No sound from MIDI keyboard

JayGee716 wrote on 10/23/2017, 4:24 PM

I'm admittedly stumbling about in the dark with this. I've never had much luck connecting MIDI devices to my PC and have them work through the software I connected it for.

I've watched several YouTube videos for this task with various versions of MM yet mine still doesn't work. I also looked at the tutorial here yet mine still doesn't work.

I have an M Audio Keystation 61 ES that I've had for several years. I have an M Audio MidiSport 1x1 device which is supposed to serve as the interface between the MIDI device and my PC. Support for the MidiSport is long gone and the drivers I can find are primarily for XP. Anyway, the drivers won't load. I get a very verbose runtime error whenever I try.

The Keystation also has a direct USB connection. It installed successfully using that and it shows up in device manager but still no sound. I imagine the problem is somewhere in the settings.

For the input device the Keystation shows up. The bigger issue is the output device. I have a Creative X-Fi external sound card which is the default playback device. It is connected to my Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 speaker system. Apparently, though, MMM doesn't really like that setting.

I've tried just about every setting but I'm obviously just not hitting the right combination. I don't know whether this screenshot is of any help but maybe someone with a heck of a lot more experience with this function can extrapolate where I'm going wrong.

A footnote: I have made sure the keyboard is attached on powered on prior to starting MMM but that hasn't yielded any results.

In short, HELP!!!!

Thanks again!

Comments

emmrecs wrote on 10/24/2017, 3:42 AM

Hi.

I suspect it would be more useful if you could post a screenshot of the Audio/Midi then tab we might get some clue.

Jeff

EDIT, to add: I have a USB Midisport 4 x 4 and it works flawlessly under Win 10. At least one of the external keyboards I use is so "old" it does not include a USB Midi output so I have to use DIN cables to connect it to my PC.

johnebaker wrote on 10/24/2017, 5:23 AM

. . . . The Keystation also has a direct USB connection. It installed successfully using that and it shows up in device manager but still no sound. . . . .

Check the following settings:

Using ASIO output in MMM for reduced latency

In the Creative Console for the X-Fi, check that the Audio Creation mode is selected

The Creative X-Fi external sound card is selected as the audio out device - blue arrow in image below, and the correct ASIO or WASAPI driver is selected in the section indicated by the red arrow.
If you still get no sound try the Direct sound option.

HTH

John EB

JayGee716 wrote on 10/24/2017, 10:12 AM

emmrecs, sorry. I posted the wrong screenshot......

Hi

. . . . The Keystation also has a direct USB connection. It installed successfully using that and it shows up in device manager but still no sound. . . . .

Check the following settings:

Using ASIO output in MMM for reduced latency

In the Creative Console for the X-Fi, check that the Audio Creation mode is selected

The Creative X-Fi external sound card is selected as the audio out device - blue arrow in image below, and the correct ASIO or WASAPI driver is selected in the section indicated by the red arrow.

If you still get no sound try the Direct sound option.

HTH

John EB

Hi John,

This is the only console I can find for my sound card. And my Audio/Midi screen, compared to yours, looks much differently.

Thanks to you both!

JayGee716 wrote on 10/24/2017, 10:26 AM

John, after looking into it, the model SB card I have does not support Audio Creation Mode. It's Model #SB1095.

emmrecs wrote on 10/24/2017, 11:07 AM

Hi again.

What options do you have under Audio Playback in addition to Primary Sound Driver? Have you tried each of them in turn? With what success?

Also, to clarify; what exactly are you trying to "hear", the direct output of your Keystation (in which case you need to connect its audio, not USB, outputs directly to the line level inputs of your SB interface) or one of the Midi voices from the default Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth (as per the Midi Output Device option on the right of your screenshot)? Does that Midi Output Device dropdown also include your Keystation? It should (so you can "record" your playing as Midi within MMM and hear the sounds produced by the keyboard's own sound generator) but to be able to "hear" the audio outputs of the keyboard must be connected to the SB, as i explained above.

HTH.

BTW, I've hidden your duplicate posting so that other users don't get confused!!

Jeff

johnebaker wrote on 10/24/2017, 3:59 PM

@emmrecs

The M-Audio Keystation ES is a midi controller only.

@JayGee716

What is MMM's full name and version number as found under Help, About

The settings you have posted for the Audio/MIDI tab of the programs settings look correct, except for one option - the Primary Sound driver should be the SB card for the sound output, the MIDI controller input looks correct.

