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How to Connect a MIDI Keyboard to a Computer

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Your complete quick guide to connecting your keyboard. If you are just starting out with your home recording studio set-up, the first thing you may wish to do is find out how to connect a MIDI keyboard or digital piano up to your computer. This will enable you to use any interactive MIDI software products: quickly record virtual instrument tracks; write your own songs and music; learn to play and more.

The MIDI Keyboard is often the heart of a small home recording studio, and the easiest and fastest way to enter bass lines, edit drum tracks, and of course record keyboard tracks. The other benefit of making a MIDI connection is if you want to learn to play keyboard or piano. Once you have a MIDI connection you can benefit from interactive piano lesson software and online piano courses.

The quickest and easiest way to connect is using a USB-MIDI interface like one of the high quality branded devices below.

Our Top 4 choices For Simple USB-MIDI interfaces which work!

Roland UM-One MIDI Interface
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Roland UM-ONE MK2 USB MIDI Interface High-performance FPT processing, very compact, affordable, and easy to use. Compatible with PC, Mac and iPad.

iConnectivity MIO MIDI Interface
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iConnectivity mio 1-in 1-out USB to MIDI Interface Plug and play – no drivers or difficult installation needed, ultra low latency MIDI Input and Output

Creative E-MU XMIDI 1x1 Interface
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Creative EMU XMIDI 1X1 USB MIDI Interface Active-Sensing messages filtered, MME, DirectMusic and CoreMIDI supported

M-Audio USB Midisport UNO
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M-Audio USB Midisport Uno MIDI Interface Perfect for connecting a keyboard or controller to your computer with upward mobility – add as many USB Midisport interfaces to your computer as you have USB ports

We advise that you always stick with a well-known brand which is why we recommend any of the above. They all have good manufacturer support, up-to-date drivers and good guarantees in the event of any problems. If you want even more choice, then you can follow this link to find the current top 10 most popular MIDI interfaces.

No MIDI Keyboard Yet?

Although you can get other kinds of MIDI controller, the keyboard is the most popular, widely available, and reasonably priced. If you have not yet got any kind of keyboard, then look first at Getting started – choosing the right keyboard. It will help you decide the best MIDI keyboard for you.

Want To Record MIDI and Audio?

If you not only want to use your keyboard or digital piano as a MIDI controller, but also want to record the sound of it, then do look read our post on how to record your keyboard. There are lots of recommendations in there for kit that will let you do BOTH. And put your keyboard right at the heart of your home recording studio.

A Step-By-Step Guide on How To Connect Your Piano Or Keyboard

Let’s start with your keyboard or piano. You first need to establish that it has got a means of connecting with your computer. Look to make sure it has a MIDI port. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is the protocol for communication between your keyboard and your PC. When you press a key the action is registered by the software you are using through the MIDI link.

Most keyboards and Digital Pianos have MIDI in and out as standard. Look for ports like the one in the image below.

MIDI PortsSo how do you connect from these ports to your PC? – There are several ways:

MIDI to USB Interfaces

If you have an available USB port, you can use a MIDI to USB Interface . This is the simplest, high speed, no-fuss solution. Ideal if you want to use your laptop. Most USB interfaces are fully Plug-and-Play so will work without any further software configuration – though check the manufacturer’s site as some will have drivers available for advanced usage on certain platforms. If you can, buy a high quality branded one as you will get more support from the manufacturer to help with any setting up and they do work better and last longer. Roland, Alesis and M-Audio all make a USB-MIDI interface and all have excellent documentation and back-up. For example, the Roland UM-ONE Mk2 shown below

USB-MIDI Interface

Typical USB MIDI setup

Typical USB-MIDI Keyboard Set-Up

MIDI to MIDI

Some soundcards come already equipped with MIDI ports like the ones shown above. If that is the case, all you require is a MIDI Cable 5 pin to 5 pin 3 metre .

USB to USB

Some of the newer keyboards now have a USB MIDI port – all you need is a standard USB cable to connect directly from the keyboard to the USB port of your PC or laptop.

FAQ

Why do MIDI IN jacks connect to MIDI OUT jacks? Surely it makes more sense to connect a MIDI IN jack to a MIDI IN jack. After all, they’re both labeled IN. Same goes for MIDI OUT to MIDI OUT”

The accepted way actually makes a lot of sense. Think about it. You want MIDI data to go out of your controller and in to your sound module. After all, you wouldn’t connect the audio out jack of your sound module to the outputs of your mixer, would you? No, you connect the audio output to an audio (mixer) input. And then you connect the mixer outputs to the inputs of your amplifier. And then you connect the amp’s speaker outputs to the speaker inputs. Same thing with MIDI. Think of MIDI data as “flowing” in the same way that audio signals “flow” through your audio system.

Still Confused? Or Want To Record Audio Tracks?

This is just a quick guide if you simply want to hook up your keyboard to start using MIDI software. If you want a more in-depth set of tutorials, or you want to record the sound of your keyboard then you can either refer to our quick guide on how to record your piano, or see our full length free video course which explains the difference between MIDI and Audio in detail and shows you step-by-step exactly what you need to either record your keyboard or use it as a MIDI controller.
How to Connect a MIDI Keyboard to a Computer

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Comments

  1. Jane i have an Evolution mk 149 midi keyboard with just the out midi port and am using the midi to usb cable to connect it to my laptop on reason software but still its not responding and i have made all settings. Its so frustrating what do i do please?

  2. Hi jane,
    I have a Roland Bk7m which i am using with a yamaha keyboard via MIDI cables
    I use the USB to host cable of the Bk to connect to ipad for easy control

    Many of the newer keyboards now come without midi ports, only USB midi ( not the regular usb but midi to host connector featured on my bk7m

    Can i connect my soundmodule to these new keyboards via the usb host to usb host connection which i have not yet seen as standard cables?

    Thanks for the support

    • yes you can, you do not need an audio interface just to use a USB MIDI Keyboard Controller.

  4. So i have a program for sound from my Macbook Air… My keyboard has a (usb a female) and a (usb b female)… If i buy one of those would i still need a audio cable connecting my headphone jack to an amp or is that only for when u connect the Macbook air and keyboard with a Usb-midi cable?

  5. hi. i’m a beginner at this. i own a casio privia px150. when i connected this to my laptop there was a latency problem. is there anyway i can avoid this? i use ableton live 9.5.

    • Have you tried using ASIO4ALL drivers? If that doesn’t help, then buying a USB interface with ASIO drivers may help

  6. Hi Jane.
    I’m a bit of a luddite (I’m not saying which bit) when it comes to playing music, having started out on Hammond organs and until now, never having anything to do with midi. I have a Yamaha PSR540 now and have always wanted to add a bass pedal board so I can play my own bass lines, rather than rely on the automatic accompaniment. I recently acquired a Ketone K8 pedalboard and after connecting the midi cable to the pedals’ ‘out’ and the keyboard’s ‘in’, then blundering about with midi settings, managed to get the pedals to make a sound come from the PSR540. Yay! Unfortunately the only sound I can get it to make is the Yamaha’s 001 – grand piano… I have no idea how to assign a different sound to the signal from the controller – the pedals… Any ideas?

    • Hi, you will have to look into the manual of the two devices -thed pedalboard and the keyboard. You might want to look at whether you can adjust the channel that the MIDI signal is being sent on from the pedalboard, or how to adjust the patch in the keyboard. Good luck.

  7. hello,
    i’ve been using an ICON MidiPort connector with my Roland EM-15, whenever I play a key or try to do anything on my keyboard my laptop doesn’t recieve anything at all.

    I dont know if it’s the software I’m using (Mixcraft 7) or the drivers for my MidiPort but I would really like to know why this isn’t working.

    Thanks,
    Jordyn 🙂

  8. My Yamaha s90 xs is not coming up instead it is saying firmware update… usb memory not found.
    What can I do?

    • The 2i2 does not have MIDI i/o. You will have to connect your MIDI controller to a different USB port on your computer. The two devices will work fine alongside eachother.

  11. Hello,
    I have a Yamaha P-150 midi keyboard, and I recently bought a mio iConnectivity interface to connect it to my MacBook Pro and use with Sibelius. I’ve checked in Sibelius Preferences and it finds the keyboard, but when I play notes they don’t register. The test light doesn’t come on either. Very frustrating! I have a small USB keyboard too, which works fine, but is no good for recording the piano music that I need to. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

    • Hm, doesn’t sound right, try contacting the manufacturer/supplier for support, the device may be faulty.

  12. I want to send MIDI data from my Macintosh to an old Yamaha TX81Z synth. I have an interface (Midisport). What software do I need? Thank you.

  13. Hi Jane, I have some old instrument stuff that was left by my brother. Idont know how to set this up.
    It consist of a M-audio oxygen 61 usb midi controller, edirol uex 25, roland xp60, roland sc880, behringer mixer, amplifier, 2 midi cable standard and midi to usb cable. plus an hp laptop

    my question is how can i connect the laptop with a vst software to sc880 into m-audio?
    and please give me a suggestion that i can link all this stuff together.
    im new to this and i have no idea how to set these up together.

    thanks for your help.

    • Connect the Oxygen up to HP laptop and use as the MIDI controller. You can just use the USB connection. Then use DAW software and output to the Roland using the USB-MIDI cable. Get that set-up working first and see how you get on.

  14. Hi Jane!! I’m a newbie to the world of MIDI. I’m interested in purchasing a PSR keyboard from Yamaha (either a PSR-S970 or a PSR-S950). My query here involves the playing of MIDI files of which I have quite a number mostly downloaded from the internet. They are on a USB stick in files by genre and then by artist/band. They also exist on my computer in the same manner. Which is the better way to connect to the PSR–computer or USB stick? Also, will the screen on the PSR see the current files in which the MIDI’s reside and then open the files to reveal the actual .mid I’m searching for? Can I also accomplish the following: can I mute a midi channel on the PSR and be able to play along with the midi file with, say, a grand piano patch or even a keyboard split? Can I change the overall key signature of the midi file on the PSR and also have the “live” patch on which I’m playing transpose as well? Enjoying this blog immensely, and, many, many thanks!!!

