OnSong is a powerful tool that lets you integrate MIDI products like equipment and software to automate your stage performance. But every MIDI device is different and has different capabilities which means the way you use MIDI is likely different from others. Because so much can be customized an each MIDI hardware/software capabilities differ, it's very difficult for OnSong to provide support for these third-party products.
To assist further, please provide the following:
- What are the exact makes and models of the MIDI products (instruments, hardware, software, adapters) that you are using together?
- Could you provide a diagram, photo, video, or video of your MIDI configuration so we can see how MIDI is being routed to each piece of equipment and to and from the device?
- What is the transport method you are using to connect MIDI to the device such one or more Bluetooth MIDI dongles, USB MIDI through a camera connection kit, network MIDI session, using a third party MIDI adapter/hub, etc?
- Have you updated any operating system, installed firmware, or changed your MIDI configuration recently that may have been a precursor to the issue? Please provide specific version numbers.
- Have you submitted your library through the Get Support screen in the app and provided steps to replicate the issue (what's happening vs what should happen and how we can see the same) including an example song so we can review specific cases?
- Can you provide a screen recording or video of the issue occurring so we can more readily replicate the issue on our end, if we have the MIDI hardware to test?
- Have you made any changes to iOS/iPadOS, OnSong, or MIDI device settings?
We know this is a lot to ask for but unfortunately we have found that without this information it is hard to troubleshoot specific products or configurations because we are not the experts in those products.
If you are having trouble with communication between OnSong and your MIDI devices, please try the following to narrow down the possible issue:
- If you are using Bluetooth MIDI, check to make sure the device is connected in OnSong using the Utilities Menu (gear icon) > Tools > Bluetooth MIDI to connect your device. Remember that devices disconnect when they lose power.
- If you are using USB MIDI, make sure that the device is not drawing too much power from the iOS/iPadOS device. This power output can change with iOS/iPadOS updates. Try using the device through a powered USB hub.
- If you are using network MIDI sessions, keep in mind that restarting OnSong could require you to reconnect the OnSong device to the MIDI network session in the host.
- If you are using 5-pin DIN MIDI cables with IN/OUT/THRU designations, makes sure they are configured so that the MIDI information is flowing in the correct direction and daisy-chained throughout your equipment.
- Check to make sure that your MIDI device is configured to send and/or receive MIDI events. Some products do not send or receive MIDI by default, or may only do so for specific use cases. Please read the manual to get an idea of the full capability of the product in regard to MIDI communication setup.
- In OnSong, go into the Utilities menu (gear icon) > Settings > MIDI Settings and ensure that MIDI is enabled and that the MIDI destination and source that you using is enabled. If this is disabled for any reason, MIDI will not flow to and from through destinations/sources.
- In OnSong, go into the Utilities menu (gear icon) > Editors > MIDI and choose the Triggers tab at the bottom. Perform an action on the MIDI device like playing a note, pressing a button, or turning a knob. If the device is configured to send MIDI, it should then appear on this screen. That means that MIDI events are flowing to and from the device.
- If you are expecting your device to receive MIDI from OnSong, make sure that the MIDI you are sending matches the channel on which the MIDI device is configured to listen. If OnSong is sending MIDI on channel 1, but the device got changed to channel 2, then no MIDI will be received by the device.
- If you've recently installed a firmware update, make sure to find release notes on the manufacturer's website to see what changes were made and how that can affect your rig and make the necessary changes.
- Consider downloading a MIDI monitor app on your device to get a better sense of the MIDI events that may be flowing from your devices into your iOS/iPadOS device.
Keep in mind that OnSong is constantly testing that our products are sending and receiving MIDI in compliance with CoreMIDI products but we always want to make sure that OnSong is performing its best. Please let us know if these steps fail and we will be happy to provide as much assistance as we can offer.