FAQ

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1.Problems with MIDI in Netscape.
Posted by: "B.K. Sathya" National Cancer Institute,Frederick,Maryland

Message:
When I clik on a MIDI file, I get some oneline ascii text.If I hold the button while clickking, I get an option to save the midi file. I am on a SGI machine running netscape2.0.

Reply:
Still cannot find the best solution, although it's almost definate about the setup of Netscape concerning helper applications. Try the method I did (I used to have the same problem): Install a helper application such as MidiGate to intercept the MIDI files and play them automatically when you click on one.

MIDIGate is available at: http://www.prs.net/midigate.html download the .exe file, execute it to decompress, and then install & follow the instructions. Good luck! - Lawrence Lau

2. Cheap MIDI Sequencer on PC?
Posted by: KOK p j

Message:
please tell me more about getting a good midi sequencer software in singapore, please.

ps: do i really have to spend $500 to get a cakewalk pro audio?

Reply 1:
That's a tough one. I saw master tracks pro, the pianist, band in the box package cd-rom selling at about $88 and it is an original s/w. Or you can try using shareware sequencers. Well you can try downloading the cakewalk demo version from the net

You might be lucky to find it at $20. - Tay Chee Wei

Reply 2:
Try Midisoft Studio 4.0 for Windows 95. It's really quite cheap at $100 over or you could visit them at
http://www.midisoft.com and order using a credit card. :-) - Mervyn Kong

Reply 3:
There are neighbourhood shops around selling CD-ROM's by Silkrich. They have a CD called "MIDI Masterpiece". It contains MIDI Musicshop by Midisoft. It's not state-of-the-art, but at least it works for my soundcard. I haven't tried attaching a keyboard to my PC, but it does have a record button and features that suggest that it can accept MIDI input. It only costs S$16.50! - Lawrence Lau

Reply 4:
If you don't need the audio capabilities of CakeWalk Pro Audio, you can try the lower end CakeWalks like CakeWalk Pro, CakeWalk Express and CakeWalk Home Studio.

Alternatively, there are also cheaper sequencers like PowerTracks Pro from PG Music, and the even cheaper Shareware sequencers. - Ng Cheng Kiang

Reply 5:
Cakewalk Pro Audio is not 500.00. It is 325.00 if you look around. I don't want to advertise for any corporations but "Sweetwater Sound" 219-432-8176 will ship anywhere!
You can also get the "Sound Scape elite" by Ensoniq direct from the factory for 154.00 with software for: Reverb, SEQ. Audio in & Out.This would give you the option of later adding more powerful SEQ software and G.M./G.S. sound module. You could expand in the future with out "Trashing your old set up because the "Soundscape" will become your MIDI & Sound.

Don't cry about prices!
I remmeber paying 1500.00 for a MXR drum machine before MIDI was avalable. Not to mention all the expensive 8 bit FX modules collecting dust. I am using "CAKE" P.A. with an "Audio Media 3" and a "Sounscape Elite". I "choked" on the price along with my PC,but technology is getting affordable!

GOOD LUCK,
MSN.REA_REA

3. Yamaha SY-77 to MIDI?
Posted by: Chiang

Message:
how to convert Yamaha SY-77 music file into MIDI? What software do you use to transcribe this songs, Cakewalk or any of the other good programs?

4. CASIO keyboard & PC linkup
Posted by: Tim England

Message:
I'm trying to set up an interface between my computer and a new CASIO keyboard CTK-530. The keyboard works fine as a standalone instrument. I have the IN and OUT plugged into the instrument, and the computer is hooked up via the game port. I have a 16-bit sound card and play MIDIs just fine. The software MUSICTIME DELUXE is installed and has worked fine using the computer keyboard. Now my goal is to use the CASIO for writing to MUSICTIME but so far I haven't been successful in getting the PC to "hear" the CASIO. What steps have I left out? What do I need to take to be able to use MUSICTIME to help "compose" MIDIs. Thanks

Reply:
I'm not sure what caused the problem on your setup, but on my Midisoft Studio 4.0, under 'setup'/'MIDI Driver' - there is a checkbox "Disable MIDI Input" there. If MUSICTIME has such a feature, you must turn it off. Hope this helps.

