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Tips and tricks for using Notation Software products Learn (and share) tips and tricks for getting the most out of your Notation Software products.

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  #1  
Old 09-13-2004, 07:22 PM
Mark Walsen (markwa)
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Default setting up instrument sound names for MIDI keyboard

Version 0.942 of MidiNotate Musician and Composer introduces new options that should make it easier to set up instrument sound names for your MIDI keyboard or other MIDI output device.

You can import the bank, patch, and drum note names for a device from a Cakewalk INS file or a Notation Software MDD file. There used to be one way to do that, using the Import Device command in the Device menu of the MIDI Device Configuration window. The procedure was somewhat complicated. You had import the INS or MDD file, and then "connect" the imported device to the MIDI Out port. Starting with version 0.942, when you import the device, it will be immediately connected to a MIDI Out port that you choose.

There is now also a second more convenient way to import the instrument sound names from an INS or MDD file. Use the Quick MIDI Device Setup command in the Setup menu, and use the Import Sound Names option in the Quick MIDI Device Setup dialog box.

Please let me know whether you find it easy or not to set up the instrument sound names for your MIDI keyboard or other playback device.

Cheers
-- Mark (the developer)

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  #2  
Old 09-13-2004, 07:59 PM
Mark Walsen (markwa)
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Default Although version 0.942 offers

Although version 0.942 offers a now easier way to import instrument sounds names for a MIDI keyboard or playback device, there is still an area of potential confusion. I'll explain it here, and then maybe some of you can offer me some suggestions about how to reduce the potential confusion.

MidiNotate distinguishes the concepts of MIDI "port" and "device". The port is sort of like a pipe through which the MIDI music flows but which is not capable of actually making the sound. The device receives the MIDI data from the port ("through the pipe") and actually produces the sound.

MIDI ports have names defined by their respective MIDI drivers. For example, the output port for a Midisport 1x1 by MidiNotate is named "Out USB Midi 1x1". Initially, MidiNotate doesn't know the name of the device that might be connected to the port. So, MidiNotate gives a placeholder name for that device, and that placeholder name is the same as the name of the port. In this example, a placeholder device named "Out USB Midi 1x1" is assigned to the port named "Out USB Midi 1x1".

When you assign tracks to an external device, you will find it more meaningful to refer to the name of the device, such as "Yamaha Tyros" (keyboard) that you will the port name, such as "Out USB Midi 1x1". Also, you will find it more meaningful to refer to the names of the MIDI banks, patches, and drum notes, such as "pizzicato strings" than you will the raw numbers for banks, patches, and drum notes.

Starting with version 0.942, when you import the instrument sounds names for a device from a Cakewalk INS or Notation Software MDD file, you will also assign the imported device to an output port at the same time. Before 0.942, you had to do that in two steps: (1) import the device, and then (2) "connect" it to an output port.

If after you import the device you visit the MIDI Device Configuration window, you will see two devices listed under the port, as in this example:<blockquote>Out USB Midi 1x1
---------------
Out USB Midi 1x1
Yamaha Tyros</blockquote>The potentially confusing thing here is that there is still both a port and a device named "Out USB Midi 1x1". Said another way, two devices are assigned to the port.

Do you find that confusing?

If you assigned a track to the device named "Out USB Midi 1x1" instead of "Yamaha Tyros", what do you think would happen?

Cheers
-- Mark


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  #3  
Old 10-21-2004, 06:35 AM
Jim Lee
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Default Hi Mark, I used M-Audio USB

Hi Mark,

I used M-Audio USB Midisport 2x2 with Win XP service pack 2. The Composer 1.0 could not find the midi device.

To be fair with you, I have to say that there is an installation problem. The Win XP does not like the driver usb22ldr.sys (from MS2x2_1010_web.exe) and keep asking me to install even after I clicked on "continue anyway" (the driver did not pass the "Windows Logo testing") to install the driver.

Do you have tips for this?

Thanks,
Jim
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  #4  
Old 10-21-2004, 12:41 PM
Jaap Veneman (jaapv)
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Default Mark, I must admit that th

Mark,

I must admit that the concept of ports and devices confused me a little. With your explanation I understand it.
However little impatience as I am, I imported always the TYROS device definition and all worked fine for me so I left it.

More logical to me would be if you listed like this
May be I'm wrong here because I don;t oversee all specific details.

Jaap


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  #5  
Old 10-21-2004, 01:37 PM
Jaap Veneman (jaapv)
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Default Jim Lee Don;t worry to much

Jim Lee

Don;t worry to much about XP does not like your drivers.
Many manufacturers let not pass their drivers vai Microsoft approval and Logo program, because of cost, time consuming, and often release upgrades. This does not neccessary mean the drivers are not well developped.

Suggestions:
First check in Control Panel - Hardware - System - Device Manager
your Interface is listed, and does not have yellow esclamation marks. If so, de-install, reboot, re-install and see if this has been corrected.