    • Glad you are enjoying the blog. There are a lot of questions there – I think the best thing to do is download the manual for the keyboard you are interested in and read the section on MIDI in detail. You should be able to have the files on your computer and play them back on the keyboard, and you should be able to fiddle with playback settings and MIDI channels in a DAW such as Reaper. Or you may find that laoding the files directly on the keyboard might work depending on what functionality is built into the keyboard. I am not familiar with those models in detail. I prefer using a computer interface to the small screens on keyboards. I guess the thing to do is get the keyboard and experiment. Good luck

  15. Hey! I have a kawai CN23 digital piano, and when I hook up the midi to usb to my macbook and go into garageband, the sustain pedal is registering as a note! As soon as i touch it it registers as a held E note. I can’t get sustain to work at all. Any suggestions?

    Regards,
    Colin

    • Hmmm, strange and I am not sure what to suggest – other than go back to the manual for your Kawai piano, or maybe raise a query directly with their technical support. It is an odd one

  16. Hello,
    I recently purchased a Yamaha MX61 keyboard. It has a great tone generator for live performances and then some. I want to use it as a midi controller; so, I connected it via USB to my MAC. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I keep hearing the Internal Keyboard sounds & the software plugin/vst’s.

    I simply want to use Kontakt and have my board as the controller. I don’t want to hear the internal sounds that the keyboard produces. I want to use the software.
    Also, would the sound then have to come from the headphone port on my MAC?

    Regards,

    • Where are you hearing the sounds? Just from your keyboard? If so, then check the manual for your keyboard because I think there will be a setting to turn the local sounds off. Then you should just be able to use it as a controller. If the sounds are coming through your mac speakers from your keyboard then…. not sure what is happening! You sure you are creating instrument/MIDI tracks not audio? Think you might have to post specific questions to Yamaha support.

    • I would recommend buying a branded one, one with good manufacturer and tech support. The problem with those cheaper interfaces is they can be unreliable and unsupported. Try the Roland UM-One, I have one and it is so reliable!
      https://www.musicrepo.com/roland-um-one

  18. Jane, I am trying to use my Yamaha P255 to communicate to Finale software, specifically to use the Hyperscribe function in which you can play on the keyboard and the music is notated directly in the software. I have the M-Audio USB Midisport Uno MIDI Interface that you mention above as being one of the better midi interfaces out there, and have connected it according to these instructions. Still nothing happens. Any additional ideas?

    • Well if you want to try something for free, then Presonus Studio One is completely FREE!
      http://www.presonus.com/studioone

      Reaper is very good, and you can get that on a 60 day trial. Then if you like it the price is very reasonable.

      Mixcraft is also fantastic if you are quite new to all this and want something easy – you can try a free trial of that.

  20. Hi Jane,

    I recently bought a casio ctk711ex cheap to have a go at home recording. I have got all leads in correctly but cannot seem to get any joy in setting sound up on my pc. I am using a midi to usb connection, it automatically installed drivers and said i was ready to go, okay i was ready but it just doesn’t seem to want to work with the audio recording software i have tried(which is several), please tell me what i am doing wrong as its driving me crazy lol. I have tried making sure all input and output channels were set up correctly but to no avail. I realise that it may be something simple but any help would be gratefully received,
    Thank you in anticipation,
    Regards,
    Dave

    • Hi Dave, try our article on testing a MIDI device, which should help you troubleshoot. If the keyboard is working OK in MIDI Ox (or MIDI Monitor if you are on Mac) then you need to go to the manual for the software and make sure you are correctly creating a MIDI/instrument track not trying to record audio which you won’t be able to do with a MIDI interface. Hope that helps.
      https://www.musicrepo.com/testing-midi-device/

  21. Hi. I have an old roland mk II midi controller. I’ve never used one before it just happened to be in my house.How can I connect it to my computer? Can i just use the usb-midi cables u mentioned above?
    Thanks

    • Hi Henry, yes you should be able to connect it, as long as the controller has a standard MIDI port, and it is self-powered, as the USB-MIDI cable won’t actually power the controller, just transmit data

  22. Hi Jane,

    My mom bought me a Studiologic SL-990 pro Midicontroller, and I have no idea what to do with it. I’d like to be able to use it like a keyboard, but I have no idea what software I would need to make that happen.

    I had a macbook and still have a midi-usb cord, which worked great with Garageband–you just plug everything in and away it goes. Now that my macbook no longer works–the most recent update made everything slow down to a point where nothing functions–I’m back to a laptop PC which doesn’t have anything analogous to Garageband.

    Any suggestions you can provide? I’d ideally like to just be able to download something from the internet rather than hunting something down in a store.

    Thanks so much!

    Aaron

  23. I have a Korg X5 that I have had for 15 years with the intention to learn how to play and to create music. I will be 50 May 31, 2016 and decided I am going to follow my passion for music, peace, unity, illumination, etc. through my photography, videography, and music creation. The problems is not my passion it is knowledge.

    I have a Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 (A6) as my audio interface. I have plugged my microphone into my A6 and Ableton recognizes it. I wanted to use my Korg X5 (X5) as a midi controller and thought it was as simple as plugging a midi cable in the MIDI OUT of the X5 and into the MIDI IN of the A6 and I would be in business, but I could not get the X5 to trigger the keys in Ableton Live 8 or Native Instruments (NI) Kontact 5 or any of NI’s software found in the Komplete 9 Ultimate package.

    I know I am so close to starting my music creation journey but I am stuck for I do not have the financial resources at this time to buy a controller listed on lists inside Ableton plus I have read lots of people using the X5 as a controller.

    Question 1: When plugged into the A6 do I still need to have Drivers for the X5 to be recognized by Ableton Live 8 or the NI products. I am running these programs on a Toshiba laptob with a CORE i7 processor and 8 Gigs of RAM. The last drivers Korg made for the X5 only worked for Windows NT, Windows 2000, and one other version of Windows but I am running Windows 8.1 64 bit and cannot install those drivers.

    Question 2: Does my A6 act as an interface that passes the MIDI signal from my X5 to the DAW and other packages through the USB connection of the A6 thus bypassing a need for drivers for the X5?

    Question 3: If it does not, besides changing the internal settings on my X5, that I have followed to the best of my ability from the Korg X5 & X5D User Manual (page 11), what else do i need to do?

    Thank you for your time and any guidance you may provide.

    • Hi, you definitely should not need to install any drivers for the X5, or connect it up directly to your laptop. If you just wish to use the X5 as a controller then you should be able to connect a MIDI cable from the MIDI OUT of the keyboard to the MIDI IN of the A6 interface. Then you should simply go to the control panel of the X5 and set 2C EXT OUT SEL of Global mode to “MIDI”. Yes I believe the A6 should be acting as a MIDI interface. I wouldn’t even connect the Korg X5 to the computer at all. If you follow the instructions in our page on testing a MIDI device – and I know you have already looked at this – make sure you are running the tests using the A6 as the device. If you still can’t get it to work, go back to Native Instruments for more support – and make sure you have activated the MIDI in your Kontakt Player, there is a useful article how to do that here
      http://www.native-instruments.com/en/support/knowledge-base/show/2527/configuring-the-midi-settings-in-kontakt/

      If you get all that working and you then wish to play back from the laptop to the keyboard and you are getting overlap of sound from the Echo Back then you will need to set Local Off on the X5 – this disconnects the keyboard section from the internal tone generator. However, when you play the X5 in standalone mode it won’t make a sound until you turn Local On.

      Hope that is of some help.

  24. i baught Yamaha PSR I425. The midi port like printer. shaall i use printer cable……

    • Hi, yes, just a standard USB printer cable, check your keyboard’s manual for further instructions on how to get connected.

  25. I have casio CTK-1200 , and theirs only a jack plug to use midi out. How can i connect it to my windows 8 pc to create a music ..

  26. Hi, I have a Casio ctk 411 keyboard and want to connect it to my pc with Windows 8, I want to use it with fruity loops 10. I want to know if it will work and how should I do it

    • Hi Melrick, I don’t know this keyboard and couldn’t find the model on the Casio site either to look it up. Does it seem to have USB connectivity or just MIDI. If it is USB then it should work as a controller and details will be in the manual. If not then you will need a MIDI interface to get it to work. Buy a branded one that will work well on Windows 8 if you can.

  27. I’m sure this is answered somewhere here but I couldn’t find it…. I have a Mac running Os X 10.10.2 and a Yamaha keyboard that’s several years old. I just want to connect the keyboard to the computer to use with simple software (Piano Wizard, Music Learning Community – no recording of sound) but I can’t get the computer to recognize that the keyboard is connected. Can you help me?

  28. I have a Yamaha NP-11. I have a MIDI usb cable that is connected as far as I can tell on my Mac. I want the sound to play through my computer speakers where I can then use wireless headphones to listen to me playing. I hope this makes sense.

    • Hi Shawna if you want to get this result you will have to use your NP-11 as a MIDI controller and get some software with software instruments to play back through your speakers. Have you had a look at Reaper, you can try that out for free. Create a virtual instrument on a new track, select the TTS-1 which is a general MIDI instrument, arm it for recording and you should be able to hear yourself.

  29. Hi. I have a M-Audio keyrig 49 and can’t get the software to run properly. Running Win 7. Is that the problem and if so, is there any way around it? Can I use with other software options or is it an interface issue? Thanks

  30. Hello, can I use the keyboard (that has General MIDI function) with an Audio Tracker, and play the notes directly from the keyboard?

    • I am not sure which software you are referring to, exactly, but if you have connected your keyboard up to your computer correctly, and the audio tracker software has MIDI functionality then yes you should be able to use it as a controller.

  31. Hi Jane.. Im a developing pianist.. I want to know how this connection helps.. Does it do auto transposition? Where do you download softwares to record & does it record piano only or all sound frm mixer too?

    • If you make a MIDI connection between your piano and your computer it means you can use software to help you with your playing. For instance there is a lot of learning software that uses the MIDI connection to understand what you are playing and give you feedback. And yes you can transpose etc. But you will not be recording the SOUND of your computer, just your performance. For more details see our article on What Is MIDI
      https://www.musicrepo.com/what-is-midi/

      Hope that helps

  32. Hi Jane. I just bought a used Yamaha Portatone 310 in hopes to use it as a base board to utilize voices from garageband and Wavelab le7 on mac and FL studios on pc) It has a midi in / out. I am trying to run it through an Alesis IO2 which it has both midi in / out, and it (the alesis) is equipped with a usb B port to feed pc or mac. So far I have seen lights and had sound to the Alesis, but I have not seen any indication of recognition through eithr pc or mac nor any programs I am running.
    I have only attached one midi cable from the yamaha to the Alesis. Neither my pc or mac are even recognizing anything is plugged in. I am running Wavelab LE7 for a program. Do I need two midi cables?

