wk-3200 software

[- T -]

OK Steve!

 

That lower panel in MIDI-OX is for selecting its MIDI Output Device, and has nothing to do with selecting a MIDI Input Device in the upper psnel.  This screen shot shows that MIDI-OX is connected to your MIDI Adapter Cable (USB A) for both its MIDI Input and MIDI Output Devices.  If you already have a MIDI Sequencer (DAW) program, go into its MIDI Device Selection menu and select your Adapter Cable as its MIDI Output Device  Load one of your MIDI files into it and see if it will play to the WK-3200.  If you do not already have a MIDI Sequencer (DAW) program, download Anvil Studio and use it.  I choose it, because it is a free and safe download, and it has a fairly easy learning curve.  You can get Anvil Studio from www.anvilstudio.com.  Make sure you choose the correct version for your system from across the top of the home page.

 

 

 

[Jokeyman123]

Playing off the card-I believe, and ted can correct me as he might know better than me-the WK3200 will only recognize a midi file "type 0" which means that whatever midi channel or channels were originally recorded in that midi file-all those tracks will be assembled into one midi "track". A midi "type 1" file will have each midi channel separated into its own "track". a bit confusing-and the only way you will know for sure is to open the midi file in your computer software-if all the sounds in that file show up in one "track" with your midi software sequencer/DAW, it is a type zero midi file. If each 'tone" or sound shows up on a separate track in your software-it is a "type one" midi file. You would have to convert that file to a type zero-which i do with my "Jazzware" midi sequencer but there is a post somewhere here with an even simpler software program that does this. If I find it, I'll post it here. If you are playing through the midi cable using your computer as the source-it should make no difference, this type zero/one designation applies to the card. Can you post  a picture of your midi adapters-you say you bought the exact same one? If so, these are notorious for "showing up" as connected to your computer, but then will not communicate midi data properly, or at all. Like I said, i had 3 of these, and only one worked-a little but still dropped my midi data when it worked at all. 

[steve747]

Hello Again. I downloaded the Anvil studio and plugged the midi cable in and it seemed to have recognised the usb A input and output but I don't know where to go from here to try and send a midi file to the keyboard. I have never used Anvil before.

 

As for the smart card I have 2 files on it to see if I can get it to work. I used the jazz software to create an SMF0 file. I put the card in------->load card------>please wait, enter------>LdSMF, enter------>err no file. So I'm stuck as to what to do with the card

[- T -]

OK Steve !

 

I am going to walk you through loading your MIDI file into Anvil Studio and playing it to the WK-3200.  The file will actually be playing on Anvil Studio on the computer, but it will be using the WK-3200's sound engine as a sound module.  If, during this process, you receive two or three pop-up alert windows with red upward pointing arrows, just ignore them.  They are just FYI, but you will need to "Close" them, before you can proceed.

 

I want to get you back to that Anvil Studio screen where you made that screen shot, so with the WK-3200 connected to your laptop and both powered on, start Anvil Studio.  From here on, I will use the abbreviation "AS" to refer to Anvil Studio.  Once AS is up and running, go to the menu bar at the upper left of the screen and click on View.  In the pull-down menu, click on the 7th item down: Synthesizers, MIDI + Audio Devices.  That should bring you back to the screen where you made your screen shot.  While you are on this screen, look to the lower portion with its light blue or teal colored background.  Any area with that backgound in the lower portion of the screen is your AS on-screen Help guide.  The info there pertains to the items in the upper portion of the screen.  Looking at the upper left panel: MIDI Out devices, I see Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth and USB A.  Both of those I understand, but that MIDIOUT2 (USB A), I have no idea where that is coming from. For now, if USB A is not highlighted, click on it to select it.  If this does not work, come back to this screen and select the MIDIOUT2 and try again.  Once you have USB A selected (highlighted), go to the upper left corner and click on FILE, then click on the second entry: Open Song.  Use the Load a Song pop-up window to navigate to wherever you have your MIDI file(s) stored and double-left click on the one you want to play.  That will load the file (song) into AS and bring you to the AS Tracks screen.  At the upper left edge of this screen are the Transport Controls, that look like the controls on a reel-to-reel or cassette tape recorder.  Click on the right facing triangle (Play) button and you should hear your MIDI file playing from the WK-3200's speakers.  If not, go back and select that MIDIOUT2 device and try again.  If that does not work either, then your laptop is apparently not actually connecting with the WK-3200, and may indicate a problem with your adapter cable.  If either of those two devices DOES work, then you are all set to load up the IDES-3 software and proceed with transfering your MIDI files into the WK-3200's internal memory.  Did you remember to download the IDES-3 manual?  If not, go back and get it, as you will need it.  Whenever you load a different song, or exit from AS, it will ask you if you want to save the current file.  Unless you DID make changes that you DO want to save, always answer "NO" to this.  You do not want to inadvertently save any unwanted changes.

