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9155
March 4th, 2008 19:00
Play a midi keyboard
Hello everyone. I have an Inspiron 531 running Vista Home premium and Realtek High Definition Audio onboard sound. I also have a midi controller keyboard with a USB cable. Is is possible to connect the keyboard so I can just play it, without using studio software like Cakewalk, Cubase etc? I have an old piano that I'd like to get rid of as it takes up too much space, but I'll struggle to convince the wife and kids unless I can provide a simple alternative for everyone to play!
Thanks
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fireberd
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March 4th, 2008 20:00
The integrated audio doesn't have any MIDI interface and only uses the software microsoft GS wave table MIDI Synth. I suspect the USB interface is not MIDI but probably standard digital audio interface. You'll have to check the specs on the keyboard.
But, you will probably have to have a driver for the keyboard/usb and you will need a recording program. I don't know if the free "Audacity" recording program will work. If not you will need more, maybe something like what you referenced - Cubase LE, etc.
roybus
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March 4th, 2008 21:00
Thanks for the info.
The cable is a midi to USB - like this one - which installed itself the first time I plugged it in. I used the same keyboard previously on Windows 2000, with an identical-looking but not Vista-compatible cable, and Cakewalk. So can't MS Wavetable handle 'live' midi on its own? Certainly on my W2K PC you needed to use Cakewalk or similar. I was hoping Vista and/or my new Dell might support it though. :smileyhappy:
fireberd
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March 5th, 2008 09:00
If it worked on Win2K, there's an outside chance it will work in Vista, however Vista handles many audio functions differently. The wavetable is just a MIDI synth, it needs a program that will use if for MIDI, it can't be used on it's own, just like the hardware MIDI synth's on a Soundblaster sound card - they need a MIDI program that will use the hardware synths.
Do a google search for midi recording program and you will get a lot of hits, maybe you can find something there. I looked at the first one that Google returned and it wasn't Vista compatible.
roybus
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March 9th, 2008 18:00
Anvil Studio seems to offer everything I need for the time being. I guess I'll buy Fruity Loops or Cakewalk or Cubase or whatever sooner rather than later now.
Still can't get any joy with the cable though. It doesn't show in the midi in ports list in Anvil Studio. My money's on the PC rather than cable as the culprit. Virtually everthing with a USB connection on it has had one sort of problem or another since I got this PC. Every time I go into Device Manager I find a little yellow triangle next to a "USB Mass Storage Device" entry, with a Code 47 error, even though I do try to safely shut down everything before unplugging it.
When my 12 month warranty expires I might try investing in a soundcard with a midi port too.