what's the best way to connect midi keyboard to a dell pc?

De Rigueur · Post by **De Rigueur** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 2:17 pm

A friend has some music transcription software and wants to connect a midi keyboard to her dell.

She has a midi/gameport converter, but no gameport.
She has open usb ports and open pci slots.
Should she get a soundcard w/ a gameport and use her connector - or - do they make a midi/usb converter? Or is there another option?

tia

bash · Post by **bash** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 2:27 pm

A simple USB-MIDI converter is probably easiest if all she wants is basic MIDI and she already has a MIDI keyboard. M-Audio stuff is good.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid ... rch/c=4893

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 3:29 pm

If she's doing serious stuff, get an Audigy. If not, then a USB-MIDI converter might do the trick. Then again you could salvage an SB16 from the junkyard and get the same results.

De Rigueur · Post by **De Rigueur** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 11:03 am

I think she just wants to be able to play on the keyboard and have it transcribed to musical notation. A little sound card would be cheaper than a $40 usb cable.

TheCops · Post by **TheCops** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 11:33 am

if she is doing serious stuff AVOID CREATIVE PRODUCTS.

bash · Post by **bash** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:39 pm

Harrumph! It's not just a USB cable; it's a sexy azz blue thing with flashing lights USB cable! Pfft. Amateurs.

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:47 pm

Ohhh teh flashy lights!!1

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 5:12 pm

It's a hunk of crap, that's what it is.

If she just wants a program to read from MIDI In, then anything with a gameport is fine. Seeing as she has a keyboard, it's not like the synthesizer is going to make that much of a difference, as most likely if she wants to play something back it's going to be on her keyboard.

With that MIDI->USB converter, you're probably going to need special software (read: additional third-party crapware) to get the USB device routed through Windows' MIDI In.

TheCops · Post by **TheCops** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 5:17 pm

you're right Dcrazy it may be overkill for his needs but i can tell you that m-audio makes really good drivers. i have an audiophile 2496 and the new drivers are like 450k and work perfectly... i can not say that about any other device i've ever used that required a driver.

Capm · Post by **Capm** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 12:05 am

Actually, Sound cards are about the only thing creative makes really well. Anything else is complete crap, but their sound devices are awesome.

There is 1 other sound card out there that is geared more towards _serious_ sound&music people, can't remember what company makes it though.... anyway... whereas creatives sound is more high-end-mass-market rather than uber-leet-niche-market, and everything else falls in the trashcan.

BUBBALOU · Post by **BUBBALOU** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 6:50 am

M-Audio

Two levels of products at that site Pro and Consumer

Soundcards, connectors, and Keyboards

De Rigueur · Post by **De Rigueur** » Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:14 am

I decided to get the M-Audio usb/midi interface, mainly because it would be more portable. (And also because I didn't have a sound card lying around.)

Thanks for the suggestions.