 

 

[steve747]

Hello T. Thanks for taking the time to write your post. I followed your steps and I'm including a couple of sreenshots, unfortunately it didn't work. The cable is new.It didn't seem to work by clicking USB A but I was able to display the midi file on the second option USB2 I think which is Sweet Caroline as a test midi. I managed to play it but only through the laptop speakers not the WK3200 speakers

[Jokeyman123]

Its the cable after all your trouble I dont see anything else possible.  Ted has described all working steps to a "T"-oops sorry no pun i tended! if you bought the exact type of cable-if it looks identical, it probably is still defective-it is hit or miss with these. i tore my hair out (last one too) with just such problems as you until I bought the midisport-not much more money than these others and have had no trouble connecting anything to anything anymore. Did I mention-I bought 3 of these-and each had a major defect preventing the midi data from communicating...one almost worked, but was still causing misery-I feel for anyone who has these. If anyone has one that works I'd be surprised. Most of these left out the "UART' IC, which pretty much is what is necessary to get midi data in and out of the computer and keyboard! You've gone this far...hate to see you give up because of a defective cable, or 2...or 3 like I did!

[- T -]

OK Steve!

 

Your problem at the moment is that you do not have Anvil Studio completely set up yet.  You have not finished defining the WK-3200 to it yet.  In the upper part of your screen shot, in the MIDI Out Devices pane, you have MIDIOUT2 high-lighted.  That's good.  That's what we want, but note that there is a line coming out of the right side of that pane and makes a rigth angle down and points to a note at the bottom of that pane that tells you that you have not yet defined the MIDIOUT2 device as a "synth" that Anvil Studio recognizes.  Go back up, and note that the pane to the immediate right of the MIDI Out Devices pane is the Synthesizers pane.  This is where you will finish defining your MIDIOUT2 device as a "synth" that Anvil Studio can recognize.  Right now, Anvil Studio is pointed at the MS Wavetable Synth, which is the VST synth that is built into Windows.  That is why your song comes out of your laptop's speakers.  At the bottom right of that pane, click on Add Synth.  In the pop-up window give your synth its true name "WK-3200".  Click on the down arrow at the right of the next line down, and in the drop down list, click on your MIDIOUT2. Now go down and click on Create a new Patch Library of type:.  That should close the pop-up window and return you to the Synthesizers pane.  On the second line up from the bottom of this pane, click on Assign all tracks to this synth.  Now, back to the menu bar at the top of the screen, click on View, then click on Mixer.  If all has gone well, all of the entries in the Device column should show WK-3200, indicating that your WK-3200 has been assigned to each one ot the tracks in that file.  In the transport controls, click on the "play" icon, and you should hear your song coming from the WK-3200's speakers.

 

 

[steve747]

Hello again guys. To Jokyman, I can't really see how a new cable wouldn't work, I got my money back anyway. I looked up the midisport and I thought it was another type of cable until I saw it was a little black box, how does it worK? Thanks again T, I followed your instructions and no luck again. I pushed the assigned the synthesiser button, see screenshot and no sound came out of the WK-3200 or the laptop. I could also see the black progression bar on the right side of the mixer moving along and the timer counting down but no sound.

[- T -]

It looks like Anvil Studio is properly set up, Steve, but I need one more screen shot, so I can know for certain.  From the screen above, go up to the menu bar at the top left of the screen, and click on View, then click on Mixer and do a screen shot of that and post it.  I need to be able to see the individual tracks on that screen.  Thanks!

[Jokeyman123]

The Midisport uses the same cable connections as your other adapter(s) but uses separate cables plugged into the ox-a standard USB printer cable=one end into your computer USB port, the other end into the Midisport. then you connect standard "DIN" midi DIN (5-pin) cables into your keyboard and Midisport DIN connectors. Wait to see if Ted gets you working with Anvil Studio before you get another cable-I use Anvil studio too and it should work no problem if set up properly. 

