Syntrillium Backup Forums :: View topic - Thank God I found this forum! Now plz help me!

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Fri Dec 22, 2000 5:30 pm

Ok ok ok. I got a Casio CTK-731 synth.And It comes with a Floppy Disk Drive Installed into it. So I save my music onto the floppy disk, plop the disk into my computer, and open up the file. It comes out to be a CSG file. So I download the Shareware of Cool Edit 2000 to see if It will play my CSG file, sine thats what someone told me. So I download it, and open my file onto Cool Edit 2000. When I try to play it though, it just makes this stupid scratching sound. Ive tried converting it to a Mp3, Wave, so on and so forth, and it always makes the scratching sound. PLZ help me on how to get the thing to work, I really need to know. Thankx.

Signing Out,

Edited by - Dj_Droogie on 12/22/2000 5:35:24 PM

mantisxf · Location: USA

a csg file is probably a sequencer file (much like mid). what you'd have to do is hook up the audio out on the synth to your ins and track the output in ce2k.

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Sat Dec 23, 2000 3:02 pm

Er.... how do I do that. Plz help :)

Signing Out,

mantisxf · Location: USA

i don't really know what the synth looks like nor what soundcard you have but you hook up whatever audio out the synth has (perhaps you have to use the headphone jack?...if it's a nice piece of gear it should have audio out though) to the line in on your soundcard. make sure line in is selected as the input you're recording from and hit record in ce2k and start playing on the synth.

Teddy G. · Posted - Fri Dec 29, 2000 6:27 pm

In-otherwords. Until you figure out how to use the floppy-disc directly into your computer, just use it from the synth! Play the audio the synth generates with it's floppy into CE2K as plain old audio, to your soundcard's line-in jack. Then, like me, begin to learn about Midi, and such.
Teddy G.

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Fri Dec 29, 2000 7:50 pm

Well whenever I try to record via playin the synth or what not, the sound volume for it is SOOOOO low. I mean Even with the sytnh volume up or the comps, its still low. whys that? oh and why does it also record other sounds like movement in the room and such?

mantisxf · Location: USA

you may have to turn up the gain on the line-in...in cep you could go to: options->windows mixer to change this...not sure if you can do that in ce2k...if not just double click the speaker icon in the system tray. goto the recording properties and raise the gain on line-in...you can also deselect the mic input (as well as anything else), which i assume is what is causing you to have the room sounds tracked.

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Sat Dec 30, 2000 5:49 pm

well I dont have a mic, and ive tried that I think. Now why the heck havent the Syntrillium people answered to this post.... o yeah its break nevermind Tongue

Syntrillium M.D. · Location: USA

Hi DJ. Here's the way to adjust the gain on your soundcard...

In Windows 95/98/ME/NT 4.0:
- Dbl-click on the yellow speaker icon located on the lower right
hand corner of your screen .
- Select Option, Properties.
- In the "Adjust Volume for" area, select Recording.
- This will show you all the devices you can record from, in the
"Show the following volume controls:"
- Make sure all the devices have a check mark in them.
- Click on OK.
- At the bottom of each recording device, there is a check box
with "Select" to the right of it. Use this to select the recording
device that you want.
- Make sure the recording Volume is at least half way up. Some 'consumer' synths have fairly low output to begin with, so you'll want to make sure that the synth volume is at least 80% and that the Line In slider is probably around 75%. If it's still too low (and all the way up) you may need to go through an outboard MIXER for proper gain staging.
- Close "Recording Control" window.
- You are ready to record.

Let me know if this helps.

---Syntrillium Support

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Tue Jan 02, 2001 2:33 pm

THANK U! lol. I had it clicked on the microphone box, cause I thought it would mute it. Anyways ill check and see if it works! thankx a bunch Syntillium man Smile

.

Signing Out,

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Tue Jan 02, 2001 2:44 pm

Ok New Problem. The only thing I can get to work when I click on the box ur talkin about is Microphone. And when I do I have to turn my synths volume on full blast for it to hear it when I play it after recording it onto CE2k. Which box do I click in which to transfer the data im recording via "Sound Card Midi Cable" which I have connected from the synth to the computer. or can I just send the data through the synth without having to record. Because when i do record, and I have Mixer, Line In, or any of the other boxes clicked, nothing is recorded when I try to record on CE2k.

