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Keyboard/MIDI questions How does one link a keyboard up to a computer? Which leads are used and in to which ports etc? Would these be the same as the ones needed for microphone? It has something to do with MIDI right? I then assume you can play along in realtime on a music composition package?
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MD7 said: How does one link a keyboard up to a computer? Which leads are used and in to which ports etc? Would these be the same as the ones needed for microphone? It has something to do with MIDI right? I then assume you can play along in realtime on a music composition package?
Thanks. If you just have a regular sound card (without a breakout box) then you use the joystick port for MIDI connectivity. You can buy an adaptor cable which has a joystick port connector on one end and midi In/out plugs on the other end. If you do have a soundcard with a breakout box (ie the Soundblaster Audigy) then this already has 'proper' MIDI sockets built into it. Sounds to me though as you are using a standard sound card so get youself one of those Joystick/MIDI cables and go from there. If you just want to record audio from your keyboard rather than MIDI, you can take a signal from the 'Headphones' or 'Line Out' on your keyboard to the 'Line In' (usually a blue socket) on your computer. Be careful when using jack plug adaptors though as they can physically put a lot of stress on the soundcard. I broke a very expensive sound card this way once 
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Scotty. | |
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Scotty2funky said: MD7 said: How does one link a keyboard up to a computer? Which leads are used and in to which ports etc? Would these be the same as the ones needed for microphone? It has something to do with MIDI right? I then assume you can play along in realtime on a music composition package?
Thanks. If you just have a regular sound card (without a breakout box) then you use the joystick port for MIDI connectivity. You can buy an adaptor cable which has a joystick port connector on one end and midi In/out plugs on the other end. If you do have a soundcard with a breakout box (ie the Soundblaster Audigy) then this already has 'proper' MIDI sockets built into it. Sounds to me though as you are using a standard sound card so get youself one of those Joystick/MIDI cables and go from there. If you just want to record audio from your keyboard rather than MIDI, you can take a signal from the 'Headphones' or 'Line Out' on your keyboard to the 'Line In' (usually a blue socket) on your computer. Be careful when using jack plug adaptors though as they can physically put a lot of stress on the soundcard. I broke a very expensive sound card this way once
Orgnote me if you need more help
Scotty. Thanks. What is the difference between MIDI and regular audio? Slight drop in quality? MIDI is a compressed version of audio suitable for computers etc? | |
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Not quite... MIDI is an electronic link that allows devices such as keyboards to talk to other devices - computers, drum machines or indeed other keyboards.
You can take a very basic keyboard with MIDI funtionality and play/record using your PC. MIDI allows you to use the sounds from other MIDI devices so if you had a controller keyboard with no sounds, you could still use the sounds from the soundcard on your computer. Do a search on 'midi basics' in Google and you will get a better idea of what it's all about. It's kinda hard to explain... The compressed audio you are talking about is MP3. This is a way of compressing audio using 'lossy' technology (takes out the stuff you can't really hear - minidisks work in the same way). MP3 allows you to store a lot of music using a fraction of the space used by normal audio. Now I sound like a nerd so I am going to leave you to it! Get searching | |
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Scotty2funky said: Not quite... MIDI is an electronic link that allows devices such as keyboards to talk to other devices - computers, drum machines or indeed other keyboards.
You can take a very basic keyboard with MIDI funtionality and play/record using your PC. MIDI allows you to use the sounds from other MIDI devices so if you had a controller keyboard with no sounds, you could still use the sounds from the soundcard on your computer. Do a search on 'midi basics' in Google and you will get a better idea of what it's all about. It's kinda hard to explain... The compressed audio you are talking about is MP3. This is a way of compressing audio using 'lossy' technology (takes out the stuff you can't really hear - minidisks work in the same way). MP3 allows you to store a lot of music using a fraction of the space used by normal audio. Now I sound like a nerd so I am going to leave you to it! Get searching Thanks for your help. I'll get a midi in/out > joystick/USB port lead soon. | |
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