only difference between note on and note offs is that note off's velocity is 0. I don't know where your problem is, but this :

when I press and release a key, the last thing to enter the midiformat object is a note off.

is completely normal ; as when you realease a key, it sends a note off

Also :

When I look at the output into the Midiformat object, it shows note-ons (in both a message box and the Max window), and when I analyze the MIDI stream it shows note-offs.

i don't understand what you mean by "when i analyze the MIDI stream"

On the receiving end of the MIDI output, I have MIDI-OX running on my laptop\tone generator. I can see the note-ons and note-offs in the monitor display. That's the MIDI stream analysis.

Yes the note-off entering the midiformat object is normal, but what comes out is the reverse; when I hit a note-on out comes a note-off. When I release the key what comes out is a note on.

One thing I will add is that it is the last MIDI command which seems to be getting held back : if I move a controller, the note-off will come out. So it's not just to do with notes, but MIDI information in general.

But it doesn't happen all the time.

i can't test midi-ox, it's windows only ; but maybe having your mid stream going through that thing is inverting the noteons and noteoffs. Something else might do that also. Or you could have turned your midi device on while pressing a midi note ? (i don't think it's the problem, but better to double check) Or something in your patch that keeps the latest midi information ?

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for your help over these last few months. When we're deep in the forest, it's a blessing to have someone show you the trees. The 30,000 ft view is so underrated ! :-)

Regarding MIDI-OX, I only got it involved when I experienced the problem, but what you said about turning MIDI devices on/off may not be far off the mark. I'm definitely not turning devices on and off, but one of the preset parameters is for poly/mono mode, and that may have a reset "feature" about it. I'll have to do some testing with/without to see if that resolves it. At least I feel like you've pointed me down the right road.

I won't be able to get to this very soon, but I'll post results and fixes.

FYI : a good resource for some real-world, useful MIDI ( and other stories) information is tweakheadz.com, a recent find, at least for me. ;-)

Aha ! If there is a mono mode in your midi device, it would explain why you get a note off message whenever you hit a note-on. This would be in order to terminate the older midi note, and thus have only one 'alive' midi note at any given time. And thanks for the thanks :)

I don't think that's it. We're dealing with the MIDI before it ever gets into the "device", which in my case is Komplete7 within Vienna Ensemble Pro5. Perhaps that'll jog some memories in somebody.

We also have to remember that it is all MIDI data, but not all the time. Not even all the time when changing presets.

Time will tell. You've given me great food for thought, though.

ahwell, when you said "device" i thought "hardware device"...