5. Vivio90 Sound Scape & Sequencer
Posted by: Ed Burdick

Message:
i just received my vivo90 sound scape; and I had to download a win 3.1 from Ensoniq to get it installed. Is this card generally shipped with a sequencer or do I have to shell out more bucks to get one? Also my alesis datadisk has failed and I am unable to determine what kind of floppy drive to buy to get it back in service. I am in the process of configuring a small midi studio using two synths, a tone module, an old QX 21 sequencer and the datadisk....how do I transport midi files between the alesis platform and the pc platform?

Reply:
I think your best bet on transport of files between different platforms is to send the whole song from start to finish from one sequencer and record on the other sequencer.

5. MIDI 1.0 Specifications
Posted by: John M. Spinelli

Message:
I very much enjoyed reading your MIDI information on the Web. I am an electrical engineering professor who is supervising a few students interested in MIDI. We need to know the precise electrical specifications for MIDI cables and devices (pin diagrams, cable impedance, load impedance, maximum currents, etc.) and have been having trouble finding a source for such information. Do you have any pointers to an electronic or printed copy of the hardware standard?

Thanks much,
John

Reply:
I've once come across the MIDI 1.0 specifications in my University library. It's not very thick, and it contains all the pin assignments, pk-to-pk voltages, etc. I have no idea where the university library got it from, but maybe your library may also have a copy.
Other places that you can get a copy from:

The International MIDI Association
5316 W.57th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90056

Other MIDI related publications are :
Music Through MIDI
Using MIDI to create your own electronic music system
by Michael Boom
published by Microsoft Press
Catalog number : ISBN 1-55615-0260-1
The MIDI Manual
by David Miles Huber
published by SAM
Catalog number : ISBN 0-672-22755-6

Good luck!
BTW, you may want to visit the following site:

http://drum.warwick.ac.uk/music/drum/midi/midi-spec1.0.html

it seems to contain most of the MIDI 1.0 Specs, excluding the diagrams. - Lawrence Lau

Update: I have posted the MIDI Interface cable schematics up at my website.

6. FM synthesis, MPU-401 & WaveTable synthesis
Posted by: rick bell, union, missouri, usa

Message:
i'm just getting into midi composition; i'm about to buy a keyboard, and i've just upgraded my sound card to one with a real mpu-401. can you fill me in on the history and differences of/between fm synthesis, mpu-401, and wavetable? i'm a little puzzled!

Reply:
That's a tough one! FM stands for Frequency Modulation. Simple electronic systems can generate waveforms like sine waves, square waves, etc, but these sound very artificial. The reason is that real musical instruments generate very complex waveforms. The synthesizer on the sound card therefore combine simple sine waves together to form more complex waveforms. The sound card contains multiple wave generators (oscillators). A pure sine wave of one frequency generated by one oscillator is modified by another sine wave of another frequency. The result is a much more complex waveform. By changing the feedback levels, modulation levels, attack/decay rates for each oscillator, even more complex waveforms can be generated. By "mixing & matching" the ingredients by trial & error, a sound can be made so that it sounds like a real instrument. By recording down the settings (ingredients) into memory, a list of different sounds can be produced when needed.

MPU-401 is apparently a type of serial interface within the PC so that the CPU can communicate with the sound card for special functions (eg: sampled sounds) - I do not have any details on it.

WaveTable synthesis is a type of synthesis using sampled sounds. Sounds of real instruments are recorded, passed through a Analogue-to-Digital converter that changes it into 1's and 0's. These samples are stored into a ROM chip on board, and different sounds can be made by combining the samples. Because the sounds came from real instruments, the quality of the sounds is much more realistic, and they sound more natural. However, the memory reuired to store the samples will have to be large. The basic EMU systems Protreus-1 has a 4Mb ROM just to hold the sampled sounds. (Creative Technologies and Turtle Beach actually use the EMU chip on their systems). - Lawrence Lau

Posted by: Teng Seng Loong, University of Malaysia

I am an midi amateur trying to look for help from the net. It is great to see your web page. I have a few questions that I would like to ask you.

