Subject:Recording Midi Keyboard's original sound

Posted by: knowbody

Date:8/10/2004 8:46:54 PM

Every time I reset-up my computer and reinstall Acid I have horrible problems getting midi to work. I have a cheap cassio keyboard. I can get it so that if I have a synth selected in Acid I can press a key and have it play the synth sound. But how can I get Acid to play the sound generated by the keyboard directly?

I have a Soundblaster Audigy (oh dear). I just have the sound driver installed and nothing else (no Audio HQ). I'm using Windows XP Pro if that makes a difference. I'm pretty much a novice at this. Can anybody help?

Thanks,

Chris (Hunt)

Subject:RE: Recording Midi Keyboard's original sound

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:8/11/2004 12:56:35 PM

Sounds like you need to record digital audio rather than MIDI.

Does this Casio keyboard have any line outs, like 1/4" outs? You'd connect one or both to your soundcard's line in. (You might have to buy an adapter cable of some sort.)

Iacobus
-------
RodelWorks - Original Music for the Unafraid
mD's ACIDplanet Page
Guitars 4 Kids

Subject:RE: Recording Midi Keyboard's original sound

Reply by: tao_muon

Date:8/14/2004 11:38:56 PM

Two possible solutions I can think of:
Have the audio output from the keyboard connected to your sound card in order to record the keyboard's sounds. Make sure that the input the keyboard is connected to is not muted also... or you'll never hear it. ;) You'll also need to select that input in Acid when you're recording.
-or-
Load a soft-synth that has patches for your keyboard into Acid and just interface with Acid through midi.

I prefer the first option, 'cause it was cheaper (haven't found a cheap microKorg VSTi yet) and I can play the keyboard to get the midi sequence recorded. Then I have Acid play back the sequence through the keyboard while it records it from the line input. I can tweak the midi code if necessary before I record the synth playing it. It also allows me to experiment with different patches- like different basses for example.

Subject:RE: Recording Midi Keyboard's original sound

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:8/15/2004 7:18:27 AM

mD and tao_muon are right. You don't want to record MIDI. You want to record the audio coming out of your Casio keyboard. As they said, plug the audio-out of your keyboard into the audio-in of your sound card, then in ACID select the input from your sound card as the source in the record dialog. Don't forget to select Audio instead of MIDI in the record dialog,

~jr

Subject:RE: Recording Midi Keyboard's original sound

Reply by: knowbody

Date:8/15/2004 7:39:00 AM

I tried running a cable out of the keyboard and into the soundcard but got know sound at all. I suspect, though that the cable might be faulty, so will try again. If I use a soft synth then I always get the sound of the synth rather than that of the keyboard which has a different quality.
Thanks for the replies,

Chris

Subject:RE: Recording Midi Keyboard's original sound

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:8/15/2004 10:10:38 AM

The best way to do this is to have a midi interface, which I have to assume you have since you are triggering softsynths within Acid. Basically what you will do is use Acid as a midi patchbay. Within your Casio keyboard there is a midi setting which should say "Local=On/OFF". Turn this to "OFF"...this might be your problem right now, and is why you can't hear any sound from your keyboard, but that's alright, it's actually better to have it that way if you're doing midi sequencing work, using the casio as a controler. What you need is a midi cord from a midi out of your midi interface connected to the midi IN of your casio keyboard. You will now within acid have to make sure all your midi output ports are active. Create a new track and select the midi output port that is connected to your casio keyboard. Here's the signal path of midi data that should help you better understand what's going on.

1. Casio keyboard Local=OFF, this means when you press the keys, it will not trigger the sounds within the sound module of the casio keyboard. Thus the midi is not triggering the Local sounds. Instead it is sending the midi data out of the MIDI OUT of the casio keyboard.

2. The midi out of the casio should be connected to a midi IN of your midi interface. This sounds like it's all working so far in your setup, since you're able to trigger softsynths.

3. From your midi interface, connect a midi cable from the midi out of your interface to the midi IN of the casio keyboard.

4. Within Acid create a new track with the midi output port that is connected to the casio keyboard.

5. The midi signal path. Midi data will be sent out of the midi out of the casio, but not trigger the local sounds, Acid will receive that data on your midi interfaces Midi IN, and then will route that midi data back out to the midi output port you have selected. This means midi data will be sent to the midi out of your midi interface. This data is now connected to the midi IN of the casio keyboard which triggers the sounds on the casio keyboard. Thus the sounds are not being triggered "locally", but from an external controler, which just happens to be the same device. This might seem a little confusing, but it's the best way, because now when you select a softsynth within Acid you won't hear the casio sounds at the same time.

This is the best setup to use one keyboard as a midi controler. You don't need to record the casio as audio as previously suggested. This is actually much more flexible, because now you can change patches on the Casio and audition different sounds, when Acid is playing the midi tracks back. When you finally get the sound you like best from the Casio keyboard, then you arm an audio track and record the outputs of the Casio keyboard as an audio track.

I think your original problem of why you're not hearing the sound on the Casio keyboard, is because you have the Local set to OFF, then Acid is not properly set up to route the midi data back out to the midi IN of the Casio. This is easy enough to trouble shoot, by pluging in a set of headphones into the Casio keyboard. If you press the keys and you don't hear any sound in the headphones, then your Local is set to OFF, so you need to configure Acid properly with your mdi interface so that it is routing midi data received on the midi IN of your interface, back to a MIDI out connected to your keyboard.

Hopefully, that all makes sense,
red

Subject:RE: Recording Midi Keyboard's original sound

Reply by: papaf

Date:12/20/2004 7:44:59 AM

I have a Drum machine and want to create the loop with the unit and have Acid Trigger the Drum Loop from Acid and record it as an audio track not a MIDI Track, is this possible?

papaf

Subject:RE: Recording Midi Keyboard's original sound

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:12/20/2004 8:00:48 AM

Yes. see your other post for details.

~jr

Subject:RE: Recording Midi Keyboard's original sound

Reply by: knowbody

Date:12/20/2004 4:03:17 PM

Hi Red, I just wanted to offer very belated thanks for your very thorough reply about midi. I'd completely missed it until just now when this thread returned near the top of the list. I haven't been keeping very close attention to this forum recently. Thanks again and have a great new year, best wishes,

Chris