Good Midi Keyboard for 7

[A320]

I am considering getting rid of my CME-UF5 Midi keyboard since there is no possibility of running it under Windows 7 and purchasing something new.

Anybody have any suggestions as to what I should be looking at? Besides this make, and M-Audio I really don't know what my other options really are. Although I did like the quality and weight of the keys with CME vs M-Audio, I suspect M-Audio would have much better driver support and customer support for future updates, CME was certainly lacking in this department considering they didn't even provide a Vista driver for this damn thing. I browsed through forums and it seems that someone had created their own Vista driver for it by modyfing the XP one while others claimed that due to the hardware inside this keyboard, there would be no way to run it outside of an 32bit XP environment.

 

[TeenerTim]

I am considering getting rid of my CME-UF5 Midi keyboard since there is no possibility of running it under Windows 7 and purchasing something new.

Why would you think this? MIDI is MIDI and the model keyboard you have is irrelevant. It's all about the MIDI interface you have. If you are using an old interface through a game port you just need to upgrade to a USB port interface or purchase a card that has MIDI ports built in like some of the M-Audio cards do. If you buy a new keyboard and use the interface that doesn't work with Win7 you'll be wasting money.

 

[A320]

You know this occurred to me just shortly after I made that post. Currently I am obviously using it via USB. As for my audio I am using onboard sound. But say for instance, I upgraded my sound card to something better which had a midi input like a 'creative' or even 'M-Audio' card, you're saying MIDI is MIDI as long as the sound card has drivers to work with Windows 7 I can use my CME keyboard via MIDI interface with no issues under Windows 7. Do I have that right, if so I'll be relieved because I'd MUCH rather have this option as I really like this keyboard and got it for too good of a price to have to give it up.

 

[A320]

PS - as for the interface, I am using Ableton Live 8 primarily which appears thus far to load up no problem under Windows 7.

 

[TeenerTim]

I just checked the Ableton web site and they state in the FAQs that 64-bit Windows Vista is not supported. There's no mention of Win7 at all but if it doesn't work under Vista 64 it won't work under Win7 64 as you state in your profile.

Try downloading some shareware MIDI sequencers and see if they work. Also look for an updated driver for the USB interface. It's not necessarily tied to Ableton.

 

[A320]

As for the USB driver for the keyboard itself CME has dropped the ball and created ONLY and XP driver for this keyboard.

As for Ableton Live and it's compatibility it seems to be working so far in my Windos 7 environment, no conflicts yet. Maybe 'compatibility mode' is working ok.

So back to my original question, regardless of which MIDI sequencer program I end up using, will the keyboard itself work via MIDI as I described above with a proper sound card or any hardware add on that accepts MIDI.

 

[TeenerTim]

Let's start with the basics. You say Ableton Live is working but yet you also say you can't use the keyboard. Just because the software loads doesn't mean it's working. You don't mention what function is not working. Can you play MIDI files from disk to your sound card? Can you record from your keyboard? I looked up the CME-UF5 specs and see it is only a controller with no on-board sounds. Do you have a separate sound module? Does the system recognize the device when you plug the USB cable in?

You typically don't have MIDI drivers for an instrument or even for a given sequencing program. You usually have drivers for the interface whether it's a card, a game port, or a USB device. You're software may be designed to control specific functions only you keyboard has but it also be able to handle General MIDI. Buy this: Buy CME U2MIDI USB Cable-Like MIDI Interface | Audio Interfaces & Convertors | Audio Interfaces | Musician's Friend before you replace your keyboard.

MIDI is an industry standard format that doesn't send audio signals but performance data such as which key is pressed, how long it is held down, how quickly it was pressed, and which instrument is mapped to that key. That's why MIDI files are so small and they work with every MIDI device.


Without knowing exactly what the specific problem is you should check the following:

1. Check power to all devices.
2. Check cabling.
3. Move USB cable to a different USB port. (Mine burnt out once)
4. Check USB status in Device Manager.
5. Check MIDI Playback device in Sounds and Audio part of Control Panel
6. Check the default Record/Playback device in Ableton.
7. Download a shareware MIDI sequencer and see if that works.
8. Finally, try the Vista driver at CME - Driver Download

Hope that helps some. You should be able to plug your keyboard into any MIDI computer and and any keyboard into your system.

