Transfering from keyboard to computer (Help!)

Hi all,

I am new here and hope to be an active contributer. I do have a quick question to start-

I recently purchased a Yamaha P85 digital piano and love it. I would like to be able to transfer the songs that I play using the record function on the keyboard to my pc and/or mac. I purchased the M-Audio Midisport Uno USB-Midi connector kit. I installed the CD and updated all the drivers. I also downloaded Yamaha's "Musicsoft Downloader" program from the website which is supposed to help transfer the files. I plug both the Midi-In and Midi-Out cables into the back of my keyboard and connect it to my pc via USB. However, upon opening the program, it does not seem to ever recognize my input device. On the connector, the power/usb button is lit as well as the Midi-In light, but the Midi-out light remains inactive... I imagine this has something to do with the problem?

Anyone know from what I said if I am just missing something? Anyone have experience with this program or have suggestions for other ways to transfer the songs I record on my keyboard to my pc? Thanks so much

Put the computer MIDI OUT into the P85 MIDI IN and vice-versa. If you've just followed the labels, it's not going to work; the light should blink every time you press a key.

I have actually tried that and nothing has happened. In fact, the labels on the USB plugs read "to Midi-Out" and "to Midi-In"... so I assume that thats how they go... but either way I have tried switching them and still no luck

Could be a defective MIDI interface ... stranger things have happened.

FWIW I use a UNO and it works just fine.

Hi nyi803,

What's your ultimate goal: simply transfer the recorded MIDI songs from your keyboard to your PC or turn them into audio files so that you can burn a CD, share your music with others, etc?

same problem

My ultimate goal is the transfer them to the PC to later be able to burn to a cd.

To record the audio directly from your keyboard to your PC, you'll need 2 audio cables, and audio interface and an audio recording program. You launch the audio program, hit the "Record" button then you hit the "Play" button on your keyboard and your song/s will be recorded on your PC as audio files [usually .wav format] that you can burn to CD.

If you don't have an audio program, you can use Audacity. It's freeware and should do the job.

If you don't have an audio interface, you can use the line input of your computer's soundcard [1/8" stereo jack], but the audio quality won't be as good as when using a dedicated external audio interface. You will also need, in this case, a Y-cable such as the one pictured below. The two 1/4" plugs seen on the right will be plugged into the left and right audio outputs of your keyboard. The 1/8" stereo plug seen on the left will be plugged into the 1/8" stereo line input jack on your computer's soundcard.