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New to Cakewalk with a MOXF


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Welcome to the forum.
Wow, that's a big request. Some questions folks here might ask you are:
Do you have an audio interface (a better-quality sound card, usually external and connected with a USB, FireWire or Thunderbolt cable)?
If so, does the interface also have MIDI ports? For connecting your MOXF. Or, are you planning on plugging the Yamaha in via USB?
What about your computer? Laptop or desktop? Operating system? RAM? Hard drive type?
Do you know anything about playing or writing music? Can you play the keyboard?
Do you know your way around the computer?
I suggest going to Cakewalk's Tutorials forum and look for some set-up videos.
Good luck!
 

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If you're new to MIDI, try this: 

 And check out Mike's other videos while you're at it. John's tutorial videos (post above) are also recommended.

Welcome to Cakewalk and music production - simultaneously both the most frustrating and most satisfying thing you can do with a computer (imho). 😂

Andy

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Graham - you will need a dedicated audio interface.

So many to choose from and everyone has their particular favourites. Personally I'm a big fan of Focusrite Scarlett gear - I have a Gen 1 2i4 and it's still going strong - I've had it donkeys' years.

eBay can be a good source if you're not fussed about new. Just do your homework.

Andy

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10 minutes ago, Graham Hobbs said:

Pretty high spec pc but no sound card

You are probably going to want to get at least a 2 channel pro audio interface in order to get really good audio out of Cakewalk and the PC. Sure, you could plug PC speakers or headphones into the on-board audio jack, but that cheap chip is designed for media and games.

The most cost effective are the small USB units with a couple of 1/4" audio inputs if you are only going to be connecting a single keyboard. More inputs might be needed if you plan to connect more keyboards, or a maybe an entire band, with mics and such. You won't be needing one with  a MIDI interface since your keyboard supports MIDI over USB.

What are you currently plugging the MOXF audio outputs into? A mixer, PA, keyboard amp? You may want to consider a pair pro studio monitors to output the audio from the interface.

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Actually folks the OP’s Yamaha MOXf is a USB Midi and Audio interface using a Steinberg ASIO driver. 
So they will need to download and install the driver and do a little reading of the Yamaha manual too. Lots of video support for that series. 
 

I have yet to make a proper tutorial for this type of set up not having this type of device on hand. I was just given a older Yamaha piano that had a glass of pop spilled inside and I fixed that issue but the display screen is broken. I need to get it working to get at the USB setting  

 

 

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I used Cakewalk as a MIDI sequencer only back in the early days (90's). I had my keyboard audio going directly out to a Mackie mixer and amplifier. I was just using multi-timbral type presets in my keyboard, and multiple MIDI tracks in Cakewalk.

It was a while before I began exploring the audio side of my DAW, and getting audio into it, and then back out. That comes with the advantages of mixing other sound sources and effects together in the box, but increases the complexity of signal routing. It took me a few years to come to grips with the "home studio" concept. :)

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5 hours ago, Graham Hobbs said:

Guys. Thankyou very much. Going to plug the MOX via usb. Pretty high spec pc but no sound card but would be able to get one. I am a keyboardist for a very long time and have also been a composer. Again thanks. I feel welcome here.

As John Vere mentioned above, I see that the MOX has an audio interface, with inputs for guitars and microphones, if needed. You would have to download an updated USB driver for it from their web site.

I have the Yamaha MX49, which also has an interface, but without all the extra inputs yours has. All it was good for was recording the sounds of the keyboard; I couldn't plug in a mic and record my singing through it. I went the traditional route, plugging the MIDI cables into my interface, as well as guitars, mics, etc.

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Big thank you to all of you. Yes, the Mox does have a usb connection to transmit midi and sound. That is what I would like to start with. I do have studio monitors but due to a house move not available at present so head phones currently. As I understand it, that is pretty much all I need. So I can record the keyboard and use the VSTs, I am guessing.

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3 hours ago, Graham Hobbs said:

Big thank you to all of you. Yes, the Mox does have a usb connection to transmit midi and sound. That is what I would like to start with. I do have studio monitors but due to a house move not available at present so head phones currently. As I understand it, that is pretty much all I need. So I can record the keyboard and use the VSTs, I am guessing.

Well then, you are probably ready to get started, assuming that you have already followed the Yamaha instructions for installing their PC drivers and connecting the MOX to your computer.

Just keep in mind that recording the keyboard and using VSTs is going to require different setup and techniques, depending on what you want to do.

Recording the keyboard:

  1. Record the MIDI from the keyboard (using MIDI tracks or simple instrument tracks)
  2. Record the audio from the keyboard using audio tracks

Using the VSTs:

  1. Play virtual instrument VSTs via MIDI from your keyboard (using simple instrument tracks)
  2. MIDI playback using virtual instrument VSTs, and/or your MOX on-board sounds, via recorded MIDI tracks
  3. Use VST audio FX on your recorded audio tracks, and/or use them in real-time on the audio tracks connected to your keyboard.
  4. Use VST audio FX on the audio output of your virtual instruments

There are various video tutorials which will cover these things, but not all in one video. Break it down one task at a time and learn them step by step. Recommend starting with the MIDI basics tutorial posted above. Good luck!

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The whole line of Yamaha mox synths basically have the interface built in.  It works, but back when I had reviewed them, I got it working but mostly used my regular interface.  The latency was ok and was usable but I didn’t want to muck around with it much.

there should be explicit instructions to get it working, which, if I recall involves downloading the driver as above.  I used it as an output but never recorded audio thru the mox to the computer.  But it should be able to do that, just as I recorded the synths output.  I can’t remember about the midi and driving internal softsynths.

Sorry I can’t remember much about the process about getting it hooked up, but you choose  the stienberg drivers in cakewalk.

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4 hours ago, Graham Hobbs said:

Yes, the Mox does have a usb connection to transmit midi and sound. That is what I would like to start with. I do have studio monitors but due to a house move not available at present so head phones currently.

One more though here about a dedicated audio interface ... it's not just about getting audio into your PC ...

You will also want to be getting a good audio mix back out of your PC if you are using VSTs! Don't think that the MOX will handle PC audio output?

So even if you are able to directly monitor your MOXF audio from the keyboard end, you really wouldn't want to do that, as the audio will incur some noticeable latency once it gets mixed in the PC. So you will only want to be monitoring from the PC side. So consider the optimal audio signal path from the keyboard-> to the PC -> then out of the PC.

Edited by abacab
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This ones better :)  Tutorial #1 and #2 have all the information only difference is you will concider your Keyboard your Audio interface as well as the controller.

Should not be a problem as I have used the Yamaha Steinberg ASIO driver before and it's a good driver. Unlike the Steinberg Generic Driver which I don't like. That gets installed with Cubase and Wave Lab and you have to remove it. 

 

 

Edited by John Vere
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