Signing Out,

Syntrillium M.D. · Location: USA

Hey DJ. Okay, I think something is getting lost in the translation here. Forgive me if I am being repetitive,...but let me reiterate. Cool edit does not record Midi information. If you want to record the sound of your synthesizer, you must plug it's LINE OUT jack(s) (typically,1/4" mono guitar plugs) to the LINE IN of your soundcard (typically, 1/8" stereo mini-headphone plug for which you'll need an adapter). Keyboards are line level signal, so if you were to plug the LINE OUT of keyboard into the MIC IN on your soundcard, you would have a horrible distortion.

As far as 'Sound Card Midi Cable' (which you stated), there is NO SOUND transferred over a midi cable...Midi is information, NOT audio, and therefore Cool Edit can't record it. I think you may want to check your connections from the keyboard to the soundcard, then verify that you have the LINE IN selected on your soundcard (and make sure it is SELECTED) and then try giving it a whirl.

Let me know how it goes...I'm here for ya, man.

Rock on,

---Syntrillium Support

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Tue Jan 02, 2001 4:59 pm

............ hmmmm..... ur probably right then. Ugh now ill have to go and buy another adapter thing such and such. And I thought the Cables would record, guess not. Ill have to go search that up, but thankx anyway for ur help. 1 More question, do u know brand or specific type of adapter I can buy, or does that matter for what brand my synth is?

Syntrillium M.D. · Location: USA

Hey DJ...Regarding cable type and brand, i think it's pretty standard. most synths (even ones from 30 years ago) have 1/4" outputs (guitar cables). You most likely only need a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter, or if you are running stereo, a dual-mono 1/4" to stereo 1/8" adapter, also known as a Y cable.

---Syntrillium Support

Kingsley · Posted - Tue Jan 02, 2001 10:45 pm

Droogie. You have an excellent Keyboard. You can
[1] record a complete arrangement on your keyboard in a hurry or taking your time, and save the song's COMPLETE ARRANGEMENT in MIDI FORMAT on the machine or onto a disk. (There will not be any sound on the disk, MIDI info recorded there will tell other things what to play.) You need the manual for the casio!!
If you don't have it Casio will probably make you a photocopy for around 10-20$. That is the usual price for this service.
[2] You can drive other MIDI instruments with the cable that in turn produce sound and you are not there yet...Other MIDI units can drive the sounds coming out of your Casio too. Like others say no sound goes thru the MIDI cable. Keep the cable in the bag until you get something like a USB MIDI ADAPTER for your computer. There are lots of great free sequencer programs out there. Your keyboard has VELOCITY SENSITIVE keys on it and you can have lots of fun with that feature like playing drum parts with lots of feeling while recording the MIDI INFORMATION, which can be manipulated in the sequencer program and be sent back out to the Casio.There will be a lot to learn about how the audio should be handled and such so that will be a very big step. The manual will tell you more about MIDI channels and so on and it is pretty complicated and is different from one keyboard to another.
[3] You can play the sounds of your Casio while recording them onto your computer. This seems to be what you want to do.HERE is the lowdown: Your audio DOES come out of your headphone jack, so that probably will cut off your keyboards speakers. You want to be able to cleanly hear the casio's sounds thru the computer's speakers somehow. The adapter you need looks like a full-size STEREO (3 rings not 2) headphone plug on the end that goes into Casio. The adapters on the other end is called a Y-CORD and you may have a choice on these 2 dangling right-and-left OUTPUTS of either out-style plugs OR in-style jacks of the RCA type. In either case you will MUST MUST MUST match this up while in the store with YET ANOTHER cable you will need to get this into your AUDIO-IN on your soundcard on your computer. That jack is probably a MINI-STEREO jack and the plug that goes into it looks EXACTLY like a walkman headphone plug and jack arrangement.
This second cable should be 3 to 6 feet long. Your goal is to have quote "STEREO QUARTER-INCH PLUG ON ONE END AND STEREO MINI-PLUG ON THE OTHER END"...assuming mini plug in on your soundcard. I have not ever seen this arragnement in a single cable wire so you will have to buy two. print this out and take it to the store. The cables are not cheap. The first one mentioned here is the more expensive of the two. They should last for years, tho.
The others responses here have described how to make the sound work. The only other hangup you might find is just how to listen to the playback and record new sounds at the exact same time. Sound cards and software are where this issue will occur if the problem comes up for you, not the casio.
good luck. have fun.
I'm wondering how room noises get into the mix and you might have a microphone on the front of your monitor or something. Weird problem that shouldn't happen unless you want it to.
If your computer is like a newer big name manufacturer you just might be able to use the MIDI data on the disk. Look in Windows help. find a program that will take "MIDI DATA". open the program. then open the file on the midi disk you wrote a song onto on the casio. the manual would help here. You are in the realm of "SOFT-SYNTH" here. Look for a free or shareware one.
Later droogie

