How to connect a MIDI keyboard up to a computer
If you are just starting out, the first thing you may wish to do is find out how to connect
a MIDI keyboard or digital piano up to your computer. This will enable you to use a whole range of interactive software products. Although you can get other
kinds of MIDI controller, the keyboard is the most popular, widely available,
and reasonably priced. If you have not yet got any kind of keyboard, then look
first at Getting started – choosing the right keyboard.
Let’s start with your keyboard or piano. You first need to establish
it has got a means of connecting with your computer. Look to make sure it has
a MIDI port. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is the protocol for
communication between your keyboard and your PC – when you press a key
the action is registered by the software you are using through the MIDI link.
Most keyboards and Digital Pianos now have MIDI in and out as standard. Look
for ports like this:
So how to you connect from these ports to your PC?
There are several ways:
- MIDI to soundcard gameport
You can connect directly from your keyboard to the soundcard on your PC, assuming
it has a gameport like this:
The MIDI to soundcard cable makes the connection between your keyboard’s
MIDI ports and the gameport on your soundcard. There is a further socket on
the cable that can optionally be used to plug in a joystick, so you can still
use your PC for games as well as music making.
- MIDI to USB port
If you have an available USB port, you can use a MIDI to USB connector. This
is a more expensive but simpler, high speed, no-fuss solution. This is ideal
if you want to use your laptop. Most USB interfaces are fully Plug-and-Play
so will work without any further software configuration.
Typical USB MIDI setup:
- MIDI to MIDI
Some soundcards come already equipped with MIDI ports like the ones shown above.
If that is the case, all you require is a simple MIDI cable.
- USB to USB
Some of the newer keyboards now have a USB MIDI port - all you need is a standard USB cable
to connnect directly from the keyboard to the USB port of your PC or laptop.
Setting up your system with a simple MIDI to Soundcard cable:
(The process will be almost identical with
a USB to MIDI interface, though you may have to install driver software, depending on your operating system)
Music software generally has a menu item devoted to the setting up of devices,
so once you have your keyboard connected to your computer, it is a simple matter
of selecting the correct device from this menu, when you run the software. 99
times out of 100 your default MIDI in device will probably be the correct one.
- Connect the 15 pin male connector (the large rectangular end with pins) to the 15 pin joystick (or game port) connector on your soundcard.
- Connect the 5 pin "MIDI OUT" plug to the "MIDI IN" on your keyboard or MIDI device
- Connect the 5 pin "MIDI IN" plug to the "MIDI OUT" on your keyboard or MIDI device
- Set up your software to use the external MIDI device. This step depends on your software, but usually you will find a menu item called "Set-up", " MIDI preferences", "devices", "Options" or "Equipment."
- Note that if you have a simple controller keyboard it will not have a MIDI input port - but you will still be able to use the standard cables as described above.
a) If you want the sound to be produced by your keyboard, set the "Output Driver" to use the driver with the words "MIDI OUT", "MPU-401" or "EXTERNAL MIDI" in it. Unfortunately, this port is called something different on each sound card. For example, on the Sound Blaster cards it is usually called "SB MIDI OUT".
b) If you want the computer to "listen" or record from your keyboard, set the "Input Driver" to use the driver with the words "MIDI IN", "MPU-401" or "EXTERNAL MIDI" in it. Unfortunately, this port is called something different on each sound card. For example, on the Sound Blaster cards it is usually called "SB MIDI IN".
FAQ: Why do MIDI IN jacks connect to MIDI OUT jacks? Surely it makes more sense to connect a MIDI IN jack to a MIDI IN jack. After all, they're both labeled IN. Same goes for MIDI OUT to MIDI OUT.
The accepted way actually makes a lot of sense. Think about it. You want MIDI data to go out of your controller and in to your sound module. After all, you wouldn't connect the audio out jack of your sound module to the outputs of your mixer, would you? No, you connect the audio output to an audio (mixer) input. And then you connect the mixer outputs to the inputs of your amplifier. And then you connect the amp's speaker outputs to the speaker inputs. Same thing with MIDI. Think of MIDI data as "flowing" in the same way that audio signals "flow" through your audio system.
Was this article helpful to you? If you would like to be kept up-to-date as we add new tutorials and articles then
subscribe to our newsletter
Related articles:
What have computers got to do with music anyway?
How to record your guitar on a PC
Which keyboard/piano tutor is best for me?
What exactly is MIDI?
Do I need to buy a keyboard?
Music Making Software - interactive auto accompaniment tool that responds to your tempo and dynamics
|
