Cannot Record Notes from External Synth's Keyboard

Hapax
1

Brand new update to 1.16 (the current latest OS) tonight.

I’m unable to record notes from my Arturia Minifreak into Hapax, using my Minifreak’s keyboard. I have tried hitting Record, I have activated Learn mode, I have done the weird [Live - Play Chord - Back to Step Sequence - Press Second Encoder] process to enter a different(?) sort of learn mode.

Hapax can successfully record notes via pressing the step sequencer buttons, as well as record from it’s own Live page.

My setup is extremely simple:

One midi cable connecting Hapax Output A into the Midi In of my Minifreak.

Minifreak’s Internal Midi Input Channel is 1.
Minifreak’s Internal Midi Output Channel is 2. Have also tried making it 1.

Hapax Track 1 Output = Midi A; Channel 1
Hapax Track 1 Input = Midi A; Channel 2 (have also tried Channel 1)

On the Hapax I hit Play, hit Record, play notes on my Minifreak’s keyboard, and they are not recorded into the Hapax step sequencer.

I have tried doing this from the Step Mode as well as Live Mode pages.

I have not seen anyone talk specifically about how to set this up, the manual (including the long form manual) does not explain how to do this; or it does, but it just says “Press (Record) to Record Your Performance”. So I am assuming this is something that Hapax is capable of doing.

[EDIT:] The Hapax is also currently incapable of recording automation that is created by turning knobs on the Minifreak. I can record automation by using the pads, but that’s it.

Help, please, I’m pulling out my hair.

2

if you press the Hapax grid pads while in Live mode on the Keyboard screen, does it trigger the corresponding note value on your Minifreak?

3

It does, yes. Forgot to add that, thank you.

4

then it sounds like they are communicating over MIDI properly. maybe doublecheck that Hapax Track 1 you’re trying to record notes into isn’t inadvertently muted?

5

Thanks, track was not muted.

6

A possible issue is this update process. My SD card had a folder named HAPAX and inside of it a folder named FIRST and settings.dat.

When I updated the Hapax, I was required to format the SD card. That, of course, caused everything on the card to be deleted. The instructions said to put the hapax.bin file onto the SD card, and mentioned nothing about replacing the files deleted by the formatting.

Was I supposed to have put the FIRST folder and settings.dat file back onto the SD card, along with the hapax.bin file?

7

updating the Hapax firmware never requires anything else to be deleted or reformatted (afaik). you just place the new bin file at the top level of the SD card’s file structure and hold down encoder when booting up

8

The instructions on their website listed it as a recommendation, and I went ahead with it because when I went to transfer the .bin file there was an error message saying that not all of it’s properties could be transferred to the storage drive.

I’ll try putting those format-deleted files back and seeing how it goes.

9

For veracity, from https://squarp.net/hapax/firmware/ :

“Recommendations:
format your SD card with your computer (“FAT32” with Windows, “MS-DOS FAT” with Mac) before using it with Hapax”

10

Oh, do I need to load every single HAPAX update to date onto my SD card? Or does the latest update contain everything needed? They were not clear about that in the update instructions, that I saw.

11

Returned the format-deleted files and updated the OS successfully, the issue wasn’t resolved.

Going to try to load the instrument definition for the Minifreak, that’s on this site.

12

Actually, hope this isn’t faux-pas, gonna tag in @OldmanChompski (author of the definition) to see if they can offer any suggestions.

13

Successfully loaded the Instrument Definition, issue remains.

14

The hapax records from my hydrasynth keyboard, also my launchpad pro and my oxi one. On the track you are recording onto, what is the midi in set to? Try changing it to All Active or the individual port and channel you are using (a, 2 I think you said)

Make sure you have selected the track you want to record onto when recording, not sure if that’s needed but i think it is. Good luck

15

Hey, thanks for your response. Unfortunately I had tried using All Active and the exact ports before posting. I did just try making sure that I was on the intended track (Track 1), to no avail.

16

re: the failure in recording automation, i double-checked the midi note data to make sure that i had Added the correct midi value, in order to attempt to have the Hapax read incoming CC/midi changes into the automation lane; did not work.

17

Just looked over the first post again, you do have a cable from the microfreaks midi out to the Hapax’s midi in? It only mentioned out from the hapax. My bad if i missed it.

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18

Resolved! Thanks to Tom from Squarp.

This boiled down to a misunderstanding of MIDI on my part. I didn’t have a MIDI Out going from the Minifreak back to Hapax.

19

Woops, haha, just noticed this new comment @Jiggle. Thank you, I did not. :sweat_smile:

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