Test the device:
- via Start - RUN - type in DXDIAG
This utility will check all display and sound devices,
Open the "Music" Tab. All your sound devices are listen, so must be your "trouble device" you can check now executing a TEST play.

(To check my instruction I did this myself 30 minutes back, WIndows XP crashed, blue screen, error message that a EICON DIWAN.SYS driver cause the conflict. On the EICON WEB site I found I had to upgrade the driver, and problem solved Thanks)
Lesson: Check the support site of your device for last versions of drivers and install these.

If Ok sofar, you can check with another midiplayer or program if
that play's midi's via your device. If this all works I can't see a reason why Composer could not detect your device.

Success
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  #6  
Old 10-21-2004, 04:34 PM
Mark Walsen (markwa)
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Default Jim and Jaap, Thanks, Jaap,

Jim and Jaap,

Thanks, Jaap, for offering Jim some tips on setting up his MIDI devices in Composer.

I'm afraid that I introduced some confusion in the second post in this thread. The example of connecting a Yamaha Tyros through a USB MidiSport 1x1 is incorrect. The Yamaha Tyros has a USB cable that goes directly to the computer. The MidiSport 1x1 or 2x2 or NxM has MIDI female connectors to which you connect external MIDI devices via MIDI cables, not USB cables; the MidiSport connects to the computer via a USB cable.

In the example of the MidiSport 1x1, I should have used a keyboard that has a MIDI cable, not USB cable.

Jim, I happen to use a MidiSport 2x2, and it works well with XP SP2 and Composer. This sounds like a shoe salesman telling you that he bought that same pair of shoes himself, doesn't it? I suggest that you re-install the MidiSport driver. If that doesn't work, visit http://www.m-audio.com/ to see if they have any information on the problem.

Jaap, the MIDI Device Configuration window layout you have recommended is most appropriate for the case of the Yamaha Tyros, which has its own driver. The MIDI Device Configuration window layout that Composer currently offers is most appropriate for the case of a MidiSport USB hub, one more external devices are indirectly connected to the computer via the MidiSport. From the perspective of Windows, the MidiSport and Yamaha Tyros are both "MIDI ports". A port has a MIDI driver. The difference in these two cases is that the Yamaha Tryos is a real music instrument; whereas the MidiSport is only a hub between the real music instrument(s) and the computer.

The problem I've had in designing the user interface of the MIDI Device Configuration window is providing a uniform way to represent both cases described above. The current design is biased towards the somewhat more complex MidiSport case.

Cheers
-- Mark
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  #7  
Old 10-21-2004, 05:51 PM
Jaap Veneman (jaapv)
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Default Mark, I'm not sure if

Mark,

I'm not sure if I am with you.

The chain is to my idea always the same.
Composer sees the Midi-port driver, that connects to a "midi sound generating device", internal or external.
The midi-sound generation device requires a device definition.
Am I wrong here?

---------------------------------
Examples:

In case of the TYROS their is a USB Midi driver,
that presents it self as MIDI Port Device. It's however specific to connect an external Yamaha's USB Midi device, could be any keyboard/synth from Yamaha.
The external device needs a device description regards voices, rhythm etc. so Tracks get right Instrument names and patches.

In case the MIDIsport USB device, its exactly the same, but universal.
This USB device needs a driver that acts as MIDI Port.
You may connect any external Midi device, that again requires a device description.

IN case of using a sound card with midi connector. Also the same
The sound card drivers present one midi port, to which you connect
an external device, what ever brand or make - with a device description.

In case of software like Microsoft GS or Yamaha XG wavetable, these presents themself as "Midi Port, and attached to it the "wavetable generator" which requires a device description.

-------------------------------------

Cheers Jaap


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  #8  
Old 10-21-2004, 05:51 PM
Sherry Crann (sherry)
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Default Howdy guys, To hop in, hopi

Howdy guys,

To hop in, hoping to help (we've been working on alliteration lately, can you tell?), I would add that to the best of my knowledge, the MidiSport series also require a powered USB connection, and not all USB ports are powered.

I have a friend who was trying to hook up a MidiSport Uno, and she plugged it into a USB port on her Mac, and got nothing. Turns out her machine has some USB ports that are powered, and some that are not (not sure if that applies to PCs or not). Anyway, when she tried plugging it into another port (which was a powered one), she could finally get it to work properly.

It might be worth a try to plug it into a different USB port and give it a shot.

ttfn,
Sherry
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  #9  
Old 12-22-2004, 08:03 PM
Sandra Bradley
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Default My XP uses Microsoft GS Waveta

My XP uses Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth...is there still a need for me to import a sound bank? I do not use an external MIDI device.

MidiSandy
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  #10  
Old 12-23-2004, 07:28 PM
Mark Walsen (markwa)
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Default Hello Sandy, The Microsoft

Hello Sandy,

The Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth generates its own instrument sounds, so you don't need to load sound samples into it.

The Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth is fine to get started with, in enjoying playback of music.

Cheers
-- Mark

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