Beginner: How do I connect my controller to my pc just to play it.

[rubantin]

I bought an AKAI lpk25 controller. I installed the library software and selected lpk25 when I opened it... as per instructions.... but I have no sound.

It is a USB connection and I have XP on my PC.

I simply want to use my pc as a simple piano for my kids.

 

[Skipp]

Make sure you installed the correct drivers (if needed).

Then check if the VST gets the MIDI input from the keyboard. There's usually a MIDI setup utility somewhere in there that you need to configure.

Also check what's the audio output for the VST. Is it ASIO (if not - you might try installing that too since it really deals great with the latency) or just plain win audio.

 

[rubantin]

sry.. what is a vst?

 

[Skipp]

It's a "virtual" instrument that's used either as a plug-in or a standalone program on your PC. You control it with a MIDI keyboard.

You can't just plug in a keyboard and start playing - you have to play something,
and a PC recognizes the keyboard just as one of it's peripheral devices.

Basically, you need a piece of hardware (MIDI keyboard) and the software to play - being any of the VSTs available...

Pianoteq, Omnisphere, Vocaloid... etc.

 

[rubantin]

Isn't there a way to map it to my pc's sound card? Or... is there a free VST you can suggest?

 

[Skipp]

Well, there might be a free VST that uses windows MIDI sound, but that's just horrible.

any keyboard that costs more then 50$ has a better sound than that.

There are a couple of free VST plugins, but that means you will have to get a sequencer that can run those plugins... Something like cubase or nuendo.

I don't know of any free piano standalone VSTs. Maybe someone else on the forums?

And this is exactly why I hate VSTs and hooking stuff up with the PC. It's just way too much of a hassle. Not to mention if you want to get it live on stage

 

[jmemcse]

Here's some free vst's.