    • The IO2 should be a plug and play device. Try connecting it directly to a USB port on computer, not via a hub. If it doesn’t appear to be recognised by computer try a different USB cable – 99% of the time this solves the problem. You need to establish that the IO2 is working and being recognised by the computer before going any further. Look in your control panel (windows) or system preferences (mac) and make sure that the IO2 is showing up as an available audio device, then set it to the default. Only start up your recording software after you have checked that the IO2 is being recognised. Don’t start up the software then plug in the IO2, do it the other way round. Finally it will be a choice of making sure that the IO2 is being chosen as the recording device in the software preferences, and checking the MIDI preferences to use the MIDI on the IO2.

      • could you please help me ?
        I have had to renew my PC. And can not get my Yamaha YPT-210 to play, anymore, on my PC. I am using Reaper software. I have a midi to USB cable. However I do not remember what make it is ! Therefore I can not download the necessary software to get it to work.
        I presume this is why I can’t hear anything through my PC ?

      • Hi, try my article on testing your MIDI device – although I am demonstrating with a MIDI Controller keyboard the same principle would apply with your cable. It should be labelled with a brand, if it isn’t then it is probably an unbranded one, which can be a bit more unreliable. If it seems ‘dead’ then it possibly is. If it powers up, then it is possible you need to update your windows drivers. There is a link on the page to more information about this advanced troubleshooting. Hope it helps
        https://www.musicrepo.com/testing-midi-device/

      • It now works again ???????????????????
        Anyway as I have got your attention, could you please let me have your opinion of Mixcraft ? As I am thinking of buying it.

      • Glad to hear it is working, even if the reason why is a mystery. I love Mixcraft v6, it is such an easy product to use for beginners and it is really well featured. You have reminded me, I should check out the new version and see what’s new. Good luck with your recording etc.

  33. Hi Jane ,

    I have a bit old keyboard Casio ca 110 tonebank with no midi out just an audio out . Is there any way to connect it to my pc ?

    • No, not possible to make a MIDI connection if it has now MIDI port. You would only be able to record the sound.

      • hi jane,

        I have a novation launch key midi interface, focusrite pro 24 audio interface , connected to a MacBook pro running main stage. I want to use a roland RD 700 as my main board, then use the launchkey assignable encoders to control the functionality of main stage. Can I connect the RD 700 to the mac book via usb and the novation to the MacBook via the other available usb on my macbook. pro.

      • yes, you can connect both. I don’t know Main Stage in detail but a quick look at the manual suggests it can handle multiple midi devices so should be OK

  34. Hi! Jane I’m glad I found this website for posting queries regarding midi. I’m using Roland Spd-30 percussion controller. Mam I tried Spd-30 hooking up to PC with Sonar DAW. I’m able to trigger vsti plugins but, is it possible to trigger Spd-30 onboard tones from Sonar ??? Spd-30 has Midi In/Out and Usb-Midi Connectors. I use a simple ” Pc-Usb to Usb-Midi ( like Printer Port)”. Can u please help me to find the solution. Thanku Mam.

    • I thin you should be able to, you will have to assign the output of the track to the MIDI out of the connector. Assuming it is all hooked up and installed correctly that should work – refer to the Sonar documentation for how to do this. Regards, Jane

  35. hi my keyboard has only one midi out and my usb cable has two midi in and out connectors…how do i connect on my computer

    • Just connect the MIDI out on the keyboard to the MIDI in on the USB interface. If you need to trouble shoot whether or not the MIDI interface is functioning correctly, then we have an article on trouble shooting MIDI controllers which applies just the same to an interface: https://www.musicrepo.com/testing-midi-device/

  36. hi, Jane…

    i’m new to music production … currently i’m making music by computer keyboard & i planned to buy Novation SL MK II, Ableton Push & Maschine Studio to connect into my MacBook Pro …

    if i need to connect Novation, Push & Maschine together into MacBook at once , what USB Audio Interface you suggest the best for my setup ??! …

    my current DAW is FL Studio & Ableton Live 9 …

    have a good day …

    regards.

    Gery

    • I would consider the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, it is great quality and because it ships with a lite version of Ableton Live it should work very well with it, here is a link: https://www.musicrepo.com/Scarlett-2i2
      If you want an interface with MIDI as well, then you could instead look at the MTrack Plus Mark II from M-Audio, which also comes with Ableton Live Lite https://www.musicrepo.com/maudio-mtrack-plus
      Either should work well and both have great technical support to help you get up and running. Good luck

  37. Hi Jane,
    I noticed your comment awhile back to avoid the M-audio keystation since they removed the DIN midi ports. Well, I have the Keystation49 and was hoping to use it to run an old QSR sound module I just picked up. Other than the iconnectMidi4 (rather not spend $200), I was wondering if there’s an interface that goes from keyboard USB to sound module MIDI DIN? As I think about it, I’m doubtful since I guess there’d be nothing to power the USB?
    I suspect what WON’T work is: using an M-Audio Uno “backwards” (in reverse) with a USB A to USB B adapter.
    Your thoughts? Thanks for being such a great answerer of questions!!
    Brian

    • Hi Brian, I don’t think you need to spend $200 to solve your problem, but I do think the cheapest option will probably be to source a keyboard with a MIDI port. Maybe on eBay? New ones include the Samson Carbon 49, or the Alesis Q40 (check that you buy the OLDER version of this which is still widely available). No you are right, the M-Audio Uno etc will not work backwards

  38. HI jane

    Ive just bought the Casio CTK 6200 keyboard, it has L/mono and R output on the back…if i was to connect this to my Peavey XR1212 mixer desk, would i be ok to just come out the 2 output of above on my keyboard and into 2 individual channels on my mixer?and on doing this would i leave the pan controller on each channel of the mixer central or would in need to pan left on 1 and right on the other?…i was messing around with it last night and just simply plugged a cable from my phones output of the keyboard to the desk and it worked fine but im not sure this is the right way to go.

    • Hi Stu, if the output from the headphones works ok and does the job for you then why not? However if you connect L and R then you can adjust the volume etc of each individually and the positioning in the stereo field.

  39. Hi, I am an absolute beginner in this matter…and a pianoteacher who teaches as a volunteer in villages in India…
    I received a M-audio Axiom61 as a gift upon my request if somebody could donate a keyboard for one of my talented little piano students who does not have the funds to buy one herself…and now I need to try to set it up for her.
    So; we have a talented and motivated little girl of 6, we have the keyboard, and we have a laptop that runs on windows XP…and we are trying to find a (as simple as possible way and if possible with free software) to get the keyboard making piano sounds when she pushes a key so she can study… any ideas what is the best way?
    Hope you or somebody can help me because for me it is all kind of chinese or actually a bit of alien language 🙂

    • Hi, I was going to suggest downloading Ignite, which is freely available if you have an Axiom, but unfortunately it is for Windows 7 and above. For XP you could try Anvil Studio http://www.anvilstudio.com/
      I wish here success! Regards Jane

  40. What will be the simplest way to get some sounds after hooking my controller to pc ? I know a DAW is a solution but, is there a simple software just to play the controller ?

    Thanks

    • Hi Julian, there are a lot of stand alone players out there, for example the Native Instruments Kontakt Player and the Garritan Sounds player. Have a look to see if those would help you achieve what you are after.

  41. Hi Jane I am trying to run edit track through a emulator called Steem for my son’s grandfather who at the age of 65 still plays live gigs using midi files . I am trying to put all this on a laptop for him unfortunately I can’t get reverb and chorus to work . I think I may need a good sound card . Can you help please .

    • Hi, I am not familiar with the software. If there is reverb and chorus functionality in the software, then it is probably worth posting in the forum or searching there for help using the software. It is possible to buy interfaces with onboard DSP such as reverb and chorus, but I wonder if actually what you are asking is how the software works? Your sound card probably won’t make much difference to getting that working I don’t think

  42. I have a Casio Privia PX-750 piano with a usb interface. Is it possible for the computer to send midi notes to the casio and have the casio play the notes using it’s built-in sound engine? So far, when I play a song on the computer, it seems like the generated sound is created by the computer’s sound engine and not the piano (ie: changing the instrument type on the piano doesn’t change the sound of the song).

    • Yes, it should be possible, but you will need to select the USB interface as the MIDI output device, not one of the built-in instruments in the software. Usually there is a device menu, or you can select it on each track individually – you can choose which instrument so select the interface

  43. Hi Jane, i have this old MIDI keyboard called MC-49, it does only has a MIDI out and no MIDI in. I was wondering if i’m still able to converte the sound from the keyboard to my computer through an MIDI to USB cable like the M-Audio Uno?

    • Hi, I don’t know the keyboard, is it just a controller keyboard? If so, then you won’t be able to transmit any sound because it doesn’t make any. If it is a keyboard with onboard sounds then a MIDI-USB cable will still not be able to transmit any sound, only performance information.

  45. Is a midi cable and USB cable the same thing? Bought one at Staples and sound to the piano marvel program is not going through. Any thoughts?

    • Some keyboards can connect to computer directly using a USB cable. If yours can connect like that then you need to refer to the manufacturer’s handbook to work out how to set it up. Make sure the keyboard is selected as the MIDI device in the program. It is not the same as a MIDI cable. If your keyboard has MIDI ports then you can connect it using a USB-MIDI interface which is a different kind of cable. If you use one of those, then you need to correctly install the interface and then make sure it is selected as the MIDI input device in your software

  46. Hi Jane, I gave a Yamaha keyboard and I have a USB midi interface. What software should I get to add synthesised sounds like a piano or a drum kit so its mapped onto my keyboard?

    • Hi Tom, are you saying you want your keyboard to play this new sounds? I think it will depend on what kind of keyboard it is. If you head to this page http://www.yamahamusicsoft.com/en/category/Synth+Voice+Libraries/product/1017294/XG+Edit/ and select your Yamaha model from the drop down list you can find which software is available for it. On the other hand, if you want to use your keyboard as a controller and generate the sounds on your computer then you can do that in any DAW like Pro Tools, Cubase, Mixcraft, Sonar etc, or with standalone products like the Native Instruments Kontakt or Garritan Sounds. Hope that helps

  47. Hi I have a Casio wk-1630 (really Anciant) and on both my pc and laptop data doe’s not seem to be transferring in. At one point if I clicked on the piano grid on my software the sound from my pc would play on my casio speakers but the data notes do not play from my casio to my pc so I cannot record midi. I have tried acid pro 7 and FL 10 but I still cannot get the midi to work. (by the way it’s a midi to usb) I am stuck I don’t know if I should buy a new computer, a new keyboard a sound card or what… I just purchased Pro tools express to now try that but it will arrive in a few days. Tell me if I make sense I’m am new to midi recording I always used audio recording for real instruments just mics and imputs, so please help!

