How to use LMMS with an older Yamaha keyboard?

[SteveAndFo2015]

Hi,

Is there a tutorial somewhere for using LMMS with an older Yamaha keyboard? We are running Windows 7, and have a USB connection, with "Song Filer", I think it is called, installed. But we'd like to play on the keyboard and have that music be entered directly into Song Editor if that is possible, so that we can manipulate what we play on the keyboard in LMMS. This would facilitate the composition process greatly. Is there a way to do this?

Thank you so much.

Steve, Galen (10), and Forrest (7)

[slipstick]

Exactly what Yamaha keyboard is it ? There will probably be a way to connect it. "Song Filer" is not much help because it doesn't deal with real time music just recorded files but it does suggest that you probably do have MIDI capabilities and the keyboard MAY be able to output direct in real time. If so LMMS can definitely record it.

It's also worth looking at https://lmms.io/documentation/Using_MIDI which may tell you most of what you need.

Steve

[SteveAndFo2015]

Thank you! I will look at the link -- it is a Portatone EZ-250i, about 10 yrs old.

Steve

[SteveAndFo2015]

I just viewed the MIDI information via the link which you kindly sent. It was interesting, and I think helpful, but it doesn't show how we might play on the keyboard and have it show up in Song Editor. (And be manipulable). Neither does the User Manual for the keyboard. But there is definitely MIDI capability on this keyboard. I've been able to use Song Filer to upload prerecorded MIDI files to the keyboard.

Steve

[slipstick]

Can you clarify what exactly you're trying to do...I've been assuming that by "show up" in Song Editor you mean to RECORD what you're playing for later playback and manipulation (what manipulation....changing the sound, correcting wrong notes, fixing timing ?). Is that right ?

To record something in Song Editor you first need to set up an instrument track and then you connect the keyboard to that track....exactly as described in the link. You should then be able to play notes via LMMS. You MAY need to set your keyboard to Local Off as described in the MIDI section of your owners manual, it's not clear.

Once you've got that far, to record what you're playing, open the Piano Roll for the track and press Record.

You need to be aware that what you're recording is JUST the notes played. Not any auto-accompaniment or drums and not the actual sounds, just the key presses. You have to manipulate the LMMS instrument track to get the right sound. It's probably easiest to use Sound Fonts via a LMMS SF2 Player instrument track because then the sounds you choose will correspond to the sound names you're used to from the keyboard.

Good luck - Steve

[SteveAndFo2015]

Wow, thanks! You are right -- we are trying to "record" sounds. Because the boys like to play keyboard, and compose songs on keyboard, and it's hard to write down the exact rhythms, syncopation, etc., on paper that has the G clef and bass clef. Much easier to record for the future. And, as you said, hopefully we'll be able to change around the notes once we have them in LMMS. Change the rhythm a little, change notes that can be improved, add chords. So I think your advice is right to the point. I will try what you've said, with clarifications -- don't know why I missed it the first time.

What we did earlier is this: we set up an instrument track. But did we do it right? The link said to take one out of Zyn....(I forget the rest). So we took out Arpeggio 1, the very first listed there. And we double clicked, then got into the Midi tab, and enabled both Midi input and output. (I'm recalling all this roughly). One thing that was strange is that there were no options when we clicked on the keyboard icon -- after enabling Midi Input. There was nothing in the dropdown menu. There was one option in the output dropdown menu - we set that up previously when using Song Filer.

Thus, when we played something, having set that up, on the keyboard, we didn't see anything show up in Song Editor/Piano Roll. By "Local Off' , I assume you mean PC mode? One thing we did not do is click on "Record" once in Piano Roll. I can't remember where that button is, but I guess we'll be able to find it easily next time. I guess we expected to *hear* the notes in Piano Roll and couldn't, so we were stuck..

Does all that make sense?

We can't thank you enough.

Steve

[Gps]

Slipstick can prob help you better, but I have a keystation mini 32, connected through usb to my pc.

When I use this, it does show up in the drop down menu. (on the midi tab) on all instrument.
I have to click it to select it.

Then I go to the piano roll and hit record. ( but even If I don't record I can already hear sound when I press the keys of the mini 32.
I have used zynaddsubfx, triple os, vestige, and prob some more.

I am on Linux though, maybe windows 7 needs some more fiddling.

It does not sound right, you have only 1 option.
Without connecting that midi keyboard I already have three options.
When I connect it gets added as a 4th option.

What I see on that drop down menu. ( with out the keystation connected)
system timer
system annouce
midi through

[slipstick]

O.k. you want to enable MIDI input but NOT MIDI output. But if when you click on the input "keyboard" you have no options showing then output from your 250i is not being recognised. Until that is sorted you're stuck. It may be that setting PC Mode fixes that, the manual is not particularly clear but that's what it takes on some Yamaha keyboards to get MIDI OUT going.

But if you have WinMM set in Edit/Settings, you've tried it in PC Mode and the keyboard still doesn't show up then I'm not sure where you go from there.

Steve

[brandystarbrite]

My relative has this keyboard, in our house.
A Yamaha Portatone keyboard EZ-30.
http://data.yamaha.jp/sdb/product/image ... _12001.jpg

I'll check it out again, to see if it can be used with this PC, I'm using with Lmms.

[SteveAndFo2015]

We really appreciate everyone's help with this. Sort of dropped it after that last message, figuring we might be out of luck if the keyboard is not visible in the input area.