I have a sound blaster AWE32 on my PC. i play midi song by punching the PC keyboard with a midi software called Presto Arranger. It is bored and only two octaves of input is available from the PC key board. i would like to connect my PC to a external keyboard, but i don't know how. after i have read your article, i guess just i need a midi cable and a midi keyboard, is that right? but i do not know what type of keyboard can be connected to PC. Actually, i did go round and look for some keyboards but they are standalone and have many built-in capabilities, meaning that it is expensive, and i think this is not a good deal since what i need is just an input device to replace the PC keyboard and i have a tight budget as i am still waiting for the disbursement of my scholarship. Can you please recommend a model of keyboard and other gears that i need to play midi with PC.

Reply:
Yup! you'll need the MIDI cable, and it plugs into the game port of the sound card with 2 midi plugs coming out of it (besides the joystick thru).

As for the input keyboard, (the pros call it the controller keyboard) you can get any cheap one from Yamaha or Casio, just make sure that you have 2 ports labeled MIDI IN/MIDI OUT at the back.

I started with a mini Yamaha PSS series, where the keys are smaller than standard - it lasted me for 2 years before I had to buy a full-sized keyboard. I don't think the PSS series is still in production though. (It only cost S$200 at that time)

Good luck! - Lawrence Lau

Posted by: Kurt Cobain. New Zealand

Message:
hi, my name is kurt and i have an IBM thinkpad laptop pc. it has a sound card and i want to be able to play good quality midis through a module(which i also have) i was wondering....i have a macintosh midi interface, if i changed the connection on it from being an apple connection to being a parallel or serial connection could i hook that up to a module and play midis?

thanx......Kurt.

There are no cheap serial/parallel port-to-MIDI interface as far as I know (I could be wrong - but who'll make MIDI interfaces for PC's when there's one built-in to every sound card?) , if they exist at all. (As opposed to the Mac, where the printer or modem port can be hooked up to a MIDI interface.)

I'm not so sure about the laptops. Assuming that their "sound card" is 100% compatible with Creative's one, then you still have hope. What you'll need is a direct cable connection to the joystick port, if any (as described in my webpages). If U don't have any joystick port, well, too bad.

BTW, you can still save a .MID file to disk, pop it into a Mac, and open it using any sequencer software. If the software fails to recognize the file, tell me & I'll give you the details to convert one.

BTW: I don't think PC-to-Mac MIDI Interface connection is possible.

good luck. - Lawrence Lau

Updated Reply:

The MIDI TimePiece from Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) is a MIDI Interface (and much more). It has both the PC Parallel port AND the Mac printer/modem connections. This may be useful. - LL

Posted by: Mark Hogeveen Ungurian ,AECL Research

Message:
I'm using midi file on a web page, but the file doesn't play. It use to.When using the midi player I get this message;MMSYSTEM002 A device ID has been used that is out of range for your system.

I'm working on it at coffee breaks, I may try reinstalling my software.

Got any suggestions?

Try to download Windows Media Player from the Microsoft home page (www.microsoft.com) - steve montgomery jr

Posted by: Dexter T. Velez, Philippines

Could you give me the schematic diagram of MIDI Cable if you have for sale how much it's cost and I am from the Philippines...

The construction of the MIDI cable is really simple. The connectors are the DIN 5-pin male on both sides. Pin assignments are pin 1 to pin 1, 2 - 2, 3 - 3 and so on. The sleeve should be connected to the shielding in the cable. In the actual MIDI port, pin 3 is connected to the ground (ie: the sleeve)

Cost? Gee - I can't remember. About S$20 for a 3 m cable (I think) Haven't bought a new one for ages.

I don't sell them either. Maybe if you can't find them in your neighborhood, you can:

1. buy the parts and make it yourself. (I did that, for extra short ones)

2. buy the type meant for sound systems with the same plug and cable, but reversed pin assignment. Open up one of the plugs and re-solder 4 of the wires. (I did that too, when I discovered I bought the wrong cable.)

3. get mail order from US via internet. A search for "MIDI cable" yielded hundreds of sites.

Good luck! - Lawrence Lau

Posted by: Dexter T. Velez, Philippines

I got your suggestion about the connectors but how can I connect it to sound card which have 15 pins...

You've got the right cable for the sound card. If I see it correctly, the middle 15-pin male sould be connected to the joystick port of your soundcard. The female connecter on the left is for your joystick, if any. The ones on the right are the midi in/out cables. Just insert them into the back of your midi devices. If the wires are too short, make an extension cable yourself, or order it from someone, if you can find it.

