Question

Hi Guys,

 

Every time I look at Youtube or elsewhere to see how to get a midi keyboard to work all I see is answers about how to use one of the Presonus Studio One supplied instruments!

I'd like to just make one thing clear up front. All I want to do is use my Roland SK-88 Pro to record the midi data so that when I play back the track (song) the midi track triggers the midi sounds from the keyboard's own embedded soundbank and feeds the audio in to a stereo pair (inputs three and four) of the 1818 VSL.

I have added the device in the external devices section and selected to use all channels. I selected the Audiobox in the receive from and send to selection boxes. When I create a new instrument track, I can see data coming in when I press a key, and I can record midi notes, but I hear absolutely no audio. I have the keyboard's audio output phonos plugged in to channels three and four of the Audiobox 1818VSL. If I press the local button on the keyboard (which basically turns the keyboard in to a live playable device providing live audio, I hear it in Studio One. So the bottom line is midi in to Studio One is working and audio in is working. the issue is when I try and record data in to an instrument track I do not hear any audio and if I play the track back I hear no audio either, and the keyboard does not appear to be receiving note on and off messages as there is no activity coming back to the keyboard. When I look at the extended properties of the track (by clicking on i) for midi out there is nothing selectable (just shows 'none') and for midi in I have selected SK-88 pro.

I have opened a ticket but frankly they are not reading my issue and digesting it properly because the answers (or certainly most of their suggestions) are irrelevant.

If I drag in one of the instruments included with Studio One, I then press a key on my keyboard and I can hear the instrument (although curiously, for some of them I don't hear anything but can see the instrument receiving data)

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have a steep learning curve with the 1818 and Studio One, and getting stuck for so long with such a silly thing is really frustrating. I am a seeasoned Logic Audio user and I never had an issue with this with that package.

Answer 1

I guess the short answer is, if it's not a SUPPORTED instrument, you will need to work with generic functionality. If I have misinterpreted this as a feature request, then please let me know and I'll re-brand this, or delete it and you can re-submit it with a more appropriate title...just saying it's pretty much defined in the manual, the Knowledge base, and there are video's galore, as well as sites dedicated to S1... one of the best is:

http://www.homestudiotrainer.com/

More info than you could shake a stick at...if you catch my drift. We are happy to help but we cannot do the learning for anyone but ourselves. Johnny is a VERY cool dude and he is a treasure where S1 (any version) is concerned. There are MANY Presonus video's you can use to access the finer points, but between them, Youtube, Home Studio Trainer, and Presonus, you can get a VERY good start!, then, it's all up to you...

Answer 2

OK, as suspected, it was me being a plumb! I hadn't realised I needed to create a keyboard AND an instrument separately. I followed the excellent video at homestudiotrainer.com regarding setting up an outboard midi device and it all worked.

Thanks for your guidance.

Now I just need to work out why I don't hear the played back midi track in my headphones (I can hear audio and midi out of my main monitors).

I am currently trying to get to grips with the routing of everything relating to the 1818VSL mixer and the Studio One mixer etc and how one affects the other. I am assuming the VSL mixer is the first in the chain on the input side and the last in the chain on the output side. I found the Yamaha DSP2416 + AX44 with Logic Audio far easier to initially get to grips with. ;-)

Comments

Kind of a noob at midi, but don't you have to trigger a sound to hear it? Miidi has no sound...

Answer 3

Yes, you are correct. All outboard midi devices that have built in sound banks have stereo audio outputs (usually phonos). The midi out from Studio One would transmit the note on / note off events in to midi in of the midi device and trigger the appropriate sound set to that channel. The issue I have (had) was that I could not hear this sound coming back in to the mix. I have figured this out now. :-)

I have been playing with midi since its inception, but it was just an internal routing issue within the 1818VSL. ;-)

Answer 4

Hi there - I am having the same EXACT problems with my new Roland DS-88.  Would you please tell me how you set up it up to work with PreSonus??

"I needed to create a keyboard AND an instrument separately."

"Now I just need to work out why I don't hear the played back midi track in my headphones"

MANY THANKS