No sound from midi

[Michael Bauer]

I'll try to make this as short as possible but with as much description as possible.  To start with, I've been out of the DAW world for over 15 years.  The last one I used was Cakewalk Home Studio 2004XL on Win XP to give a reference point so I am basically new.  Be gentle with me and talk slow.  

What I may be considering a midi track may not be a midi track after all.  When I added the track, I clicked "Instrument" instead of "Audio".  I added what I assume is a midi track using Halion within the program.  For a midi interface, I am using a Casio keyboard CT-X700.  I don't use the keyboard itself but just have it for a midi interface.  That could be my problem.  The reason I do this is because in CWHS 2004XL, I wasn't able to hear or use any of the midi sounds without a midi interface of some kind.  For CWHS 2004XL, I bought a M-Audio Uno 1x1 USB MIDI interface though I never attached any midi devices to it.  When it was plugged in, it simply made a midi interface so I was able to use the synths and stuff.  The Uno isn't supported by anything after XP.  

What's happening is that I am not getting any sound from my monitor speakers or headphones.  I ran into something similar with CWHS and learned it was a routing problem so I imagine I am having the same issue here.  I did get sound last night though which I thought was coming through my headphones, but it was coming out of the speakers on the keyboard and not headphones or monitors.  I've read everything I can find and watched video after video, but am getting nowhere.   My initial track is SL-drums to have a track to follow since I don't do well with just the metronome, but it plays back fine.  I looked at the I/O on that track to match it with the Halion track, but no good.  

Here as some pics that I hope may help. 

[reginaldStjohn]

You need to also show us the screen for your audio settings. Audio->Devices and Audio-Driver Settings.  These need to be selected for the audio device out which you want to hear the sound.

[Byron Dickens]

1: MIDI doesn't make any sound.

2:

 

[user 905133]

1 hour ago, Michael Bauer said:

For a midi interface, I am using a Casio keyboard CT-X700.  I don't use the keyboard itself but just have it for a midi interface. 

. . . .  

What's happening is that I am not getting any sound from my monitor speakers or headphones. 

. . . .

I did get sound last night though which I thought was coming through my headphones, but it was coming out of the speakers on the keyboard and not headphones or monitors. 

Not 100% sure, but it sounds to me like you are wanting / expecting the audio from the Casio CT-X700 to play through your computer.  If so, how is the audio signal from the Casio going into the PC?  I tried to find a manual to see if it passes the audio through a usb cable to the PC, but I haven't found the manual yet. EDIT: Just found it.  SEE BELOW.**

If the Casio only has a built in midi interface (that is--not a built in audio interface) you would need to get the audio into your PC.

I suspect the images @reginaldStjohn asked for will help him to see where your audio might possibly come from (possibly some sort of audio input device / mechanism).  

BTW, since you said you don't use the keyboard itself, I assume that means you are not using the Casio as a controller--for example, to play sounds from a software synthesizer.  

**Based on the specs and the manual, it looks to me that the usb is for midi only, not audio.

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by User 905133
to raise a concern about the possible use of the Casio as a controller.

[57Gregy]

Under Preferences>MIDI Devices, you should have something selected for input and output. Since this is a "no drivers needed" keyboard, it may be something like 'Generic USB MIDI Driver' If that is chosen for both input and output, you should be able to set up a MIDI track to record, record your performance, and then play it back through the Casio and hear it if the Casio has speakers or you have your headphones plugged into it.

If you have the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synthesizer selected for output, you should be able to hear it from your computer's speakers.

 

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by 57Gregy

[Michael Bauer]

I'll answer back in general instead of directly to each person.  I should start by adding that I am using a Focusrite 3rd gen 2i2 for my audio interface.  I failed to mention that in my initial post. 

I do NOT want to use my Casio keyboard as a recording or playback device.  I strictly have it plugged into my PC as a midi interface device just like I had the M-Audio Uno 1x1 USB MIDI interface in CWHS 2004XL.  This may be where a lot of my problem is occurring.  I've considered buying an actual midi interface, but thought I would give this a try to save dollars since we already had it in the house and it has midi.  Not only that, Sam Ash and Guitar Center are about a 120 mile round trip for me and they don't seem to carry anything in their stores that are in a reasonable price range anyway.  I'm doing this for fun not profit so I don't want to get into 200 or 300 dollars for a midi interface.  The M-Audio Uno 1x1 USB MIDI interface was inexpensive and served its purpose but unfortunately it is not compatible with Windows 10.   It's not that I don't have the money, I'm just cheap since this a hobby for me.  I've already spent tons of money for drum mics and a mixer. 

 

Here is a picture of the midi devices.  It's similar to one I posted but I changed the output to the GS Wavetable output.  There was no change. 

