Midi Software For Yamaha Keyboard

[Amabella Batton]

Iwant to use my Yamaha 635 Keyboard as a midi controller in Sonar. I used to know how to set it up, and used it on many projects in the past. I haven't recorded anything since Bandlab has taken over. I am finally finding the time to work on one of my songs, and ready to add some keyboard parts

I have plugged in the Keyboard into a USB port. The computer is showing midi activity, but when I go into prefaces the Yamaha Keyboard does not show up under devices. Can someone please give me advice on what I am missing. I am sure it is something stupid, but I haven't been able to figure it out.

One last problem. I was able to record the midi piano just fine. I want to bounce the midi track it to an audio track so that I have more control of the sound. I used to be able to do this in the track folder, and select bounce to track.

Does Neo Piano respond to your E463 in standalone mode? If so, (and assuming the plug-in has been installed correctly and Cakewalk's vstscan picked it up correctly), perhaps you haven't set up the routing properly.

When you play notes and record them onto a midi track, do they show up in the track (even if you can't hear them from Neo Piano)? If so, try inserting the Neo Piano and then point the midi track to the Neo Piano. Does the recorded midi track play? If not, does Neo Piano have any indication it is receiving midi data (e.g., keypresses seen in the UI, a flashing led, response to a patch change command)?

I just rechecked, now CbB recognizes my E463 (as in it shows it in the MIDI preferences menu) but there aren't any signs of input at all, even in standalone mode. I am a beginner, and I need explanations to be as dumbed down as possible. I'm sorry if I'm causing you any trouble.

Correct me if I am wrong, there is also no evidence that midi data is coming from the E463. For something like that I use a tool called midi-ox. Do you have that? If so, the keyboard should show up as a midi device and the Input Window would show the midi data coming from it.

So, does it or does it not?

Are you saying in Cakewalk by Bandlab (CbB) that there is nothing listed in Preferences (P) for MIDI inputs? How about outputs?

How are you inserting the Neo Piano?

That's a step in the right direction. In my experience, if data is going into the computer and midi-ox sees it, Cakewalk sees it as long as I have the device / port routed correctly. I am not sure what you mean by "Cakewalk won't detect the MIDI inputs." To me, if the E463 shows up in preferences, Cakewalk is seeing the device. Diagnostically, the next question I'd ask myself is "What then might cause the midi data to not be recorded onto a midi track?" and that would get me to look at other preferences (such as MIDI Driver Mode. I use MME for my older midi gear as opposed to UWP.

Note: the MIDI Echo / Input Echo button lets me hear what my MK-449 usb keyboard plays on my SI-Electric Piano Plug-in through the amp/mixer/speakers connected to my PC's Realtek Output. Top part of LED display shows I have audio.

There you go. With a little help and patience, you've taken a small but important step. Now get yourself a copy of the Cakewalk reference Guide and start to slowly start study it. It's a big book but don't be overawed by its size. It's in PDF format so you can search it to help answer questions.

It's a comprehensive guide to all things you need to know and then some. Apart from doing the tutorials mentioned in the earlier parts of the guide, it will familiarize you to "Cakewalk speak". Audio recording has its own language and getting to grips with the terminology will aid you in framing other questions you'll no doubt ask in due course.

Interactive Help is always available from within Cakewalk itself simply by hovering over an icon which triggers the Help Module to load relevant information in a window on the right of the screen by default. If it's not visible, select it from the Views Menu. Like most Cakewalk Views the window can be docked or dragged around and placed where you choose.

I'm looking to replace my Roland RD-64 for my mainstage live setup (keys feel too stiff and not 'pianinstic'). My specific setup includes the keys, korg nanokontrol2, an audio interface and a macbook pro with mainstage. The sounds - pianos&Ep's are pianoteq, bass&B3 are Kontakt, and the others are mainstage factory sounds.

Since portability is a main concern, both weight and length, I'm into short weighted actions. I was looking into studiologic sl studio 73 and Yamaha p-121 for their length and weight, and wanted to hear from a player who knows theses boards.

I would personally avoid anything with a TP/100 action. I tried the SL73 Studio a little while back and didn't like it. It was similar to the Electro 6 HP set up alongside, so I suspect it will be similar to your Stage.

The cp 73 seems overstretched. I'm gigging with the nord and a yamaha modx6, this setup in purely on occasions where I don't want to carry an expansive board, feels weird to use the cp as a midi controller...

I had the SL88 so same keybed. I quite liked playing it once I got into the SL Editor and tweaked the velocity settings to my taste (default settings either play sounds full velocity too easily (not good for piano) or you pretty much needed to stand on the keys to achieve the same ? However, if you are playing with headphones on or live you will not notice how clunky and noisy it can be. In a quiet room, or for others, its really quite noisy especially the black keys.

Scarbee EP and the Korg Wurly play great on the P121. The action is lighter and easier to play than the SL73 which I found too sluggish - similar to a real Rhodes which was too heavy for my taste. The P121 is closer to a real Wurly.

Not aimed at me, but I used the Ivory Piano from Module and, after the tweaks I mentioned, found it very enjoyable to play with good response. Out of the box the board would feel like a dud and its presets are next to useless as there is an issue with external gear not responding with all four zones activated. Again, easy enough to get around when you know, but to a new user they might feel very disappointed with their new buy.

I was going to get either the P121 or the Numa X73. No built-in speaker on the X73 is a deal breaker for me. I realized that I play the low C, Db, D, and Eb too often. So the P121 is also out of the question also. Casio or somebody should build a nice 73 key with built in speakers.

After googling for truly weird joystic/pitch bend gadgets, I actually came across a REALLY COOL solution. It's a software named audioswift and it turns your macbook trackpad into a controller! At first I had issues understanding the concept of the setup, but I contacted them and the guy replied very quick and guided me clearly and simple. I tried the track pad as a X/Y pad but I think I'll use it as a virtual 4 sliders (the software has few modes to use the trackpad). Left quarter of the trackpad as a pitch wheel ('springs' back to zero) and right next to it - a mod wheel.

Since the macbook pro is already infront of me in the shows, it's very handy and convenient. This really solve me the lack of a pitch bend on a DP. Not as pleasing as a dedicated hardware but it will certainly do the job!

In defence of the SL series, you can program the sticks to pretty much anything. The right one for example can work like the vector stick on the wavestation/D50. I set the left one to pitch bend and mod, second one to leslie speed/stop. You could set these to provide a lot of control over external gear if you need that sort of thing.

As a newbie in playing keys, I am a very late beginner (57), but have some ideas what I want to achieve and have some questions that I could find. Next to piano and synth sounds I really like B3 based music.

I just bought a YC61 10 days ago. I asked the seller if NAMM would show a 73 key version of it and he didn't expect that.

He was as surprised as I was seeing the YC73 and YC88 being introduced less than a week ago.

I decided not to return the unit in favour of a YC73 as i think that I like the smooth waterfall keys on the 61.

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