When I connect this keyboard to Garageband on my Macbook Pro (running Big Sur), the keyboard is detected, everything seems to work, but the sustain pedal doesn't seem to work correctly. When I press the sustain pedal it creates a tone which continues until I power down or disconnect the keyboard. The keyboard has old-style round MIDI connectors, and I connect to the Macbook via USB. Other than the sustain everything else seems to work properly, keys play, velocity seems accurate, etc; it's just the sustain that doesn't seem to work. Any suggestions?

What you're describing sounds like the pedal is putting out a pedal down MIDI message [CC64 value 127] but the corresponding pedal up message [CC64 value 0] is going missing somehow. I assume you're using the regular damper pedal [the right pedal], and you're pressing and releasing the same pedal, without accidentally pressing [or leaving your foot on] either of the other two pedals]. You didn't specify as to the sound, so I'm also going to assume that the sound you're playing is a GB Software Instrument [and that you're not hearing any of the Yamaha's internal sounds] and it's that GB sound [tone which continues] that's sustaining even after you let the pedal up. [If it's a keyboard sound that's hanging then that's a different matter..] To check if that's the case -- to see if GB is not receiving|recording the sustain pedal up messages -- record a bit and then open the Editor panel [E], set it to display MIDI CC messages [the button at the upper left of the Editor panel], and select Sustain as the Controller [at the bottom left]. You should see sustain pedal messages, as in the screenshot. Note: the pedal that comes with that Yamaha keyboard may put out continuous values rather then just on/off [like the pedal I used when I took the screenshot]. Either way, whenever you release the pedal the MIDI data [ the orange line] should drop to the bottom -- a value of 0. Click on one of those lowest nodes [dots] to see if those "off" values are in fact 0s -- of they're any value above 0 that would be why the pedal would continue to sustain even after you take your foot off. If that turns out to be the case, then here are a few things you could do to troubleshoot.. - Close|reopen GB, shutdown|restart the computer - Try in a different GB Project - Try with a different keyboard|pedal - Try with a different DAW [if possible] - Check the pedal connection [keyboard manual p.36] -- if it's loose or incorrectly connected that could cause messages to be lost - Make sure Local Control is turned off on the keyboard [manual p.29] - Make sure Control Change message transmission is on [manual p.30] - Try a hard reset of the keyboard [manual p.32]

Thanks for the very detailed response. I tried all your suggestions. When I created a short track, each time I pressed the sustain pedal it shows a note (E3) playing on both the press and release. The orange line is at zero and then jumps to a higher position partway through, where it stays. I can't see how to attach a screenshot here or I would attach it.

Hmm, if that's what the pedal is actually transmitting then it sounds like the problem is with the keyboard -- maybe try doing the hard reset on the Yamaha [p.32 in the CLP-320 manual].. I didn't see anything in the manual about any kind of alternative mode for the sustain pedal[s], so if this issue happens only with the Yamaha keyboard [and not with other keyboards/pedals], and the reset doesn't help, then a note to Yamaha tech support might be in order.. Double-check the pedal cable though, the kind of thing you're describing with the CC data [orange line] could be caused by a faulty connection..

Hi, I am wondering if you had found the solution to this yet? I have exactly the same issue when pressing the pedal, creating an E3 note in Logic Pro. I am also using a yamaha keyboard, P140.

Hi - I assume you tried the troubleshooting tips listed earlier in this thread.. A single bit that incorrectly registers as a 0 instead of a 1 could cause an expected MIDI Control Change sustain message CC# 64 to transmit as a MIDI Note-On message note # 64, so checking for a loose connection or a faulty cable/connection would be one of the main things to test..

Hey - I was having an identical issue with a Yamaha CLP and I've resolved it here, although not in an ideal way. I only knew to do this because I've had similar issues with other keyboards: I'm afraid I'm not technically minded enough to give as clear a response as Joe, but I hope this helps. It's only a workaround though, not a great solution. Some keyboards, including this one, send duplicate signals of a key or pedal to GB. This means that sometimes you may find that what appears to be a single midi note is actually two laying right on top of one another. Joe's advice is exactly correct - you have to go in and modify the sustain in the window as he advised - but you ALSO have to delete one of the sustain markings, because there's a duplicate laying directly beneath this. Once you've modified the sustain pedal as he describes AND deleted one of the layers of sustain, you'll be where you want it to be. Probably someone with more expertise can explain better why this is happening and offer another solution.

Hi - Logic conveniently has a command to find & delete duplicate MIDI notes/events, but I don't think GarageBand includes that shortcut, so I guess you would have to remove them manually there.. I guess duplicate MIDI notes/data might be caused by a duplicate MIDI connection [like MIDI over both USB and MIDI DIN, maybe?], or if you have both MIDI In & Out connections between the keyboard and DAW maybe an accidental MIDI loop [MIDI coming in, going back out to the keyboard, then back in again, causing duplicate data]..? If the keyboard has its own sounds maybe turning off MIDI Local Control in the keyboard's MIDI utility/settings page might help avoid a possible MIDI loop..?