MIDI compatible keyboard?

  • Thread starter Thread starter openocean
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openocean

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I've been trying to set this keyboard (Casio LK-45) up as an external MIDI controller in Reaper. Watched videos, read tutorials, etc. etc., can't get it to work. In the manual it says this:

"Though the sound source of this keyboard is not General MIDI compatible, you can still connect the keyboard to a computer or other MIDI equipment to playback General MIDI data that is widely available in stores, over computer networks, and from other sources."

The website says this:

"The LK-45 is the starting point of the Casio LK keyboards. With its many features it gives the beginner room to grow. (MIDI) Musical Instrument Digital Interface enables the keyboard to communicate with multimedia computers and other MIDI instruments to create, enjoy and learn about music."

The creepy dude I bought it from said it could do MIDI. Whats the scoop? What kind of MIDI can it do?
 
openocean said:
I've been trying to set this keyboard (Casio LK-45) up as an external MIDI controller in Reaper. Watched videos, read tutorials, etc. etc., can't get it to work. In the manual it says this:

"Though the sound source of this keyboard is not General MIDI compatible, you can still connect the keyboard to a computer or other MIDI equipment to playback General MIDI data that is widely available in stores, over computer networks, and from other sources."

The website says this:

"The LK-45 is the starting point of the Casio LK keyboards. With its many features it gives the beginner room to grow. (MIDI) Musical Instrument Digital Interface enables the keyboard to communicate with multimedia computers and other MIDI instruments to create, enjoy and learn about music."

The creepy dude I bought it from said it could do MIDI. Whats the scoop? What kind of MIDI can it do?
Click to expand...

I'm no MIDI expert but could that be your problem?

Playing MIDI data and transmitting MIDI data are two different things...
 
Armistice said:
I'm no MIDI expert but could that be your problem?

Playing MIDI data and transmitting MIDI data are two different things...
Click to expand...

This + there are various things you need to be aware of. Technically, MIDI is not really difficult. It is older technology and in this day and age of the computer doing everything for you, MIDI is rather flexible but there is the rub.

Going in, just make sure that you have your DAW setup to receive data, hit record and you should start seeing data or notes feeding into the DAW.

Playing back is a bit more complex and most people don't because they have a controller (no sound) or the keyboard they purchased has sounds they really don't like.

In the instructions on your keyboard, you should see a mapping and the values the keyboard is expecting to receive. Notes, system events and program selection (voices/sounds). Add that to your MIDI file and the sounds come from your keyboard. If you want those recorded, you have to run the keyboard out, back to your DAW and record as analog. Expect latency for the round trip. Nice thing about MIDI is you can correct poor performance so lining it up once you have corrected should be easy.

Hope this gets you pointed into the right direction.
 
Here is the manual:

http://support.casio.com/pdf/008/lk_45_01_e.pdf

I see from the manual that the LK-45 has DIN MIDI in and out ports.

To use MIDI you need to connect these to your computer with MIDI cables. However, you also need a MIDI interface with DIN ports as well (or maybe these days you can get DIN to USB cables . . . I don't know).

My Presonus audio interface has MIDI DIN in and out, so I can connect through that.
 
I'm only interested in using the keyboard as a controller - I don't want to play computer generated sounds back into the keyboard. I'm thinking the lack of "General MIDI" means I'm unable to do this. I think Armistice pegged it. Just wanted to see if there was anyone out there that had set this same keyboard up as a MIDI input for their DAW. If not, looks like I'll be hitting up craigslist.
 
You are wanting to set it up to play Virtual instruments, right?

Are you using a MIDI > USB connection cable? If so, make sure you have the In > Out and Out > In on the back of the keyboard.

Also, make sure you're setting it up as a MIDI Device in Reaper, not a Control Service. They're two very different things.
 
Looks like the keyboard will only transmit on ch 1. This may make it a pain to use w/software.
 
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