Recently bought MIDI keyboard, how to use with a tascam cassette recorder?

M

Milk

New member
So I found some random keyboard for 15 pounds, the said price online is 100-140 pounds. It doesn't seem to good but that is not the problem.
I'm wondering how I would be able to use it with a Tascam 488 MKII cassette recorder. What do I need to get a sound recorded once I plug it in through the MIDI cable?
I have never done this before. Do I need other things?
 
Um, you can't use a midi cable to record audio. I am not familiar with the Tascam, but I would suppose you'll to to run 1/4" cables from the main outs of the keyboard into 2 of the Tascam's inputs.
 
What he said. MIDI is data. For that matter, there's no MIDI jack anywhere on a Tascam 488 MkII anyway.

What kind of keyboard is it? I'll assume it's the kind with black and white keys in a long row, rather than the sort with a whole bunch of square keys with letters written on top, but the specific model, or at least type, matters. For one thing, if it's just a controller, you need a synth of some sort.
 
There are two types of devices that can be described as a "midi keyboard." One is a keyboard controller that produces no sounds at all. They are used to control sound production devices, either standalone units or computer software (VSTs). The other is a keyboard controller combined with a sound production device -- either a synthesizer or sampler or, occasionally, both. If yours is a controller with a sound production device it will have some form of audio out -- either a line out or headphone jack. You'll be able to plug that into your Tascam. If it's just a keyboard controller, you can get a MIDI interface for your computer and use the controller (with the right software) for producing music with your computer.
 
Milk, this is report that I wrote 25 years ago that explains MIDI. Though many of the observations are dated and the equipment discussion is obsolete, the explanation of MIDI, how it works, what it does and how MIDI devices work is still accurate. You might find it helpful.

http://www.midium.org/compmidi.txt
 
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