Hi I just got a Roland VR-09. Got it connected to my pc via the usb cable. The output into power tracks is always a piano sound. Wondering if anyone is using a VR-09, and how to get the correct sound out? Thanks Jeff
If you are using the USB as a MIDI cable, then the VR-09 is sending only MIDI data to the computer. Therefore the computer is setting/generating the sound being used.
Many times this is because the hardware synth (VR-09) is sending the MIDI Out data on MIDI channel 1, and the computer is routing the MIDI data on channel 1 to a Piano. This is a normal default setting.
The solution would likely involve either a. setting the send channel from the hardware synth to a different MIDI channel that the computer assigns to a different instrument b. Setting the computer to use a different sound for MIDI channel 1 (inside the softsynth being used). For multi-timbral softsynths (like GM syths) you can usually assign a given MIDI channel to a desired sound.
When using MIDI, no actual sound goes from the hardware synth to the computer (only MIDI data that the computer uses to generate sound).
If you instead use the Audio connection from the VR-09 to the computer you can record the audio sound from the hardware synth to the computer (as audio).
There are ways to route the MIDI into the computer back to go back out to the hardware synth, but then you may need a way to listen to both audio outputs at the same time (some sort of mixer).
HTH
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Please explain your setup; MIDI Out of keyboard goes to computer? Sound (audio) out of computer is what you hear?
How is your keyboard connected, and what is the path of the actual sound (audio) that you hear? Is the Keyboard connected to the computer via USB, and your monitors (whether headphones/speakers) comes through the computer .. or?
There are lots of places this signal flow could change direction, so we need to know the specifics to help. Do you hear a piano only while actually playing the keyboard, or does it also happen after you record a track and play it back?
Lots of questions, and knowing how things are wired will help others to give accurate suggestions.
Last edited by rharv; 01/08/1903:48 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
Hi Here is my setup . Using a usb cable from the Roland to my computer. I listen via headphones plugged into the computer . So what I am hearing is a piano, doesn’t matter what I have the Roland set for. If I record, and then listen to that, it is the same piano sound.
Pasted below is what Roland told me. Thanks for the help, Jeff
From Roland:
MIDI does not carry any sounds - it is a control message only, so it sounds like you are triggering a sound that is built into your computer.
If you would like to record the actual sound of the VR-09B into your computer, you will need to instead use an audio interface, which will connect to the main left / right output jacks on the back panel of the VR-09B, and then to a USB port in your computer. Once this is set up, you can create an audio track in your DAW application on your computer, and record the sound of the VR-09B
You have a few choices with a MIDI keyboard (that has its onboard sounds). In that it connects with a USB cable, I'm making the presumption (as with my Casio keyboard) that the connection is both in and out.
So, you can use it as a keyboard input device (so the notes you play on the keyboard get recorded/played back by your computer. However, in that configuration (with the data coming across the USB connection), you have to set up your computer to produce the sound (either via a track in your DAW and a VSTi loaded or a standalone sound module (such as Kontakt or Sampletank standalone), set to receive data from the keyboard.
If you want to hear the actual sounds produced by the keyboard's onboard sound engine, then you need a way to capture the audio out from the back of the keyboard and send that audio back to the computer. That would require a line-in capability from your computer (either via the onboard sound card or an external USB sound card). You have to set up your system to accept the keyboard data in the appropriate direction for the sounds you want.
See the diagram below for my configuration to capture both MIDI and audio data from my keyboards (which needs updating, but the concept is the same):
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA
If you go to Options-Preferences-MIDI devices, you can see what synth is being used, do you have the Re-Route MIDI box checked (top image)?
If so check the synth itself for MIDI channel routing to patch assignments for playback.
Hopefully the images below help. First image is how to assign the default synth, second is how to assign a patch to a given MIDI channel on that default synth. I used the Coyote interface as an example for the second.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
its probably a bit simpler. if you are getting a piano sound then you probably have a recorded midi track and some form of midi synth selected. right click on the track descriptive box and about four or five steps down is the patch change dialogue - choose the instrument you want
If it's like any Roland I have there are two modes. 1. Single ?? for playing a single patch 2. Performance- for using the keyboard as a multitimbral synth. I suspect that's why he only hears piano.
Hi, I can change the instrument. EX, change to Hammond Organ. Now when I play on my Roland, the sound coming through my headphones, connected to the PC is a Hammond organ. But is not the sound that is coming from my Roland. Just is not a piano anymore, not the setting from my Roland. Thanks Jeff
I think we are back to the original discussion of midi or audio. what you are hearing now as a Hammond organ is midi instructions from your roland being played as a hammond by the synth you are using in PT.
to record the sound from your roland that you would hear from the headphone out of the roland you need to connect the audio out to an audio interface like the Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD Audio Interface and record the sound not the midi information
midi is just digital ones and zeros which is what you are feeding into PT from your roland
the roland manual shows jacks as the output for audio - from what you describe i think you must be plugging in to the midi out socket which is a din plug
to hear and record the sound of your roland it needs to go into PT the way it would if you were singing into a microphone
Agreed, I don't think your USB connection is capable of sending the audio being played on the Roland to the computer. From Specs: USB COMPUTER port: USB Type B (supports USB MIDI)
Sounds like you want audio not MIDI. Use the audio out connections to the computer.
Weird as it sounds, you may end up needing a different device to take that audio and be able to send it to the computer using USB. I don't think your synth was designed for that.
In your images above, the keyboard is sending MIDI to the computer, and the computer is using the Coyote synth to make the sounds (from that MIDI) that you hear in your headphones connected to the computer. The Coyote does not sound like your synth .. if it did you wouldn't need the synth!
Last edited by rharv; 01/13/1904:29 AM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
I'm a bit puzzled - what you have coming is a guitar effects processor.............for connecting audio from an audio source like your keyboard what you need is an audio interface like the berhringer unit I mentioned above that turns your audio sound into a digital signal for usb input
Bob, Some of the Line 6 POD's may have USB audio out (HD500X for example); probably not an ideal choice for a way to get the keyboard audio to the computer .. but may actually work. I assume he got one that does what he needs. If he bought a lesser model I agree, he won't find joy.
From https://www.guitarcenter.com/Line-6/POD-HD500X-Guitar-Multi-Effects-Processor-1370873715031.gc?pfm=item_page.rrt1|ClickCP#productDetail "Connect to your computer via USB for multi-channel, studio-quality recording with your favorite DAW software-or tap into POD HD Edit, the free editor/librarian software that makes it easy to tweak and organize all your tones"
Or so it seems. Haven't tried one with PGProducts though. I suppose if you disabled all effects you could use it as an interface .. then again with PGProducts you may need to make sure it can adjust to 16/44. I'd guess it defaults to 24/48. Again, not an ideal choice but maybe doable. (image from Line6 POD HD500X manual)
Last edited by rharv; 01/13/1909:04 AM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
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