isabel95

Okay...I managed to bring the keyboard to the desktop and record...and by turning down the treble get reasonable non-hissy playback. I decided to try recording from the keyboard to my Dell 8200 laptop but wasn't certain which port to connect to and the manual really didn't seem to indicate any line in. I found a port next to the headphone which did allow me to record but the distortion was terrible and I didn't seem to be capturing one of my channels - the bass side. I called Dell Tech Support...got some lady in India who didn't really know what I was talking about who asked if it was a ps2 or usb connection! Told me there was no input for recording. Does anyone know otherwise? Isabel :

In the previous reply that should be "clue", not club! Isabel

Rats...you're right...I did use the wrong input...I just wanted to make a screen grab of the ports on the card and I noticed that I had put the line into the mic socket. It's hard to get at those ports...there are so many cables in the way! My brain wasn't working too good yesterday (one hour in the dentist's chair). I'll bet things'll be fine when I get it hooked up right! I'm using a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz card. Thanks! Isabel Hallelujah...Line in in the correct port!!!! I can get Sound Recorder to record the Fantom sounds and I get the same patch sounds, not the ugly midi sounds, BUT, on playback I get what sounds like terrible "tape hiss"! I can't however, use Turtle Beach's "Recording Station". I'm sure I don't have the correct settings chosen, but at least I'm making progress. Any club as to how to get rid of the "tape hiss"? Thanks so much. Isabel

Rats...you're right...I did use the wrong input...I just wanted to make a screen grab of the ports on the card and I noticed that I had put the line into the mic socket. It's hard to get at those ports...there are so many cables in the way! My brain wasn't working too good yesterday (one hour in the dentist's chair). I'll bet things'll be fine when I get it hooked up right! I'm using a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz card. Thanks! Isabel

Duh...I pasted the wrong link...I found out I had the correct connections to the line in and you can see that picture here: http://www.pbase.com/image/25586473/original...and if you click on previous you'll see my close quarters. I actually almost successfully recorded the keyboard sounds but am getting a huge amount of distortion. The file is unusable. I checked the hardware settings and everything for sound is on maximum quality - acceleration, etc. Now I have to figure out why I'm getting distortion. I did solve my previous sound card distortion problem by installing the card in a different socket and reinstalling the software, so it must be something else. Isabel

Al & Mark... At long last the light bulb has ignited. Midi connection I realize was not the way to go. Tomorrow I'm off the Radio Shack to get the supplies Mark suggested. Thank you both. Isabel

See my very professional setup here: http://www.pbase.com/update_image/25584765 and read the description of my experiences beneath the picture.

My problem is lack of knowledge. I need to know which cables I need to record directly from the keyboard! There is so little information on the web or in manuals that I can comprehend. I have a Roland Fantom (the previous model). Can you tell me what sort of cables I need? (I supposed the store where I purchased it can tell me. I just feel like such a doofus in the audio department. I am not used to being so helpless!) I have a sort of simple program that might help, called "Band in a Box". ......Hummmmmmmm....just read down a few messages and see that you found out I have a Fantom...I will have to check with the music shop for the proper cables. When I say reasonably priced, I can spend more than $20, but I don't want to spend way more than $100...I am a software junkie and get so many programs that initially excite and them get abandoned. I like the idea of recording directly from the keyboard. Will have to read up on Cubase. (no doubt more than $100!) Isabel

Thanks, Al. Just as soon as I fix up an apparent conflict in my computer which is causing distorted sound I will try the direct recording process. I think I can put the keyboard on the table to the left of the computer. It is on wheels and when pulled out will accommodate the keyboard. Just have to figure out how to keep the cat off it! I just put in a Santa Cruz card because I didn't like the sounds on the Blaster that came with this Dell machine...and lo and behold I experienced the same distorted sound (it had been happening on and off with the Blaster. From what I can tell from surfing the web it is probably some sort of conflict with our network setup. My husband is going to put the card into a different pci socket tomorrow. Hopefully that'll solve the problem. Thanks again. Isabel P.S. Cakewalk makes so many different versions of their software. Which is the least I can get away with?

