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[Jenna]

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Edited March 18 by Jenna

[mettelus]

@57Gregy hit your issue with your question about this the other day.

To summarize, MIDI notes are just data (note on/off, note pitch, note duration essentially); there is no audio in MIDI. As long as what you recorded is present in the MIDI track, you need to insert a virtual instrument to accept the output of that MIDI track so that it can play the notes (what your keyboard was doing). Do a quick search on "inserting virtual instruments in Cakewalk" and that will lead you down the proper path.

[Jenna]

Thanks, I actually didn't even see that reply. But I don't really get it. I have an actual piano/keyboard that I'm hooking up to the computer with a MIDI USB cable, why do I need to insert a synth? I thought a synth was only for if you don't have an instrument and that's why you needed a MIDI controller

[user 905133]

14 hours ago, Jenna said:

I record the piano, and the notes appear as I play. However, once I play it back, I can only hear the playback from my actual piano, not the DAW.

I've tried recording and then unplugging the MIDI cable, but that doesn't work either. Once I unplug the midi, I then can't hear my piano either.

30 minutes ago, Jenna said:

But I don't really get it. I have an actual piano/keyboard that I'm hooking up to the computer with a MIDI USB cable . . . .

MIDI data is not audio.  MIDI provides computerese that tells MIDI devices what to do (e.g., turn notes on/off, sustain notes, change various parameters, etc.).  DAWs can record MIDI data and audio. If you want the audio to be recorded on an audio track in a DAW you need a way to get the audio into the computer.  

If the yahama arius ydp-181 uses a USB cable, check the manual to see if it is just for sending MIDI data to the computer or if it can also send audio. 

If it just sends MIDI data, to record audio you will need to get the audio output(s) from the piano connected to the audio input(s) of your computer.  Generally people use an audio interface for that as those tend to be better than using an audio chip or audio codec built into your computer. 

UPDATE: I found a manual online.  It looks like (1) the USB cable is for storage only, (2) 5-pin DIN cables  are used for sending MIDI to a computer which can be done with a MIDI USB cable or a bona fide interface, and (3) there are no line level audio outputs. 

I saw references to speakers and to headphones. I'll let someone else address whether or not you can get headphone level audio into a computer and how to do it, if it's possible. I have only used line level outputs from MIDI gear.

Quote

Using Headphones: Connect a pair of headphones to one of the [PHONES] jacks. Two [PHONES] jacks are provided. You can connect two sets of standard stereo headphones. (If you are using only one pair of headphones, you can plug them into either jack.)

 

Edited March 5 by User 905133
added an update after finding a manual online; fixed typos

[57Gregy]

On 3/5/2024 at 12:02 PM, Jenna said:

Thanks, I actually didn't even see that reply. But I don't really get it. I have an actual piano/keyboard that I'm hooking up to the computer with a MIDI USB cable, why do I need to insert a synth? I thought a synth was only for if you don't have an instrument and that's why you needed a MIDI controller

If you wanted to make what you recorded sound like a spaceship or any other sound which it doesn't make on its own.
If the output of the MIDI rack you recorded is set to the piano, that's what you will hear.
If you want to hear anything other than the piano, you would insert a soft synth and change the MIDI track's output to that synth.
If you want to hear your actual piano through the DAW and not the through the piano's speakers, you will have to rig some way to connect the headphone output to an audio input of your computer or an external audio interface and record that audio.

That looks like a pretty nice piano.

[sjoens]

Looks like the piano isn't really set up to be used with a DAW but more of a player-piano from midi files.

However, like 57Gregy said, you can do it using the Headphone jacks.  They are stereo (TRS) and most audio interfaces have mono inputs - so you would need a Y-splitter: 2-1/4" mono (TS) to 1-1/4" stereo (TRS) adapter.  Also known as an Insert Cable (male) or Breakout Cable (female).

 

 

You would plug this into a USB audio interface Line Input and record the signal into a DAW's Audio track.

 

Edited March 8 by sjoens

[John Vere]

Instead of typing out pages of instructions the op was offered my tutorials and obviously didn’t watch them. They clearly explain how midi and Cakewalk work. 
 

[sjoens]

I didn't see the other post till after I replied.

[John Vere]

Ya don’t blame you there. But I did offer the videos which would answer the initial questions but not sure the op watched them because they started another thread.