Can't hear my new midi keyboard controller. Advice please!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cheeky Monkey
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Cheeky Monkey

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Hi,

I'm running Cubase SX 2.0, but am only now just starting to play around with it. I just installed a new M-Audio Audiophile 2496 soundcard and also just bought a new M-Audio Keystation 49e midi keyboard controller (USB). I believe everything is connected/working properly. When I add a midi track, I can tell by the meter that the signal is there when I hit a keyboard key. However, I can't hear any sound. I have my soundcard outs going into a free stereo channel on my small mixer, but no matter what I do I can't hear anything from the keyboard. Maybe I'm doing something wrong as simple as not properly assigning an instrument? Any advice to help me troubleshoot and get sound from my keyboard is greatly appreciated.
 
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Well, unless your soundcard has a General Midi soundset built into it you probably won't hear anything. You need to direct the Midi output from your track to an instrument that is capable of receiving and generating a sound from your Midi signal
 
Yup, if nothing else, load up rgcaudio.com 's free "sfz" and a soundfont from hammersound.net.

'ya gots to have a synth in there somewhere to make a noise, midi is nothing but control information....
 
once you have a midi signal coming into the MIDI track, hit F11. This will bring up your 'virtual instrument' rack. Click on one of the empty boxes, and select one of the virtual instruments included with cubase...this could be the lm7 drum machine, a synthesizer, whatever. Once you have selected your instrument, go back to your midi track, and click the output box. Click the instrument you have enabled to route the output of the midi to the instrument. It's important to note here that MIDI IS NOT AUDIO...MIDI merely sends the key and other information TO the synth/sampler/etc to tell it to play a note. The audio will be coming from the virtual instrument's mixer channel in cubase, and out into your hardware mixer. If you have a hardware synthesizer, simply click the output of your midi track, and route it to your soundcard's midi out (Audiophile midi out) and plug the midi from the audiophile into the synth. The sound will then be coming out of the hardware synth and NOT cubase. Hope that helps!
 
trogdor said:
once you have a midi signal coming into the MIDI track, hit F11. This will bring up your 'virtual instrument' rack. Click on one of the empty boxes, and select one of the virtual instruments included with cubase...this could be the lm7 drum machine, a synthesizer, whatever. Once you have selected your instrument, go back to your midi track, and click the output box. Click the instrument you have enabled to route the output of the midi to the instrument. It's important to note here that MIDI IS NOT AUDIO...MIDI merely sends the key and other information TO the synth/sampler/etc to tell it to play a note. The audio will be coming from the virtual instrument's mixer channel in cubase, and out into your hardware mixer. Hope that helps!
Click to expand...
I don't have a hardware synthesizer, just a midi keyboard controller. Yes, your advice was very helpful. I found that if I selected "USB Audio Device (Emulated)" or "All Midi Inputs" from the "In" picklist, plus from the "Out" picklist, the VST Instrument I assigned (whether lm7, a1 or vb-1 -- these three are all I have access to -- I guess that's where downloading VSTs comes in, right?), I can hear the sounds just fine.

If I select "SoundMAX Wavetable" or "Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth (Emulated)" from the "Out" picklist, I seem to get access to the "General Midi Instruments" from within the midi keyboard controller itself. However, I notice than when I hit the keys, there seems to be just an ever-so-slight delay (I assume this is latency???). I don't get any delay when choosing a VST. Should I assume that it's the VSTs I should be using and not worry about accessing the "General Midi Instruments" from within the midi keyboard controller?

Again, where can I find VSTs to download?, or are there VST CDs one can buy? I'm real green at this. BUT, I've made progress 'cause I can now access the VST instruments and hear my midi keyboard controller, which was my original problem. Thanks again.
 
Don't worry about the general midi (GM) sounds...they're just the standardized sounds, and usually pretty crappy compared to what you can get out of VST instruments. As far as downloading VSTs, I don't know any sites offhand, but I found this thread that has a bunch of links https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=22003&highlight=free+vst+instrument+download . For stuff for purchase, check out www.nativeinstruments.com. they are one of the most well known and respected VST makers and put out some really cool stuff. The site has demos you can download for free, I believe.
 
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