t be happening! And it did happen due to the fact that A&H have decided to occupy one of the midi channels without the ability to change the receiving channel or disable midi.
Yes I could disconnect USB to avoid issues with the mixer goin midi-nuts every now and then. But then again; the whole point of connecting my device to the mixer was the digital direct audio streaming.
The midi commands are already inside the lyrics of some 140 songs, and they all go to channel 1.
As mentioned - I had to stream my audio to the mixer via bluetooth. NOT a preferred solution, but the only thing that worked.
Now - in my case this was quite a bad experience. But not the worst. I discovered these issues four hours prior to gig and not during! AND I only needed to stream stereo files - not multi channel stems.
Now im staying away from ever using midi channel 1 for anything. Due to this box.
MIDI really should be disabled all together on this mixer not occupying any channels. As the situation is, it’s just an accident waiting to happen for anyone else later on!
In the menu settings somewhere there really should exist a button. Midi: on/off
Ah, like me you aer feeding audio FROM the iPad as well as it sending out midi. I get the dilemma now.
I know on 2 of my keyboards there is patch midi pages wher you can turn on/off various midi messages such as prog change, pitch bend etc, but not seen any midi off nor actuall note blocking functions either, which CQ will respond to of course.
Tho I have yet to see a midi off on a device ( any I have owned) the ability to actually change the midi channel is a total downer after hours of hard work building your setup and other messaging.
My only thought at thus point is the midi device that might “Port” route, thus its possible you can stop CH 1 messages routing thru port “CQ” thats connected to that specific USB socket. I cant be certain as I dont have this particular device as yet.
Good luck.
TBH, why does the StageTraxx app is sending MIDI to all available destinations over Bluetooth and USB?
MIDI is not made for that kind of connection.
The receiver can’t decide if the messages are meant for it. If they reach the receiver, it is already too late. The transmitter is responsible for the addressing. So it should be possible to set the MIDI transmission to Bluetooth only.
The fact that MIDI is that limited is addressed with MIDI 2.0.
Unfortunately, this isn’t widely adopted in the market now and not a solution in that case. But who knows what the future…
Shure, still with the Widi Master dongle (or a cable) to the Quad Cortex, you can decide to ignore midi messages going in by disabeling midi - you just pull the midi plug/ cable
Or by changing the recieving channel🤷♂️
Its abolutely worth though to suggest to the developer of the app to implement a routing choise for the midi going out of the app👍
I agree that if MIDI is available on a device (like the CQ) the manufacture should also allow a person to change the MIDI channel being used. To simply hard code the MIDI channel and force people to use a specific channel without the ability to change it is really bad IMHO.
Since the CQ MIDI channel is hard coded, it’s very likely that adding a CQ to an existing MIDI setup will cause this exact issue - where the existing MIDI network already has a device that is using the same hardcoded MIDI channel that the CQ wants to use.
It is unrealistic to expect someone to reprogram their entire MIDI setup and move the existing devices off the hardcoded CQ MIDI channel. It would be much easier to simply change the MIDI channel on the CQ to an unused channel. By hardcoding the MIDI channel on the CQ, A&H has taken away this option.
MIDI is a point to point connection. It is possible to use more than one device with MIDI channel 1. On different connections.
Usually, one would use a MIDI through port to have other devices on the same connection. But the desk has no MIDI through. And not all devices are as flexible as you might expect.
MIDI is no network at all. That is introduced with MIDI 2. All other connections are still point to point carried over USB or Ethernet as the transport media. But the principles are still not network related.
The controller (normally a master keyboard) should manage the connection and the channels. And there are managing devices available that help overcome the restrictions related to the nature of the protocol.
The BOME box, for example, is a widely used device nowadays.
To enable the CQ to change its midi channel isn’t really a guarantee to have it hassle-free running with other equipment.
To have a management app (StageTraxx) that sends all midi over all available connections at the same time is a guarantee for problems.
If it is intended, then why not change the MIDI channel on the other devices?
Both, StageTraxx and the QuadCortex support different MID channels.
Asking for a solution that is not available yet is a bit weird… since the solution is available already. Changing MIDI channels isn’t the same as reprogramming something.
AND I only needed to stream stereo files - not multi channel stems.
