How to connect music keyboard to computer soundcard?

[Dallas]

I'm sure this is probably a basic question for everyone here, but
although I'm generally very literate technically, this is a new area
for me.

I'll quote from the e-mail sent to me by my dear old Mom:

"just bought [my boyfriend] his birthday present - a casio keyboard.
we would like to know how to save our musical creations to disk.
there are midi in and out terminals on the keyboards, but i see no
terminals on any of my computers that match the keyboard midi
terminal. also there's a diagram in midi instructions that shows a
midi interface card in the computer."

"what can be done about the absence of a matching terminal in the
computer for the midi cable? can cables be gotten that connect via
usb?"

"in case, using the computer to transfer and store music from the
keyboard becomes too much of a hassle, are there independent devices
out there to which one can connect a keyboard for transfering and
storing music?"

I don't know what kind of computer my Mom's boyfriend has -- but let's
assume it's a fairly recent model computer (PC, not Mac), with a
fairly standard soundcard. Is there some kind of cable that my Mom
should be able to buy at CompUSA or Radio Shack that would go from the
Midi terminals on the keyboard to someplace on the sound card? Or, as
my Mom asks, can Midi on the keyboard be connected to USB?

Any basic tips to get us started would be much appreciated.

Steve O.



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[Ricky Hunt]

"Steven O." <null@null.com> wrote in message
news:grqka1dd6t2nevcf83kd27ts8juqdh5a1g@4ax.com... I don't know what kind of computer my Mom's boyfriend has -- but let's assume it's a fairly recent model computer (PC, not Mac), with a fairly standard soundcard. Is there some kind of cable that my Mom should be able to buy at CompUSA or Radio Shack that would go from the Midi terminals on the keyboard to someplace on the sound card? Or, as my Mom asks, can Midi on the keyboard be connected to USB? Any basic tips to get us started would be much appreciated.

It most likely has a Soundblaster type card (unless the sound is on the
motherboard). If so, you can just get a gameport-to-MIDI cable like this:
http://www.musicmall.com/cmp/sbmid.htm. Though for about $10 more you can
get a USB-to-MIDI: http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOUNO which would be easier
to hook-up. Of course all these do is transmit MIDI data so they'll have to
get some kind of recording software (like this:
http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/MusicCreator/default.asp) since MIDI is
only note data and not actual sound. If he's happy with the sound of the
Casio you can just get a cord (probably dual 1/4"-to-1/8"-stereo) and
connect the audio outs of the Casio into the soundcard of the computer and
record the audio directly. A cord like that will cost you about $5 at Radio
Shack. Then you could use freeware like this:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ to record the audio and then just burn it
to CD. Of course if you get the software like Cakewalk's you can do both
(MIDI and audio).

[Laurence Payne]

"just bought [my boyfriend] his birthday present - a casio keyboard.we would like to know how to save our musical creations to disk.there are midi in and out terminals on the keyboards, but i see noterminals on any of my computers that match the keyboard miditerminal. also there's a diagram in midi instructions that shows amidi interface card in the computer.""what can be done about the absence of a matching terminal in thecomputer for the midi cable? can cables be gotten that connect viausb?"

You may have a SoundBlaster type sound card with an integral midi
interface on the gameport. You need a simple adaptor cable.

However, most computers made in the last couple of years have onboard
sound, part of the motherboard. There is usually no midi port. So
you need a USB midi interface. It's rather more than just an adaptor
cable, but not too expensive. Your local musi-tech shop has them.

"in case, using the computer to transfer and store music from thekeyboard becomes too much of a hassle, are there independent devicesout there to which one can connect a keyboard for transfering andstoring music?"

You will want a sequencer program to run on the computer. There are
free ones, I believe, which will get you started and show you what
sequencers are capable of. Someone suggest the best currently out
there? I'm not into that end of the market :-)



CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect

[Geoff Wood]

"Steven O." <null@null.com> wrote in message
news:grqka1dd6t2nevcf83kd27ts8juqdh5a1g@4ax.com... I'm sure this is probably a basic question for everyone here, but although I'm generally very literate technically, this is a new area for me. I'll quote from the e-mail sent to me by my dear old Mom: "just bought [my boyfriend] his birthday present - a casio keyboard. we would like to know how to save our musical creations to disk.


You want to save MIDI to disk, or audio ?

geoff