To make an extension cable yourself, just buy 1 male & 1 female DIN 5-pin connector and a multi-core cable (at least 5). Solder the pins 5 to 1, 4 to 2, and 3 to 3 ... etc. When connected, the pin 1 of the original male DIN plug (the one in the picture) should be connected to the same pin on the male DIN plug at the other end of your extension cable (I made 2 of them)

More details available at http://sunflower.singnet.com.sg/~lau0cy/sb.htm

Good luck! (Do tell me if it helps/works) - Lawrence Lau

Posted by: Dexter T. Velez, Phillipines

At last I bought already that cable...

Is there any driver to install from my keyboard going to soundcard port

My software is MIDISoft Studio 4

Thanks

Nope, the MIDI port is active already, just tell windows 95 to use it. The details is on the Soundcard section on my website.

Have fun! - Lawrence Lau

Posted by: Adam Watts, Australia

Well here's the thing....I have a roland MT-120 sound module/sequencer...I recently also bought a program called Micrologic by EMAGIC...now...When I try to use the MT-120 as a sound generator rather than use the sound card...All the different sounds from the song...ie: drums + piano + organ + brass etc...that might be included in that particular song get sent to the MT-120....that's not the problem...the problem is that ALL of the above sounds (from the midi file) get played on the ONE channel on the MT-120... Lost Yet....Bear with my please...you are my last hope...

So what happens is that drums + piano + organ + brass etc...get played on the ONE part that is selected on the MT-120 (so if Sitar is selected EVERYTHING gets played on sitar) and we end up with one big messy sounding sitarry song....awful....

I really hope you can help me solve my problem.....saves me from having to buy a sound canvas (which is what the MT-120 is really-just has a sequencer as well).

Well, I don't have a MT-120 nor has ever heard of EMagic, but one thing is clear: The data is sent on a single channel (channel 1 perhaps?).

Some questions:

1. when you play the mid file on the PC, does it sound OK? (with all the instruments playing together) - if it is, your mid file contains channel information. Try opening the file in EMagic and play it on the PC. If it sounds OK, then EMagic may not be to blame.

2. have you set up the system properly? Check http://sunflower.singnet.com.sg/~lau0cy/sb.htm

3. Check through the menus. Are there any menus that mentioned channel-related stuff? (eg: auto-channelize, output port (set to MIDI mapper), stuff like that) There should be some indication that EMagic can access at least 16 MIDI channels (OK - make that 10) Muck around with the settings a bit (but take down the original values before modifying them) see if you can get it to transmit at at least 2 channels at the same time.

4. Check the MIDI activity display (or equivalent/ if MT-120 has one) and make sure that the PC is transmitting on 1 channel.

Collect more info... write to me again...and we'll try something. (no promises!) - Lawrence Lau

Any more suggestions?

Posted by: Wolfe harris

I am totaly new to the midi world. I have recently purchased a Yamaha psr/630 synth. I would like to know ....

1. If I connect to my pc using cakewalk -will I be able to play to the cakewalk and then playback through the synth.

2. If yes then will the playback play any changes that I make on the PC?

3. Will cakewalk record(in staff notation) according to my choice of instruments that I have chosen from the synth and visa-versa?

Am I on the right track?

Thank you kindly,

Wolfe Harris

Q1:Yes! Provided that you have:

1. A soundcard with the standard Joystick/MIDI port

2. The necessary cables (explained in the soundcard section of my website)

3. Win 95 set-up properly (as described in the same section)

4. The PSR is plugged in properly.

If all the above are OK, there shouldn't be any problem. I've been doing the same with my cakewalk.

Q2:Yes, of course provided that you use the PC as your sequencer.

Q3:Cakewalk does display MIDI events in staff notation, so you can get your notations. (you can even print it)

Your choice of instruments is a little more complicated. In general I perform a bulk-dump from my synth, and store the System Exclusive (Sys-Ex) from my synth into the same file on PC. The Sys-Ex contains info on the channel - instrument assignment. So before I play back the MID file, I just sent the sys-ex to the synth, and it returns to the state that's programmed for the song.

Hope that was helpful. - Lawrence Lau

Posted by: Andy Kevans

Need some advice where to begin using my Gateway 2000 with my Yamaha drum machine and 4-track recorder...both are midi compatible..except me...!!!

I'm presently using acoustic electric guitars which allow me to plug right in..

