Korg microKEY Air MIDI keyboard does not seem to be compatible with MuseScore when I try to input notes
I was reading up on similar problems and posts to see if there was a way to fix the issue with note input but so far no solutions have been posted. I bought a Korg microkey air a while back, and I had MuseScore on a cheap, crappy acer computer. At first I thought that the keyboard's failure to input notes was my computer's lack of performance but now that I have a better PC I am beginning to think that the MuseScore software is the problem. Everything seems fine when I first open the software but once I hit the note input button my keyboard goes silent and does not input notes. Because so many other users seem to have this problem my question is what MIDI hardware actually DOES work with MuseScore? There is no reason for it to not work; everything is plugged in and recognized. I've done all I can to figure out where the problem lies. My conclusion is that the software needs to be modified to fix this issue.
Comments
Welcome Lynea Youmans, forgive my dumb question: have you start MuseScore after the keyboard is switched on?
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/note-input#midi-keyboard
In reply to Welcome Lynea Youmans, by Shoichi
Well, my keyboard doesn't really have an on switch. It connects thru a USB cable and so I quickly figured out that I need to plug it in before opening the program for it to sound.
There are definitely people who have had trouble connecting their keyboard, but it usually comes from one of two mistakes - either failing to connect and turn on the keybaord before starting MuseScore, or connecting the cables improperly (old-style MIDI cables need to be connected input to output, output to input). If everything is connected properly, everything should work, and I think you'll find virtually everyone who reported a problem at first ended up getting things going once they figured out their mistake. MIDI is MIDI for the most part, so if the keyboard work at all, it should work with MuseScore.
So first, make sure you have connected it properly. If you still have problems, read on.
When you say everything seems fine when you first open the software, do you mean that if you press a key on the MIDI keybaord, it makes sound via the computer speakers? And if you create a score for flute, say, it plays using a flute sound? If so, then it means MuseScore is hearing the keyboard OK. If not, it means there is a basic problem with the MIDI connection that is probably outside of MsueScore's control. Does the keyboard work with other programs? What OS are you on? Did you install any necessary drivers?
If everything is truly OK - MIDI input plays pitches using the sounds in MuseScore until you press the Note Input button - then something else may be going on. be sure the MIDI icon on the toolbar is enabled. See Edit / Preferences / Note Input and also Edit / Preferences / I/O to see if anything seems off there (also good to do if the keybaord won't play MuseScore sounds even when not in note input mode).
I gather a few keyboards out there fail to ever send "note off" messages when you release a key. This can cause problems, but you should at least get *one* note to appear if that were the problem (and others would typically then stack on top of it) so it sounds like that is not your issue.
In reply to There are definitely people by Marc Sabatella
Mhm, these are some helpful tips :) I'll look and see if there are improper cables and "note off" signals that are causing trouble. To answer your questions, it does sound through the speakers once I plug it in. It's not the voicing that's out of whack, it's simply the note input setting. I haven't had the opportunity to try it out with other software programs, all I can say is that I'm a big windows user. I don't own any Apple products and I'll admit this specific MIDI keyboard was built to work best with Apple stuff like iPADs and MACs and such. As for the drivers, I didn't get any new installment notifications when I set the keyboard up with my new PC but I did have to manually install the keyboard driver on my last computer. Thanks for taking the time to read and help me out :)
In reply to Mhm, these are some helpful by Lynea Youmans
Make sure you try the test I mentioned about creating a score for flute to be sure it plays back as flute. If it doesn't, this tells me it isn't MuseScore that is producing the sound, meaning some other program is involved here and perhaps needs to be closed before progressing further.
Korg MicroKEY states that the keyboard works with a 'standard windows driver'. I also found that is simply not true. You need the specific Korg MicroKEY driver which I found here, I am using the USB version, hopefully this is also true for the BLE version.
https://www.korg.com/us/support/download/driver/0/151/3541/
After a couple of restarts and OK buttons, it all works, it doesn't appear in the Midi dropdown because it strictly a Midi input device, however you still need to have Midi Input selected for the input to work. Hope this helps all those frustrated MicroKEY owners our there.
In reply to Korg MicroKEY states that… by Gavatron
Even after doing all this - re-loaded updated Korg Drivers, re-loaded updated Muscore 3, checked that my antivirus package allows Musecore to communicate, and re-booted after setting the preferences, I STILL can't get the Korg to connect in Windows 10. I also tried several different USB ports. The power light is on and it shows up in the Windows Devices menu, but not in MuseScore. It does, however, work properly on a MAC Airbook Pro via Bluetooth.
Anyone any suggestions? Have I missed some obscure Windows setting that prevents non-Microsift accessories communicating with non-Microsoft programs?