Music Software From MusicOnMyPC
  Home » Keyboard Connection Home  |About Us  |Shop  |Cart Contents  | My Account  |   Checkout   
Music Software Products
Audio Interfaces
Band In A Box
Books & Guides
Bundle Deals
Cables & Leads
Childrens Music Software
Digital DJ
Ear Training Software
Educational Pricing
FL Studio Fruityloops
Guitar Software
Handheld Recorders
Headphones
Keyboard Accessories
Microphone Accessories
Microphones
MIDI Interfaces
MIDI Keyboards
Music Software
Music Theory Software
Notation Software
PCI Soundcards
Piano Teaching Software
Recording Guitar/Vocals
Speakers/Monitors
Studio Hardware
B-Stock
View All Products
Music Software Knowledge Base
Computers & Music?
Connecting a Keyboard
Convert MIDI to AUDIO
Recording a Keyboard
What is MIDI?
Guide to Podcasting
Recording Digital Audio
Do I need a Keyboard?
Choosing a Keyboard
Recording A Guitar
Music Hardware
Music Making Software
Connecting a Mic to a PC
Remove Vocals From CD
Which Piano Tutor Software?
Which Guitar Software?
Which Composition Software?
Software for Sight Reading
Ear Training Software
Music Theory Games
Web Resources
Tutorials
Glossary of Terms
Information
Ordering
Privacy
Payment
Shipping
FAQs
Site Map
Returns
Contact Us

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:
image of MIDI ports

So how to you connect from these ports to your PC?
There are several ways:

  1. MIDI to soundcard gameport
    You can connect directly from your keyboard to the soundcard on your PC, assuming it has a gameport like this:
    image of game port
    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.

  2. MIDI to USB port
    Yamaha UX16 USB MIDI Interface 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:

    image of USB MIDI interface setup

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

image of MIDI setup with PC Soundcard cable

  • 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

Back
Latest News
Propellerheads Reason 4Now Shipping Reason 4: Full Version and Upgrades!
Music Software BooksNew! Complete range of Music Software and Hardware Help Guides
Music Software Product Finder
 

Advanced Search
Specials
FL Studio 8 XXL
FL Studio 8 XXL
£239.00
£199.99

Copyright © 2003 - 2008 Music On My PC Limited - UK
Powered by osCommerce
Graphic Design By Ooshi