Help with midi setup

[VGreen]

Hi,

I've recently bought a yamahe dgx-505 and need help with getting the midi setup. I've installed the driver, have connected the instrument to my computer via a usb cable, and am using protools 6.4 to record.

1. In the protools mix window there's an input and output panel. I've selected "ALL" as my input, and "yamaha usb-out channel 1" as my output. To be quite honest, I'm not sure what I'm doing. When I record, nothing comes up. However, at one point I was able to get all the notes coming up but no sound when I played it back.

2. On this yamaha, there's three options for the computer - pc mode, pc1 and pc2. Which one should I use?

I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

V

[peopleperson]

Make sure you're creating a midi file for the input, not an audio file.

[carelessorc]

On most Yam products correct setting is PC 2 (although the choice is usually 'Mac, PC1, PC2).

Orc

[ssscientist]

If you're using the Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection, those 'PC1' and 'PC2' designations don't matter.

First, go into your keyboard and look in the utility or global page for a 'Local on/off' parameter. Set this to off. This will break the connection between the keyboard and the sounds inside, giving you the virtual equivalent of a midi controller and an XG module.

Then start with a blank midi track, and in protools 'midi preferences' or 'options' or whatever they call it select the Yamaha keyboard as both your input and your output.

Then play the keyboard. If you hear it but there's a delay try installing ASIO4all according to the directions, assuming your computer is a PC.


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[VGreen]

Thanks for everyone's help.

I've managed to sort out some of the problems. I tried using the PC "off" function which automatically sets the parameters to local on, external clock off, keyboard out on, style out off, song out NA, and this works. However, I'm now having problems with recording a style, i.e. a drum rythmn. This has to be done through PC2 as this allows for the style on parameter. I eventually realized I had to record it through channel 10 (the keyboard can be recorded through channels 1-9), but when I play it back it sounds really weird; in other words it doesn't play back through the Yamaha as it did when I recorded the keyboard track.

Any suggestions?

V

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by VGreen

Any suggestions?

You are trying to use the consumer oriented, auto accompaniment features of your Yamaha keyboard with semi-pro protools software.

That's not going to work.

You need to either:

1. Record the auto accompaniment into a stereo recorder.
2. Ditch the dependence on the auto accompaniment and strike out on your own using the voices in your Yamaha to create you own original compositions.

Find a very useful freeware stereo editor/multi track recorder here.


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