Volume problems from an absolute beginner...

[Calcious]

Hi! I recently had a problem setting up the MIDI (absolute beginner indeed!), and yall helped with that...so thanks again. To get to the point, I am not hearing any sound from my computer when I press keys on my synthesizer EVEN THOUGH the MIDI data IS being received...my computer plays other audio just fine...just not the correct one associated with the MIDI input...I've tried a few things, but nothing works...so I'm here...whatever help yall could offer would be MUCH appreciated!

[mrobare]

hi

midi by itself does not make any sound
you have to drop in a synth that will take the midi data
and play the synth
like operator or sampler


devobtch

[Calcious]

hi

midi by itself does not make any sound
you have to drop in a synth that will take the midi data
and play the synth
like operator or sampler


devobtch

Sorry to be a noob...but what do you mean by 'operator' or 'sampler'? Will those allow the actual sounds coming from MY Synth or will it play different sounds from another synth using the keys of my synth (sorry for the odd wording)? Thanks so much for being patient with me...I am new at this...

[mihai]

if you don't have an instrument loaded on that midi track then no sound will come out, as mrobare pointed out midi is just data that instructs an instrument to play whatever notes it receives, pitch bend, etc.
operator and sampler are both instruments can make sound but of course you can use any other vsti of your choice.

[andydes]

What is your synth? Assume you mean hardware.

You'll need to plug the audio out on it to inputs on your soundcard. You'll probably want to have midi out from soundcard to the in on the synth.

Midi is just note data (pitch, length, velocity) plus others numbers you can use to control things.

So midi from synth to computer allows you to play and record notes for software instruments (like operator). Midi out of the computer allows the computer to play your synth.

[Calcious]

What is your synth? Assume you mean hardware.

You'll need to plug the audio out on it to inputs on your soundcard. You'll probably want to have midi out from soundcard to the in on the synth.

Midi is just note data (pitch, length, velocity) plus others numbers you can use to control things.

So midi from synth to computer allows you to play and record notes for software instruments (like operator). Midi out of the computer allows the computer to play your synth.

Thanks for the reply! My synth is a Casio WX-P1. It is plugged into the sound card (that's where it's getting the MIDI)...so I guess what yall are saying is that I need a VST?? Does it matter which one ('Operator" / 'Sampler' are examples of that)? Man I'm sorry for the dumb questions here...it must sound bad...but I have no pride about this lol...I just want to ask the simple questions that need asking...

[Calcious]

Alright guys...thanks a bunch...got it working great by using a VST called Synth1...I learned a lot...thanks so so much to all of you!

[Calcious]

Okay...jumped the gun there...don't have it working lol! The problem is that it's playing Synth1's sounds...not MY CASIO's Synth sounds...just trying to get the sounds from my synth to transmit...not for it to be used for something else...

[Davo]

Chapter 13 of the live 8 manual is about routing. 13.1 is about monitoring, which is what you are trying to do.

[Sage]

Okay...jumped the gun there...don't have it working lol! The problem is that it's playing Synth1's sounds...not MY CASIO's Synth sounds...just trying to get the sounds from my synth to transmit...not for it to be used for something else...

MIDI doesn't send audio. If you want to hear the Casio's sounds, you have to hook the audio output from it to an audio input on your soundcard.

[Calcious]

Okay...jumped the gun there...don't have it working lol! The problem is that it's playing Synth1's sounds...not MY CASIO's Synth sounds...just trying to get the sounds from my synth to transmit...not for it to be used for something else...

MIDI doesn't send audio. If you want to hear the Casio's sounds, you have to hook the audio output from it to an audio input on your soundcard.

I see...that makes sense...just not sure what that entails I guess...not sure what kind of cable(s) I need...

[ian_halsall]

You need to plug the midi out of your sound card (the one that's taking the input from your synth) back into your synth.

Sounds like you already set your synth to local off (otherwise it would be playing as you hit the keys) but now you need to pass the signal from your synth into live and back out.

Or probably better still just ditch the synth sounds and use soft synths and samples in live and just use your controller keyboard as a dumb midi keyboard - it sends midi and you can record it in live but you won't hear its sounds.

You need local off in your synth for this.

[Calcious]

You need to plug the midi out of your sound card (the one that's taking the input from your synth) back into your synth.

Sounds like you already set your synth to local off (otherwise it would be playing as you hit the keys) but now you need to pass the signal from your synth into live and back out.

Or probably better still just ditch the synth sounds and use soft synths and samples in live and just use your controller keyboard as a dumb midi keyboard - it sends midi and you can record it in live but you won't hear its sounds.

You need local off in your synth for this.

Well...I have local control on because I want to be using (and of course...hearing) the voices from my Casio synth when I push the keys and record them on Ableton...that's all I want...but you're right...MIDI is just data (which Ableton is receiving from the keyboard) and not sound...so it something to do with my hardware I think...I plugged in the midi out from my soundcard to the midi in on my Casio...but it (because MIDI doesn't have anything to do with sound I guess) didn't help with getting the Casio's sounds audible during a session on Ableton...

[Sage]

Okay...jumped the gun there...don't have it working lol! The problem is that it's playing Synth1's sounds...not MY CASIO's Synth sounds...just trying to get the sounds from my synth to transmit...not for it to be used for something else...

MIDI doesn't send audio. If you want to hear the Casio's sounds, you have to hook the audio output from it to an audio input on your soundcard.

I see...that makes sense...just not sure what that entails I guess...not sure what kind of cable(s) I need...

The same cable you'd use to hear audio from it normally.

[simmerdown]

forget the midi ins, outs all that

find the audio out from your keyboard, run a cable to the Mic In of your computer

it might need an adapter jack to get down to that 1/8" Mic In hole

done

shits getting confounded with the midi thing..if you want the casio native sounds its this simple (except for all the levels, grounding, and asio4all...)