Problem solved for now. I did some searching on the web and saw a suggestion to uninstall and reinstall the sound card driver and that seemed to work. I wish I knew why it got corrupted. Isabel

From the beginning the sound in my computer has intermittently been distorted with pops and lack of clarity. I thought it might be the sound card so we installed a new one which was fine at first and then the distortion returned. Does anyone have an idea of how to cure this problem. Rebooting (my usual fix-all solution) didn't work. Isabel

Al...I can save a midi file from a performance on my keyboard to a floppy disk. Of course when I put the disk in the computer it sounds nothing like the instrument(s) I recorded. My first test was a vibraphone and it came out as a piano. Is there any way I can change a midi file to something decent sounding with simple software? I'm trying to avoid having to move the keyboard near the computer. This is my workspace: http://www.pbase.com/image/24749366 Isabel

Ahah! I see! Had to click on the last slide and enter the run external application in the box beneath the slide list on the right. Worked! Thanks. Isabel

I just put together a test program and entered the path of another PTE show on my computer in the "run another application" area (box checked). It does not run and the test program slides have all been shown. I checked the path to make sure that it was correct and it is. Is there something else I have to do to make another show run? Isabel

Clicking just User Manual is just a Chapter Title. If you want to see it contents ... click the the sub-chapters below it. Main Window,Project Options, etc ,etc. Duh! I should have been able to figure that out. Thanks! Isabel

I know this is going to sound ridiculous with 4 PTE presentations uploaded to Beechbrook, but when I click on the Help file, contents/user manual in the program all I get is one screen which ends with "Let's start exploring PicturesToExe". There is no scroll part at the right of the screen and no way to move anywhere else. Isabel

Thanks, Al...I do have the cables because I use them to connect my Peavey speakers to the keyboard. I have a neat set of speakers that attach to a portable amplifier. The whole thing is on wheels but weighs a ton...definitely not for a "lady" to pick up! I'm assuming these are the cables I would use...correct me if I'm wrong! Isabel

I would think there would be more of a market for a tutorial based on a less comprehensive program than the Adobe one...Audacity sounds like a good idea. That's complicated enough for me! Isabel

Count me in on a tutorial with reasonably priced software! I need LOTS of help! Isabel

Al, connecting the keyboard directly to the line-in sounds infinitely easier than having to move the keyboard downstairs. Thanks for the heads up. Is there any reason why I can keep the cables attached in the back of the computer, unattached? It's quite awkward getting back there amongst all the wires and I'd rather just leave them in. Isabel

Hurray...you've found a solution for me. My keyboard used to be downstairs with the sound system, where I spend little time since I'm separated from my dog and cat...and I miss them...so I brought it back upstairs near me and I can sit at it any time without fear of separation! Now it seems I'll have to bring it back downstairs to record...Arghhhhhh! I guess I have to think of a theme for a new show and get the pictures ready so I can get to work making some music! I just got a Turtle Beach Santa Fe card...not the latest and greatest, but my soundcard in my previous computer was a Turtle Beach and it had much better sounds than the basic Blaster that Dell put into this machine. I'm printing out your reply for further study. I'm exciting about getting started on this project! I think I'd better do a LOT OF PRACTICING...I really don't want to get involved with editing! Thanks for the input...I have a feeling I'll be picking your brain soon. Isabel

I am a total dunce about computer audio. I can save the music I play as a midi file, but when it's played back through my computer the sounds depend on the sounds I have on my sound card. Does anyone know how I can convert the midi performance I save to a floppy from my keyboard (A Fantom) into something that will have pleasing sounds..and sometime I can turn into mp3? Is there any SIMPLE software I can use. I have dabbled with Cakewalk in the past and other confusing programs and am very intimidated by the whole process, but I want to use royalty free music and if I can compose and perform my own, why not? Isabel

Jeff Lunt has put together a very touching presentation with magnificent pictures and very well matched music. Isabel

Had a photo club meeting here last night and showed some of my PTE presentations. One enthusiastic viewer was sad to learn PTE didn't exist for her Mac. Does anyone know of a similar slideshow making program for the Mac? TIA. Isabel

Here's how I sort my images. After I've chosen the images I want to use I print out large thumbnails using the automate function in Photoshop. Next, I cut them apart and play with the order on my kitchen counter. When I've settled on the order I number them. Next I got back to the directory and rename the pictures by putting numbers before each name, e.g. 01horse, 02cat, etc. When the images are brought into PTE they automatically come out in the correct order. I find it much easier to visually sort when I can see the images all in one place, at reasonable size. Isabel