Can't get instrument sound.

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chrisonkeys

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Problem with sound from Tascam US-122

Help! I've set up the Tascam US-122 as the main sound card for my computer. It's working to some extent because I can play CDs and I can hear the computer sounds. I have my keyboard plugged in (midi in, midi out, and line/guitar in R) and I have a mic plugged in (mic in L). The unit can "hear" both the keyboard and the mic ("sig" and "midi out" lights come on when I play the keyboard or speak into the mic), but I can't! Nothing is coming out of the speakers or the headphones. What am I doing wrong?
 
ok, first of all both midi in and midi out should be flashing when you play on your keyboard. if it's just midi out and then no midi data is going in.

as about not being able to hear anything, did you check the Volume Properties? you must uncheck MIDI(only if your outputfrom the keyboard is by using a soundbank or a VSTi/DXi) and Line or Aux depends on which ones youre using (not familiar with the card)
 
I didn't mention about the midi in going on when I played something because it's always on (it doesn't just flash). Here's another weird thing I discovered: I can go into my Cubasis recording program and not only does it "hear" the mic and keyboard, but it actually records something! I can see the meter going up and down when I hit "play" after recording something.

As far as the volume properties, everything seems to be on and up all the way. By "unchecking" the midi, did you mean unchecking the "mute" box? And I have disabled the internal Soundblaster sound card so that the external Tascam unit is now acting as the main soundcard (which, like I said, works for other sounds on the computer). I also have the "output" and "headphone" volume controls on the Tascam unit turned up when I try playing something on the keyboard, and I can't find any other switches or dials on the unit that might need to be turned up or switched on/off differently.

This is so puzzling! I've been trying to answer this question, "What is it that is different between input coming from the computer and input coming from the keyboard or microphone? If you can answer that, it might lead to an answer!

Thanks!
 
if the tascam is properly installed, then when you open Volume Properties, make sure you've chosen the Tascam from the drop down list. also, what is plugged in the line outs of the Tascam? and with the Tascam being only an add-on interface, you should enable your souncard to have output because most likely the line outs of the Tascam are not coming from the PC but rather from the input directly. check on those and let me know what happenned
 
Is there any way to set up your headphones or speakers as monitors? I know in my M-Audio setup there's an option for direct monitoring.
 
I know nothing about Tascam product. I've never owned nor used one. I will assume you have it setup correctly. I also have never used Cubase, and having it setup correctly would be important too. I have no idea how much about this you know, so I may be explaining things you already know about. Sorry, if that is the case.

You want Cubase setup with the Tascam midi input as the midi input. Your keyboard's midi output should be plugged into the Tascam midi input. Does your keyboard have speakers, or is it simply a midi controller? The mic input is not related to the midi input at all, and it has nothing to do with anything right now.

If the keyboard does not have speakers, then you probably have to configure Cubase to use some software you have installed to be the midi output (like MS Wavetable SW Synth or whatever software synthesizer Cubase may come with).

The setup would be something like this:

midi1.jpg


The is a screen shot of Sonar, so Cubase would be different.

If your keyboard does have speakers, then make it the midi input and output. The sounds will come from your keyboard.
 
he just got to enable something in his computer volume properties or in cubase. it is either muted or not enable.

somebody is alway calling me about this problem. I will fix in 5 min or less. those tascam make great sound cards. there is true zero latency in them. I seen people has latancy issues with pro tools (non mac) and m-audio cards
 
From re-reading the post, it appears that he has a full keyboard with speakers and has the keyboard plugged into his USB interface's line inputs. He probably has the sound from the keyboard speakers turned off and is attempting to monitor the sound from the computer.

Can Cubase record and playback the MIDI data from the keyboard with no problems?

This Tascam is a USB 1.1 box and not a sound card, btw. MIDI, in general, has latency. I don't think using this as a MIDI interface and attempting to monitor at the same time is such a good idea. You will get a lot of latency.
 
most tascam use firewire. there is no latency in them. I set up a lot of producer stuff. they agree, that the tascam are are better if you use them as sound cards. I know a guy who is selling his m-audio for like $100 because he got one
 
Lots of MIDI data being transferred at the same time as lots of audio data on the same bus is a bad idea, since it affects the timing of the data. A good idea would be to use a mixer and external MIDI synthesizers. Then, you could monitor the mixer externally and leave the Tascam to only transfer MIDI data.
 
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