 

Somewhere in my research, I read something about a midi track needing be sent through a synth rack or plugin.  Didn't really understand that. 

 

The video on this thread was good.  I did learn a bit, but aside from using "omni" as an input, it looks like I'm doing everything the way he said to. 

[John Vere]

Your keyboard is correctly set up. Only select that as your input. You can disable all midi outputs if you’re not using those.

I see you had that properly set 

What I see in your screen shot is the VST is output to +1. This should be set to your master buss

Do you have audio from your master? Play the metronome to test set it to play on playback and hit the space bar. 
 
 

 

 

[Byron Dickens]

I'd much rather use the sounds from the Casio then the Microsoft GS wavetable! ?

[user 905133]

3 minutes ago, Michael Bauer said:

I do NOT want to use my Casio keyboard as a recording or playback device.  I strictly have it plugged into my PC as a midi interface device 

It sounds like the only reason you have the Casio there is to serve as a midi interface.  Why do you need one, except that you used one years ago? If I understand your setup and your goals, you have no need to send midi data to the Casio and no need for Cakewalk to receive midi data from the Casio.  

1 minute ago, Michael Bauer said:

Somewhere in my research, I read something about a midi track needing be sent through a synth rack or plugin.  Didn't really understand that. 

3 hours ago, bdickens said:

MIDI doesn't make any sound.

In essence, MIDI is data used to communicated stuff--like "Turn Note 63 on; Turn Note 63 off," etc. If (1) you aren't using Cakewalk to tell MIDI hardware (such as your Casio) what sounds to make / what notes to turn on and off and (2) if you aren't using software synths [aka virtual instruments, instrument plug-ins, etc.] to play the MIDI data, what are you expecting to make sound?

I hope its not the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth, because as other have discussed in the forum, it is far less than satisfactory. But if you really want to use it, it is seen by Cakewalk as a sound device and you need to point the midi track's output to that device.

Maybe it would help if you thought of an instrument track as being a soft synth track + a midi track all in one track?  The midi portion sends midi data to the soft synth which creates sound.

If you want to use software synths (instrument plug-ins, virtual instruments, VSTs, etc.) to play midi data through your Focusrite, I would assume that some of Cakewalk users here who have experience with Focusrite audio interfaces should be able to help you get your soft synths of choice pointed to the interface so they make sounds you can hear.

 

[user 905133]

5 minutes ago, John Vere said:

Your keyboard is correctly set up. Only select that as your input. You can disable all midi outputs if you’re not using those.

John, I wondered if Michael was using the Casio as what some of us call a controller (as opposed to a sound module). Is that how you are interpreting his use of the Casio?

Quote

For a midi interface, I am using a Casio keyboard CT-X700.  I don't use the keyboard itself but just have it for a midi interface. 

Maybe he is saying: I am using the Casio keyboard strictly as a midi controller, but I don't use any of its sound-making features for either recording or playing back audio.

If so, I suspect you are right.

 

[John Vere]

Yes look at the screen shots. It clearly shows Casio USB as input device so the driver is properly installed. I think this is a simple matter of not knowing basic set up for audio and VST instruments 

[Byron Dickens]

6 hours ago, bdickens said:

1: MIDI doesn't make any sound.

2:

 

I don't see how it can get any more simple than that. Only thing I can disagree with is if your audio interface doesn't support ASIO, you need to get one that does.

Edited September 19, 2021 by bdickens

[Michael Bauer]

John Vere - You said, "I think this is a simple matter of not knowing basic set up for audio and VST instruments ."  That is exactly correct.  My basic set up skills are very obviously lacking.  The last time I used a DAW was in the mid-2000s.  I'm 65 and so much has changed in 15+ years.  You asked, "What I see in your screen shot is the VST is output to +1. This should be set to your master buss.  Do you have audio from your master? Play the metronome to test set it to play on playback and hit the space bar."  Way over my head.  I've seen Master many times in outputs though.  That's a start.  
 

 

User 905133 said, "Maybe he is saying: I am using the Casio keyboard strictly as a midi controller, but I don't use any of its sound-making features for either recording or playing back audio".  That's what I "think" I am doing - using it as a midi controller because I had to have one in CWHS in order to use the synth sounds.   You also said, "It sounds like the only reason you have the Casio there is to serve as a midi interface.  Why do you need one, except that you used one years ago? If I understand your setup and your goals, you have no need to send midi data to the Casio and no need for Cakewalk to receive midi data from the Casio."  You are correct, too.  I had to have one over 15 years ago, but it looks like I don't need one anymore. 

