Yamaha MIDI Keyboard Issue

cxg · 29 May 2011

Hello again,

I have a Yamaha YPT-300 model keyboard that I am attempting to hook up to my Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit machine via a MIDI-to-USB cable. (The cable came with this eMedia USB MIDI Keyboard Interface Kit.) The drivers for the USB/MIDI cable installed without issue, but my system does not appear to recognize the Yamaha keyboard. I attempted to install the Yamaha USB-MIDI driver, but it raises an error. ("Error 25001. No device is connected. Connect a device, and try again.") The MIDI/USB cable has two lights that blink when everything's working properly; one of the lights is blinking, the other is not. The light that isn't blinking appears to be related to the plug for the MIDI IN jack on the keyboard, if that helps.

Some of the simpler stuff ... I've got the MIDI IN and MIDI OUT cables plugged into the right jacks on the keyboard. (i.e., the MIDI IN plug goes to MIDI OUT jack, and vice versa -- it makes sense when you think about it.) The cables are not loose. I've googled all around for an answer, but I've found nothing but dozens of topics with no solutions or topics addressing something else altogether. And yes, I have tried turning it off and on again.

This may not even be a Windows 7 issue specifically, but poking around Windows 7 a bit, I can't even seem to find the controls for MIDI volume that always used to be available in WinXP. I even tried this MIDI Tool meant for Windows Vista. But nothing seems to help. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?

EDIT: After some toying around with settings, I was able to get the eMedia software to recognize the keyboard, for both inputs and outputs. It can detect which keys are being pressed on the computer, and it can send its own lessons/etc. to the keyboard. However, I still cannot install the Yamaha drivers, or use Yamaha's Musicsoft program (see 'Support' section) to upload custom MIDIs to the keyboard to play. So, it would appear that this problem pertains specifically to Yamaha's programs/etc., if that helps any.

EDIT-EDIT: Well, I've apparently solved the problems I was having. I still haven't been able to install the Yamaha driver, but their Musicsoft program is working. Should anyone find this thread in search of an answer ... I'm not sure if I can give you one. But as best as I can tell the only real reason I was having trouble was that I was doing things out of order. To use the Musicsoft program:

Turn off and unplug the keyboard.
Open Musicsoft.
Plug in keyboard (while still turned off)
And then power on the keyboard. (and enter PC mode)

The connection would fail if I did this in any other order but the above. While it's still not working quite the way I would've hoped, it seems that any issues I had regarding hardware and/or software for this thing are taken care of.

Thanks,
CxG

mcarrozzino · 20 Dec 2012

Hi, I have the same issue you described.
Can you tell me if your procedure, beyond allowing to use the Musicsoft Downloader, enables also the general midiin/out capabilities (for instance, can I use my keyboard with a software such as Cubase as an input?).

Thanks in advance for your answer.

PS: when you say "plug" or "unplug" the keyboard, you are referring to the midi cables, aren't you?

cxg · 20 Dec 2012

Well, it's been well over a year since I made this thread, so I don't really remember everything that went into setting this up. I don't know if there is a general solution to use MIDI devices anymore; the general MIDI settings in Windows were removed at some point. Your mileage may vary depending on the software you use. I actually found the Musicsoft program somewhat limited, and switched to Synthesia a while back, but I don't remember writing down the steps to get it working. I have no clue about Cubase.

Yes, plug in and unplug refers to the MIDI cables. Make sure that the keyboard is plugged into a power source and/or has batteries before you turn it on, too, of course.