MU10 MIDI and the PC Guide
A Guide by Gerry Tschetter
(Updated 10/04/2000)

• Introduction
• Getting Started
• Playing a MIDI File Using Media Player
• Getting Your Soundcard to Work
• Connecting Your Keyboard
• Playing Back a MIDI File Through Your Keyboard
• Troubleshooting Your External MIDI Keyboard
• Other Typical MIDI Problems and Solutions
• Conclusion

This troubleshooting guide applies to a system consisting of:

• Desktop "Wintel" PC.
• Creative Labs' SoundBlaster® compatible sound card.
• General MIDI compatible synthesizer or portable keyboard.

Troubleshooting requires a logical, systematic approach. To determine the source of a problem you will need to isolate individual components of the system and possibly to substitute known-good components for suspected faulty components. Always begin by checking the things that are easy to fix - imagine how annoying it would be to spend two hours digging into your Windows Device Manager only to find out that the real problem was that your MIDI cable was improperly connected. It's also a good idea to take notes while troubleshooting. This will help you remember what you did and can help a technical support representative solve your problems.

Getting Started

Before connecting any MIDI instruments or installing MIDI software, you should determine that your computer and sound card are functioning properly together. If they aren't, it's unlikely that the installation of additional hardware or software will improve this situation. The following examples are typical - your computer may differ slightly.

Playing a MIDI File Using Media Player

• On the Windows 95 TASK BAR, Click START, then select PROGRAMS | ACCESSORIES | MULTIMEDIA, then click on MEDIA PLAYER. Media Player will open.
• In MEDIA PLAYER click FILE then OPEN.
• Windows includes sample MIDI files (*.MID). The default location for these files is C:\Windows\Media.
• Media Player will probably default to this directory. If it doesn't you'll need to browse the drive to find it.
• Select one of the MIDI songs - perhaps a little Bach - and click OPEN.
• Begin playback by clicking on the PLAY button (the single arrow pointing to the right).
• If your soundcard and multimedia speakers are working correctly and set up properly you should hear the song being played back. Proceed to "Connecting Your Keyboard". If not, read the following section - "Getting your soundcard to work".

Are your speakers working? If you hear the Windows start-up sound through the speakers they're probably OK. If not...

• Check cables, and verify proper connection according to the documentation provided with your speakers, computer, and soundcard. You can also check your speakers by connecting them to the headphone output of a portable CD or cassette player.
• Check your MIDI settings by going to the CONTROL PANEL, then open MULTIMEDIA, then select MIDI.
• Try the menu item "MIDI for Internal OPL2/OPL3 FM Synthesis". Click APPLY.
• Repeat the steps outlined below in "Playing a MIDI file using Media Player" to see if you've fixed the problem.
• Check the "Volume Control" accessory. This may be accessed by double-clicking on the speaker icon at the right of the Win 95 task bar or by clicking START | PROGRAMS | ACCESSORIES | MULTIMEDIA | VOLUME CONTROL.
• Find the "MIDI" section and check to see that the volume is turned up (about 2/3 of the way to max.) and that the "Mute" box is unchecked. (Note that some versions of Volume Control use "Unmute" - meaning that this box is checked to turn sound on.)

Still doesn't work? Check for conflicts by going to the CONTROL PANEL...

• Open SYSTEM, then select the DEVICE MANAGER tab
• Click the + sign next to "Sound, video and game controllers". If you see an exclamation point over any of the device names, use the Windows Help system (START | HELP | INDEX | then type or scroll to "devices, troubleshooting") to troubleshoot your devices and resolve the conflict. If Windows Help doesn't solve your problem, contact the manufacturer of the computer or the soundcard.

If the above steps do not get your soundcard to work, you will need to contact the sound card and/or the computer manufacturer.

Connecting Your Keyboard

Note - If your soundcard and computer are not working properly together, do not attempt the steps below. It's very unlikely that you will get the keyboard or MIDI application working unless your sound card works properly.

Your MIDI adapter cable should be attached to the joystick port of the PC's sound card. Pay careful attention to the instructions below. Reversing the MIDI In/Out connections is a common cause of problems.

1. The MIDI In cable gets connected to the MIDI Out on the keyboard.
2. The MIDI Out cable gets connected to the MIDI In on the keyboard.
3. Disconnect your joystick (if any) and connect the adapter to the joystick port on your soundcard.
4. Connect the joystick (if any) to the adapter.

Playing Back a MIDI File Through Your Keyboard

If you've followed these instructions from the beginning, your soundcard is set so that a MIDI file will be played back using your soundcard's built-in synthesizer (tone-generation). The following steps will switch the soundcard so it sends MIDI data to your keyboard.