  48. Hi Jane,
    I’m about to buy a yamaha PSR i455 keyboard..It has only usb port…It’s a digital keyboard..will I be able to connect my keyboard to pc and use it as MIDI…Can I compose own music with softwares buy connecting my keyboard….Or should I look up for a MIDI keyboard itself??pls reply soon…

    • Hi, yes you should easily be able to use it as a MIDI controller – and if you go the Yamaha site they have all the manuals and downloads to help you. Regards, Jane

  49. Hi, Jane.
    I’m quite new here.
    If the answer was above, I’m really sorry.
    I’m trying to play MIDI data from my computer to my keyboard so I can see the keys light up.. That’s it.
    I own a Casino Lk-165 piano and a Windows 8 computer.
    Whenever I try to search online for a way, I get all sorts of confusing results…
    Any help would be appreciated.

  50. Hi Jane,

    I have just purchased a Korg Volca Sample which has annold style Din midi in connector. Do you know of any cable or convertor that will allow my M-audio oxygen 25 usb keyboard to control it? If possible I dont want to use a computer in the setup.

    Thanks

    • Hi Alex, unfortunately I think the Oxygen can only be powered by USB and it doesn’t appear to have any MIDI out port, so I don’t think you are going to be able to do this. You will need a different controller to avoid the use of a computer. (I am saying this on the basis of the info about the current oxygen 25 on the M-Audio site)

      • Hi Alex, I do apologise for time taken to reply, I was immediately going to recommend the Alesis Q25 https://www.musicrepo.com/alesis-q25 which is a fantastic little 25-key controller keyboard with full-sized keys and has an old school MIDI out. I notice that this model has now been superseded by the Aleses V25, but the V25 is USB only. Still, I think there are plenty of Q25 still available. If you want a controller keyboard with extra pads, faders etc then the new Alesis VI25 has all that, full-sized keys, and that desired MIDI port https://www.musicrepo.com/alesis-VI25
        Hope that helps. All the best, Jane

  51. Hi Jane,
    Thank you for this and for your simple and straightforward answers to questions! I am looking to very simply connect a controller to the computer and trigger sounds in real time so I can hear them via the computer audio output as I play. I have no interest in sequencing or recording, just in using the computer to expand the range of sounds I can play with my keyboard. Can you recommend the simplest program (or tell me the name of what I am looking for?)

    Thanks!

  52. Thank you Jane. I really do appreciate your response. I use “Audacity” as my DAW on a Ubuntu-Linux Dell. I can import MIDI into Audacity. I will take your suggestion and get a MIDI-USB interface. The example you showed at the beginning of this forum looks like it will do the trick. Thanks again.
    ~Ira

  53. Hi I am kiran. Now I am going to buy one new keyboard. I have an old one with normal midi in/out. I connect it to scarlett 2i4 audio interface and den to pc. In most of the new keyboard models I find only usb midi port. which is good?in terms of latency/jitter, speed,…… normal midi to pc through audio interface or usb midi directly to pc?

    • Hi Kiran, I think if you can find a keyboard with a MIDI port not just USB then you will be better connecting it through an interface – but this will only be very marginal. I use a USB keyboard alongside my interface because it doesn’t have MIDI, I only have a very average laptop and I do not seem to have any issues with latency from the controller. So if you have a choice go with the interface route, but if you don’t I would not get hung up about it!

  54. Hi, I have just purchased an 88-key Alesis MIDI Keyboard Controller, and I cant get any sound from it. I have tried to connect it to an amp and use headphones, but no sound will come out – and then I connected it to my apple mac, and used the software that came with the keyboard – which is: Ableton Live Lite Alesis Edition software, but I still couldn’t work out how to get the sound. Thanks for your time, I really appreciate it.

    • Hi Izzy, firstly the sound is not going to come from the keyboard, it is going to come from the software. Try the following link to troubleshoot and make sure the controller is being recognised correctly, once you know it is, then you should refer to the manual for the software
      http://www.numark.com/kb/article/1619

      If you have recently purchased the Alesis keyboard new, then you can contact the Alesis support team by phone and they will talk you through the set-up if you are still stuck

  55. I have window 8 pc and midi controller goes under other devices (it puts it under printer group). How can I have midi show up under audio/video/game tab (under device manager). as of now midi keyboard is not working. Thanks for any input.

    • Hi, if your controller is not being recognised correctly and it is supposed to be class compliant then it may be that your drivers that should be build into Windows 8 are missing or corrupt. There is a link here to a good step-by-step guide to diagnosing and then troubleshooting, and at the bottom there is a link to the audio codec you may need to download and install if this proves to be the case after working through their suggestions.
      http://www.numark.com/kb/article/1619

  56. Hi Jane, This is the first time I’ve visited this web site. You seem to have helped people here with a similar problem that I have. I wonder if you can help me?
    I have a Quickshot Midi Composer keyboard. It is a midi-controller and sends midi out that can be received by computer sound cards. This technology is 20 yrs old. It’s two connection methods are either a midi output (requires a midi cable male-to-male) or a game port output (15 pin game port cable connector also male-to-male).
    I no longer use a desktop computer. I use a Dell laptop that only has sound card inputs via mini-jack access.
    My problem is finding an adapter that will work in either case. I’d rather use the mini-jack “line-in” to receive the MIDI controller signal from the Quickshot Midi Composer keyboard, because it would be direct to the sound card.
    I saw your example above that suggested a MIDI cable to USB connection. Is that the only option available? Will the MIDI controller signal reach the sound card through the USB connection, without modifying the signal values in any way?
    Thank you for your time to answer this. I appreciate it.

    • Hi, you won’t be able to connect the MIDI ports on your controller to the line in on your laptop. That line is is only for audio signals. You will have to purchase a MIDI-USB interface I’m afraid. If you create MIDI/instrument tracks in a DAW or create scores in notation software, then the software should have built in instruments that will play back through your sound card. Hope that helps. Regards Jane

  57. i have an old roland rd 300 digital piano from the late 80s early 90s it has midi in out and through can I use it as a controller on my computer I have a Tascam us 1641 that has midi in and out that I use as an interface and I use acid studio

  58. Hello Jane, love this site and would appreciate if you could answer some queries. I’ve been trying to get Cubase 7.5 artist to link up with my KOrg M3 via Scarlett midi interfaces a cheap 2 output. I am having some difficulties because midi implies you don’t hear notes just data so when I’m creating a midi track in Cubase I’m hearing a weird sound. I thought I should only hear that through an audio track. That’s the first problem. Secondly, my keyboard adds sounds on a track that shouldn’t be there when it is connected…say on a 16 piece sequenced composition, track for strings adds other melody like bells which were never on the original. The reason I bought cubase was to make my Korg pieces better, I wanted the synth to sound better so I can start to send off the finished tracks to music libraries. Some hope but I really love my Korg m3 and don’t know whether cubase would do this…I.e make the sound better? I was told a mixing desk wouldn’t do much. I suppose I just want my compositions to sound more professional. Wondered if you have any advice? Thank you Phil

    • Hi Phil
      If you are just making a MIDI connection from your Korg to Cubase, then all the extra bells, whistles and sounds you are hearing are something to do with how you are setting up Cubase, so you should focus on checking the manual and looking for tutorials on how to get the MIDI set up right in Cubase. If you do want to record the actual Korg sounds, then you will need to make some kind of audio connection, so you may need to purchase an audio interface that will enable you to take the actual line output of the Korg and record to an audio track in Cubase. Regards Jane

  59. I have all kinds of sheet music books and a new Casio PX-780 Previa Digi-Piano. I also have a laptop and a scanner. Is there anyway to get the Piano to play the sheet music I have?

  60. hi Jane,
    my midi keyboard’s usb port is broken and there’s only a midi out port. If I buy a midi to usb cable will I still be able to use it or do i have to get it repaired?

    • Hi, if it is USB powered, then unfortunately you won’t. Unless it has an input for a separate power supply in which case you could purchase that as well. Hope that helps

  61. hi, may I know if for an instance I have a digital piano or a synthesiser and I connect it to my computer and use the MIDI software. am I able to change how my piano sounds like while using MIDI? I’ve seen some covers on YouTube and some of them have really good piano sounds so I was wondering if it was possible for me to change how my synthesiser sound like as I do not really like the default piano sound of my synthesiser and there aren’t other built in piano sounds that are to my liking. I’m using a korg m1 so it’s a pretty old model. Thanks for your time!

    • Hi, yes you should be able to pick any virtual instrument you like in your software and use your Korg M1 to control it, as long as you have made a suitable MIDI connection between the Korg and your computer.

  62. Hi, This is Subhro here. I am using Yamaha PSR S710. Though i have been playing for a long time, i am a little weak in technicalities. I have a lenovo laptop, using windows 8.1 as the OS. I just want to connect my keyboard to the laptop and directly record music? Please help me.

    • Hi Subhro, from what I can see that keyboard has got left and right line out (1/4″ jack). You can connect that up to a suitable recording interface or you could have a go at getting a splitter cable that connects the two mono outputs to a 1/8″ stereo mini-jack and connect straight to the laptop. This won’t give the best recording quality, but would be fine for being able to make recordings of yourself so you can hear how you sound. However, having a dedicated interface or USB mixer will give a better recording result. Hope that helps, Jane

  63. Hi Jane, I have been stuck with this problem for a very very long time and searching online hasn’t provided an answer for me yet. I have a CME UF6 keyboard that I have had for a few years and would like to start using it again however unfortunately the company stopped providing drivers for it a while back and no win7 64 available so I can’t use it via the usb cable. However there is a midi out port only (no in port), is it possible to still use this keyboard with windows 7? My sound card is the Edirol UA25 which has midi in/out but as there is only a midi out port on keyboard I couldn’t get this to work.
    Thank you 🙂

    • Hi, make sure you connect the MIDI out of the keyboard to the MIDI in on the sound card. Does the keyboard have its own power supply? If you are not using the USB cable, then you will need to power it from an external power supply. Then there is no reason why it shouldn’t work. Regards Jane

  64. Jane, there are a lot of Audio/MIDI interfaces to choose from. But if a MIDI keyboard or controler can be hooked up directly via USB why would anyone want or need to buy an interface with MIDI built in, such as the focusrite Scarlett 2i4, etc.?