 

Let me say what I did.  I needed a basic organ part for what I was working on.  Bandlab has "staff view" which is what I like to use and used in this instance to write the part(s).  I opened an instrument track and went to the synths to find the basic acceptable sound I wanted.  I know I can alter the sound or tone of it later.   At one point, I could actually hear it as I tried different sounds, but the sound was coming out of the Casio speakers.  It's starting to sound like I may not need a midi interface at all.   I may just be living in the past.  That would be great. 

 

At one point in the mid 2000s, believe it or not, I actually knew what I was doing with CWHS, but now that skill is all gone as things have changed and I have forgotten much.   I don't know if I am allowed to post this link or not.  If I am not, I will take the appropriate punishment.  This is a song I did with CWHS years and years ago.  I used the staff view to write each and every note one by one.  I then assigned the violin, viola and cello sounds where needed.  There are chimes (from the CWHS synths) in there as well in a small part.  The midi/synth strings sounds that came with CWHS were awful (pretty much like they are in this version) so I found a place where I could download a free strings soundfonts and used that.  It had only staccato and legato tones so that was what I had to make work.  Fortunately, I am a Baroque era classical fan, so that worked well for me.   I did several classical songs that I never posted, but most of my work in those days was punk or metal.  The other three songs I have on my channel are in those categories.

 

[Michael Bauer]

bdickens - my audio interface is a Focusrite 2i2 some we're good there as it has ASIO.  The video is great.  I've watched many Bandlab tutorial videos.  My problem(s) is definitely with I/Os and knowing where they go.  I had similar problems in the beginning with CWHS, but once I got that under control, I was off and running.  This new one has a lot more to it than the old program. 

[Byron Dickens]

47 minutes ago, Michael Bauer said:

, but the sound was coming out of the Casio speakers.

Wait...

What speakers do you have hooked up to your interface?

Don't get hung up on all the changes to the software. They are almost all new features or improvements. All the basics of getting sound into the DAW  and back out are the same.

Edited September 19, 2021 by bdickens

[Kurre]

Could we have a picture of the track headers when you set that "mix" setting upper right to "all" ?

My guess is that you don't have the track routing right.

The staff have midi output that should go to the Halion track. To me it seems to go external to your Casio.

It isn't crystal clear for me but all sound from speakers and headphones should be taken from your Focusrite 2i2.

[57Gregy]

And just to be clear; in my 19 years using Cakewalk software, I've never needed any kind of keyboard to use the software and hear what I created. I do have one, though.
You can enter notes in a MIDI track with the mouse and set up that track to play through a software synthesizer and hear it without a keyboard. It's all in the set up.
These guys will help you get there. And many of us are older folks; I'm 64.
How are you getting MIDI data into a track?

[Michael Bauer]

bdickens - pictured is part of my set up.   The other picture is the midi device I used in HS2004XL but it won't work with Windows 10.  All I had to do was plug it in and install the software so it was available for the program to access.  When it wasn't plugged into the USB port, I wasn't able to use any of the synth sounds.  That what I was told when I went to a forum back in the day.   Once it was plugged in, I was able to access and hear the synth sounds.   The keyboard is simply to have a midi "interface" for the program, but it looks like a midi interface is not needed anymore.  Apparently, I'm keeping myself bunged up over the midi and audio issue where I shouldn't be.  I'm not even sure what is midi and what isn't within the program.  My assumption is that it's anything that appears without a waveform like with audio recordings.  

 

Also, the track interfacing is different now than from 2004, but that may be easier to deal with.  When I first started my project last week there was a "FX" box in the left panel where you clicked mute, solo, arm recording, monitor, etc, but somewhere along the line, that box changed to a "volume" box.  I'm sure it's something I changed somewhere without knowing it.  I can still access the FX elsewhere, but I'm not sure how it changed.  It would have been easier for me if I would have kept getting each new version of Cakewalk sequentially as they came out, but basically, it's like I was an auto mechanic in the 50s and 60s then stopped doing it for decades then jumped back into it in 2021. 

 

57Gregy - I used the SL-drums to make a track to follow.  I used piano roll to set up a simple beat to follow.  In the pic, it's the dotted blue line.  I can hear this through the speakers or headphones.  The organ one that I cannot hear was written in staff view.  I looked at the outputs and inputs for the drum track to match the I/Os but that didn't help.  After I clicked record, the organ appears in the track like the drums but with no output sound for the organ track. 

[Byron Dickens]

I take it the speakers are plugged into the speaker outs of the Focusrite?

 

What is the organ track routed to?

Edited September 19, 2021 by bdickens

[Variorum]

Hey @Michael Bauer,

Sorry to go off on a tangent, but it looks like there are M-Audio drivers (Windows 10/64-bit) for your Uno 1 x 1... It should be usable, in case you ever need it.

https://m-audio.com/support/download/drivers/midisport-windows-driver-v6.1.3