MIDI.......... errr, huh??????
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Posted on Nov 17, 2004 08:37 am
neuaddsibly
Member Since: Apr 08, 2004
Hope this is the right forum for this question... please move it if it's not ;)
I want to dabble with the midi in ntrack, but after trying some things, i got no sound output. So i fiddled with the midi device settings, but still no luck. And then i read that my soundcard doesnt have "an onboard midi synthesizer" (it's a hoontech c-port). But there's the other onboard soundcard in the pc.... i'm thinking surely that will have midi support????? Am i being really stoopid here?
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Nov 17, 2004 08:40 am Not being stupid, just a newbie ;-) Never assume a sound card has a MIDI synth, many don't. Many can pass MIDI info back and forth but not actual make the sounds themselves.
Of course, telling us what exactly your other card is might help...
Nov 17, 2004 09:11 am Oh, when i bought it i knew it didnt have MIDI capability but didnt want or need it back then. I'm pretty sure it can pass it like you say though...
I'm not sure what the other card is... it's the onboard chip that came in the PC... (sorry, at work and cant check at the mo)
Nov 17, 2004 09:25 am The hoontech spec says this:
"It also comes with a one in - two out (32 channels) - MIDI interface" which makes me think i'm not entirely fighting a losing battle. and i seem to remember my other "soundcard" is made by nVideo if that helps...
Nov 17, 2004 09:27 am OK, well, the hoontech can pass data around then, just not make the sounds.
Your onboard chip is probably some AC97 compliant chip, which has general MIDI sounds and thats about it. It'll get your making MIDI, but general MIDI in some of those cheaper onboard chips really suck as far as sound quality goes.
Nov 17, 2004 10:12 am I see. What about if i bought a MIDI cable and brought my keyboard into the equation, or does that still count for diddlysquat because of this inferior chip? (Thanks for replies already, btw)
Nov 17, 2004 10:14 am if your keyboard has sound on it (it presumably does) then you can use your keyboard sounds rather than the onboard sounds. Then you just need to learn how to set what channels go to the keyboard, make sure the keyboard accepts those channels and all that fun shtuff.
Nov 17, 2004 10:32 am Oh dear, now that sounds far beyond my "tinkering about" plans... ;)
Now i quickly remember why i've steered clear of MIDI (and why it stands for Mighty Involved Digital Implement) ;)
Yogi62Member
Since: Dec 12, 2004
Dec 12, 2004 04:47 am If you have a keyboard with a midi out, you can use that to send a midi signal to your computer via your soundcard input. As to the midi sounds, there are 'virtual synths' available that are computer software you install and they will provide the general midi sounds.
Check out 'www.edirol.com' as a possible source
This way you'll avoid a conflict between your installed sound card and the on board AC97 sound source (shouldn't be used at the same time)
You may also want to consider a 'light' version of a midi sequencer to record your masterpieces into !