    • There are lots of reasons. Maybe you have other MIDI devices that don’t have a USB connection. You might get lower latency using the MIDI i/o in a good quality interface. You might have more than one device to connect up. You might only want to tie up one USB port. Etc etc. Hope that answers your question

  65. Hi Jane,

    Been having this issue with my MIDI keyboard for sometime now. My computer and Pro tools/Logic recognizes the keyboard but for some reason after I connect it, I’m able to play only a 2-3 notes before the signal gets cut and no sound comes out. The DAWs do not recognize the signal too. If I restart my keyboard the same thing happens. ANy ideas for a fix?

    Thanks
    John

    • Hm, sounds like you may have to contact the manufacturer of the keyboard to get some support on this, if it is dropping out. If it is a USB keyboard, then try a different USB cable as sometimes they can fail.

  66. hi, i have piano… sk-9004 shen kong and i want to connect it with my pc..it gives me only midi out and not midi in…and the cable that i have don’t work…what can i do..?

    • Make sure you have connected the cable correctly (connect the in of the cable to the out of the keyboard and vice versa). If it isn’t working then, you will need to seek support from the manufacturer of the USB-MIDI cable to make sure it is functioning correctly. Sometimes they just don’t work – especially the cheap unbranded ones.

  67. Hi Jane,
    I have Yamaha MM6(it has MIDI I/O & USB) & Cubase AI 5. I am purchasing Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB Audio Interface.
    I want to record Vocal & Synth I have following questions:
    1) If I purchased Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 which has MIDI I/O how can I use its MIDI I/O with my Yamaha MM6?
    2) Connecting Yamaha MM6 to Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 via MIDI I/O and Connecting Yamaha MM6 via USB directly to laptop are these two things same.
    3) If I connect Yamaha MM6 to Focusrite Scarlett 2i2’s one of input channel and record it to Cubase can I edit the sound later same as that when we connect keyboard directly to laptop (for e.g.- I recorded Strings, can I later edit the voice/tone to pads or different voice).
    4) I play in church every sunday. What does ‘Triggering MIDI means, and how can I trigger MIDI with Yamaha MM6
    5) Is Yamaha MM6 a MIDI Controller or Workstation or Synthesizer?

    • Hi Nikhil, the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 does not have MIDI (from what I can see) so you won’t connect the Yamaha directly to the interface. You will connect the interface to one USB port, and then connect the Yamaha to another. You can transmit MIDI data direct from the Yamaha. In any software you use, select the Focusrite as the audio input and output, and the yamaha keyboard will be the MIDI input/output. You will be able to change voices on MIDI/instrument tracks in the software. You will be able to trigger from the Yamaha and use it as a controller (you may need to turn the volume down in church if you are using software rather than the sound of the keyboard!)

  68. Hi Jane,

    Just after submitting my last comment (about MIDI for beginners), I came across an illuminating quote from your good self:

    “The accepted way actually makes a lot of sense. Think about it. You want MIDI data to go out of your controller and in to your sound module. After all, you wouldn’t connect the audio out jack of your sound module to the outputs of your mixer, would you?

    No, you connect the audio output to an audio (mixer) input. And then you connect the mixer outputs to the inputs of your amplifier. And then you connect the amp’s speaker outputs to the speaker inputs. Same thing with MIDI. Think of MIDI data as “flowing” in the same way that audio signals “flow” through your audio system”.

    Through which stages exactly this MIDI “flow” travels is exactly what I fail to grasp.

    I’m aware that each MIDI connection has 16 MIDI channels – likened to 16 different musicians, somewhere online. I also learned that Channel 10 is usually reserved for percussion. But for the life of me, I have been unable to unearth which instruments the other 15 are relating to.

    So if I want to play some virtual musical instrument, on my MIDI controller, are Channels the right place to begin? And if so, how to decide then which Chanel would be suited to (or suitable for), say, this trumpet,of my previous contribution? And, following up on this, in what manner do things like Program Changes and Banks fit in?

    The more I’m reading on the subject, the more baffled I become…

    Peter

    • Hi, the channels do not relate to instruments – except that channel 10 is usually related to percussion. What you can do is select different ‘patches’ (instruments) on each individual channel so you can have an ‘orchestra’ or ‘band’ of up to 16 voices. The voices can be anything you care for and limited only to the instruments you have available within your software. So in your SOFTWARE you need to load in any instruments you have available, select the channel and then output to that channel from your keyboard. You can send program changes within a track which will change the instrument or patch to another one.
      http://www.midi.org/techspecs/gm1sound.php

  69. Hi Jane,

    Might you be able to shed light on on some difficulties currently experienced?

    I own a brand new M-Audio Keystation 88 MkII, MIDI Controller, since a couple of days. I’d like it to play Garritan musical instrument sample (in Aria) – preferably as standalone on a Windows 7 laptop. And playback of this I wish to capture – not on some DAW, but on my Zoom R16 digital 16-track recorder.

    The biggest hurdle, has been setting up MIDI, on Keystation 88,. Wouldn’t it be nice if MIDI could play the test trumpet loaded in Aria? But no luck at all, so far.

    I’m relatively new to the concept of MIDI and, hence, unsure where exactly to begin. The manual coming with the Keystation is frustratingly basic, in this regard – thus adding considerably to already great confusion. I had hoped to make some music, these past five days; instead, those were spent attempting to dig up, online, some tutorial explaining – to absolute newbies (like me) – from where exactly to start and how to move forward, step-by-step. But wherever I looked, I was pelted with horrendously impenetrable gobbledegook – without exception.

    Would you know, perhaps, as to whether something akin to ‘MIDI For Dummies exists?

    Thank you.

    Peter

  70. Hi Jane,

    I have a 12 year old son getting better at music & singing. I am now buying him a Roland E09in.

    However he wants to record his singing on his laptop for playing back later. Would a Mic & a DAW like Audacity along with the Roland E09in suffice for this requirement?

    Or anything additional is required?

    TIA,
    Yogesh

    • Hi, I think you are also going to need an audio interface so you can record the keyboard and the voice. Get one with line in (to connect the Roland) and mic in (to connect the mic). For just simple recording of different tracks, Audacity would be good. Most branded interfaces also come with recording software as well. If you purchase an interface, make sure it has phantom power if you want to connect a condenser mic. You’ll then just need the right cables and a set of headphones.

  71. Sorry if this question was asked already, but, on most desktop computers, the sound card has a “game/MIDI” port that is a 15-pin interface. How does the keyboard connect to the desktop PC with this type of interface/port?

    • Hi Darren, the old gameports are no longer used on modern computers, but you may find older ones that have this. It used to be possible to get a MIDI-Gameport cable which would allow you to connect a MIDI keyboard. I used to sell them, but eventually the supply dried up. However, you might, if you scour secondhand sites, be able to come across one. Hope that helps.

  72. Hi, Im a little confused with this usb midi cable. My friend has a casio keyboard and has one lead that is a midi that plugs into the keyboard and the other end is a usb that plugs into the pc, and then he plays the keyboard and it records using a daw prog on the pc. no issues.
    Now, im looking at getting a yamaha psr e 303 and im struggling to find a lead. The only ones seem to be the ux16 that has some type of interface and two leads coming out. Dont understand why i can t find a single cable with the round midi plug for keyboard and a usb on the other end for pc just as one cable.
    thanks

    • Hi, most of the USB-MIDI cables have two MIDI jacks on them (one for MIDI in and one for MIDI out). It doesn’t matter if you only have one MIDI port on your keyboard, you can just connect the one. I think the UX16 is very expensive – if it is still available. You might find the Roland um-one mk2 is more cost effective, but still very high quality and branded. Hope that helps

  73. Hi Jane,
    I am looking at buying a Yamaha p105 digital piano. I want to be able to hook it up to my computer to layer my music. It only has a usb port for midi. Will I be able to play a song and record it to my computer and then play it back and put another layer on top? I would like it to feel like I am playing with another musical instrument.

    • If the USB port is just to make a MIDI connection then you will need some kind of audio interface to make a recording. It has got Aux Out so you should be able to purchase the appropriate cable to connect that to the input of your interface. You can then layer up the tracks

  74. Hello Jane!
    I have My old keyboard KORG X5D but loved to sounds of new machines, say, Roland RD 800N or Motif xs, or Kronos. and to own them is only by dreams. Is it possible to hear their sounds in my one and only KORG X5D using a midi controller? please….

    • Your Korg X5D has the sounds it has. You could use it as a MIDI controller and then install virtual synths on your computer to expand the sounds available to you. But I don’t think you are going to directly get your X5D to sound exactly like the Roland or Kronos.

  75. Hi I’m used to sending midi data from my laptop (Sibelius First software) to a keyboard’s midi in port so that the keyboard plays the score.
    However, looking for a new keyboard I see that they don’t seem to have midi ports any more – most just have usb to device, which I guess means they don’t receive midi data.
    Are there keyboards which will receive and play midi inputs? If so, what connections are used?
    Thanks, Andy Darvill

    • Hi Andy, I think there are still plenty of keyboards available with the standard MIDI i/o as well as USB. So as a start, take a look on the Korg site, nearly all their keyboards and synths have MIDI in and out. You’d then just need a USB-MIDI interface to connect them up and select that as the MIDI device from Sibelius. Hope that helps.

  76. OMG!!! I LOVE YOU JANE!!! I spent almost 2 weeks trying to figure out why my keyboard wasn’t working I was about to take it back and buy another one and for some reason I decided to google one more time and came across this page. Now I feel stupid because I thought it was hooked up right the whole time. Anyway thanks I owe you one.

    • Haha no idea if you are taking the mick or not Tarzan, but if you have genuinely solved a problem then that is great 🙂

    • You can manage with the standard sound card built into your laptop, just as long as you have an appropriate USB-MIDI connection from your keyboard. Obviously a studio soundcard will give much higher quality results, but for getting going, no, you can manage with what you have already got.

  78. I have a quick question. I have purchased the RME Babyface D A Converter and it comes equipped with the older style 5 pin midi in/out. My keyboard, a simple YAMAHA, only has one USB type B port. I have previously connected the keyboard to Garageband DAW on the laptop via USB, just using the downloadable driver from Yamaha and it seems to be running fine. Is there an advantage to connecting direct to the Babyface apart from the fact that I will use less USB inputs? Should I need to change anything to utilise the midi input on the Babyface. What is the best type of cable to buy? It should all be plug and play should it not? I Would appreciate your advice.

