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Topic: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard? (Read 20418 times) previous topic - next topic

Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Hi everyone :-)

I was wondering whether I need to have software drivers for my Midi Keyboard, which is a Yamaha PSR-270 General Midi Keyboard. I have a Midi cable (the cable with the Midi in/out plugs at one end, and the pin socket at the other that plugs into the soundcard of my computer) but my computer, or any programs such as Noteworthy Composer dont recognise the keyboard as being connected. I purchased a Midi keyboard quite a while ago now with the intention of using it with a program such as Noteworthy Composer, but have been unable to do so. I would really like to get it working, as I think it will be a great help with my upcoming GCSE Music coursework.
I would really appreciate any help on setting this up! :-)

-Chris

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #1 –
I have a Yamaha PSR 310. Not sure if they work the same, but I need to press "Record, 0" or "Record, 2" simultaneously on the piano keyboard controls to set it to set it for use with my midi programs.

If that does not work, make sure you have the cables correctly plugged in. Also, you may need to check your Windows multimedia and Noteworthy midi settings to make sure that they are correct.

If you are like me: Lastly, if all else fails, check the instruction book that came with your Yamaha.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #2 –
Hi, thanks for your reply, Steve. All the record and MIDI options are set to on, and are ready to go. The cables are firmly secure. The instruction book that came with my keyboard gives information on how to use the keyboard MIDI functions, but nothing about setting up your computer, because it is a keyboard manual.
My keyboard is not mentioned in my multimedia settings, which is where the problem lies I think. I need some way of telling my computer that my keyboard is attached. I think I might need a MIDI driver, but I dont know which one to use, and where to get it. :-S
Any more info anyone? I urgently need this to be workin! thanx in advance,

-Chris

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #3 –
Chris, if your sound card was correctly installed, you should already have the midi driver for the external midi port installed. It's usually called something like "Ext MIDI Out" or "MPU-401 Midi Out". If any of the devices have "MPU-401" in it, that'll be the one.

The other thing that often trips people up is that the midi cable marked OUT has to go to the jack on your synth marked IN, and vice versa. It's like your stereo - the tape deck's LINE OUT has to go to the amplifier's LINE IN.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #4 –
Thanks for your reply Fred!

I downloaded the MPU-401 driver a while ago, but everytime I tried to select it in Noteworthy Composer, it said something about ports... something about available ports or something I cant really remember sorry.
So is this MPU driver used to input Midi into my computer? I already have a driver set up for playing Midi. But... this driver now fails to play Midi, because I must have messed it up when trying to get the MPU driver working last time :-S

Can someone please give me directions on how to set my computer up to play and receive Midi? Do I need this MPU driver again then?
Thanks everyone for your help, more info required! :-S

*I will be eternally grateful to the person who sorts this out for me! :-) *

-Chris

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #5 –
Aha. The thot plickens. My preceding post was based on the (erroneous) assumption that you wanted to send midi output from the computer TO your keyboard. Going the other way, sending midi FROM your keyboard to the computer, is another animal.

First get your original playback driver working again, probably the easiest way to deal with this is in Control Panel --> Multimedia --> Midi tab. Click "Single Instrument" and select your playback device in the pulldown menu. (Obviously, unless you want to play through your keyboard, this will /not/ be the MPU-401 midi out port). Then, in NWC, use Tools --> Options --> Midi tab to select Midi Mapper as your playback device. (This will normally be the only entry in the right-hand panel.) That should restore your playback to the soundcard's midi output (or whatever you have set in the Multimedia Midi tab).

Then go to the Record tab and select the Input device. This will usually be fairly obvious, unless you have something like "virtual piano" installed it will be the only one available. Again, it'll often be called something like "MPU-401 Midi In" (though mine calls it "OPL-3SA midi in". Go figger.)

You'll probably also want to check the "Echo" box so you can hear what you're playing through the computer's sound card. Again, select the playback device (midi mapper). In "Echo to channel" you'll normally want the default (original channel).

That should (hopefully) do it for you.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #6 –
HEY GUYS!!!!! IVE SORTED IT OUT!!! ITS NOW WORKING!!!!! GOD IM SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!
Once id sorted the proper drivers out, and the computer STILL couldnt hear my keyboard, i was clean out of ideaz... but just as an afterthought i switched the IN and OUT leads at the back of my keyboard, and hey presto! it works!!!! thanx to everyone for all your help, I really really appreciate it!! ever need any help with stuff, just e-mail me :-)

see ya around!

-Chris :-)

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #7 –
Well, Fred, you've sorted out another one. Just tell us where to send the checks.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #8 –
Hi Fred! Sorry if I mis-directed you before! :-S

You

OK so now I have MIDI playback happening nicely again now :-)

now... In the Options/Midi tab, there are two available play devices. The Midi Mapper, and Yamaha OPL2/OPL3 Synthesis. If I choose either of them, the playback is fine. In the Record tab, there is no device to choose from in the drop down list! what to do?! DO I need to find, download and install the MPU-401 Midi In driver then?
*just as a recap, I need to use my keyboard to record in noteworthy :-)*

thanx for your help!

-Chris

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #9 –
hi everyone... just a bit of an update...