• Play a few notes on your keyboard to verify that the keyboard and any speakers or headphones are working.
• Open the CONTROL PANEL, then open MULTIMEDIA, then select MIDI.
• Select the menu item "MIDI for MPU-401 Device". Click APPLY.
• On the Windows 95 TASK BAR, Click START, then select PROGRAMS, then ACCESSORIES, then MULTIMEDIA, then click on MEDIA PLAYER. Media Player will open.
• In MEDIA PLAYER click FILE then OPEN. Windows includes sample MIDI files (*.MID). The default location for these files is C:\Windows\Media. Media Player will probably default to this directory. If it doesn't you'll need to browse the drive to find it.
• Select one of the MIDI songs and click OPEN.
• Be sure that the external keyboard is switched on, the volume is turned up approximately 1/3, and that it's set to receive external MIDI (check the documentation provided with the instrument).
• Begin playback by clicking on the PLAY button (the single arrow pointing to the right).
• You should hear the MIDI file playing back from the external MIDI keyboard. If you hear this file, you now know these things:
  - Your sound card is properly sending MIDI.
  - Multimedia Properties are set correctly to send MIDI to an external instrument.
  - Your Joystick to MIDI cable is working properly (at least the MIDI Out side).
  - Your MIDI keyboard is properly set to receive MIDI data.
  Skip ahead to "Installing your MIDI Application"
  If you don't hear the MIDI file being played back, go ahead to the next section "Troubleshooting your external MIDI keyboard".

Troubleshooting Your External MIDI Keyboard

If the keyboard doesn't respond to the MIDI data from your PC here are some things you can try to attempt to isolate and fix the problem. Are your MIDI In / Out connections reversed?

Swap the MIDI In and MIDI Out connections and try playing the MIDI file again. If this doesn't help, restore the MIDI connections to the previous configuration.

Is your keyboard sending and receiving MIDI?

(Note: Some Joystick to MIDI adapters (Advanced Gravis offers one) have LED's to indicate that MIDI is being transmitted and received. These adapters cost a little more (maybe +$20) but are invaluable for troubleshooting.)

Many MIDI instruments include a function called "Local On/Off". It disconnects the keyboard from its' internal tone generation circuitry. You can use this function to see if your keyboard is sending and receiving MIDI. This part of the troubleshooting does not require any connections between the computer and the MIDI instrument.

Using Local Off to Test MIDI In/Out

• Start by verifying that the instrument is working by playing a few notes.
• Check the owner's manual to see how to turn Local On/Off to Off. If you don't have the owner's manual, Local can usually be found under a "MIDI", "Utility", or "Overall" menu.
• Play a few notes on the instrument - you should not hear any sound. If you do, Local is not yet turned off - go back to the owner's manual.
• Connect a MIDI cable from the instrument's MIDI Out to the instrument's MIDI In. This connects the MIDI data from the keyboard section of the instrument to the MIDI input of the instrument's tone generation section.
• Play a few notes on the instrument. If the instrument sounds, you know that it is sending and receiving MIDI.
• Restore the instrument's Local setting to On.

If your keyboard works in the above example, you know that it receives MIDI. That means we have to look elsewhere for the problem. See "Other possible solutions" below.

Substituting a second keyboard

If you have access to a second MIDI keyboard that is known to receive MIDI you can substitute it for the first keyboard. Follow the directions in " Playing back a MIDI file through your keyboard" using the second keyboard instead. If the second keyboard functions correctly, you know that the first keyboard is not functioning properly or is not set up correctly. Refer to your keyboard owner's manual or contact the manufacturer's technical support.

Other Possible Solutions

• The MIDI adapter cable is faulty or improperly connected.
• Verify your connections.
• Give the adapter a close visual inspection. If the adapter appears to be damaged, replace it. The MIDI adapter may be faulty even if there is no visible damage. Substitute an adapter that is known to work.
• Multimedia properties are not set properly. Use the Windows Help Index to find "multimedia, setting up MIDI instruments".
• Your soundcard is not working properly. Check the documentation or contact the manufacturer of the soundcard or computer.

Other Typical MIDI Problems and Solutions

MIDI plays back fine from Media Player but when I open my MIDI application, it doesn't work.

Some MIDI applications will use the default Media Player settings. Others must be set separately to address your external MIDI device. Usually these settings can be accessed under a "MIDI", "Configuration" or "Preferences" menu. Check the application's documentation or Help files. Some soundcards can not handle MIDI and Wave file (or video) playback simultaneously. You will probably have to replace the soundcard to solve this problem. MIDI play back is fine but I can't receive MIDI input from the keyboard.

• Your MIDI instrument is not properly set to send MIDI.
• The MIDI adapter is faulty.
• Check your application's documentation or Help files. (Hint - look for MIDI through or Echo Out).

You may need to switch the "Local" setting of your keyboard to "Off". What's happening is that your keyboard is sending data directly to the instrument's internal tone generator. At the same time, MIDI data is going through the computer and coming back into the keyboard via MIDI In. Setting Local to "Off" assures that only the MIDI data from the computer gets to the instruments tone generator.

Conclusion

Before attempting to get any MIDI program, multimedia title, or other application working, you must first be sure that your computer, soundcard, and MIDI keyboard work properly together. Installing a MIDI application into a system that doesn't work will only result in further complicating the troubleshooting process. I hope this document has helped you either solve your problem or at least narrow down the cause enough so you can go to the right place for help.