 

[A320]

ok, I'm not sure if I am mis-communicating but we are making this a bit more confusing than it has to be I think.

I do know all about MIDI. This CME keyboard is simply a controller, ie, it cannot be run without software on the computer, it acts just like a regular keyboard, sending signals to the software.

This keyboard has USB and MIDI out. Prior to Win7 I was using it in XP, with the USB out, with the USB driver from their site, and Ableton Live, was one of my several MIDI sequencers I have been using. (FLStudio, Acid pro were some of the others but thats irrelavent). My point is that even with the USB driver this keyboard will not do anything until you have software with VST's (virtual instruments).

Under Win 7, I have Ableton Live running just fine. The software itself is doing it's job, for example I can load my saved work, and play VST instruments using my regular qwerty keyboard as the 'signal sender'. I cannot however use my CME keyboard via USB because there is no USB driver that works in Vista/7 for this model therefore windows or ableton does not recognize the device when I connect it via USB. The link you referenced is the main download page but the vista driver shown is not for my model keyboard.

So my question is, if I buy an audio card with MIDI in like this one:

As long as the audio card itself has appropriate drivers fir Win7 and functions properly, than I can switch and use the MIDI out on my CME to send the signals to my software correct?

Simply put, scratch the idea of using USB and finding a driver for the CME KEYBOARD (since there isn't one) and use the MIDI out which would only require an audio card with a driver that works.

Am I confusing you more or did this explain it better.

Thanks for taking the time.

 

[TeenerTim]

I've got it now. I've never had a controller that had a USB port on the controller itself. I have my MIDI keyboard connected using a cable that had a USB connector on one end and a MIDI connector on the other. The driver either does the appropriate signal remapping or there is a logic chip embedded. So you don't need a separate internal cuircit board.

There four of these inexpensive adapters here at: USB MIDI Interface Search | Musician's Friend for $30 to $50 USD. I would check for Win7 compatibility with those vendors.

 

[TeenerTim]

I started reading the reviews and it looks like the E-Mu, the M-Audio, and the Yamaha have quality issues. The CME appears to work in 64 bit mode if you download the Vista driver.

 

[A320]

Actually according to the reviews for the CME cable, if it's the one you pictured above, it does not work in 64bit Vista according to the one user.

The E-MU appears to be successful in that environment though again according to reviews.

I guess I could do the sound card option as well like the one I showed above if I also wanted to upgrade my whole sound hardware anyway. I just have to make sure that the sound card is supported.

 

[TeenerTim]

Prologue

Since I hadn't connected my own MIDI gear to my new Win7 system I decided to give it a try. I use the Cakewalk USB Music Pack to access my MIDI gear. Things probably would have gone more smoothly if I hadn't forgotten that the connector has a standard and advanced mode controlled by a switch on the module.

I plugged the USB connector in to see if Win7 would recognize it. It found a USB device but could not find a driver for it so I went to the Cakewalk website and downloaded a 64 bit Vista driver. Windows 7 wouldn't even run the setup program until I ran the troubleshooting wizard. I was never able to get the Vista driver to work. As I searched for a solution I found a reference to the switch I mentioned earlier. At that point I set the switch to standard mode and plugged in the cable. Windows 7 recognized the device as a standard MIDI interface and installed a Microsoft 64 bit driver. Now we were getting somewhere.

The first thing I did was to open the Control Panel and go to the Sound section to set the default MIDI device. To my surprise there isn't one! There is nothing in the Control Panel that deals with MIDI devices. Device Manager shows the MIDI interface as a valid audio controller so that was a little reassuring. If you open the Devices and Printers window the MIDI interface shows up there as a device. If you view the properties of the device there is no way to set the default record/playback device. This seems pretty strange compared to Win XP.

