Can I use my DAW's virtual keyboard to play notes on a rack synth?

KeyitDay

New member
Do I need a midi keyboard to play a rack synth or can I use my DAW's virtual keyboard to play it somehow, please?
 
You can use your virtual keyboard. Which DAW are you in?

You have to map the input of your MIDI Instrument track to 'listen' for the notes from your internal virtual keyboard.
 
You can use your virtual keyboard. Which DAW are you in?

You have to map the input of your MIDI Instrument track to 'listen' for the notes from your internal virtual keyboard.

I'm in Reaper... the whole subject confuses me I'm not entirely sure what you said..

I understand midi keyboard > midi cable > rack mount > audio cable > sound card > laptop

but...

laptop > .....................................? > rack mount > audio cable > sound card > laptop ???

Dear God.
 
Reaper - Setting up Midi Input - Recording and Monitoring - Untidy Music

I'm not a Reaper user and haven't even looked at it in years but the concepts are the same for most DAWs.

Make a new MIDI Track.
Set its Input.

This says Right Click on the AR button, but I also see an 'IO' (Input/Output) button so my guess is they have the same options in regards to Input.
Choose 'Input MIDI >' and I see something in their drop list that says 'Virtual MIDI Keyboard.'
 
Reaper - Setting up Midi Input - Recording and Monitoring - Untidy Music

I'm not a Reaper user and haven't even looked at it in years but the concepts are the same for most DAWs.

Make a new MIDI Track.
Set its Input.

This says Right Click on the AR button, but I also see an 'IO' (Input/Output) button so my guess is they have the same options in regards to Input.
Choose 'Input MIDI >' and I see something in their drop list that says 'Virtual MIDI Keyboard.'

Yeah I know how to use the virtual keyboard in the DAW for any of the midi tracks it just works by default but it's just going to show key presses and not play any sound because there is no sound being generated as the laptop isn't connected to the rack mount? How does the rack mount receive midi information from the sequencer to generate sound? With a midi keyboard it would connect to the synth by a midi cable. Do I need to have a USB to midi in from the laptop to the rack synth and then an audio cable back to the laptop?
 
Ok great. So, next step, you are wanting the 'Output' of that same MIDI track to go to your MIDI interface. Do you see your MIDI interface listed in the output section? If so, select it there. No you're routing the notes to your interface.
 
Do I need to have a USB to midi in from the laptop to the rack synth and then an audio cable back to the laptop?

Well, you will need some kind of capability to output MIDI from your DAW to the rack synth - in other words, a MIDI interface. Many audio interfaces include one, but a simple USB-to-MIDI cable will do as well.
 
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