Recording from a Music Keyboard > Setting Up Your Music Keyboard

The instructions here for setting up a music keyboard apply to any MIDI input device, such as a MIDI keyboard (or "controller") or MIDI guitar. These instructions refer to the MIDI input device as a music keyboard.

TIP: We highly recommend using the default Notation Software Synth as the Playback device, and using the ASIO driver for recording into Composer. The ASIO technology allows for near zero-latency real-time recording to help you make the most accurate play-recording possible.

Connect your music keyboard to the computer, and install its MIDI device driver:

Follow the instructions for Installing a USB or MIDI Cable Between Your Sound Card and Keyboard.

If you have not done so already, install in Windows the MIDI device driver software that came with your MIDI keyboard.

To test whether Composer is correctly configured to receive notes from your music keyboard:

Open Composer, then just start playing on your music keyboard. You do not have to click Composer's Record button. If you hear the notes you play, then Composer is ready to record notes from your MIDI keyboard into your computer.

If you do not hear any notes as you play on your music keyboard, then determine whether the problem is with your keyboard connection, your MIDI sound card or MIDI USB hub, or with your MIDI input device driver:

Follow the instructions in What to Do If Recording Does Not Work.