Studiologic SL-990

[Johnny English]

I have just been given a Studiologic SL-990 midi keyboard (keyboard only....no cables). I have been told that I need to connect this through a computer.

I have no experience with a midi keyboard or what exactly I need to do to be able to play the keyboard (get it to play sound).

I was originally looking to use it as a piano but didn't want to limit my options.

Should I just forget it and buy another keyboard (looking at the Roland JUNO DS88)?

or is there a simple option for me to use the midi keyboard?

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[happyrat1]

1) You need to hook it up to the computer's USB port with a USB AB Printer cable.

2) You need to download and install a freeware VSTi Host Program.

3) You need to download and install some freeware VSTi plugins.

Google all these terms if you need explanations.

4) You should be good to go and playing music at this point.

Gary

 

[Johnny English]

1) You need to hook it up to the computer's USB port with a USB AB Printer cable.

2) You need to download and install a freeware VSTi Host Program.

3) You need to download and install some freeware VSTi plugins.

Google all these terms if you need explanations.

4) You should be good to go and playing music at this point.

Gary

Gary

Thanks for the reply.

I don't have an AB connection on the back of the keyboard, just a midi out connection.

Regards

Jonathan

 

[happyrat1]

In that case only step 1 changes.

Get a USB to MIDI adapter and plug it in.

MIDI IN on the keyboard Connects to MIDI OUT on the adapter and vice versa.

Then follow the rest of the steps to make music.

Gary

 

[Johnny English]

In that case only step 1 changes.

Get a USB to MIDI adapter and plug it in.

MIDI IN on the keyboard Connects to MIDI OUT on the adapter and vice versa.

Then follow the rest of the steps to make music.

Gary

Gary

There is no MIDI IN on the keyboard, just MIDI OUT. I am not sure if this changes anything.

I did buy the USB - MIDI adaptor but it has two MIDI connectors. From looking on the internet, it talked about connecting the MIDI connectors to the MIDI IN and MIDI OUT but I only have the MIDI OUT.

Regards

Jonathan

 

[happyrat1]

Just connect the MIDI IN on the adaptor to the MIDI OUT on the keyboard and you're done. Leave the other MIDI line disconnected as it will have no effect on a dumb controller anyway. Plug the USB end into your computer and you should be good to go.

Then install your VSTis and your VSTi HOST software and configure the host to connect to the interface on Channel 1 and it should be good to go.

If you still aren't getting sound at this point then look up your keyboard's manual and perform a factory reset just in case it's been configured to use a different channel than 1.

If after all this you still aren't getting any sound get back to us here.

Gary

 

[Fred Coulter]

MIDI ins and outs are functional definitions. MIDI In receives MIDI signals from somewhere else, while MIDI Out sends MIDI signals to somewhere else.

In the case of your controller keyboard, it only sends MIDI signals; it doesn't receive any MIDI signals. Therefore it only needs a MIDI Out port. Your computer, on the other hand, can both receive and send MIDI signals, so the computers external MIDI interface will have both a MIDI In and MIDI Out. In this case, your computer is only receiving the MIDI signal from the keyboards, so you're connecting the keyboard's MIDI Out to the Computer's MIDI In.

The Computer's MIDI Out would be used if the Computer was generating performance information that was going to some other device. The other device could be anything from a keyboard or sound module, an intelligent effects device, an external mixer, or even a lighting board. Since you're not using any of these devices, you don't need to worry about the Computer's MIDI Out. (Your keyboard is actually a keyboard controller. It doesn't make sound directly, so there's nothing in your controller that would process anything sent my the computer. Other keyboards, such as my Kronos, can generate more sounds simultaneously than I have hands. This means that I could use the computer to play the parts of the song I can't physically play, with all the sounds coming from the Kronos. In that case, you'd have a use for the MIDI Out on the computer.)