    • Hi, I’m not sure if your Yamaha has MIDI ports? Is it not USB only as you describe? If that is the case, then I don’t think you can connect it up to the Babyface via MIDI. If it is a keyboard that makes sound, then you would be able to record the actual sound via line out. In which case you’d need to look at the audio output of the Yamaha, the line in ports of the Babyface and purchase the appropriate cable. Without more info cannot say exactly which cable. But from what you have described I don’t think you are going to be connect Yamaha-Babyface via MIDI

      • yes jane my Yamaha, a simple PSR 413 has a USB midi out , type B port as I said. I have now been using the Midi piano and the babyface together in the same DAW ( Garageband) on the laptop so no real problem there. The piano just connected type B Midi to type A USB on the laptop as normal. I have solved that issue. I guess there is no real advantage to going into the 5 pin midi plug directly on the baby face? and I just wondered if it was possible? The thing is, there may be advantages to being able to enter the babyface, as the Total Mix software that interacts with the Babyface unit is very powerful and it may give me further ways to use the Midi pathways from the keyboard . That was my question can I actually go from the USB type B port OUT on the keyboard, to the two Midi 5 pin plugs that are attached to the Baby face DAC. thanks for all the help. It is really appreciated

  79. Hey Jane,
    I am trying to connect my Yamaha S90 to a HP 360 Pavilion via USB to USB using Mixcraft Studio 6 as the software. I cannot get them to communicate or my PC to recognize it as a MIDI controller. Are there certain drivers I need? Or should it automatically work? Thanks so much for your time

    Dan

  80. Hi Jane! I have a problem, I have an old midi keyboard controller ( that keyboard has only Out Put midi ) that I wanna connect to computer, so i bought a midi usb cable that has usb and midi out put in put, and when i connect it to my computer ( I’m using FL studio 11 ) and enable it in FL studio but it doesn’t work in there. I check on the keyboard it turned on and light on the midi cable also on, but i notice that the light (Out put) on the midi cable it didn’t turn on, so I don’t know what is the problem with that, is it becoz my keyboard suppose to have midi out and in or becoz of midi cable itself? please help me. And I’m sorry for my poor english.

    • Hi, if the MIDI interface is showing up in FL Studio then it is most likely working. It shouldn’t matter that your keyboard only as MIDI output, just make sure you connect the IN on the cable to the Out of the keyboard. I have known MIDI interfaces to fail on just one part only though – ie they appear to install fine, but either the In or the Out does not work. If you have bought a branded interface then check the manual, and maybe post a support request to the manufacturer to make sure you have installed it correctly. Hope you can get it working

  81. I’m going to purchase an M-Audio or Alesis 88 key MIDI controller soon. I will be connecting it to my PC at home. I have 2 questions, please.
    1) Will the quality of sounds as well as polyphony be dependent on my PC’s sound card?
    2) Will investing in some high quality speakers be a worthwhile investment?
    Thank you!

    • HI, the polyphony depends on the keyboard and good quality speakers are always nice if you can afford them. Hope that helps.

  82. Hi Jane, I am having a lot of trouble connecting a Yamaha PSR-275 keyboard to my MacBook Air via the Roland UM-ONE. Only the Midi In light is lit up but both the In and Out jacks are connected. Does this sound like a problem with the cable, the computer, or the keyboard?

    • To be honest I would contact Roland, they have a very good technical help department who will help you trouble shoot, as it is most likely to be the UM-ONE. Or at least you can download the manual and have a good look through at what to expect from it.

  83. I have an MTrack Plus and a Casio Priva keyboard. The keyboard has both midi and usb outputs. The MTrack Plus has Midi connections. I am using the M-Track for guitar and bass as well.
    My question would be is it better to connect the keyboard using the midi through the M-Track or directly to the PC through the USB?
    The PC is new and has USB 3 inputs and plenty of cpu and RAM.

    Thanks,

    • Hi Josh, I’d be tempted to buy a couple of MIDI leads and run it through the MTrack for simplicity’s sake. But on a new PC with plenty of ports, it won’t make much difference if any performance wise. Probably a case of experiment and see. Sounds like a nice setup anyway, enjoy

  84. Hello, I wish to shop for a midi keyboard and appropriate software to take advantage of the lighted keys feature on some keyboards, to learn how to play. I have a computer and emedia software, ( not yet loaded )but it does not seem to have the lighted key feature I am looking for according to the sleeve although I may be incorrect on this point. Please tell me some popular suggestions on software and keyboards ( I see Casio has a model). Also, does the software have to support the lighted keys feature? One more question: Can I purchase separately additional CD’s with songs/music to learn even more songs/music with the lighted key feature? What do I shop for? Am I missing any essential part? Thank you. John

  85. Hi Jane, I have two kybd controllers, M-audio axiom 61 and M-audio keystation es 61. I have the GSI VB3 software in my pc laptop hosted by VSTHost. I want to make a double manual B-3 organ. My axiom is on top and plugged into the lap top. I have sound and an expression pedal working. I have the keystation on the bottom set to midi channel 2 going from the midi out of the keystation going into the midi in of the axiom. No sound from the bottom keystation? What am I missing? Can you figure this out? Thanks…Jesse jwhillbilly@hotmail.com

    • Hi, I don’t have an Axiom keyboard to try this, but what you should find is that the Axiom will have two input ports showing in your software (see the table in the manual on p5). You will need to have two MIDI tracks armed in your software, one triggered from port 1 and one from port 2. The Axiom effectively acts like an interface on the MIDI in port. Here is a link to the manual. Just to repeat I haven’t tried this as I don’t have the same equipment, but give it a try. Cheers, Jane

      • Hi Jane. Thanks for the response. I’ve since discovered that there are two ways to go with this. 1. Get the upper manual to take the midi out from the bottom manual to switch to midi merge at the upper manuals midi in port internally. 2. If there is no internal midi merge switch then you need “Midi Solutions Midi Merge” to take the midi out of both keyboards and run them into midi in of the merge device and then into some kind of midi in/out usb to connect to the the PC. The two keyboards need to have midi channels set to channel 1 for the top master and channel 2 for the bottom sub manual. At any rate this is where I am at, trying to see if the M-audio Axiom can switch on a Midi Merge function internally at it’s Midi in for the lower M-audio key station es lower manual of my vb3 clone wheel creation

      • Jane, I got it to work! I keep reading the M-audio Axiom 61 manual and this is what worked to get a double manual with expression pedal using GSI VB3 software and a PC (sounds great by the way). I plugged my bottom manual (M-audio Key Station 61 midi out) into the midi in of the M-audio Axiom 61 and switched the bottom manual M-audio Key Station 61 to midi channel 2 inside the Key Station controller. That accessed the VB3 software’s bottom manual on the GUI which is also on midi channel 2. The upper manual is set to channel 1 automatically I guess. The expression pedal just plugs into the M-audio Axiom 61 expression pedal jack and is automatically connected to the VB3 software. I now have a fully functioning B-3 Organ with Leslie and expression pedal for a fraction of the cost of a commercial clone wheel and none of the weight of a real B-3 and Leslie. Now on to cannibalizing a 2 octave kybd controller to make a pedal board. Please post this because I couldn’t find any of this info on the net. Catch ya, Jesse Pearson

  86. Hello Jane
    I have a very simple home set up my keyboard is an Evolution Mk-149 it only has midi out.
    my problem is that I brought a new pc and installed a cheap 6 channel pci sound card just to get a midi port through the joystick plug as pcs don’t come with one now or midi set up in the pcs peripherals bios but this did not work at all apart from the audio side that was fine so I went with a usb midi cable this works but poorly when I use the pich wheel it plays very high notes for no reason and often does not play notes when I use the keys.
    It doesn’t look like driver or set up issues
    I have been using reason 4.0 for years and had no problems until I brought this new pc
    would you know what would cause the midi to be so sporadic
    thanks Neil

    • Hmm, have you bought a good quality branded USB-MIDI interface? The very cheap unbranded ones can be very temperamental. The other issue is that your keyboard is quite an old one now. But if it was working fine before, I’d be looking first at the interface. You might find our tips for testing a MIDI interface would help you just see what was going on with the keyboard – MIDI OX is very useful for that
      https://www.musicrepo.com/testing-midi-device/

  87. Hi Jane

    Thank you for the informative article. I hooked up my Ipad to my Roland FP7 via USb so my son could learn piano via software. The problem i now have is the I can’t get audio out of my Roland anymore. I tried resetting to no avail. Is this a common problem? Any help is appreciated.

    Warm Regards,

    Michael

    • Hm, I don’t know why connecting it up would mean you no longer got audio. It is quite an old keyboard though, are you connecting it directly up to iPad via the USB? Is it just when connected that you can’t get audio, or has the audio disappeared? I think you may have read the manual very carefully to check if there are any switches or settings you need to adjust, and also might be an idea to contact Roland support directly as this is quite a specific question. In general it is not a common problem as far as I know.

  88. Hi Jane…

    You are awesome to answer all these people!

    I have a Casio Privia PX310. My boyfriend just bought me the M-Audio M-Track Plus with Pro Tools.
    I have a Toshiba laptop too.
    I want to use my keyboard to record with my Pro Tools software.
    I’m reading these answers and am still a lost newbie!!
    Which cord do I need to connect my keyboard to the M Audio?
    I do want all 3 to communicate and record.
    HELP!! I am utterly stumped. :/
    I have midi connection on my keyboard.
    M Audio has a guitar line connect and a mic input connect. Do I utilize these??

    Thank you in advance for your time and considerate patience.

    ~Alisha Kat

    • Hi Alisha, thanks for your kind words. You have two options depending on what you want to do. If you want to use your Casio as a MIDI controller then you need a couple of these:
      Hosa MID310 MIDI Cables

      If you want to record the actual sound of your keyboard via the line on the M-Track Plus then you need two standard jack cables – or a dual cable like the one below. Connect the left and right output of the piano to the left and right line in on the M-Track Plus
      Hosa Twin Quarter Inch Jack Cables

      So yes, you are using the two guitar/line/mic inputs on the M-Track. Switch to line signal.

      Good luck with that then!

      • Wow- Thank you Jane. That was incredibly fast.
        I will get started with your suggestions and let you know how it goes.
        Have a great day!!

        Alisha Kat

      • Hi again Jane.

        I hope you are well.
        I have been using my keyboard as midi in/out through my MTrack express with Pro Tools and Ignite, but am not sure of some things.