If you use the computer keyboard, or the mouse on the MMM virtual keyboard, to play a MMM instrument do you hear the sound?

HTH

John EB

JayGee716 wrote on 10/24/2017, 6:03 PM

Jeff,

I'm pretty certain I've tried every combination within settings. My MIDI keyboard does not have audio I/O. Only MIDI Out and USB Direct.

What I am trying to do is use the MIDI controller to play instruments within MMM and hear it through the speakers. AFAICT, there are no MIDI settings for the X-Fi.

The keyboard is old enough for Windows 10 to have built-in drivers for it. M Audio stopped supporting it years back. When I first plugged it in via USB, Windows picked it right up. It showed up in Device Manager and in MMM settings under Input Device. Then, for some unknown reason, Windows decided it didn't recognize it anymore.

John,

I get sound from the onscreen keyboard with no problems. I just can't get the Keystation to work. I'm aware that my Keystation is a controller only. I have not even been able to get any sounds with VST.

My version # is 25.1.1.67

JayGee716 wrote on 10/25/2017, 9:08 AM

I finagled around with this last night until I was ready to take a large hammer to the Keystation. The last time it worked for me was with Reaper circa 2011-2012. I had some (very) marginal success with Magix during the same time period. The Keystation also worked with Reason 5.

I'm really starting to believe "you can't get there from here", as far as this keyboard is concerned. .

Maybe it's just time I invest in a newer model keyboard/controller. I'm going to take a ride to Guitar Center today to see what I can see and maybe find a solution.

JayGee716 wrote on 10/25/2017, 12:52 PM

Halle-frickin-lujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My problem is finally solved!!!! All it took was a trip to Guitar Center, a long talk with Shawn (the resident MIDI guru), and ultimately the purchase of a brand new M Audio Keystation 49es for $99.

Got home, halfway dreading that I was going to be in the exact same situation I've been in, unpacked the board, read through the brief manual, setup the 49es on my keyboard stand, plugged in the USB cable, powered it on, opened MMM which already had a Grand Piano loaded, banged around on a few keys, and I heard SOUND!!!!!!!

The whole problem was that my 61es is just not compatible with Windows 10. My wife bought it for me used for my 50th birthday (back in 2011) when I was still using Win7. Same story with the MidiSport Uno. So both are probably at least 10 years old and, while they might still be useful for someone with a more advanced setup than I have, they just won't work and play (literally) with 10. ___________________________________________________________________________________

Of course, I'm not out of the woods just yet. I still have a lot to learn about incorporating the MIDI tracks with tracks made with soundpools. For example, how can I get more volume out of the MIDI track? But, for now, I really, really want to sincerely thank all of you for all your patience, assistance, and suggestions. Especially your patience.

johnebaker wrote on 10/25/2017, 2:08 PM

@JayGee716

Great resolution, apart from having to shell out for a new keyboard, with the new keybpard you should find the key action is much smoother.

Cheers

John EB

JayGee716 wrote on 10/26/2017, 6:17 PM

Absolutely! I went one step farther, though. After I played around with the 49es last night, I decided I wasn't happy with the action on the keys. They felt almost spongy. Plus I had latency with hair on it even though it was set at 0.

So this morning, I boxed it up and headed back to Guitar Center. I fiddled around with the keys on some other controllers I didn't look at yesterday because I was too busy being cheap. I stumbled upon the Oxygen 49 MKIV for about $70 more but I really like the action even though it's got more functions than I'll probably ever be able to learn.

So I returned the 49es, paid the difference, and got the Oxygen. Same scenario. Got home, unboxed it, plugged it in and was playing in no time. Man the key action is light as a feather. Plus, the latency is gone! Talk about a win/win!

Thanks again!!!

gene-c wrote on 4/16/2020, 8:16 PM

Audio input does not recognize behringer UCA202 interface. Does anyone else have this problem?

emmrecs wrote on 4/17/2020, 4:33 AM

@gene-c

Welcome to the Magix forums.

Did you notice you have posted to a thread which is nearly three years old and which was asking about a different piece of hardware to that which you have?

Please do not hijack another user's thread, by introducing data which is irrelevant to the OP, and please do not resurrect old threads, but rather start a new thread with your question, giving a lot more detail about your computer, exactly which version and variant of which Magix program you have and what you have tried so far to resolve the problem yourself. This post will show you the information we really need from you.

This thread will now be closed.

Jeff
Forum Moderator