[steve747]

Hello Guys. Here is the screenshot of the mixer. If I am reading it correctly it looks like it is only playing track 1 at the the top in white which has no instruments in it that's why I guess I don't get any sound. I tried to play around with it but couldn't figure out how to get the other tracks. The black progression bar is moving along and the timer as well.  If I can sort this out then I may not need a midisport

[- T -]

Track 1 being high-lighted just indicates that it is the track currently selected for editing, and the red check at the left indicates that it is "armed" for recording.  None of this has anything, what-so-ever, to do with playback.  I am seeing what I needed to see.  The "WK-3200" in the "Devices" column of this screen tells me that the "Assign all tracks to this synth" selection from the previous setup page carried over, as it should have.  This all tells me that Anvil Studio is now properly set up, yet there is still no communication with the WK-3200.  Anvil Studio was not a valid test of the "other' cable, as it (Anvil Studio) was not properly set up at that time.  We have only had Anvil Studio completely and properly set up for the past 24 hours, and with this I bow to Jokeyman123.

 

 

 

[steve747]

ok thanks. With Anvil studio seemingly working correctly would the conclusion be a faulty cable.

[Jokeyman123]

Unfortunately the only way to find out would e to try another midi cable usb converter. do not buy the same "no-name" brand. I only mnetioned the Midisport because it was the least expensive option I could find-a bit cumbersome with the extra metal box, but it has been extremely reliable, works on everything I've connected, and this company has been around a long time for midi equipment. the Rolands (also called Edirol) tend to be more expensive as do most of the other name brand midi adapters. I think Ted already mentioned-you switched the midi din connectors both ways, yes? In other words, tried midi in to midi out for each, then reversed the connections just to be sure? In my experience with these Chinese adapters-i do have one that works but not well, drops connection-the midi in plug goes to the midi out, and out to in. and you might have to re-boot your computer if you delete or re-install a Windows midi/usb driver.  I have to look back at the older posts, but did anyone say that an older Casio midi driver needs to be installed to get Windows to work, to see this older Casio? It looks like that isn't the problem anyway, since your software is finding the connection and showing it in Anvil Studio and Midiox.  So i have to think it is the cable.  If you aren't convinced, read some of these comments in this post....

https://hackaday.com/2013/07/11/the-perils-of-cheap-midi-adapters/

 

You will see, many users have had enormous headaches trying to get this style and brand of connector to work. M-audio also makes an an adapter as does Alesis and a few others I can't remember now. One more example-I have 2 Yamaha QY modules-when i tried to connect these to my laptops with these connectors-the light flashes as if it is working, but no data is actually getting in and out of the QY's. I couldn't understand what was wrong-the driver was showing up in device manager in Windows, and in my software, but I could not get data in or out. I hooked up the Midisport and everything worked perfectly.  same with my PX350 when i tried using this-since the PX350 also has 'legacy" midi din connectors in the back, these worked connected to the computer. when I used one of these Chinese-made connectors with the PX350 USB port, nothing worked, and i spent hours trying to figure out why. Save yourself further trouble and try a name-brand usb adapter first. apparently, nothing else has solved the problem. Like Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes said-if all other solutions don't work, that which remains must be the answer, or something like that!

[Jokeyman123]

Steve-just checking back in after poking around for some alternate midi adapters-on e*** (I'm not allowed to send you to a particular vendor here-but the Midisport Uno and Midisport 1 x 1 aI just found are less than 30.00 US for either, and there are a few others including my 2 x 2-means you get 2 midi devices that can connect to your computer which can be very handy. I think I got mine for around 30 US. and Midisport supports these, with information and drivers on their website if you need it. The other Chinese devices do not provide any support at all.  Let me know how you do. and the roland/edirol devices i found are a little pricey and probably work no better than the Midisports.

[Brad Saucier]

The best advice I can give when buying one of the USB to MIDI adapter cables is buy one with a brand name on it, any brand name at all.  The problems we've seen have come from adapter cables that have no brand name on them.  Even better, buy one with a brand name you recognize and from a seller you trust.

[steve747]

Thanks guys, so it seems the cable may be the problem. I'd like to address the smart card issue and hopefully you will be familiar with it. I think it would be better than the laptop as I can just insert the card and away I go. I have put 2 midi files on it and used jazz to change it to SMF0. I put the card in, pushed the cursor button-------->pls wait--------->ld song, enter-------->ldSMF, enter-------> the it says err no file. Any ideas from here?