I'm also not in a band and drum programming seems to be my only problem for composing music...people can't relate to a straight constant beat..I'm sure midi can help this problem..just don't no where to begin..Can you help?

Thanks, Andy

You need to read up the MIDI Implementation chart of the drum machine. I don't have one, nor have I played with one before. If it's MIDI compatible, and if you got the cables and the appropriate software, you can plug it in and sent it some MIDI data. Watch the channel you're sending from, the drum machine may not respond to all channels (?)

More details on connecting a MIDI device and the computer is on my website under "soundcard".

The 4-track recorder will be great for the guitar. I suppose the recorder responds to MIDI start/stop, and so it can start recording when you start the piece on the drum machine. More advanced models support SMPTE, which allows the recorder to fast forward automatically when you fast forward on the PC. Reading the manuals will be necessary.

Hope this is a useful beginning. - Lawrence Lau

Posted by: Paula Fries

I found your website which helped me get my casio keyboard connected to my pc and I've been able to get my PC to play midi files out to my keyboard.

But, the problem that I'm having is that my keyboard won't play into my PC. I get no sound from keyboard to PC. What could I possibly be missing?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

What software are u using? - Lawrence Lau

Any other suggestions?

Posted by: Kelly Bryan

How can I convert a MID to a WAV???

I want to have the xfiles theme for my windows startup but I can't open it unless it's a wav.

Quite simple: launch media player to play the MID file, and assuming that you have the creative family of sound cards, the card comes with a program called SoundOLE. (Actually any wav recorder will do) Set the INPUT mixer to accept audio output from the MIDI synthesizer. (Options\mixer settings) Play the MID file on the media player and at the same time record the output on soundOLE. The audio output of the MIDI synthesizer on the soundcard will now be captured by the software and saved as a WAV file. - Lawrence Lau

18. MIDI Cable schematic diagram

Posted by: W. Newman

I'm an "old hand" at the computer end, but just getting started with midi. I was lucky to find your easy to follow, basic info page. I had a general idea what was going on from "osmosis" over the years, but your info filled in the "cracks", and made me more confident. I do electronics repair so I now need to "slap together" a quick midi cable from the tons of parts and connectors in my shop. I'll now start scanning for a midi pinout diagram....it seems to be the only thing missing from your otherwise great site. I know...there arent many manics like me who build their own stuff! Ha! If you happen to be copying your mail, and know where I can find a pinout diagram, on the net, it would be appreciated (I hope to try it tonight!)

Thanks for a nice site.

Kenny

Here it is! (Click here)

Posted by: Pat Wilson

I Just wanted to let you know that your MIDI insight has been very useful. I am a 33 year old Computer Salesman/musician and I am determined to merge the two together this year. It seems rediculous that I have sold electronics for ten years and played music for 20 years and never started with MIDI. You have helped me start my New Years resolution, to participate instead of spectate! Please advise, correct or finish this list:

I HAVE:

-486DX/ 4x66/ 32MB/ 540MB/ Creative Labs16 Bit Sound

-586/ 166/ 32MB/ 2.1GB/ ESS16 Bit Sound

-Midisoft software (cheap)

-Midisoft midi game port adapter/ 1 in/ 1 out

-Korg X-3 Keyboard/ 16 track sequencer

-Complete 4 track studio w/12 channel mixer

I NEED:

-Better Soundcard ( ? )

-Better Software ( Cakewalk? )

-MIDI PCI Interface ( ? )

-MIDI Interface cables for multitracking ( ? )

Any help would greatly be appreciated.

You may want to upgrade to creative 32 or 64. These sound cards include the synthesizers from E-mu systems, which makes very realistic synths. This will give you some nautral-sounding sounds to play with. (Korg's sounds are great, but they're a bit artificial) However, if you feel the Korg is enough, then you don't need a better soundcard.

Let's say that better software like CakeWalk has more features, like the ability to include *.wav tracks together with MIDI tracks.

I'm not aware of anything like that. Anyway there's already a MIDI interface on any creative compatible soundcard. Just plug the adapter cable into the joystick port. However, there are Parallel port MIDI Interfaces.

Are you referring to your 4-track studio? This depends on whether it accepts MIDI control signals (Song Position Pointer SPP/MIDI Timecode/etc). If it has MIDI ports, then it does. You'll have to check the manuals to see which type of MIDI signal it accepts.

