Help to set up midi studio

W

weeo

New member
Hi , Haven't been here for a while due to some health problems.
I'm rebuilding my small studio for mixing midifiles for backing tracks and need some help to set it all up.
My set up is :
Roland JV1080 Sound Module ,
Roland PC 200 Mk 2 Keyboard,
Alesis SR16 Drum Module.
Midiman 2 x 2 Interface.
Behringer UCA 202 Midi to USB
Windows 10 PC
Cakewalk Sonor

I have it all set up and midifiles playing ok through the JV1080,
But i cant get The Keyboard or the drum module to play.
I need an idiot proof guide on where to put the various midi cables and advice on anything i need to get to make all this work.

Thanks for any help
Eddie
 
You need some of these: https://cpc.farnell.com/pulse/pls00...UjMGB6sy6TaswAaO_D68cLjr-Btb569BoCliwQAvD_BwE

The keyboard plugs into the sound module and that MIDI out goes to the drum machine. The final DIN cable goes to the MIDI to USB converter that plugs into the computer and allows you to record MIDI data. But you have problems AFAICS (been a long time since I dabbled with this stuff)

The UCA 202 is just a 2 in 2 out USB interface and uses RCA phono connectors to boot so you will need RCA to jack adapter cables to get sound from the module OR the drum machine into the PC or indeed to hear them.

The whole setup would be vastly better and simpler if you had a 'proper' Audio Interface. Budget model be pretty good is the Behringer UMC 204HD but much better would be the Native Instruments KA6.

But! I am trying to help a 'young 'un' here! There are guys here doing MIDI all day that will help you more and better.

Dave (in 75th yr)
 
The snag here is no mixer. Your interface can allow one of your two devices to be connected at one time without unplugging - so as you have two sound producing devices, each capable of stereo (2 channels) you need 4 inputs. A cheap mixer will get that audio into the computer and of course then the output sockets can go to your amp and speakers or headphones. MIDI wise, one output from the 2x2 device goes from MIDI out to the 1080's MINI input, and the other 2x2 output goes to the Alesis drum module's MIDI input. The master keyboard's MIDI out goes to the 2x2's MIDI in. Routing is done in the software. If I had a little mixer, then I'd have the 1080 connected to the first two channels (or single stereo channel) and the drum machine to the next two. The mixer output to the USB interface's audio in 1 and 2.

As Dave says - you just need the correct connectors on the cables and away you go. Practically, that interface is er, somewhat less than idea. A £20 usb type like this is a bit off the bottom of the quality scale really.
 
Thanks very much for your help guys, much appreciated. I should have said ,i do have the midi cables and a mixer.
So--I'll have to re-route my midi cables as per the advice .
And am i right in assuming that if i should replace the Behringer uca with the Native instruments ka6,

Thanks again guys and Dave --keep rocking.
Eddie
 
weeo said:
Thanks very much for your help guys, much appreciated. I should have said ,i do have the midi cables and a mixer.
So--I'll have to re-route my midi cables as per the advice .
And am i right in assuming that if i should replace the Behringer uca with the Native instruments ka6,

Thanks again guys and Dave --keep rocking.
Eddie
Click to expand...

Yes, the KA6 will give you very low latency* about as low as you will get from any AI in its price bracket but it is only fair to say that there are some really good alternatives at about the same price on the market now, notably from Focusrite, MOTU and SSL.

The KA6 has two extra line inputs so the mixer can feed those which leaves the two mic/instr inputs free for vocals (even if it is just a 'slate' track to keep a log?) or/and guitar.

*Ooops! Missed this (old y'know) Latency, in case you are not aware, is the delay twixt hitting a key and hearing the note. There must always be some but a good combination of AI, good ASIO drivers (one of the things that makes the KA6 SO damn good!) and a 'lean' computer (though not necessarily Deep Thought) can make it low enough to be no problem.

Dave.
 
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