I'm having a lot of trouble, and I found this place out of a desperate search for understanding. I'm relatively new to MIDI and using controllers to make my music, and there are a few apparently critical aspects of the programming that have evaded me, which is making using my hardware all but impossible.

I've got my controller software here, and my troubles are the CC# and PC#. I know they're "Control Change" and "Program Change", but I don't know what they are, what they're for, how they work, or how to use them to link them with my DAW. I found one particular video here that shows me one particular configuration that works with a set series of sounds in FLS10, but is that the only possible combination that would work with FL?

Can anyone shed a little light on what I seem to be missing here?

man i dont knwo a huge deal about midi systems, i use a usb connection on my novation keyboard, once the driver is installed (you may be missing a driver) you should be able to select the device youre using in the midi or audio setting in FL?
i use FL 10 as well.. but yeah i go through usb rather than midi just for simplicity and ease of use.. does your keyboard have a usb connection?
yep i just looked it up and it does. i just found this on youtube for you. just use the usb connection directly into your pc, make sure youve installed any relevant drivers, and then watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I3j7LC9IHY

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www.soundcloud.com/skerrick

Quote Shajhirah:

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I'm having a lot of trouble, and I found this place out of a desperate search for understanding. I'm relatively new to MIDI and using controllers to make my music, and there are a few apparently critical aspects of the programming that have evaded me, which is making using my hardware all but impossible.

I've got my controller software here, and my troubles are the CC# and PC#. I know they're "Control Change" and "Program Change", but I don't know what they are, what they're for, how they work, or how to use them to link them with my DAW.

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You might want to do some basic googling on MIDI to understand what's going on a little more.

CC (or continuous controllers) are used for a bunch of purposes - there are 128 possible ones, and some CC numbers are generally reserved for particular functions (say, CC #7 is mostly used for volume) and others can be used for anything. (Here's an example list: List of CC numbers

Generally speaking, CC's have a value range of 0 to 127 (although there are ways of getting higher resolution) and if you want to turn a knob, or move a fader, generally CC's are the MIDI messages transmitted.

Program changes are primarily designed for switching patches on MIDI gear - so for example, to let you select different sounds on a synthesiser, or different FX patches on an FX unit.

But at the end of the day, the effect of MIDI message transmitted really depends on the receiving device - if you are sending CC 78 to a receiving device and that device hasn't been set up to respond or do anything with CC 78, then nothing will happen. Often you do a "learning" procedure, so for example, if you want a knob on your keyboard to change the filter cutoff on a synth, you enter learn mode, move your hardware knob (so the synth knows what MIDI message it's sending) and then the filter knob on the synth to assign it. The link Skerrick gave you above shows how to do this learning procedure in your host, so take a look at that.

That's the general stuff, you now need to apply it to whatever you are doing, which you haven't really stated. What is it you are trying to achieve?

Quote Skerrick:

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but yeah i go through usb rather than midi just for simplicity and ease of use..

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It doesn't matter whether you plugin in via USB or a 5-pin din MIDI port, it's still MIDI, and the same rules/procedures apply. If anything, MIDI is more commonly sent over USB these days than the regular 5-pin DIN MIDI ports, but it's still the same old serial MIDI protocol it was in 1983....

Quote desmond:

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Quote Skerrick:

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but yeah i go through usb rather than midi just for simplicity and ease of use..

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It doesn't matter whether you plugin in via USB or a 5-pin din MIDI port, it's still MIDI, and the same rules/procedures apply. If anything, MIDI is more commonly sent over USB these days than the regular 5-pin DIN MIDI ports, but it's still the same old serial MIDI protocol it was in 1983....

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I dont know if youre using fl studio or not.. But FL imho based on the last 3 years of experience with using it - is much easier to connect controllers to via usb than midi. My yamaha M06 might as well be a teething toddler when it comes to midi connections.. It could be either a dodgy port or cable, but my novation is like BOOM - connected. Couldnt be easier. Hardly had to change any config or anything within the daw. They shouldnt differ much in difficulty, i agree with you there, but i feel direct connect via usb works best for me.
Worth a try, if you watch that video i just posted above youll see for yourself.
Plus i use usb 3.0 ports - on another note, do you think this might benefit me in terms of latency? Cos im at 3ms with an 86 sample buffer, which i believe is pretty decent, but would it be worse with my interface and keys running through usb 2.0?

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www.soundcloud.com/skerrick

Quote Skerrick:

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much easier to connect controllers to via usb than midi.

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Great - but as noted, it's still midi data that's sent over the USB cable. So everything you read about midi applies.