In general, 1 computer in a MIDI setup only needs 1 MIDI interface. The PCs have the interface built onto the soundcard. Only Macs need an external MIDI interface

Hope that helped. - Lawrence Lau

Posted by: Paul Yeo

We're all beginners in some sense, the more you know into MIDI, the more you find gaps in your knowledge.

Questions:

1. are you tight on budget? (a good synth is over S$1000)

2. do you need extra sounds? (all AWE32 & above soundcards have OK sound)

If you don't need extra good sounds yet, you can start with the cheap range of MIDI synths from Yamaha or Casio (with the MIDI port behind). You can then use them to be your MIDI "controller keyboard", where you use it only to input notes to your sequencer (your PC running the software). I started with a $400 Yamaha PSS keyboard a long time ago.

Yamaha do have training classes for their range of synths, but I'm not sure if those courses will explicitly cover MIDI. Maybe you'll want to call them up and ask explicitly for MIDI courses.

In a sense, yes. They're called "keyboards" and "sound modules". Keyboards include the piano keys for you to play, and a synthesizer inside to produce the music. (Although there are "master keyboards" that only has the piano keys but do not include the synth - usually they're very expensive)

Sound modules only contain a synth to receive MIDI signals, and do not have any piano keys (eg: Proteus 1/2/3, Korg, Yamaha modules) Since you can only play on 1 piano keyboard at a time, you can use a single keyboard to control all other sound modules. They can produce sound when connected to any equipment that can send MIDI signals - PC with MIDI software & soundcard, sequencer, or another keyboard.

There are a few types of sound generation. There are FM synthesis, PCM, AWE, and so on. FM synthesis are the easiest to program (usually), but sounds very artificial. PCM (pulse-code-modulation) stores sound from real instruments and mixes them digitally. These sound more natural. AWE are higher forms of PCM technology. The most important thing is still your ears. Listen to the different types of synths and make your choice based on your sound preferences.

There's another thing. Some keyboards do not offer the full range of features. These features include - velocity, aftertouch, pressure. For example, a pressure-sensitive keyboard will change the sound output from a synthesier (provided that it can process pressure signals & the sound is programmed to change) when you press a key with different pressures. So, for example, you can change the vibrato of a flute sound just by increasing the pressure.

Other items like a modulation wheel and a pitch-bend wheel is often necessary, since input by the computer is usually more complicated and is not real-time.

Hope that was useful! - Lawrence Lau

Posted by: Mira Trache

Hello, I stumbled over your page a few days ago, when I was looking for info on hooking up my synth to the computer. I followed all of the instructions on the Soundcard page, yet I couldn't get the damn thing to work. I am using a Yamaha PSR-330, and an older Jazz16 sound card, from 1994. The problem is, after I set up win95 to "External MIDI port" and I try to play anything using media player, the computer freezes. I was just wondering if there's something special about the PSR-330, or maybe if I need an external MPU-401 interface. Thanks for the help.

I have no idea either.. It could be due to your external MIDI port being disabled. To re-enable it , go to

http://www.svtus.com/support/win95faq.htm#3

That gives the procedure to re-enable it.

Good luck! Anyone else who can help? - Lawrence Lau

Posted by: Charles B. Cameron

There are diagrams and pinouts for Midi In and Midi Out at the following URLs:

http://jlm30.robinson.cam.ac.uk/hwb/co_MidiIn.html

http://jlm30.robinson.cam.ac.uk/hwb/co_MidiOut.html

The descriptions are quite clear. Since DIN audio uses the same connectors but doesn't have the same pinouts, it's worth looking at this URL too:

http://jlm30.robinson.cam.ac.uk/hwb/co_DinAudio.html

It shows the DIN audio pinout and allows one to contrast it with the MIDI pinouts. MIDI has the simpler arrangement, incidentally, so MIDI cables should be cheaper but in practice, I think most vendors gouge the buyer and charge more for MIDI cables.

Charles B. Cameron

Annandale, VA, USA

Thanks a lot! I've been hoping for contributions like this! Anyone else? - Lawrence Lau

Posted by:

I am writing from Belgrade, Yougoslavia. I have one JVC synthesizer, midi cable with one 5-pin (DIN) and 15-pin conector, and Sound Blaster AWE 64 card. I plugged DIN in synthesizer MIDI OUT and 15 pin in Sound card Midi/Joystick port. I tried to record music from synth. with Finale 97 but without success. I set the Finale to receive midi data on port 330h which is MPU401 compatible(Sound Blaster AWE OUT 330).

