Yamaha KX 49 & Composer problem

[thorben]

Hi Sherry,

I was installing 2.4.2, but when I installed 2.6.3 it worked like a charm.

Thank you so much for your help.

Now back to the original issue, how do I configure the Virtual Midi cables to work with Composer. The KX 49 works fine with Synthport and ASIO4All and I have installed Maple Midi, but I just can't work out how to set it up.

Kind regards
Thorben

[thorben]

Originally Posted by thorben

Hi Sherry,

I was installing 2.4.2, but when I installed 2.6.3 it worked like a charm.

Thank you so much for your help.

Now back to the original issue, how do I configure the Virtual Midi cables to work with Composer. The KX 49 works fine with Synthport and ASIO4All and I have installed Maple Midi, but I just can't work out how to set it up.

Kind regards
Thorben

I GOT IT WORKING.

Thanks for your help, it's now working without delay.

Regards
Thorben

[Sherry C]

Originally Posted by thorben

I GOT IT WORKING.

Thanks for your help, it's now working without delay.

Great!

Sherry

[mgj32]

Hi Sherry,
I think I can do the configuration of Maple Midi, Synthfont and Composer as you describe it above.

My question is: where does my Audigy 2 ZS fit into the setup?

Synthfont is already set to play through the sound card. Would I have to change anything there? Or would that be a setting in Maple Midi?

I guess more than 16 channels couldn't be worked into the scheme of things, though Synthfont, if I am understanding correctly, uses only 16 channels and creates something like pseudo channels for the other 16. But I'll worry about that once I get setup to play through Synthfont.

all best,
mgj

[Sherry C]

Howdy MG,

Originally Posted by mgj32

My question is: where does my Audigy 2 ZS fit into the setup?

You should be able to use it in conjunction with SynthFont to get your multiple channels

You would use the Audigy as one MIDI device, and SynthFont as the second device. Synthfont will use the audio "side" of the soundcard to produce sound as well. This should give you 16 channels per device (1-16), for a total of 32. At least it should work that way in theory

You would load whatever soundfonts you want to use for each device, and then in Composer, use Staff/Setup to select (1) the device AND (2) the channel for each staff. For example, for the 1st violins, you could use "Audigy / channel 2" and then for the timpani use "Maple 1 / channel 2". (I used the example "Maple 1" because the device name that shows up in Composer will be the "virtual MIDI cable" name rather than "Synthfont."

When you run this setup, be sure to start SynthFont first, and click the "Activate MIDI input" button. Then start Composer, and it should detect everything automatically.

Here's hoping
Sherry

[mgj32]

Hi Sherry,
Thanks. It sounds quite logical to use Audigy as one sound device and Synthfont as another. I wonder if it might get around the problem of the computer crashing when I try to use Audigy's synth A and B in the same way. For now I'll try the SF, Maple, Composer set up. After finishing the Christmas Symphony revision, which I am finding I intended more changes/additions than I had remembered, especially in the finale, I will do some experimenting, using Audigy synth A and Maple (or virtual midi cable) as the midi devices.

Alll through "The Search for Nelly Gray," I've been able to find instruments not playing when another is. For example, the piano and banjo never play together so their staves can share a channel. It works pretty well, but I've found it wise to do a sound change on each staff--that is, make both staves either piano or banjo. But of course there is a limit to how many instruments this method would work for, depending on the composition. So here's hoping your hope works out.

all best,
mgj

[mgj32]

Hi Sherry,
The 'Christmas' Symphony done and the Ned/Nelly aria nearly so, I have installed Maple Midi. I am going to need more than 16 channels, no matter how many sound changes I could do in the Sax/Violin Concerto (yes, that is started.)
When I open select port in Composer, on the left (Input ports) I find Maple Midi 1,2,3,4, and SB Audigy Midi IO.
On the right (Output ports) I find Mapel Midi 1,2,3,4, plus MS Wavetable, SB Audigy Midi IO, Audigy Synth A, and Audigy Synth B.
All the Maple Midi ports were checked, both sides, as was the SB Audigy Midi IO and Synth A.
I tested all and the scale plays for all the Maple ports AS LONG AS both sides are checked.
Before I continue, I am wondering what should be checked on each side and which not.
Synthfont IO Ports, on the left side, gives me the four Maple ports and SB Audigy 2 ZS IO. Apparently I can select 2 of them. I have checked Maple 1 and SB Audigy IO. Maple adds >slot 0..15, while SB Audigy IO adds >slot 16.. 32.
That is as far as I've got. I wonder if it is anywhere near correct.
all best,
mgj

[Sherry C]

Hi MG,

It sounds like your musical endeavors are really coming along! My apologies for the lag on getting back to you from Christmas as well as here. Suffice it to say things here have been busier than I'd like in some ways.

For the virtual cables, it's important to have them only going one direction from Composer as well as the device they're plugging into. For Notation Composer, your Ports (Setup/MIDI Device configuration/Ports/Select Ports) setup should look similar to the following:

Ports.png


The reason being that if you have both "in" and "out" selected, you can get a feedback loop that can cause your computer to act like it's running on vacuum tubes (or wired to rocks). In other words, it can slow your computer to a painful crawl, so that you can't do anything. By making sure that each connection is only going in one direction, you avoid the possibility of the feedback loop.

After you do this, you'll see that change reflected in your MIDI Device Configuration as having the Maple MIDIs only show for "out" and not "in".

Hopefully that will get you going If not, just let me know.

ttfn,
Sherry

[Sherry C]

Hi Thorben,

Glad we got the one problem solved!

For MIDI cables: You can kind of think of them in a similar fashion to physical cables, but with the caveat that each cable has to have a defined directionality. By that, I mean that each cable (eg. Maple 1) should be set only as an "In" or an "Out" for any given MIDI device. I'll use "Maple 1" as the example MIDI cable below.

To use SynthFont with Composer as a MIDI Playback Device, using "Maple 1" as the virtual MIDI cable to connect them:

Since you've already installed SynthFont and Maple MIDI, as well as Notation Composer, all that is left is to configure them.

Be sure that SynthFont is running before opening Composer. This assures that the connections will all be made correctly. (Sometimes it works ok to open it after, but sometimes not.)

In Composer:
1. Click on Setup/MIDI Device Configuration.
2. Then Port/Select Ports.
3. In the Left hand "Input ports", uncheck the Maple 1.
4. Click "Ok" to exit and save.

This step above effectively sets the "directionality" of the Maple 1 virtual cable to go Out from Composer, and In to SynthFont.

Now, in SynthFont:
1. Edit/Options
2. IO Ports, and click to select Maple 1 in the upper-left hand "Select MIDI Input ports" box.
3. Click "Ok" to save the selection.
4. Now click the "Activate MIDI Input" button on the tool bar.

Now when you play a song file in Notation Composer, it will use the soundfont that you have open in SynthFont to play the song. Likewise, if you play your keyboard, routed through Notation Composer, it will also use the soundfont in SynthFont.

The cool thing about soundfonts is that there are a boatload of really nice ones available free on the internet. We have an information page at http://www.notation.com/Articles-Soundfonts.htm that might be helpful in getting some really good instruments, as well as interesting pads and such, or even tutorials on how to create your own soundfonts

Hope this helps!
Sherry