What's General MIDI?

[KoreanDudeKR]

I know it isn't really related to computers and hardware, but I have a keyboard that is labeled "General MIDI." I have spent ages trying to connect it to my computer to use as a MIDI controller, but it just won't work. I used a USB2.0 to MIDI adapter to go from two 5 PIN MIDI-in and MIDI-out to a single USB 2.0 Port. In the device manager it shows up as USB Audio Device, and in any DAW software, it would show up as a MIDI controller. Sounds great, but when I press any keys on that keyboard it just wouldn't work.

 

I did research and found out basically nothing, because everyone else on the internet doesn't seem to have any problem with their keyboards. 

I have a Windows 10 Home 64bit with Geforce 1050 (which doesn't really matter)

The Piano is Samick Digital Piano SP Series SP600NH

 

P.S: WhAt Is GeNeRaL MiDi?

[vynncentgm]

From Wikipedia:

Quote

General MIDI (also known as GM or GM 1) is a standardized specification for electronic musical instruments that respond to MIDI messages. GM was developed by the American MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) and the Japan MIDI Standards Committee (JMSC) and first published in 1991. The official specification is available in English from the MMA, bound together with the MIDI 1.0 specification, and in Japanese from the Association of Musical Electronic Industry (AMEI).

 

GM imposes several requirements beyond the more abstract MIDI 1.0 specification. While MIDI 1.0 by itself provides a communications protocol which ensures that different instruments can interoperate at a fundamental level (e.g., that pressing keys on a MIDI keyboard will cause an attached MIDI sound module to play musical notes), GM goes further in two ways: it requires that all GM-compatible instruments meet a certain minimal set of features, such as being able to play at least 24 notes simultaneously (polyphony), and it attaches specific interpretations to many parameters and control messages which were left under-specified in the MIDI 1.0 spec, such as defining instrument sounds for each of the 128 possible program numbers.

 

GM ensures that playback of MIDI files sounds consistently between different devices compliant with the GM specification. Instrument selection in MIDI is done by assigning a "Program Number": this assignment previously was arbitrary, while a specific instrument is attributed to each program number with GM.

The GM 1 specification was superseded by General MIDI 2 in 1999; however, GM 1 is still commonly used.^[1]

 

Is there a MIDI button on the keyboard somewhere and have you tried pressing it? I haven't found stuff for your model in a google search, but another one has such a button somewhere on the unit

[KoreanDudeKR]

4 minutes ago, vynncentgm said:

From Wikipedia:

 

Is there a MIDI button on the keyboard somewhere and have you tried pressing it? I haven't found stuff for your model in a google search, but another one has such a button somewhere on the unit

It doesn't have a MIDI button on the keyboard, however the manual does seem to mention that it can control TX channel and RX channel which then can be used on softwares like Cakewalk? It doesn't mention anything about a MIDI button. 

[vynncentgm]

Hmm, I think the TX/RX channels refer to the MIDI channels, like how channel 10 is always percussion. Maybe try setting both the software and keyboard to be on the same channel? I think the biggest issue is with the configuration of the USB MIDI interface

[KoreanDudeKR]

6 minutes ago, vynncentgm said:

Hmm, I think the TX/RX channels refer to the MIDI channels, like how channel 10 is always percussion. Maybe try setting both the software and keyboard to be on the same channel? I think the biggest issue is with the configuration of the USB MIDI interface

I used FL Studio and set the MIDI channel to 16 and I set both TX/RX channel to 16. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and nothing happened........ 

maybe it's the old hardware? I mean this thing is from 2009. MAYBE????

[vynncentgm]

What are your options for (generic controller)? Maybe FL Studio doesn't know how to talk to it?

[KoreanDudeKR]

I think these are keyboards and controllers that already have been configured for the user's experience. I mean the Samick isn't on the list anywhere so I went with the general controller type.

[vynncentgm]

That makes sense. Unfortunately I'm not too certain how to help anymore, sorry about that. Hopefully there's someone who's more knowledgeable than I am

[KoreanDudeKR]

1 minute ago, vynncentgm said:

That makes sense. Unfortunately I'm not too certain how to help anymore, sorry about that. Hopefully there's someone who's more knowledgeable than I am

thank you!

[Slayerking92]

https://www.musicrepo.com/how-to-connect-midi-keyboard-to-computer/