Connecting MIDI Capable Keyboard to Cubase

B

Bluestribute

New member
So I have Cubase LE 5. I got it a while ago, works great for what I need, I know it's old. Anyways, my roommate has a Kurzweil PC88. I have a US-1641 to connect everything.

My MIDI is producing nothing. No connection, sound, nothing. I use the Thru Out on the keyboard to the MIDI Input on my US-1641. No settings in Cubase make it recognize the keyboard.

I'm trying to use the keyboard as a MIDI controller and as a regular tool to record. Any help? I don't want to buy another cable unless I need to (I just have the one cable going from MIDI Thru to the input, though no combination of MIDI OUT/IN has worked)
 
Why are you using MIDI thru?

Use the MIDI out. Make sure the Kurzweil is set to transmit MIDI.

Cubase isn't going to "recognize" the keyboard, but if you have it configured correctly it should recognize the MIDI port on the 1641. You may have to manually enable that port.

Then you need everything to be assigned to either specific MIDI channels or Omni.
 
Everything I've read said to use MIDI Thru. Using MIDI out doesn't help though . . . still same ol' same ol'. My computer isn't recognizing the MIDI though. I have a Mac, and use the built in feature that checks for MIDI, and still nothing . . . but stereo works terrific!

So I'm guessing it's the setup with the keyboard . . .
 
It's really quite simple. Connect your Midi cable from the keyboard to the US-1641. In > Out and Out > In. Make sure the keyboard is set to transmit Midi. (Some aren't by default and it needs to be enabled) (Forget Midi Thru, you don't need it)

Then make sure the US-1641 is set to send and receive Midi in the Midi Port Setup screen in Devices in Cubase.

That's it.

If in doubt, watch these video's. (2 seconds on Google gave me these. I don't even use Cubase but I could set it up)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yDPxs3In4A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yDPxs3In4A

:thumbs up:
 
Looks like Mr Clean has you started on the right path!

Also going to move this to Cubase forum. Better direct advice there.
 
Mr Clean said:
It's really quite simple. Connect your Midi cable from the keyboard to the US-1641. In > Out and Out > In. Make sure the keyboard is set to transmit Midi. (Some aren't by default and it needs to be enabled) (Forget Midi Thru, you don't need it)

Then make sure the US-1641 is set to send and receive Midi in the Midi Port Setup screen in Devices in Cubase.

That's it.

If in doubt, watch these video's. (2 seconds on Google gave me these. I don't even use Cubase but I could set it up)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yDPxs3In4A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yDPxs3In4A

:thumbs up:
Click to expand...
You might have possibly answered my question. I'll watch the clips in a minute after typing this out, but . . .

I need two MIDI cables, don't I? Making a "MIDI Loop" with the 1641 and Keyboard?
 
You don't necessarily need two MIDI cables-- it depends on whether you want a one-way connection or a two-way connection, since each connection is one-directional not bi-directional.

If you want to send MIDI events from the keyboard to the DAW then you need a MIDI cable going from the keyboard's "MIDI OUT" port to the 1641's "MIDI IN" port.

If you want to send MIDI events from the DAW to the Keyboard then you need a MIDI cable going from the 1641's "MIDI OUT" port to the keyboard's "MIDI IN" port.

In both cases, you obviously need to have the 1641 connected to the computer.

"MIDI THRU" is used when you have more than one MIDI keyboard connected together-- e.g.:
Keyboard1 --> Keyboard2 --> 1641 --> Computer
Keyboard1 <-- Keyboard2 <-- 1641 <-- Computer
"MIDI THRU" means just what it sounds like-- it allows the stream of MIDI data to pass through one keyboard and continue flowing to additional keyboards. For instance, maybe you've set up one keyboard to play the MIDI data carried on Channel 1, and you want the other keyboard to play the MIDI data carried on Channel 2, or something like that.

However, note that this is generally for situations where the MIDI interface has only one MIDI port (i.e., one pair of IN/OUT ports) and the keyboards are limited as to the number of channels of MIDI data they can play at once (i.e., as determined by how many different patches they can play simultaneously). Today it's common for a single "multitimbral" electronic keyboard to be able to play 16 MIDI channels by itself, and many MIDI interfaces have multiple ports so more than 16 channels can be used (32, 48, 64, etc., or 16 channels times the number of ports). Thus, you could have several keyboards connected to an interface directly rather than in a chain, with each keyboard sending/receiving 16 channels of MIDI data. In that case you wouldn't need to use "MIDI THRU" at all.
 
As above, you don't have to have both In & Out connected. You Do, however, have to make sure that the Out from the Keyboard goes to the In on the US-1641.

You also have to make sure that the Keyboard is setup to Output Midi and that Cubase is setup to see the US-1641 for Midi input.

Once those 3 things are ticked off, you shouldn't have any problems. :thumbs up:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top