Each user at least once thought about expanding the range of use of a certain device. The keyboard is never an exception, so I propose to deal with the question of how you can use a keyboard as a midi controller.
If you answer briefly, then yes – you can. For this to work, you need to have a MIDI OUT port on your digital piano or keyboard in order to use it as a MIDI controller.
In addition, do not worry about the fact that the device is outdated: the fact is that in any case it will work quite well.
How to use a keyboard as a midi controller
This is by no means not an impossible task. Turning a keyboard into a midi controller is completely easy and anyone can handle it. But, in order to do this, you need to follow a few rules or, if you like, points.
Finding midi
You need to find out if you have a MIDI output port on your keyboard. This type of connection has been popular for more than 30 years, so it will be surprising if you don’t find it even on the oldest keyboard. In the past, until the USB-MIDI controller came along, it was often used MIDI to connect equipment so that they would work with each other.
List of necessary things and work with them
All you need to successfully connect is:
- keyboard with MIDI output
- USB to MIDI adapter cable (It has USB on one end and three MIDI ports: MIDI in, MIDI out, and MIDI thru on the opposite end.)
- Midi or DAW software to install on PC or Mac
Connection procedure
First of all, you must connect the MIDI input of the cable to the MIDI output of the keyboard. Then, plug the USB into a USB port on your computer. After that, you can check the connection by pressing the keys in parallel by checking the indicator on the adapter. You need to understand if any MIDI signal is being sent.
Note that the USB adapter is usually installed automatically on your Windows or Mac computer. If you see a message about an unrecognizable USB device on Windows or Mac, then there is a chance that you are using a faulty or defective adapter.
If your computer sees a USB to MIDI adapter, the next step is to launch the MIDI or DAW software. The latter can automatically detect the MIDI inputs on your computer, which adds convenience. However, if the DAW still doesn’t recognize it, you can always check the MIDI input settings and select the USB-MIDI adapter as input.
