Windows 7 MIDI output device selection

Anonymous
2009-11-19T06:27:30+00:00

I am an active musician who has recently made the switch from XP to Windows 7, skipping Vista.  I connected my Edirol UM-1, and the drivers installed successfully.  The interface works fine within my DAW software, but I also like to have WMP use the UM-1 as the default MIDI output device.  When I went to the control panel to make that selection, I discovered that the MIDI device section was missing completely.  

There are several threads on this topic in the Vista forums, but I haven't found much discussion about this topic in the Windows 7 forum.  The fact that this problem remains from Vista to Windows 7 does not give me much hope that a solution will come from Microsoft.

My questions:  Is there a solution to this problem that doesn't involve registry hacks or questionable downloads? And/or has anyone had any success in Windows 7 using registry hacks or software patches.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video

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Anonymous
2012-06-10T17:51:15+00:00

Hi again Don well I've found where you are making your mistake! You are not editing the registry in the right place. You must go to the DEFAULT MIDI DEVICE folder or directory. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ActiveMovie\devenum{4EFE2452-168A-11D1-BC76-00C04FB9453B}\Default MidiOut Device   

You are going to the directory in the same 4EFE2452-168A-11D1-BC76-00C04FB9453B but you are editing Tascam US122mk2 and the Microsoft Wavetable synth directories DO NOT EDIT THESE FOLDERS. You MUST GO TO THE DEFAULT MIDI DEVICE DIRECTORY! You must also re edit the two device Tascam and MS WAvetable directories back to the original zero for Wavetable and 1 for tascam. Then edit the DEFAULT MIDI DEVICE directory to either zero for onboard or 1 for USB. A simple mistake that's cost you a few folicles ;-)  Terry

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Anonymous
2011-01-04T15:43:26+00:00

Mike,

Its actually all to do with the drivers, not the OS.

I have an Edirol PCM30 keyboard and a Edirol SD20, bioth of which work perfectly under W7 Pro as Edirol has written W7 specific drivers for these products. I can also use the keyboard through a Presonus FS26x26 as it also has W7 specific drivers.

If your midi devicde manufacturer has not written W7 specific drivers then you'll have to try using Vista drivers (install in compatibility mode), but there are no guarantee they work.

UM1 drivers are here :

http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=498#

Emu beta drivers are available here (scroll down) :

http://connect.creativelabs.com/emu/default.aspx

Cheers,

jerry

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-06-09T11:41:42+00:00

    Sorry but I use a £3.95 USB midi interface bought off ebay running on Windows 7 and have done with NO PROBLEMS what so ever since my earlier post. I run a big midi light show for a band and can't afford Glitches or crashes. My method posted earlier works 100% without any third party software. You just edit the registry as described. To the Newbie. It doesn't matter if your running 32 bit or 64 bit as I am you just need to edit the registry. I reitertate from above.:   As a foot note I must say if you are running 64 bit this must be done in the 32bit part of regedit I.E. path devenum NOT devenum - 64 bit That's where I was initially going wrong. So do the 32 bit path. I totally agree that Microsoft have gone limp on this but get on to them not me I've simply posted a way round it that I know works and has done with no problems weekly for 3 months plus now. regarding the above statement from theplectrum, windows will play any midi file in any document it's just that you can't easily tell it which card to use. You have to tell it in the system registry which is dangerous in the wrong hands. I've bought every copy of windows since window 3.11 I have been running midi since 1993 and after spending enough moneyto buy a small house on the coast in the process for microsoft to abandon use die hards is dispicable, but that's as they say PROGRESS!!

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-06-09T18:31:41+00:00

    My apologies, I did not know this wasn't Microsoft. I do understand volunteer workers.

    Again please except my apologies. It is Microsoft I want to yell at. I thought this was it.

    Keep up the diligent work. At least someone (YOU) are trying to communicate.

    Thank you!

    I also could open a small store of used midi equipment and tons of software because of progress. I'm not sure you have caught what I'm trying to do. YES as long as I run a window 7 compatible program (MIDI) It works fine. NOW my problem is with Windows Midi Player and the fact you can't assign a midi USB port in control panel (sound). This means if I use any Microsoft product and embed a midi file in it, window media player will only play the midi file on board thru its on speaker.( NO USB OUT to pro audio) This is a real problem. Even a compatible midi program doesn't show up in the embed object link folder. So you can't even link the document to a compatible midi program. I hope this clear. I sometime tend to rattle.

    Again please except my apologies.

    don

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-06-09T23:00:26+00:00

    No need to apologies and I didn't take offence at anything you had written. However if you use my method to tell windows 7 to use your usb midi device it will for sure ONLY play the midi you are sending to that device and completely ignore the on board sound card. I know because that's how I use it. Having to use regedit is a pain but if you follow the simple instructions your imbedded midi file will play to your usb midi device as long as it's intalled correctly. The USB midi device I bought off ebay has automatic installation of the driver. If I then use a program like Cakewalk sonar the USB midi device is selectable from the program so that's proof that it works and drivers are installed. Your stumbling block and most others is that Windows 7 only plays in media player in sound cards midi sounds. To access the USB you MUST go to regedit as described and select device 1 not zero. Please get back to me if you can't get this to work. Go to my post earlier June 2011 and follow the instructions don't forget the post note Jan 23rd 2012. regards Terry

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