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Why can't I record into Composer?


There are a few different reasons that your keyboard may not be properly recognized as a MIDI recording device:

1. You may not be able to record into Composer if the MIDI connection is not set up properly. You can use Help/User's Guide, and then the Index to look up "MIDI cable" and select the subtopic "versus USB" to see how a MIDI connection should be properly installed. If your keyboard uses MIDI cables, try switching the "In" and "Out" cables. It's easy to get confused because of the way they are labeled. After switching the cables, use Setup/MIDI Device Quick Configuration and see if the red light flashes when playing your MIDI instrument. If it does, then you'll be able to record.

2. If your MIDI connection seems to be properly setup, but you still can't record into Composer, you can test it with another MIDI recording program called Red Dot Forever. It's quite small (only 350 kb), and available for free at http://sourceforge.net/projects/reddot/
Download and install Red Dot Forever, and then use it to try MIDI recording with your keyboard.

3. If you can successfully record with Red Dot Forever, but not with Composer, then try updating your MIDI device's driver. If you're using MIDI cables and an interface, then you may need to update the drivers for the interface unit. If your MIDI instrument plugs directly into your computer via USB, then check for updates for your MIDI instrument. You can typically do this at the manufacturer's website by looking for "updates" and finding your unit. After updating the driver, use Setup/MIDI Device Quick Configuration and see if the red light flashes when playing your MIDI instrument. If it does, then you'll be able to record.

4. If you can't record with Composer nor Red Dot Forever after you've tried updating the driver(s) for your unit, then you may have a malfunctioning interface unit, or one that has been reported as "iffy". Please feel free to contact us at https://www.notation.com/KB_Communication.php to explore further possibilities.