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Topic: Cakewalk HS 2002, Win XP, Midi Output (Read 1071 times) |
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PierreDeKat
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MIDI-OX Rules!
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Cakewalk HS 2002, Win XP, Midi Output
« on: Mar 16th, 2003, 7:15am » |
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Dear All,
Please pardon my newbieness, but I just recently decided to get back into playing and recording music after several years on hiatus.
One of my biggest motivating factors was the advancements in computer software and the fact that it's now possible to distribute original music over the internet, thereby bypassing the whole "music industry" obstacle.
I purchased Cakewalk Home Studio 2002 yesterday, and it seems like an infinitely capable piece of software. However, it does not seem to want to communicate midi to my Soundmax sound card.
Every time I fire up HS, I get the message "You have not selected any midi outputs." But when I have gone through the process of trying to select one, HS won't list any for me to work with.
After spending the duration of the day yesterday searching on Google for something relevant, I had just about given up and resigned myself to working strictly with wav files.
But hope springs eternal; I got up this morning and searched for "cakewalk XP "midi output"" and stumbled onto Midi-Ox's website. Hopefully, this is the right place.
Most of information I had been coming up with pointed toward sinking a couple hundred dollars into a new sound card, but after spending $100 on software, and not really being sure how this computer music stuff is going to work out for me, the last thing I want to do is buy a new sound card.
For right now, I just want to overcome the glitch between Cakewalk HS 2002, Windows XP WDM sound card drivers, and my factory installed Soundmax Integrated Audio card.
My card is supposedly midi-capable; I'm sure there will be compromises with pressing it into service, but surely I can work with it for right now.
Can Midi Yoke solve my problem and bridge the gap between Cakewalk and my sound card? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Bob
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Jamie OConnell
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Re: Cakewalk HS 2002, Win XP, Midi Output
« Reply #1 on: Mar 16th, 2003, 1:12pm » |
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Quote:Every time I fire up HS, I get the message "You have not selected any midi outputs." But when I have gone through the process of trying to select one, HS won't list any for me to work with.
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That would indicate there is a problem with opening the MIDI port(s). What happens when you try to attach the MIDI port(s) in MIDI-OX?
If you don't have any external MIDI devices, you can use HS 2002 just fine without attaching any MIDI ports.
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--Jamie
Music is its own reward.
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PierreDeKat
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MIDI-OX Rules!
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Re: Cakewalk HS 2002, Win XP, Midi Output
« Reply #2 on: Mar 16th, 2003, 7:03pm » |
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Jamie,
Thanks for replying. I haven't actually tried Midi-Ox or Midi Yoke out yet. I guess that was what I was trying to find out -- if Cakewalk HS 2002 would be able to find a midi output if I install either Midi-Ox or Midi Yoke.
I think that technically I don't really need an actual midi output, per se, because I don't have any midi devices, but Home Studio is telling me that I won't be able to hear midi files through my speakers without a midi output.
I don't know, this has all been so confusing  .
Bob
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Peter L Jones
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Re: Cakewalk HS 2002, Win XP, Midi Output
« Reply #3 on: Mar 17th, 2003, 3:57pm » |
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MIDI out has nothing to do with sound coming out of your speakers.
I'd guess the message is just a warning - i.e. if you were expecting to be able to control some attached MIDI device or synth, then you'll be out of luck as you don't have one selected.
In order to get sound from your speakers when playing back a MIDI file, you need a MIDI-capable synthesiser to turn the MIDI instructions into sound.
From the website, the card sounds like it only has software MIDI synthesis - i.e. it's not on the card at all, it's a separate program you can run that will turn the MIDI instructions into sound and then send the sound to the soundcard.
I think you need to either get a new soundcard with a built in MIDI synth, get a software synthesiser with MIDI input or get a software syntheiser you can plug into HS2002 (I don't know if HS2002 supports VSTis, so that might not be an option).
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| « Last Edit: Mar 17th, 2003, 3:59pm by Peter L Jones » |
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"...Playing fast around the drums is one thing. But to play with people for others, to listen to, that's something else. That's a whole other world." -- Tony Williams
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PierreDeKat
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MIDI-OX Rules!
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Re: Cakewalk HS 2002, Win XP, Midi Output
« Reply #4 on: Mar 19th, 2003, 4:25pm » |
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Peter,
Thanks so much for replying. That clears up quite a bit for me; it's not really what I wanted to hear, but it does pretty much answer my question.
For the time being, anyway, I've found a workaround, but I'll probably be looking into a new soundcard in the not-so-distant future.
At present, I can play midi through my speakers, but midi tracks and wav tracks don't jive unless I jog the playback start times on all midi tracks by about 275 milliseconds, so there is some serious processing mismatch there.
On the bright side, though, this midi stuff really ROCKS, or wails or blows or whatever else you want it to do, so there will definitely be some better equipment on my horizon.
Bob
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Peter L Jones
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Re: Cakewalk HS 2002, Win XP, Midi Output
« Reply #5 on: Mar 20th, 2003, 5:46pm » |
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Before binning the soundcard, I'd certainly take some time to investigate the software options. You're running WinXP, so I guess you've got a reasonably recent PC. You should take a look at Bismark BS-16 or do a Google search for "soundfont VSTi".
Again, I'm assuming HS2002 supports VSTi plugins. If not, getting audio and MIDI in sync simply isn't going to happen (well, if you're machine is fast enough it might, I suppose). VSTi (indeed, DXi, which I don't use) ensures the MIDI instructions are turned into audio (a) very quickly and (b) in sync with any audio playback going on.
Using VSTis and DXis, of course, massively extends the things you can do with your sequencer versus a GM/GS/XG MIDI soundcard synth. Take a look on K-v-R.
If you pass the MIDI instructions out of your MIDI sequencer, then you lose the synchronisation. (There may be ways around this but I've not needed to investigate  .)
If you're getting 275ms lag, then perhaps the software synth with your card isn't designed for realtime play. There are standalone software MIDI synths - again, Google should help. One solution is a small VSTi host with a VSTi synth, as these are designed for realtime. (Again, see K-v-R.)
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"...Playing fast around the drums is one thing. But to play with people for others, to listen to, that's something else. That's a whole other world." -- Tony Williams
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