| WHAT
YOU NEED
There are many configurations you can use to hook up your MIDI and sound equipment for the purpose of creating midi files. This is the simplest method to get you started. The minimum requirements using a keyboard for input are: 1) A Wave Table Sound Card such as Sound Blaster AWE 64. 2) Midi Adapter Cable to connect to the Joystick port. 3) Midi keyboard. 4) A good pair of stereo PC Speakers, preferably with sub woofer, OR a Stereo amplifier and speakers. 5) Sequencer Software. Choice here is determined mainly by your finances. Top of the line is CakeWalk Pro (approx. $350.00 US), or their new replacement, Sonar, which is used by most of the professional MIDI sequencers. A moderately priced package, which I use, is Power Tracks Pro Audio at $49.00 US. which is very versatile and has all the features most of us will need. |
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| THE AUDIO CONNECTIONS. | ||
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| For better sound quality, consider connecting a Stereo amplifier and speakers in place of your PC speakers. You will need a Stereo adapter cable, readily available from Radio Shack or most electronic supply stores. This cable should be a minimum of 6 feet in length. One end must have a 1/8" stereo phone plug, and the other end terminates in TWO "RCA" type phono plugs. The stereo phone plug connects to the "Line Out" jack on sound card. The two phone plugs connect to the Left and Right "Auxiliary" jacks on your Stereo. | ||
| THE MIDI CONNECTIONS. | ||
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| The version illustrated can be ordered on-line from PG Music at a cost of $19.00 US. Prices vary from $19.00 to $40.00 depending on the source, cable length, etc. | ||
| Now, Connect the 15 pin "D-Plug" of the MIDI Connector to the Joystick port on the sound card. | ||
| Carefully examine the Two 5 pin MIDI connectors. On the rubber or plastic body, look for markings to determine which one is the "IN" connector. With this simple setup, we will not be using the MIDI "OUT" connector at all. Mark the "IN" plug with some white tape, or a dab of nail polish. | ||
| The final step is connecting the keyboard. You will need one standard MIDI cable about 8 to 10 feet long. One end of the cable must have a 5 pin "male" connector and the other end could be male or female, depending on which MIDI Adapter you have. Small male to female adapters are available to help you complete this connection. | ||
| Your midi keyboard should have three 5 pin midi jacks, marked "IN", "OUT" and "THRU". This is the most important connection-- Connect a midi cable from "OUT" on your keyboard, to "IN' on the MIDI Adapter cable. | ||
| MIDI SEQUENCER SOFTWARE SETUP. | ||
| Now that you have completed all
the external connections, we must set up the internal connections of your
sound card by using the Sequencer Software. The configuration we
have utilized is that of using the keyboard as an input device only.
Open the Sequencer program of your choice. Instructions are general only, due to the many versions and sequencers available. Look at the top menu items and locate a reference to Setting up MIDI Devices. In PowerTracks this is found under the "Options" heading. Click on the appropriate menu item. This should lead you to a panel where you select "INPUT" and "OUTPUT" devices. You must select an "INPUT" device that looks like "MIDI IN [220]" (Available choices will be listed). Next you must select an "OUTPUT" device. Do NOT select "MIDI OUT" as we have not set up for that configuration. Look for "Midi Mapper", "Creative MIDI Mapper" or a similar output device, click on the selection then "Okay" to save it. |
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| TESTING THE AUDIO CONNECTIONS. | ||
| In your Sequencer software, select File|Open and navigate to where you have a midi file saved. Click on the file to load it. Now click on the "Play" button. If you have chosen a valid output device, the midi should play through your Stereo or system speakers. If you are using an external Stereo amplifier, make sure you have the selector set at "AUX". If there is no sound, experiment with a different output device if more than one is listed for selection. One of them has to work. | ||
| TESTING THE MIDI CONNECTIONS. | ||
| It is assumed you have read basic instructions for using your MIDI Sequencer software since you must be familiar with some basics terms that are applicable to all. The same with your MIDI keyboard, since set up varies from keyboard to keyboard. | ||
| Two important settings must be made on your keyboard. Using the Edit menu, you must first find and set "LOCAL" to OFF. This step disconnects the midi keyboard from any internal sound module(s) which your keyboard may have. The other important setting is the keyboard "TRANSMIT CHANNEL", that is the channel on which we wish to transmit the keyboard data. So for example set this to Channel 1. | ||
| We must now set the Sequencer
software to receive data on Channel 1. In the "Tracks View", type
in or select Channel 1 on a new blank track. Select an instrument
(Patch) for Channel 1.
Now click the "Record" button, wait for the lead-in count to finish and then play a few notes on the keyboard. Click "Stop", and Save the take. Now click the "Play" button and you should hear what you have just recorded. |
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| REMARKS. | ||
| Now it's time to get to work. It is important to note that once you have recorded a complete track that is to your satisfaction, you must set your keyboard to a new transmit channel and the sequencer to a new corresponding receive channel and track before you begin recording a different instrument. | ||
| Be sure and send us a copy of your first great MIDI file! | ||
| If you have problems with specific
software, hardware, etc., please feel free to use our MIDI
Forum to post your questions. Please include ALL pertinent information
as to make, model, versions, etc.
Related Article: The IN's AND OUT'S OF MIDI. Inter-connecting multiple synthesizers or sound modles. |
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Created January 18, 1999 - Last Update: January 7, 2006 This site is owned, designed and produced by Les Gorven dba Business Technologies & MIDI Studio Publishing |
