Still cannot get sound

[gatley]

Hi David it seems it is not finding the port. When I go to quick set up and play the green light does not light up and there is nothing in the box next to the red light which also does not light up.Also when I go to quick start in the box next to the green light it says :Notation software synth:whereas in a tutorial there was something else written. Is that correct?

[dj]

Hi, gatley:

Okay, narrowing it down, now.

The green light won't normally come on when you play your keyboard. It lights when output is sent to the output port (the input and output are separate). If both the input and the output devices are the same, then the green and red lights should both come on when playing your keyboard. If you click "Test Playback", you should hear notes (and see the green light) briefly (Composer displays a test notation page during this).

The Notation Software Synth you see in the box is the built-in, default output device -- I suspect the tutorial was made before version 3, when the device was introduced. The drop-down box that shows the device name should also list any other midi devices that are installed on your system. Give it a click and see what else shows up.

If your keyboard doesn't show up in the "output" drop-down box and the red light doesn't show when you play the keyboard, then Composer isn't finding the device.

Go to Setup/MIDI/configuration (below the Quick Setup line) and choose Port/Select Ports. That will give you a dual list of all of the ports (input and output) that Composer has detected. Have a look at it and see whether your device is listed but unchecked. If so, check the boxes, exit the configuration dialogue, go BACK to Setup/Midi Devices Quick Setup and see whether your port appears in the drop-down list and/or whether you get the red light when you play on the keyboard. If that works, you're all set: select your keyboard's port as the default output device, as internal software synths necessarily have a "lag" between playing and sounding that might be confusing.

If at this point, it still isn't working, you can go back to Setup/MIDI/configuration and select New from the Config menu. That should let you set up a whole new configuration.

I guess that's enough for one try. Let me know what happens, please.

David

[dj]

Hi, Gatley:

Had limited Internet connection on July 1, so this is a day late.

So, I think that your device isn't showing up in the midi ports list.

(Just to clear up terminology: "instrument" in midi terms is a particular sound that a synth can make, as in Piano, Violin, Lead 5 (charang) and so on and which you can choose through the Staff Setup dialogue. A "device" is a synth, either hardware or software, that can play the voice. A "port" is a connection, again, either hardware or software that passes the data from your computer (that is, from the Composer software) to your device. So you assign a "device" to a "port" in the Midi Configuration dialogue (you don't absolutely have to, but it helps), then choose the "device" and its "voice" (along with midi channel) in the Staff Setup dialogue.) (And I won't even mention Continuous Controllers, System Exclusive and Registered and Non-RegisteredParameters )

Can you play it in other software -- you mentioned Cakewalk? If so, then it installs properly on your system. Although I recall an instance or two when there was trouble getting Composer to recognize a device, it's pretty rare -- Composer is very robust in that regard. So we can almost certainly get it working for you.

I think it would be helpful if you could attach a screen shot of the Configuration Dialogue, then we can see where we are.

Having said that, I tried to attach a shot of a part of my Midi Config screen to show you what I'm talking about, but we're having too much rain and electrical activity here to let me.

Instead, I've uploaded it to a special page on one of my websites and you can look at it there. www.barndoorproductions.ca/special.

Note, about half-way down, that Yamaha DGX-300/500 is highlighted in green. That is the default output device. In your case, it's probably the Notation Software Synth, right now. In my case, the Yamaha device is connected to the External Port 2-2(UM-3G(2)). Your config won't be nearly as complicated.

The grey box with the red circle will light up when it gets input on that device/port. The boxes with the light green/blue circles can be clicked on to disable output to the corresponding Midi channel on that port/device.

Anyway, if you can try to upload a screen grab, we can see where you stand.

David

On July 1, Gatley said:

Hi David thanks for the reply.I go to port set up get a window that shows midi in and midi out and this still does not work. If I go to configuration I get a window which the only way I could explain would be to somehow send a screen shot.I cannot find anywhere a list of instruments. I have tried to work through your instructions on how to reconfigure but I am not computer literate to be able to do this.My only option is to find a computer guy who is also a musician to help me and this will be difficult.