        I can record in Pro Tools, but the play back comes through my keyboard, and not my computer speakers. They are just cheap, computer speakers with no settings.
        What is happening?

        Also, on playback, it only plays the piano sounds which are set/changeable in the keyboard, not the actual recorded sounds.
        Why is it doing this?

        I can record in IGNITE, and playback through computer speakers which plays the actual recorded sounds, but it is so crackly and skips.
        Can I fix these skips and such? The recording actually sounds good despite this.

        Do you have any advise?

        Thank you!

        Alisha Kat

      • Hi Alisha, make sure you have speakers or headphones connected to the MTrack and set the MTrack up as the default device for recording and playback. It will be worth installing ASIO4ALL (if you are using a PC) and setting up the buffer size etc. A lot of your issues are to do with routing. The reason you are getting skips and crackling in Ignite will be to do with not using the MTrack to monitor the sound I think. With Pro Tools it sounds as if you are using the keyboard as the MIDI input and output device, which is why the sounds are coming back out through your keyboard. Regards Jane

      • Hi again Jane.

        I was able to get the system plugged in and recording, but now I have a new issue.
        Perhaps you have an answer?

        I have an MAudio MTrack Plus, using Pro Tools Express and Ignite software.
        I have a Casio Privia 310 Keyboard.
        My computer is a Toshiba Laptop.

        Here are my questions:

        1-
        I am able to record in Ignite, with all the sounds, but the play back is super crackly and it pops a lot. The recording is great and Ignite is super user friendly, but the playback sounds awful.
        The playback from the Ignite recording comes through my plugged in computer speakers. I have them plugged in the MBox.
        Any suggestions to fix the pops and cracks?

        2-
        I am able to record in Pro Tools, (definitely a more challenging program since I don’t know it),
        but the playback comes through my actual keyboard, not my speakers. ?
        Because of this, it plays back the sound that the keyboard is set on, not the sound it was recorded in.

        So Ignite plays back through the computer speakers, but Pro Tools plays through my Casio Keyboard??

        My speakers are cheapy computer speakers. Do I need different ones?

        Any thoughts you have are greatly appreciated Jane! I have been watching YOUTUBE videos and have not found a solution.

        Thank you very much!

        ~Alisha

      • Hi, I replied previously, now I’m getting a bit confused. You have an MBox and an MTrack? Make sure you only use one device. Let’s assume there is a mistake there and you just have an MTrack Plus. If that is the case, then go to the ASIO settings and adjust the buffer size etc. By adjusting the settings you should be able to get a good recording and playback. Try headphones to see if they are better than the speakers in terms of quality. But do make sure you are just using ONE input and output device, and that you are not routing the sound out from a different place to where you are recording. Regards Jane

  89. Hello there!
    My husband and I have been trying to figure out how to get his keyboard to work with Cubase 7.
    We have hooked up his Kurzweil K2500X with his Windows 7 computer using a USB to MIDI cord, and have plugged everything in exactly how you have said, however, we can not get the program to register that the keyboard is plugged in. We have also tried it with Garageband and tried every USB port, and still have the same problem.
    I don’t know if you would know what the problem is, but we have tried everything and have been looking online for a few days and have not figured out how to fix the problem, so I thought it couldn’t hurt to ask. Thanks so much for any help you can give!

    -Kaitie James

    • Hi Kaitie, you need to establish if the USB-MIDI interface is working OK. Is it a branded one or not? The cheaper unbranded ones are notoriously unreliable. There is a useful article here that helps you decide if the interface is working, and also how to update Windows drivers if the interface is working but just not being recognised correctly. http://www.numark.com/kb/article/1619
      If you find the interface is not working at least you know that is the problem. If it is working OK then another couple of tips: (1) Make sure you have checked the Kurzweil keyboard manual to check there aren’t any settings you need to adjust to make it connect as some keyboards have the functionality turned off by default. (2) Connect all the hardware up BEFORE starting Cubase not after.

  90. Thanks for the answer, Jane.

    Just complementing it, you’ve advised me to stay away from the M-Audio Keystation. I’ve considered the Alesis you suggested, but turns out they’re both synth-action and I’d like some half-weighted with sustain input. What do you think of the Samson Carbon 61? I don’t really need pads, knobs and faders at the moment. Would you advise something else in this category?

    • I have a Samson keyboard at the moment, and very happy with it. The Samson Carbon 61 would be a good choice. iPad ready, easy to connect up via USB, the option of standard MIDI out, sustain port, it’s very well featured and also the Samson keyboards come with a very nice software bundle so good value. (BTW I like the Keystation but since they took off the MIDI port it isn’t as versatile, the Samson is a more modern design as well, with the iPad in mind).

  91. Hey, Jane!

    I’m hunting around to buy a controller, but am still reading about new technologies after a really long time away from the topic, so I’d like to understand some things better:

    1) Some controllers (I’m gonna stick with a 64-keys one) have the midi out in addition to the USB output and I’ll probably choose one of these since I’d like to try the USB connection with my Mac Pro, but also have the possibility of plugging it in a sound card (that I’m also going to buy) through midi. The point is – don’t I need the sound card if I plug the controller in the notebook USB port at all?

    2) If I’m using USB with the notebook intern sound card, won’t I have latency issues that would make me stick with midi through a USB or FireWire sound card?

    3) What are my sound output options? Just speakers and headphones or would I be temporarily able to use the notebook speakers?

    Thanks a lot and sorry for such a long issue.

    • Why not hedge your bets and buy a USB MIDI controller that also has a standard MIDI out port. That way you can use the controller straight away with your notebook but if in future you want to experiment with upgrading to an interface with MIDI i/o then you can direct the output of the keyboard to the MIDI interface. I use a USB-MIDI controller and don’t seem to have any particular issues with latency. It’s a Samson, and many of their keyboards have standard MIDI port, as do the Alesis Q and QX series. Stay away from the M-Audio Keystation. You can just use your built in sound card for now, the Mac Operating System is very efficient and I am sure you will get good results just with your notebook speakers. By the way, most keyboards around the size you are talking about have 61 keys (5 octaves plus a note).

  92. Hi Jane! I was planning to buy a Novation Launchkey 25 MIDI Keyboard Controller – which comes only with a USB to USB connection. Now, I also want to get better recording quality, for which I’m getting a M Audio M Track/ FocusRite Scarlett audio interface. My question is, is there no way I can connect the Novation via the interface for improved quality? (I hope this doesn’t sound way too stupid)

    • No, if it is USB only then it is not possible to connect it to the interfaces you mention. But you should find it will work fine alongside whichever interface you pick. I use an Avid Fast Track and a USB MIDI controller and don’t experience any problems. As it is only a controller it will not have any effect on the sounds you make.

  93. Hi Jane, I have a Technics KN1200. My disk drive quit working, and I couldn’t get it repaired as the guy said they don’t carry the parts anymore. I bought a USB to Midi cords but my question is how do I play my midi files? do I need some special software to play it from my computer through my keyboard?

    • Yes, I suggest you seek out some simple software that will open and play back MIDI files with the option to change the MIDI device so that you can choose your USB-MIDI interface and thus play back the file through your keyboard. Your choice is going to depend on what else you’d like to do. It will be better than trying to play back using the built-in Windows player as you don’t have any control over the playback and it defaults to the built in windows wavetable synth.

  94. Hi Jane, is it possible to download sounds like cp 80, or cool galaxy into my Yamaha keyboard?

    • Without knowing the model I don’t know if it has such capability, best to consult the manual of the keyboard. If you don’t have it then you should be able to download a copy from Yamaha.

  95. Hye Jana, I am a beginner music artist from India. Need some help :/ I use FL Studio to produce my music (simply with the inbuilt sound card of my PC and placing notes with mouse itself) but now my musical requirements are getting higher(like my dreams :O ) so I am planning to buy a USB audio interface(M-AUDIO-M-TRACK 2×2 USB Audio Interface) and a midi controller keyboard (Samson Graphite 49), a large diaphragm condenser microphone (Samson C01). My question is that do will I need anything else to connect these instruments?(something like MIDI interfaces or like that…you know, I dont know but this M Audio audio interface specs speak of audio in/midi in…I dont know) And one more thing I need to plug in my Yamaha F310 guitar. But how to do that? It dont have any inbuilt pickup so is it better to simply record with a high fidelity microphone or a pickup gives a better quality?? I have never tried these just imagined 😀 Thanks in advance

    • The M-Track has a good microphone input so you won’t need any other equipment other than you will need an XLR lead to connect the mic to the interface, and some way of listening to what you are doing – headphones or powered speakers – as the sound will be coming out of the M-Track. You should just be able to use the Samson mic to record the guitar and get a nice result. With the Graphite you can connect it directly to your computer via USB, or you could power it via USB and connect the MIDI out port to the MIDI in port of the M-Track using a standard MIDI cable. You’ll just have to pick the appropriate MIDI out from FL Studio. So in short the only additional equipment you will need with the set up you describe is appropriate cables and headphones/speakers

  96. I have a Casio Privia PX-150. It comes with the USB to USB option. When I decide to buy a MacBook Pro and MainStage 3 where does the out put come from the digital piano rot eh Macbook Pro? I understand up to the point that I have to turn of the local sounds but where will the sound come from.

    • I think it depends on how YOU want to route the sound. “MainStage features ReWire and MIDI-out support. That means everything you use to perform is on your Mac, giving you total control. Each Patch works as a self-contained audio mixer and router, so you can completely change direction mid-performance. One minute you can be playing some heavily distorted guitar with a full backing band. And the next you can be creating bass loops with an external synth against an Ultrabeat drum pattern.”

  97. Hi Jane,
    I have a Kurzweil PC3X and need to fly to a gig. I don’t think I’ll be able to take my keyboard. Kurzweil doesn’t have a computer program for a laptop which would be great to plug into any 88 key midi keyboard. There is no module either. Do you have a suggestion for a laptop so that I can build the sounds I need for times when I can’t take my keyboard?
    Thank you,
    Todd

  98. hey jane….
    i want to record songs at my home…using my keyboard of yamaha which have midi function, a kawai digital concert piano and a labtop………..
    which mic i should purchase and how to install and join all these……….to produce quality song……
    and how much it will cost to install mic and wiring…..
    and also recommend me the softwares easy to use………….
    thanks

    • That is a pretty broad question. I would start with getting a decent audio interface with quality XLR microphone input (with phantom power support) and MIDI i/o and line in so that you have covered all the bases for the inputs you will need. If you have not done this kind of thing before then Mixcraft is a good starting point (you can download the demo from acoustica.com) or one of the entry level cakewalk products. They have a less steep learning curve that some of the other packages and it does seem that you are just starting out. For good quality vocal recordings you will want to look for a good large diaphragm condenser microphone. You will also need a stand, a shockmount if you can stretch to it and you might want to think about a small stand mounted vocal booth (see the range from Editors Keys who do a complete range). Hope that helps a bit.

