BeatBuddy MIDI issues. Can't change song

BeatBuddy Help, Questions and Bugs
1

Hello all
I’ve been dealing with this all day and am all out of ideas on what/how to try next. In short, I can’t change songs via MIDI, and it has to be something on the BB or cable, and need advice on how to test these (hopefully is neither, and I was shortsighted enough to miss a setting, or at least the cable and not the BB). Here it goes in detail. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I am trying to change BB songs via OnSong (2023). BB is at firmware 4.1.6.
I tried first with WIDI Master and breakout cable. Was able to receive from BB to the iPad fine, triggers were being recognized. I configured OnSong to send {midi: 0.0:0@0}, trying to get to the first song on the first folder, but it didn’t worked. I tried also with the long tap on the title, no luck.
After messing with settings for hours (more about that later), I went to check my hardware.
– I connected the WIDI Master to an old keyboard, the WIDI sent notes to my iPad fine, and received from the iPad without issues. So the WIDI is working.
– I then connected the WIDI to a Boss VE-500, which only has a MIDI IN, and, from OnSong, selected the song I wanted, and the patch on the VE-500 changed as expected. So OnSong is sending the info OK, same info should work for the BB. (By the way, the VE-500 is not connected to MIDI right now, so no issues on channel number).
– Next, I connected an interface to my iPad and connected to the BeatBuddy via wired MIDI cable. Same results, I could receive MIDI on the iPad from the BB out, but BB does not change songs. I checked this same setup with my Boss VE-500 and, again, it worked as expected.
– Breakout cable is firmly connected, and I tried to wiggle it, kink it, anything to see if it made some kind of contact, but no luck.

So, I have ruled out the MIDI interface, I have ruled out OnSong, which is sending the same command successfully to the Boss. That leaves (besides a weird setting I had missed or a syntax difference of some kind) with just two options:
– the breakout cable
– the BB itself.

Both are in excellent condition, basically new, I bought the breakout cable with the BB, but it was basically stored for a year, since I haven’t had the time to play with it til now.

SO…

– Is there any way to test the breakout cable (continuity, etc) without ordering a new one?
– Is there a way to test the Midi Sync port of the BB? (without a doctor’s degree in electronics, hehe).
– Is there any way to check on the BB if it is receiving something via MIDI IN? (like a monitor, like MIDI Wrench, or something similar. I doubt it, but just in case…)

BB Settings:
MIDI IN-
System Real Time- Sync, Start and Stop all ENABLED
MIDI Channel Number- channel 1
Note On- Disable
Control Change- Enabled, and every option inside it also.
Program Change- Default Mode

MIDI OUT-
Output type- MIDI MERGE (but also tried with Midi thru)
Channel- 2, also tried 1 and others.
SYNC- Disable
Start- Intro
Stop- Pause and End
Notes- Disable
Next Part- Enable
Song / Folder Select- Default Mode
Time Signature- Sysex

Thanks a lot and excuse the long post.any information needed, please let me know. I really hope it is not the BB at fault here. Hopefully a missed setting, but I don’t know where else to look. Or at least the breakout cable, albeit basically new…

Luis

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If you have a multimeter you can check the breakout midi cable for continuety, they tend to fail easily. Mine did, I had checked everything on the settings, and after measuring it turned out to be the cable. Good luck. Pin 6 is the ground, should be connected to the middle pins of the din connectors, but is not required on both of them if I’m correct, so if the ground is missing it does not mean it’s broken. The other connection are the important connections

afbeelding
afbeelding694×701 88.1 KB

2 Likes
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Thanks a lot @renevmind ! This is exactly what I was looking for. I will check them as soon as possible. I am really hoping for a broken cable, and not the BB itself.

4

@renevmind :

Thanks a lot for the information. I was able to check the pins for continuity and, indeed, was not able to get continuity from one of the “IN” pins. I was lucky enough to get to my local store and found the last breakout cable they had in stock. Bought it and just tested it and everything works as expected, I can send from my iPad and the BB responds, I can receive from BB to iPad, no problem.
It’s a damn shame, since my breakout cable was basically “new”. I had bought it on May 2022, but it was stored till December 24, 2 days ago, never used. So I have to assume that it was defective from the factory.
Again, thank you very much for your response, it gave me the info I needed to pursue possible solutions, and sure enough, I am up and running with MIDI now, as intended. I consider your solution a Christmas gift for me. Thanks!
Luis

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5

This is almost like whats happening to me.

BB firmware is 4.1.6

OnSong app latest firmware

Onsong app > Midi Maestro (Bluetooth) > BB via midi

I have an existing library with songs and program change. The BB can receive tempo change but the Program change is not.

Anybody can help? Or maybe theres a setting in the midi maestro that blocking the program change or something that i need to configure out in MM.

Thanks

6

Use similar deduction as jdonato and hopefully it’s the breakout cable for you too.

If warranty is still valid then contact those you purchased from :relieved:

I don’t think there is any filtering option in MM :thinking:

7

But what i dont understand is the beat buddy can receive the tempo change from the on song app, but the program change that im sending is not transmitted.

8

I don’t have too deep knowledge of MIDI protocol, but there are two wires providing the messages (as you can see from this) so I’m assuming tempo uses one wire and program change the other :thinking:

So if only one wire is broken some messages can still go through. The same applies to BB which has two receivers for the two wires. If one receiver is broken some messages can still go through :relieved:

9

The two wires comprise a current loop. If one wire is broken then no MIDI data will be transmitted. If the BB can receive a tempo change it should be able to receive any other messages sent so long as the settings of both devices allow it to happen. MIDI Program change may not be enabled in one of the devices.

Towards the bottom of this link is a simplified diagram showing the data loop from a sending device to the receiving end.
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/midi-tutorial/hardware--electronic-implementation

10

Finally!!!

Downgraded my firmware to 4.1.4 “not working”

I cannot find previous firmware online, good thing i have an old firmware, 4.0.1. And its all working again.

My midi adapter is not faulty. I think its a bug on the firmware.

All my onsong programs again is working.

Current setup

Beatbuddy + Midi Maestro (Connected via Bluetooth to Onsong app)

On song controls my programs.

11

Right, I didn’t read the original post properly. So these two cases were completely different even though one symptom was the same :sweat_smile: I somehow got the impression that all symptoms were the same :no_mouth:

Based on the symptoms I’d say some setting on BB side did this :thinking: Perhaps this one:

If it’s not the default mode :relieved: