It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 8:28 pm


novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

Connecting Hauptwerk to MIDI organs, sequencers, ...
  • Author
  • Message
Offline

enzoneo

Member

  • Posts: 15
  • Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2015 2:06 pm
  • Location: Corsock, Scotland

novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

PostFri Nov 27, 2015 3:29 pm

I have 2 keyboards that generate midi output signals. One has both a midi out and midi in port (5 pin din sockets) and the other has a type B usb socket. I have verified that both generate midi signals by using MIDI Monitor software. What are my hardware connection options considering that all the midi interface devices I have looked at seem to have 5 pin din sockets as input and type B usb sockets for output to a USB port. I suppose I mean to ask - how do I connect a keyboard with a type B usb midi ouput socket to a 5 pin din socket on a midi interface device. I haven't found any off the shelf cable that will do the job. Any help would be very much appreciated.Thanks.
Offline
User avatar

johnh

Member

  • Posts: 699
  • Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 6:51 pm
  • Location: Monterey Bay Area of California

Re: novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

PostFri Nov 27, 2015 4:20 pm

Most keyboards with a USB socket are designed to plug directly into the computer with just a USB cable. The OS will either include a driver or a drive will be downloadable from the keyboard manufacturer's website.

For the keyboard with just the 5-pin DIN sockets a MIDI -> USB interface such as this:

http://www.amazon.com/CREATIVE-EMU-XMIDI-MIDI-Interface/dp/B000JLU26W/

Will allow you to connect the keyboard to the computer.

---john.
Offline

enzoneo

Member

  • Posts: 15
  • Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2015 2:06 pm
  • Location: Corsock, Scotland

Re: novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

PostSat Nov 28, 2015 9:22 am

Many thanks for that John. Does that mean that I plug both keyboards into 2 separate USB ports on the pc and then assign them (in Hauptwerk) to the relevant organ keyboards? I also have another query I'm afraid. One of the keyboards (5 pin din one) sends midi signals on channels 15 & 16 for each key on and off whereas the other uses only channel 1. Does this matter to the Hauptwerk software?
Offline

enzoneo

Member

  • Posts: 15
  • Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2015 2:06 pm
  • Location: Corsock, Scotland

Re: novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

PostSat Nov 28, 2015 10:10 am

I apologise for wasting peoples time with my inane queries but I seem to have answered my own questions. I have connected both keyboards to separate usb ports on the pc and run auto detect midi on great and swell keyboards in Hauptwerk , having ticked the 2 usb midi ports deteced by hauptwerk in general settings and voila. 2 midi keyboards alive and well. Thanks for making me think. Phil
Offline
User avatar

mdyde

Moderator

  • Posts: 15446
  • Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2003 1:19 pm
  • Location: UK

Re: novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

PostSat Nov 28, 2015 11:50 am

Hello Phil,

Thanks for the update, and glad to hear it's working now.

Yes -- that's all you need to do, i.e. connect the keyboards to the computer (whilst Hauptwerk isn't running, since it doesn't support 'hot-plugging' devices), launch Hauptwerk, make sure that the MIDI IN ports are ticked (enabled), then auto-detect the relevant virtual keyboards.

(The 'Quick-start' section in the user guide also covers it.)
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.
Offline

enzoneo

Member

  • Posts: 15
  • Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2015 2:06 pm
  • Location: Corsock, Scotland

Re: novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

PostFri Feb 12, 2016 1:01 pm

I'm back !
I have made a lot of progress since I last posted, learning more about midi (via MIDI-OX), and what my 2 keyboards send as midi messages. I have a question, hopefully not too stupid. WHY should one keyboard send 2 note on and 2 note off messages per key depression and release. The 2 messages are for different channels and have separation in terms of the time stamp. This doesn't affect things in HW but seems unnecessary to me. I know it is the keyboard and its electronics that are sending them but I wan't to understand why.
Phil
Offline
User avatar

organtechnology

Member

  • Posts: 1886
  • Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:58 pm
  • Location: DFW, TX USA

Re: novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

PostFri Feb 12, 2016 5:06 pm

enzoneo wrote:I'm back !
I have made a lot of progress since I last posted, learning more about midi (via MIDI-OX), and what my 2 keyboards send as midi messages. I have a question, hopefully not too stupid. WHY should one keyboard send 2 note on and 2 note off messages per key depression and release. The 2 messages are for different channels and have separation in terms of the time stamp. This doesn't affect things in HW but seems unnecessary to me. I know it is the keyboard and its electronics that are sending them but I wan't to understand why.
Phil


My best guess is that it is in "Layer" mode and sending two channels to play two patches at the same time.
See if there is a Layer button on the controller somewhere.

Thomas
Complete Hauptwerk™ systems using real wood consoles, PC Sound Engines, Dante Audio for Home or Church. info (at) organtechnology.com http://www.organtechnology.com
Authorized Hauptwerk; Milan Digital Audio and Lavender Audio reseller.
USA and Canada shipments only.
Offline
User avatar

engrssc

Member

  • Posts: 7283
  • Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:12 pm
  • Location: Roscoe, IL, USA

Re: novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

PostSat Feb 13, 2016 4:06 am

Another piece of info, after you have established the connections between the keyboards and the computer, don't change these connections as effectively that would "confuse" the computer, esp a Windows setup as Windows establishes (names) USB inputs as part of it's protocol.

Rgds,
Ed
Offline

enzoneo

Member

  • Posts: 15
  • Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2015 2:06 pm
  • Location: Corsock, Scotland

Re: novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

PostSat Feb 13, 2016 6:16 am

[quote="organtechnology"][/quote]

My best guess is that it is in "Layer" mode and sending two channels to play two patches at the same time.
See if there is a Layer button on the controller somewhere.

Thomas[/quote
Thanks for that Thomas but my keyboards are not controllers as such but cheap ones. One is older than the other and it is the older one that is giving these double note on/off messages. So I suppose my real question is - why would a CHEAP keyboard do this?
Offline

organsRgreat

Member

  • Posts: 561
  • Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2012 5:30 am
  • Location: England

Re: novice need help connecting keyboards to pc.

PostWed Mar 02, 2016 3:33 pm

One small point I'll mention, because it happened to me this morning. When I started Hauptwerk I got an error message to say that one of my soundcards, connected via USB, was not working. I could see that it was switched on, so I closed Hauptwerk, unplugged the USB cable from the computer, plugged it in again, restarted Hauptwerk – and everything worked perfectly!

It seems that Windows occasionally “loses” equipment it's connected to; unplugging and re-plugging will often force it to recognise the item.

Return to Audio / MIDI interfacing

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests