Synthesizer USB connection

[stearman65]

There is an ongoing discussion on Midi on the Pictures To Exe forum at present, this link should take you there. http://www.picturestoexe.com/forums/ind ... entry60000
Stearman65

[steve]

If that is the case, why is there an upload attachment tab on the Options section, or is it just for administrators???
Stearman 65

So as to avoid this thread drifting too far off topic I have written a short guide here: http://audacityteam.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=7889

[stearman65]

Hi The reason why I assumed that the Midi would be recognised was from the screen shot of my control panel audio tab illustrated below.
Stearman65

midi screen shot.jpg (81.17 KiB) Viewed 892 times

[steve]

I see the confusion.
It is actually possible to record sounds that are triggered by the keyboard, but it will not sound the same as the keyboard and it will require additional software to be used.

The "default MIDI music playback device" that is listed is a software synthesizer that is included in Windows. This synthesizer can be "played" by suitable software such as Windows Media Player, and most Midi Sequencers. It requires that the source of the MIDI data is routed through to the software synthesizer, and the synth will then generate sounds according to the MIDI data that it receives.

Windows Media Player will automatically route midi data when it is asked to play MIDI files through to the default Midi device - in your case the "Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth". MIDI data contains several kinds of messages, the main ones being note data. On reading note data from a MIDI file, WMP will send that data to the synth, which will then generate sounds. Unless WMP receives a "patch change" message, the synth will use its piano sound for all note data unless it is transmitted on MIDI channel 10, in which case it will play drum sounds. If it receives a patch change message, then the synth will generate sounds according to the GS MIDI standard. Thus, if a message is sent for the synth to use patch number 17, then it will play an organ sound, patch number 25 = a guitar like sound, patch 41 - a violin type sound, and so on.

When connecting a synth keyboard to a computer, you would typically use a MIDI sequencer program to route the MIDI data through to a synthesizer. This does not need to be the Microsoft GS synth, it can be any synth. It doesn't even have to be a software synth, it could be a hardware synth. The sound that is created by the synth depends entirely on the synthesizer that is generating the sounds - it is not the keyboard sound that you will hear, it may sound nothing at all like the keyboard, it is whatever sound the synth makes according to its programming and the midi data that it receives.

If a software synth is used, then it is often possible to record the sound produced by it by setting your sound card to use "stereo mix" as the recording source. If the sound card has its own built in synthesizer (such as many SoundBlaster cards have), then it is usually possible to set the recording source to "Synth".

Audacity will record whatever sounds it receives from the sound card, but unless you make an audio connection from the synth keyboard (the Korg X50) to the sound card, you will not be able to record the sound of the Korg X50.

[stearman65]

Thanks for the explanation, I was only trying to help the guy with the Korg, I get my sounds conventionally, USB mike, ripped cd tracks etc.
Stearman65.

[afchap08]

This may be slightly off topic, but I'm trying to do something similar - I'd like to take an MP3 and record it as MIDI data, like Intelliscore (for $169) but without spending that much money. It looks like Audacity can do almost everything else, but can it output MIDI from audio? I already have software that can transcribe MIDI to music notation (my ultiamte goal) I just need to get the MIDI from the audio.

Thanks!

[steve]

It looks like Audacity can do almost everything else, but can it output MIDI from audio?

No it can't.
There are several programs that can convert "monophonic" (a single melody line) sounds to midi, but I haven't come across any program that can do a very good job with polyphonic sounds (chords / harmonies).