I went to Add New Hardware in Control Panel, and it searched for plug and play devices. It found 'Roland MPU-401' so I went ahead and installed.. now I can select this driver from the drop down list in the record tab in noteworthy without an error message popping up. I then turned on my keyboard and clicked 'record' in noteworthy. It then said 'recording' at the bottom of my screen for literally a second, then nothing.. it was just the score as it was before nothing else. (not that I had a lot of time to record stuff anyway!!) sooo.... I went into Control Panel/Multimedia/MIDI tab, clicked on 'Roland MPU-401' and then clicked the 'add new instrument' button, and followed the directions. I then exited and restarted my computer. After it had booted up again, I went back into noteworthy, and clicked 'record'. still the same results!!! i cant record!!! Am I on my way to gettin this thing sorted? PLEASE HELP!!!

-Chris

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #10 –
OK, sounds like you're on the way. Now thoroughly read the NWC help file on how to record. Note that you have to have a playable staff -- in other words, it only records while playing. And it makes good sense, too; it's the only way of insuring that what you record will be in midi sync. So make yourself a click track however many bars long, and hit the record button. You'll hear the click track while recording, keeping you in sync.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #11 –
Yup ive read the help file, ive turned on Midi input active (for inserting notes into the staff, which is what I really need to be able to do). I make some tune up, then click record.. start playing my keyboard, when recording finishes, there is no sign of what ive just played!!!
Everything in the Noteworthy settings is set to exactly what the help file says. Im not getting error messages anymore, but my computer still does not hear my keyboard!!! I still need more heeelllpppp!!!!

thanx,

-Chris

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #12 –
Thanks for keeping the old posts. Maybe we can get out keyboard w/Midi working now, since you guys have broken the trail for us!!

MUCHOS GRACIAS!!

Diana O. In Florida

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #13 –
Yeah - this thread has helped me out tremendously!
Keep up the good work!

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #14 –
Im having the same problem.Using Cubase SX and need to use a keyboard as my midi output.My pc is not recognising my midi cable at all.Ive been told it might be a fault in the BIOS settings for the driver that allows me to use my keyboard.Pleaase could someone help me too.Thanks a million.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #15 –
Hello everyone, im having a bit of a conundrem myself. Ive got a Yamaha YDp-101 Electronic Keyboard. It connects to the PC correctly but when i check out the actually device it says that there are no drivers installed for it. Can anyone help me? its the Yamaha OPL3-SAx Driver that i need but i dunno what to do.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #16 –
I have those drivers.
I can send them to you if you post your address.
(or you can go to the Yamaha site and download them like I did)

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #17 –
Cheers yeah, my adress is hairy_blob@hotmail.com. I dunno why it wont work, ive got the driver for the MPU-401 device thing but it just dosnt recognise that my Electric Piano is attached to the PC. Does anyone have first hand experience with a YDP-101?

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #18 –
Your keyboard is not likely to be the issue. The most important issue to resolve is whether you actually have an MPU-401 compliant device on your system. If you do not, then the MPU-401 device driver is useless in your system.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #19 –
I have the Yamaha OPL3-SAx Reserved Device installed on my system but i says that no device drivers are installed when i go to system. So i dont know what to do! Please help

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #20 –
Apparently, hairy_blob@hotmail.com is not a real "adress" for Bobby Dee, so i guess i can't help after all.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #21 –
What do you mean, my email adress is hairy_blob@hotmail.com. My real name is robert daniels and the bobby comes from robert and the dee comes from the initial from daniels. Soz for any troubles, honestly my email is hairy_blob@hotmail.com

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #22 –
There is an oldies singer "Bobby Dee", contemporary with the young Paul Anka? The earlier reply must have been just a joke, but not understood.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #23 –
Help! Anyone, PLEASE.  I just bought a Triton LE (88 key) keyboard.  For starters I didn't realize that it didn't come with the Sampler.  But, I refuse to be out done.  I have been trying to record from my keyboard to my pc and it is not working.  I downloaded Pro Tools recording software to my pc.  1.  The program is large and my old pc is moving really slow when it is open.  2.  When I press the record button in the software I am not registering anything, no volume levels, nothing.  I've doubled checked all plug ins and all seems to be in order.  Any suggestions.  I'm new at this but very serious about what I am doing. Please help.

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #24 –
Well i have notewrothy, i have a psr 310 and ive tried everything fred has suggested.. but nothing seems to work. Im runing on "windows xp", i have the "roland mpu-401 driver" and my keyboard is a "yamaha psr 310". Im running the evaluation copy of noteworthy and have a "creativ sound blaster PCI" or thereabouts. please help because im within two months of my gcse final hand in date and desperately need to complete my composition.
yours hopefully Mark

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #25 –
I was wondering where i can download the "roland mpu-401 driver"???.........my computer can't seem to detect my keyboard input (even thought the cables are all plugged in)...Can anyone help me ?..

Re: Do I need software drivers for my Midi keyboard?

Reply #26 –
Try pluging the cables in the other way (swam midi IN and midi OUT) on one end. This is a too-often issue.
I don't think you need a special midi driver just for connecting a MIDI keyboard.