Syntrillium M.D. · Location: USA

Just another thought DJ...referring to my last post. I still recommend using the LINE OUT jacks as opposed to the headphone out. You typically have more gain from the actual line output than the headphone output as well as a slightly better signal.

Good luck.

P.S. - If the casio saves your midi sequence as a .MID file, you can save it on it's disk and play it (through your soundcard's midi generator) in Windows Media Player.

---Syntrillium Support

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Wed Jan 03, 2001 1:51 pm

Wow lots of info. Anyway im sorry to say but last night I found out I have a keyboard not a synth Tongue

. I didnt know that synths DONT have speakers, yet mine does, which explains that. I was talking to a friend who makes music and he said that keyboards wont connect to the computer, but anyways. Ok about ur post Kingsley. When I save my data onto the disk that comes with the keyboard, and I upload it to the computer, for SOME reason it loads as a CSG file, not a MIDI. Ive checked and I have no clue how to save it as a MIDI (I dont think u can can u?). And about the cables? Do I have to go get a stereo or something? I have a Midi Cable, and I plan on keeping it. But whats this adapter ur talking about? I do have a headphones jack in my computer, and one in the keyboard (which I use to listen to my music with my head phones) Do u know any specific names for these adapters or what not that I need, how will I connect the two cables here. I know the A drive on the keyboard allows u to take music from the computer and upload it on the keyboard, but why it wont save my data as MIDI im not sure. Im very thankful for all the help im getting Smile

.

Im going to a music store I go to to ask the guy for help on all of this. I will also see if they have any good SYNTHS there (yes synths not keyboards since I know what they are now Smile

). Im looking really for the Yamaha CS1X or CS2X. I hear they are pretty expensive though. IF I can get my keyboard to work though, then im keeping it. Anyway once again thankx for ALLLL of ur help people.

Signing Out,

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Wed Jan 03, 2001 6:30 pm

Quick question to Kingsley. You seem to know a lot more about the Casio CTK-731 Keyboard more then I have lol. Do u own one, or you just know a lot about it?

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Thu Jan 04, 2001 3:35 pm

Does anyone have answers to my question? Just wondering Smile

.

Signing Out,

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Sat Jan 06, 2001 5:04 pm

Well people I went to the music store, and it wasnt successful. The guy said I should be able to use the Sound Card MIDI Cables to record my music, but Ive tried a trillion times and it doesnt work ( and I sorta knew it wouldnt work) i did everything u guys told me to do to get it working, yet none of it works. Anyway I got a new idea in my head. Why not just buy a stupid mic. put it right next to the speaker of the keyboard, and record with CE2k. I mean yeah it might not be the BEST sound, but hey its better then nothing. And I asked the guy about the apadater or whatever u guys were talking about, and I dont think he knew what he was saying, or I dont think he had one. Anyway just tellin u guys whats new.

Signing Out,

P.S why were post #19 and 20 taken out of this topic? I just came on and saw the topic only had 18, so I was confused for a bit.

Rod · Location: USA

P.S why were post #19 and 20 taken out of this topic? I just came on and saw the topic only had 18, so I was confused for a bit.
Answer: This new forum is censored, that's why. I would not use a microphone to record your keyboard. This will give horrible sound. Good luck Smile

Dj_Droogie · Posted - Sun Jan 07, 2001 8:56 am

Well if the Mircophone idea isnt gonna work, then its all hopeless, I wont ever be able to get my music on the comp.... *sigh* woe is me

Signing Out,