  99. I have a kurtzweil 2500 keyboard connected to an old laptop with a midi cable and a multimedia card PCMCIA -not a usb. The card is damaged and I can not seem to find another – ebay searches etc come up with nothing. Since my laptop and keyboard do not have usb connection do you have a suggestion or solution for me?
    thanks john

    • Hi John, I’m really sorry but I don’t know! I will post this question anyway in case someone else who reads this can think of a solution

  100. Hi Jane, I need to connect my laptop to my Yam keyboard. I use Notation Musician software to play my music selections. Problem, I need to listen to the music via the keyboard and not the laptop, this way i only need one set of earphones.

    • Hi, if you use a MIDI-USB interface and connect up both the MIDI in and MIDI out then you should be able to set the keyboard as the MIDI output device in the software and therefore get the sound playing back out through the keyboard. I am not actually familiar with Notation Musician software specifically but that is how most applications would work. Depending on the keyboard sometimes you can just make a USB connection direct to computer and it has built in interface. Check the manual.

  101. Good day.
    I have a Yamaha PSR 6700 keyboard. I’ve had it for over 20 years. I love it and would not trade it for today’s short-lived electronic instruments. I had a music synthetiser to go with it via a MIDI cable. One day, the synthetiser stopped working. I sent it away for repair. Used it for a few months and it blew again. I have since tried to buy another synthetiser but haven’t been able to find one. The synthetiser I am talking about is a kind of a stand alone black box that connects to the keyboard via a MIDI cable and it usually has over 200 voices that can be played on the keyboard or even blend with the keyboard own voices to bring out an incredible combinations of beautiful sounds. Since I’ve been without an add-on synthetiser I’ve tried to find one and each time I did, those electronic instrument shops keep telling me that they don’t have any of those, “Old technology…” they said. I am here to ask you if it’s true that there are no stand alone synthetisers that connect to older keyboards via a MIDI cable? If there are, where can I find them? Thanks.

    • Hi Michael, Although many people have moved to using virtual instruments on their computers for this kind of thing there are plenty of hardware boxes out there, new and secondhand. Try a search on ‘MIDI sound modules’ and quite a few come up. I quite like the look of the Roland SonicCell, or the Chord Pianobox II has a nice set of GM intruments. Nord do a lot of tabletop synths. I guess it depends on the kind of sounds you want. There are plenty of secondhand bargains up for grabs on eBay, these come up in the Google Shopping search and of course directly on eBay. But the good news is yes, you can definitely still get them!

      • Thank you Jane. You sure know where to look, yes? I checked the Roland BK-7m and the Integra 7. I am not sure if these can be connected to my Yamaha PRS 6700 keyboard and that they will work for years without burning themselves out, like my previous sound module (synthetiser). I will contact Roland and see what they say. You don’t want to be on stage singing and playing an instrument and all of sudden the module cooks itself out and the crowd starts throwing tomatoes and cabbages at you, do you? So, I better treat the next purchase more carefully. Thanks for suggesting a product for me. I’m from Melbourne, Australia.

      • Hi, I am sure that a Roland device will be very robust, and they have good after service. Maybe you need to have a couple of acoustic numbers to avoid the cabbages if the worst happens?! Good luck

  102. This was really helpful.. which is the best midi keyboard under Rs. 30000/- ? And of 61 keys… Reply soon…

    • Hi, glad you found it helpful. Probably the best thing is to look through our checklist of things to think about when looking for a MIDI keyboard to find one that fits your needs. If you stick with a good brand then check out the secondhand market too, as they are pretty simple and I have a couple of good quality keyboards (from M-Audio) that have lasted years. I don’t know enough about what is available in India to comment which would be the best keyboard for you, but hopefully the pointers in that article will help you to decide for yourself. Good hunting.

  103. My name is Ayo, i am a pianist. Pls i want to be able to use sound synthesizing software on my laptop to play my keyboard sound. Can i do that using a midi-usb cable alone or i have to get a midi box?

    • If you want to use your keyboard as a controller, and get the sound coming from the software on your computer then you should just be able to use a MIDI-USB cable and get the result you want. BUT if you actually want to record the SOUND your keyboard is making then you will need to refer to our article on recording the audio signal from your keyboard as you need different hardware to achieve that.

      • Hi Jane! I am confused by the previous poster wanting to “use sound synthesizing software on my laptop to play my keyboard sound”. Does this mean taking the sound that the keyboard has and synthesizing it by running through a computer software? I just don’t understand. I think the sounds on my keyboard are varied enough, but in addition to the basic operating manual, which I struggle with, a HUGE book (about changing all the parameters of the sound waves et al) also came with it and I am overwhelmed by even the thought of trying to read it again. I have a Juno-Gi and some Roland RD300SX and RD300NX stage pianos. All I have done so far is plug the 300 OUT to Juno In and use Juno sounds. It works on the RD 300SX and I love that I can also add to the mix by playing directly on the Juno while someone else is playing the 300 through it. However, the set up does not work properly and does weird stuff when using the RD 300NX. I want to begin to enter into Noteworthy Composer the easy way. So far, I have written about 300 pieces using the computer keyboard, and look forward to any help I can get.

      • Hi, some people really like the sound of their hardware and want to record it. Other people want to use their hardware as a controller and use virtual instruments in the software to make the sound. The hardware is then just used to record the performance data (ie the notes played etc). If you want to use Noteworthy then you need to get your keyboard operating as a MIDI controller, and you should be able to hear what you have done via the software.

      • I am also confused. I have a roland 300 rd piano. I want to add electric piano sounds to it. Do i buy a midi controller and can i find sounds to add? Is this possible? Thanks, dave

      • There are a number of ways you can set yourself up. I don’t know the Roland 300 RD, but I am assuming you won’t be able to add sounds to the actual instrument. You could either use it as a controller if you connect it up via MIDI to your computer, then use software with virtual instruments to generate all the sounds you want. And if you wanted the sound of the Roland in there, you would also need an audio interface and the right cables to make an audio recording of the sound of the keyboard. In a DAW you could record the audio and the MIDI info, then add in sounds to the recording. Everything would come together on your computer, it’s just a case of choosing whether you want to record your keyboard, use it as a controller, or both. Buying a MIDI controller would not immediately enable you to add sounds to your piano. But some people find using a little USB controller with their computer is easier and more convenient then hooking up a large digital piano. Hope that helps a bit. Regards, Jane

      • Hi Jane! I purchased A midi keyboard that has two outputs: 1. usb 2. midi out. I’m using A Mac pro and A Native Instrument audio interface. and I want to get it to work on Sibelious. When I connect the keyboard using A midi cable to the audio interface (midi out to midi in) the keyboard doest get power to work. If I connect it directly to my Mac with the UBS output, It works, but I can’t seem to hear It through the audio interface, but only through the laptop’s speaker? is there A way for the keyboard to be powered through the audio interface? or to be connected only to the laptop but still to here it through the audio interface?
        The audio interface is Audio Kontrol 1 by N.I, and the keyboard is Carbon 49 by Samson.
        appreciate your help,
        Alon

      • Hi, you should be able to configure your software so that it uses your audio interface as the default device, rather than the USB keyboard. You will also have to make sure that you are using the audio interface as the default audio output. You can configure these settings within the software if you look under ‘devices’ or ‘edit preferences’ or however it is accessed.

      • i need help ….im new to this ..can i ask you for some guidance with hooking up a yamaha psr 290 to my computer……i do have the midi cable but nothing happens ….do i need software ?? …..help if you would please…..RAY

  104. I would love for u to come pay me a visit at my studio, i would learn alot from u jane.

    • Haha! Well feel free to post any questions you have here and I’ll see if I can help.

      • Probably not, MIDI controllers generally are ‘dummy’ keyboards in that they make no sound themselves. So unless it has onboard sounds then no.

      • hi sorry this is long waited and late but i have an older casio keyboard specifically a casio ca-110 and it only has an output midi no input that i see so how can i put this keyboard to my computer so i can use it for software? I have installed garageband, lmms, and mixcraft so im seriously confused and worried it may not pick it up.

      • Hi, it doesn’t matter if it has MIDI in as well as MIDI out, if you just want to use it as a controller, you can still use a MIDI-USB interface. Just only connect the one MIDI port up. It should work fine. The software will recognise the interface and thus any signals sent through it from the keyboard. Make sure you have a power supply for the casio, it will not be powered by the MIDI-USB cable.

      • i just bought the mio iconnectivity for my axiom 61, and i don’t think its even works becuase the lights on my keyboard docent come on or nothing but when I plug up the USB, In logic in logic it recognize’s it but still no light or nothing

      • I think the MIO is working if Logic recognises it. However it will not power your axiom. You will either need an external power supply for your axiom (an optional extra) or you will need to connect up the USB cable from the axiom to power it. As the Axiom is a USB controller keyboard, I am not sure why you would wish to use the MIO with it? It’s not necessary.

      • Hello, I have Casio MA150 Keyboard. it has only one port that MIDI OUT. but the usb midi cable has two midi ports (midi in & midi out). how can i connect with my windows pc. please solve it if you could. first of all my windows not showing midi input. what software should use…

      • Hi, just connect the MIDI IN on the USB interface to the MIDI OUT on the keyboard, it will be fine. If you are having difficulty checking that your interface is connecting properly then see our article on testing your MIDI device: https://www.musicrepo.com/testing-midi-device/
        Although it refers to a MIDI controller, the same advice will do for a MIDI interface. Use MIDI-OX as described on that page to test the connection. Hope that helps. Regards, Jane

      • Hi,

        I have a keyboard with USB midi, but my old Atari ST only has the 5 pin DIN connectors for midi. What to do ?

      • Hi, It’s not going to work. You will need to track down a keyboard with a MIDI port, it will not be possible to connect a USB only keyboard to that old Atari. Sorry about that

      • how can i fix the delay or latency issue on my laptop? im using roland a49 with sonar le daw in my HP laptop. im having this delay sound coming off my laptop…. hw can i fix this?

      • Try ASIO4ALL. Might help. Otherwise, you may have to look for an audio interface with ASIO drivers

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