Let the testing begin. Even before I installed my MIDI adapter I could play MIDI files with Media Player. They would use the MIDI instruments on the sound card. My setup includes a MIDI keyboard and a separate MIDI sound module, a Roland Sound Canvas. I even have MIDI built into my guitar effects processor so I can send program changes. This gives me three playback devices and one recording device. There appears to be no way to tell Media Player where I want my MIDI files to be played. So far I am disappointed at the lack of MIDI support in Windows 7. The final test is load up a MIDI sequencer and see what happens. Thank goodness the MIDI adapter is recognized by the sequencer software. From here I can send MIDI to any of my playback destinations.

As far back as Windows 3.1 I had good control of my MIDI devices. 3.1 even had a MIDI Mapper applet that let me custom map my keyboard sounds to that of other devices. Windows 7 is dismal failure in terms of control and customization of MIDI options. The bottom line is that anything you do with MIDI must now be done in a standalone sequencer. At least Cakewalk is advertising that Sonar 8.5 Studio is Windows 7 compatible.

 

[A320]

Thanks TeenerTim for the detailed write up. By the sounds of it, for what I am looking at doing with my software, I should have success, although I noted the lack of flexibility with MIDI in general and Windows 7. I will let you know how it goes once I get a proper adapter or new audio card.

 

[Zolta0]

I have just bought used Cme-UF5 & have Windows 7 - 64 bit, I have USB to MIDI Keyboard Interface Converter Cable Adapter eBay Costs less than £5 Item Number = 370148058682 - from = eBay Stores - DreamMacys dot com, Cables Adapters, Computer Accessories items on eBay.com <<-copy link in to browser & in store search type = USB to MIDI Keyboard Interface Converter Cable Adapter - Hope that helps it works perfect on Windows 7 ultimate 64 bit & on any version of Windows you want. Its USB at one end and 2 MIDI Conectors 1 in 1 out at the other, It does not need any drivers and will work with any MIDI Instrument & any version of Windows used on Reason 4, Ableton Live 8, and other software

 

[Aphelion]

Simply put, scratch the idea of using USB and finding a driver for the CME KEYBOARD (since there isn't one) and use the MIDI out which would only require an audio card with a driver that works.

Am I confusing you more or did this explain it better.

Thanks for taking the time.

Yep, all you need is:

1. A standard USB MIDI interface that works with Windows 7.

2. A decent audio card + MIDI interface that works with Windows 7.

Is that a picture of an M-Audio Audiophile 24/96?
If so I can confirm that it works under Windows 7, in fact, Windows 7 has some built-in drivers for this card. I use the more recent drivers off the M-Audio site.

Oh, and a couple of 5-pin MIDI cables....

Ap

 

[A320]

An older thread being revived here,

In the end, I ended up purchasing a "Tascam US-122" vs an audio card for my PC.

Been using the keyboard with Windows 7 x64 + Ableton Live 8 for months.

 

[Aphelion]

An older thread being revived here,

In the end, I ended up purchasing a "Tascam US-122" vs an audio card for my PC.

Good to know... which drivers did you use for the US-122.

The most recent, have they been updating the drivers?

The US-122 is made by Frontier Audio, actually a nice little audio/MIDI interface, a bit long in the tooth but they sound good.

Ap

 

[maceman]

Hi A320,

All you need is a MIDI to USB interface. Most of them seems to have drivers for Win7 64. Use your keyboards MIDI out. It will work. In MIDI I trust, not so sure about USB

 

[A320]

An older thread being revived here,

In the end, I ended up purchasing a "Tascam US-122" vs an audio card for my PC.

Good to know... which drivers did you use for the US-122.

The most recent, have they been updating the drivers?

The US-122 is made by Frontier Audio, actually a nice little audio/MIDI interface, a bit long in the tooth but they sound good.

Ap

I used the WinVista ones 3.40f. Works fine.

 

[A320]

Hi A320,

All you need is a MIDI to USB interface. Most of them seems to have drivers for Win7 64. Use your keyboards MIDI out. It will work. In MIDI I trust, not so sure about USB

Hi Maceman,

As I said above I already purchased a Tascam and it seems to work great for me. I wanted to have a bit more flexibility for the future (add a mic) instead of just getting a single cable converter. I admit when I went in to the music store I was just looking for a cable but he had one of these left plus it was an open box price, so it was cheap I thought what the hell.