Using a laptop, midi, and PianoDisc?
Ed Hutton
Is anyone here using a Windows Laptop, midi, and PianoDisc? Using
Sibelius or PGMusics products with PinaoDisc?
Thanks,
Ed Hutton
Gary
"Ed Hutton" <e.hu...@att.net> wrote in message
news:npkkc.5840$Xj6....@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
I run Powertracks on my laptop and I often make midi files for friends
who have Yamaha disclaviers . We don't have pianodisc here in Oz .
Do you have a specific question ?
Gary.
Ed Hutton
"Gary" <la...@yourself.com> wrote in message
news:19rkc.5095$TT....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> I run Powertracks on my laptop and I often make midi files for
friends
> who have Yamaha disclaviers . We don't have pianodisc here in Oz .
> Do you have a specific question ?
> Gary.
Yes, I have a laptop running Sibelius and PG Music's Blues Piano on my
Roland Digital Piano. I use an Edirol UM-1 USB to Midi cable with a
Windows98 Laptop. The cable came with an installation disk. I'm wondering if
I need any special midi cable or driver to interface with the PianoDisc
system. I only ask because my teacher has a Kurzweil which I was unable to
drive off the laptop setup described. Her digital never even saw the laptop.
I'd like to avoid that on my next try at a local piano dealer.
I was wondering if perhaps there were proprietary drivers for each midi
device and perhaps I'd need one for the PianoDisc. A local dealer has made
me an offer on an Kawai RX-1 with a 128 series PianoDisc unit on it. The
dealer is more than willing to let me try it out with my laptop and
software, but is a fair drive to dealer -- I'm trying to maximize my chances
of showing up with software/cables I need.
Anyone know what it will take?
Best regars,
Ed Hutton
Al Stevens
http://www.pianodisc.com/info/faq.html#MIDI
> Yes, I have a laptop running Sibelius and PG Music's Blues Piano on my
> Roland Digital Piano. I use an Edirol UM-1 USB to Midi cable with a
> Windows98 Laptop. The cable came with an installation disk. I'm wondering
if
> I need any special midi cable or driver to interface with the PianoDisc
> system.
You should not need any special drivers. The UM-1 is simply a MIDI IN/OUT
device. I have one and use it with Windows 98 and several MIDI programs.
> I only ask because my teacher has a Kurzweil which I was unable to
> drive off the laptop setup described. Her digital never even saw the
laptop.
> I'd like to avoid that on my next try at a local piano dealer.
Are you certain the UM-1 cables were connected to the correct MIDI jacks on
the Kurzweil? On my UM-1, the one marked MIDI OUT is to be connected to MIDI
OUT on the midi device; but it makes you think it is the MIDI OUT signal
from the laptop.
Or the Kurzweil might have been programmed to send/receive on a different
channel than your laptop software expects.
If the laptop works with your Roland, the problem isn't with your gear. It
ought to work with the Pianodisc.
Al Steven
Gary
> Yes, I have a laptop running Sibelius and PG Music's Blues Piano on my
> Roland Digital Piano. I use an Edirol UM-1 USB to Midi cable with a
> Windows98 Laptop. The cable came with an installation disk. I'm wondering
if
> I need any special midi cable or driver to interface with the PianoDisc
> system.
I doubt it , but more later......
I only ask because my teacher has a Kurzweil which I was unable to
> drive off the laptop setup described. Her digital never even saw the
laptop.
> I'd like to avoid that on my next try at a local piano dealer.
After you launched the programme did you go to options / midi devices
and see what input and output drivers were there ?
> I was wondering if perhaps there were proprietary drivers for each
midi
> device and perhaps I'd need one for the PianoDisc.
You would have to know what sound module hardware pianodisc is using and
you can ask them direct at http://www.pianodisc.com but I would guess that
midi mapper is the one.
A local dealer has made
> me an offer on an Kawai RX-1 with a 128 series PianoDisc unit on it. The
> dealer is more than willing to let me try it out with my laptop and
> software, but is a fair drive to dealer -- I'm trying to maximize my
chances
> of showing up with software/cables I need.
If you are spending that much money then why don't you upgrade your
lapper and at least run XP and get a decent USB midi cable such as
http://www.esi-pro.com/listProduct.php?ctgr=11 .You can download all the
drivers you will ever need.
You could also find answers with the knowledgeable folk at alt.music.midi.
As an aside , why bother with Sibelius when Powertracks can print
manuscripts/ lead sheets / chords and lyrics ?
PS Sorry if I havn't given you useful info as I am in a rush this
morning!
Gary ( who would love to have a grand with a pianodisc)
Al Stevens
> I only ask because my teacher has a Kurzweil which I was unable to
> > drive off the laptop setup described. Her digital never even saw the
> laptop.
> > I'd like to avoid that on my next try at a local piano dealer.
>
> After you launched the programme did you go to options / midi devices
> and see what input and output drivers were there ?
If it works with his Roland, it isn't a driver selection problem. The
program does not "see" what devices are attached to the midi adaptor. It
"sees" what adaptors are available.
> You would have to know what sound module hardware pianodisc is using
and
> you can ask them direct at http://www.pianodisc.com but I would guess
that
> midi mapper is the one.
Pianodisc's primary sound module is the hammers hitting on the strings. Midi
mapper isn't a specific device driver. It's a way to send specific channels
to individual midi out adaptors through *their* drivers.
> If you are spending that much money then why don't you upgrade your
> lapper and at least run XP
For audio applications, Windows 98 is a far better choice than XP. Audio and
MIDI have realtime requirements that XP cannot always support even on some
of the faster processors. XP is designed for desktop enterprise and office
applications and is fraught with performance bottlenecks.
> and get a decent USB midi cable such as
Suggesting that the UM-1 is not a "decent" USB midi device? It works. What
could be more decent?
> As an aside , why bother with Sibelius when Powertracks can print
> manuscripts/ lead sheets / chords and lyrics ?
Gee, maybe he wants to do music notation with all the features supported by
a high end music notation program.
Al Stevens
http://www.alstevens.com