Setting up usb keyboard with Garageband?!

Hi, Matt,

Hello, i Have a Yamaha PSR - K1 keyboard. And i would like to use this as a midi kayboard in Garageband, could anyone give me some directions on how to do this??

You need to get a MIDI->USB interface.
There are a variety of them available, some of which are inexpensive, and work fine.

WH

Hi:
I'm just as interested in this post. I have a Yamaha PSR-170 keyboard (have installed the updated driver from Yamaha), a E-MU X midi 1x1 cable for midi to USB, followed all of the instructions I could find online and from these forums. I'm surprised at the consistent responses of people posting - just do this (such and such) and it'll work. That isn't helping. Someone PLEASE post a beginning to end process involving all aspects of how this is done. As far as I can see, my MIDI seup is complete - everything seems fine. Cables are attached. The ACMP button on my keyboard has been pressed a couple of times (as instructed in my keyboard manual when about to use midi). My Sound preferences pane doesn't recognize a midi interface, my Garageband preferences recognize a midi interface, but does not offer any selection of a midi device, whether or not I've created a software instrument and track. This seems to basically be (1) System Preferences Sound (2) Midi Setup (3) Garageband Preferences and software track and instrument. What am I missing? I don't get anything from my keyboard to my system. Even when clicking test in the Midi Setup window, the musical note sumbol appears, but what should happen? If I play my keyboard, will sound come through my computer? PLEASE HELP.

First of all: You'll have to understand the difference between audio and midi. Maybe here:
http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/FAQPages/AudioNotMIDI.html

Midi signals are not sound. So the basic question is:

• Do you want to use your keyboard to trigger GB's internal sounds? (-> Midi connection)

• Do you want to record sounds that you play on your keyboard (-> Audio connection)

• Do you want to trigger your keyboard's sounds with midi stuff that you recorded in GB (-> not possible in GB, only with a plugin)

So let's assume you're trying the first option. That implies, according to your numbering:

(1) Forget the Sound prefs, you're not transmitting sound
(2) Midi setup seems to be fine, since GB is recognizing your interface
(3) There's no need for any setup in GB - it's listening to all midi channels when you press "record"

So, with your keyboard connected and recognized - have you set up a software track? Do the little LEDs light up when you play notes?

Since the interface seems to be fine - if you don't register any midi data coming in, I guess it must be your keyboard not sending data - and sorry, I'm not familiar with it, so I can't offer any help on this but ask: You're sure you plugged the round midi plug into the "midi out" jack of the keyboard?

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, all I'm trying to do is use the keyboard to trigger GB sounds. You may be right about it not sending a signal to the computer - I do not see any leds lighting up.

I use a Yamaha PSR-270 with the YAMAHA midi adaptor (UX-16 I think it is) and everything works fine. So many people had trouble it seemed with adaptors (from reading these forums for years) so when I bought my Keyboard I also bought the YAMAHA adaptor - came with drivers - works like butter in Logic, Garageband, etc. I also use the built-in YAMAHA voices by running the line out on my KB to my LINE IN on my Imac and bringing the sound in that way (I'm normally a Guitarist so I knew all that). But the Garageband sounds are better...