How do I connect a MIDI Keyboard?

• Jan 16, 2010 - 22:40

I'm sorry for asking such a basic question, but this whole area is very new to me and the learning curve is rather steep!

I have a Casio CTK-496 keyboard which has Din sockets for both Midi in and Midi Out. I've seen on Ebay "interface cables" that have Din plugs going through a box and out to a USB plug which I can obviously plug into my PC.

My question is what else do I need (Hardwarw and/or Software) to be able to play on the keyboard and have the notation recorded in MuseScore? (I don't need to be able to go back the other way and have the keyboard voice the completed score).

Thanks for any advice!

Scooby

Comments

• Jan 16, 2010 - 23:06

MuseScore is not capable to record MIDI and display it in real time.
If you have a MIDI to USB interface, you should be able to record MIDI with another tool and open the MIDI file in MuseScore.
You will also be able to enter pitches from the MIDI keyboard in MuseScore instead of pressing A,B,C ... on your computer keyboard, but you will need to change the duration from your computer keyboard.

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• Jan 16, 2010 - 23:26

In my experience, computers are not able to interpret a performance and turn it into music notation reliably. I have much better luck entering the pitches and selecting the durations manually. Selecting the durations (with the computer keyboard) and pitches (with the MIDI keyboard) is actually quite fast once you get used to it and it is easier to correct mistakes using this method (rather than trying to get a perfect performance for the computer to interpret).

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• Jan 17, 2010 - 00:31

OK I now feel even dumber having misunderstood lasconic's answer. I only need to be able to enter notes of the correct pitch and then set the durations later, so it sounds like MuseScore might do that??

But where does MuseScore "get" the Midi input from - ie can it pick it up from the USB port ?

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