I also tried with some other programs (Cubase, Cakewalk etc) with the same results.

This is strange... Usually MIDI cables have 2 DIN connectors, one for MIDI in and the other for MIDI out. If your cable has only 1 connector it is either:

1. the wrong type of cable, or

2. it only has either a MIDI In OR MIDI Out connector only. If it happens to be a MIDI In plug, that will explain why it doesn't work. Plugging the MIDI In into the MIDI Out port will not work, since the 2 DIN connectors are not exchangeable. Try plugging it in the MIDI In port of your synth, and send it some MIDI signals (check the section on control panel setings). If the synth responds, then its confirmed to be a MIDI In plug, rather than the MIDI Out plug that you need.

I suggest you double check the cable with the shop you bought it from. - Lawrence Lau

I followed your advice and went into the shop where I bought the cable with one DIN connector. They gave me a new cable with two DIN connectors and after that everything works OK.

Thank you very much for your advice.

24. Laptop & MIDI

Posted by: Mr. Noam Koenigsberg

 

Message:

I found your web page about midi connections through an internet search. Although I have win 3.1 so I can't use your information, I would like to ask you some advice considering your expertise displayed on the page. I have a Roland sequencer (PMA5) and its accompanying software which allows for communication with my computer. Now I'm looking for a midi interface to make that possible. I have a laptop, what do you suggest? Also, do I need a soundcard in addition? Thankyou for your time, and greetings from Israel,

Reply:

A standard desktop PC will not be a problem - the connection can be done via the Sound Blaster compatible sound card through its game port as described in my website. However, for a laptop, there are external 32 channel MIDI interface s out there, and it connects through the parallel (Mark of the Unicorn's PC-MIDI flyer) or serial port (eg: Emagic's Unitor8). That will serve your laptop just fine.

 

Hope that was useful. - Lawrence Lau

 

---

25.  Capturing MIDI Datastream with PC

Posted by: Darren Suprina

 

Message:

Perhaps you can answer a question for me. I desire to use one PC's MIDI soundcard port to "record" the MIDI datastream generated by a second PC. I'll get to the reason for all this in a second, but as part of the recording process I want to be able to look at the byte sequences of the source MIDI port. What I am trying to record and examine is NOT music, but commands sent to a hardware device which has been set up to use a MIDI interface.

A related question has to do with the "playback" of "raw" MIDI data. That is, were I to create a sequence of bytes I want to send to a device with a MIDI input, where the MIDI data is NOT music, I would need the ability to read binary data from a disk file and pump it out my sound card's MIDI port. This is fairly low-level programming, but certainly every MIDI sequencer and playback utility must have this underlying code. Do you know of any shareware MIDI playback / sequencers available with source code?

Thanks

Reply:

 Is this what you're thinking about? (C:\Temp\getit30.zip;) The .doc file included in the zip file also mentions something about a TurboMIDI toolkit. This is a good idea! I've been thinking about something similar, but along the lines of re-encoding the actual MIDI signal communicated through the wires. Your idea is probably better if the source is a PC.

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26. Using sounds from sound card instead from external MIDI keyboard

Posted by: Sylvain Labonté

Message:

Hi I just bought today a pss-480 keyboard for 50 bucks. I have a db50xg soundcard.

Can I use the sounds on the db50xg on my keyboard by using the midi or I'm stuck with the fm sounds on the keyboard. I'm using cakewalk express for sequencer.

Thanks

Reply:

 Definately you can use the sounds on your soundcard - the PSS-480 sends all key on/off data in all modes. The only thing is that you'll need to set up win95 & cakewalk to listen for data coming in from the external MIDI port (check my website) The only down thing about the PSS-480 is that it doesn't have pressure-sensitive keys, nor is it velocity-sensitive. – Lawrence Lau

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27. Recording MIDI output as .wav file

Posted by: Bob Spencer

Message:

I have Cubase sequencing sound from a Yamaha Keyboard.

I need to record the sounds onto my PC directly. Can I have my sound card playing MIDI and then recording on the line in?

I have a Soundblaster 16 PnP.

Cheers

Reply:

 I don’t see why not. The MIDI interface and the AD converter on the soundcard are on separate circuits (unless you're trying to play a wav file and record one at the same time). I tried to play a MIDI file while recording something else from line in - no problem.

BTW: there are freeware that can render your MIDI files directly into wav format, without ever leaving the computer. However the sounds will be different from the ones in your Yamaha. So if WYHIWYG is important to you, then use the external keyboard, if not, do the quick rendering method!

Some of these softwares can be found from ftp://ftp.nus.sg/pub/pc/win95/music

have fun! – LL

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28. Driver needed for keyboard?

Posted by: Michelle Lougheed

Message:

I have a Yamaha PSR-530 keyboard and a midi cable

my sound card is a Yamaha OPL3 soft synth (100% SoundBlaster compatible)

running windows 95 and cakewalk pro audio 5.0

so far I have hooked up the cables and have been trying to get midi to play from my PC though my keyboard with no luck?? I have not even tried to play with cakewalk yet because of the trouble I'm having just hearing the midi files though the board. Do I need a driver for the keyboard?? Any suggestions you have would be great!

Thank you for your time,

Michelle

Reply:

 You don’t need any drivers for your keyboard, since MIDI is already a standard. Your problem probably comes from your win95 system since you can’t hear local MIDI files. That could mean that your MIDI is not set up properly. Try to make sure that MIDI files can be heard when you play them (Check my website for MIDI setup on win95) - LL

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29. Supernova changes things?

Posted by: nihal

Message:

If a play with a Roland midi control keyboard the Supernova all is ok ...connecting also the Supernova thru to the midi

in of my PC (sb16) then I can record tracks on Cubase (3.05) If i connect the midi keyboard directly to the PC and the midi out of the PC (sw thru is enable ) to the midi in of Supernova , nothing happen and I cannot record on cubase. What is the change implemented by the supernova that allow midi to be recorded by cubase ?

Thanks in advance.

Reply:

 I have no idea… Supernova re-transmits in another MIDI channel that your Cubase is only listening to?

Any other comments? - LL

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30. Mac sequencer looking for MIDI Interface port

Posted by: J.V.Williams

Message:

I too use a mac and have a Korg Poly-808 keyboard w/ MIDI in & outs; My Audio card [eMagic's AudioWerk8] and software[ Logic Audio platinum] are all set up to use MIDI devices- Is all I need a Cable that comes out from the MIDI out to one of my macs serial[modem/printer] port? The software pref.s are asking me which port Im using,Modem or printer? Do they make a cable that is MIDI plug on one end & Mac serial plug on the other?

Thanks for any info you can supply me;Your web page is most informative!

Reply:

 The question your software is asking sounds familiar - it's looking for the MIDI Interface. As far as I know, there are no MIDI-to-modem/printer cables. The MIDI interface plugs into the modem or printer port (or both), and the MIDI in and out ports are on the interface itself.

 

Looks like you need a Mac's MIDI Interface.

 

I'm not an expert in these stuff, but AudioWerk is a dedicated Digital audio recording card, and the inputs and outputs are all for audio. Logic Audio is a software sequencer that handles both MIDI and digital audio (like Performer & others). AudioWerk handles the digital audio parts, but you'll still need a MIDI interface to link to synths.

 

Possible MIDI Interfaces range from the 'ol JLCooper Electronics MIDI Interface (16 channels, using only the modem port or printer port, 1 MIDI in, 1 out + 1 thru) that does not need external power, to Mark of the Unicorn's MIDI Timepiece (AC powered, 8 in, 8 out, 128 channels, digital audio sync, SMPTE, etc)

 

Hope that was useful. - LL

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31. SB-to-MIDI cable connections for joystick

Posted by: Ian Cowie

With reference to your sketch "SoundBlaster to MIDI cable", is the joystick connector wired to the PC connector direct? I.e.., does pin 1 on the male DB15 go to pin 1 on the female DB15, pin 2 to pin 2, etc.?

Your sketch of the cable you purchased shows the two DB15 connectors but the referenced sketch above only shows a single DB15 connector.

Thanks.

 Checking with my own SB to MIDI cable, pins 12 & 15 does not need to be connected. They are originally the duplicated ground and power supply pins. The rest are connected directly. - LL

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