If you have a wireless keyboard you should try it to see if it works correctly. If I hate the keyboard on my laptop and use a wireless keyboard and a mouse all the time.
The only keyboard I like less is my iPhone...lol God only knows what it will type...lol
Billy
New location, new environment, new music coming soon
Seize the moo-ment If you feel like you’ve herd all these cow puns before, you probably have deja-moo
Have you checked to make sure the keyboard locale settings (language) haven't changed? I've seen the 'N' type other wrong characters, but not 'W' .. Could also be a keyboard driver issue
Make your sound your own! .. I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
I tried the on-screen keyboard. Of course, I couldn't type on-screen as it came out ow-screew, but keyboard was enough.
Unfortunately, the n on the on-screen keyboard types the proper letter.
I have a USB keyboard somewhere, the problem is finding which "safe place until I need it" I stored it in.
I've downloaded the keyboard check, need to move it to the other computer.
A lot of good ideas. You guys are a great help.
I've used ThinkPad computers for about 20 years, and if this turns out to be a keyboard issue, it will be the first time. When I bought the USB keyboard, it was for a Dell desktop computer.
So I'll try the other suggestions, then decide if this 5 year old computer is worth saving (cost of parts and time involved).
If a USB keyboard works I'd contemplate keeping the computer and just using the USB keyboard, or even better get a wireless keyboard so it can be anywhere during a show or rehearsal (yeah still uses a USB slot most likely).
Heck, back in the day Mac and I both had extra keyboards laying on the floor with most of the keys ripped out so we could use the Space bar with our foot to stop/start Biab or RB/PT. Extra keyboards are cheap, especially when you know they are laying around in the house somewhere.
Make your sound your own! .. I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
I'd advise having a USB keyboard as a wired fall-back.
There's a place I gig occasionally that has some strong radio signal nearby, that jams WiFi, Bluetooth and even my car keys. I'd expected to use my Ui24R mixer via WiFi from a tablet, but it simply wouldn't play ball. Fortunately I did have a notepad PC and a network cable and at least one of the devices was hermaphrodite.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful. Kawai MP6, Korg M50, Ui24R, Saffire Pro 40. AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11; Win8.1: Scarletts BIAB2022 UltraPAK, Reaper, a bunch of stuff.
Interesting N and W ASCII codes/values are 78 and 87, may be a clue.
My computer is dyslexic, just like its owner!!!
I didn't know dyslexia was contagious.
I haven't found the USB keyboard yet, outdoor my gig got cancelled yesterday due to rain, so Mrs. Notes and I took the day off for some fun.
Every now and then a day of fun is good.
Today I resume the search for the USB keyboard.
I'm not fond of wireless things when I don't need wireless. Batteries are not good for the environment. I use rechargeable cells when I require them, but still, I figure it's better not to consume them at all, unless there is a need.
I've been a musician all my life, and wires are something I'm used to putting up with.
OK, I found the wired keyboard. It was where I looked for it first, but it had fallen behind some of the other things on the shelf.
It's a ThinkPad keyboard, it works perfectly and even the 'eraser head' works (which will keep me from reaching the mouse).
I didn't install any new drivers, just plugged it in and used.
So I think the evidence is that my 'built in' keyboard is probably failing.
It's an old ThinkPad computer that used to run Windows 8 and I upgraded as soon as Win10 offered the free upgrade. I use it basically as a recording device. I do MIDI work on my main computer, send the MIDI to 7 synth modules. The audio outputs go through a mixer to the old computer.
I find using two computers a lot easier than playing and recording on the same computer. I can have the play and the record controls and screens up, visible, and working at the same time.
So, I'm thinking of just using the wired keyboard rather than spending time on repairing the old computer. Lenovo doesn't seem to have a replacement on their site, Amazon has a compatible one by Autens for $42 (perhaps shipping?) and it might take the better part of a day to replace the keyboard. If I find using the wired keyboard to be too much of a hassle, I'll take that route.
I'm assuming as well that the keyboard itself is borked, but one final thing you can test is to load into the BIOS and see if there's a place you can type (stay away from the Password section, in case you enter an untypeable password), basically just to try and bypass the operating system. Alternatively, if the computer is old enough, boot into DOS and try the keyboard there, or a bootable Linux CD or something.
But yeah, it's probably dead. It is interesting that the ASCII codes are 78 and 87, but unlikely since once you convert them into binary they're 01001110 and 01010111, so they're more than a couple flipped bits.
Thanks. That sounds like a good idea to bypass the OS.
It's a Windows 8 computer that was upgraded to Win10 so I don't know how to boot in DOS or even if I can, but I think if I hit Enter as the ThinkPad screen pops up I can get somewhere.
This is the very first time a ThinkPad gave me any trouble. And it's an old, former Win8 upgraded to win10 so even if it's not cost/time effective to fix it, it has served me well.
I've been following this. First, yes, Thinkpads are tanks; very solid. If they survive as many gigs as you play, IBM should get a testimonial from you. Second, I think if you boot to the BIOS, there might be a place where you are required to type a few letters and I think that's the kind of test Simon is suggesting.
BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors
Interesting N and W ASCII codes/values are 78 and 87, may be a clue.
Well, probably not. The bit pattern for N is 01001110 The bit pattern for W is 01010111 So the processor would see those as two totally dissimilar values.
BIAB & RB2024 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
We got a new, weekly gig, and we're learning a couple of new songs first. They were suggested by the waitress, who knows her customers.
Since I do my own backing tracks, that means if BiaB doesn't have compatible styles, I need to learn and then record the drum track, bass track, and all the comp tracks (except for what we will play live).
It's time-consuming, but IMO it makes us sound better than the competition who mostly use karaoke tracks. They can be in our key, I can do a custom arrangement, and I can mix minor things that make it sound more live like louder backbeats on the snare, advance or retard the bass a couple of tics to either bring out the bass note or the thump of the kick drum, and so on.
It may be a lot of work, but it's fun work, and if lucky I'll get to play each song thousands of times, and having it sound better to me increases my enjoyment of my job.
I'll let you know the result.
In the meantime, if you have any new ideas, I'll add them to the mix when I get these songs done.
Our old weekly gig is coming to an end. The owner of the venue is also a musician and wants the day. He likes what we did for him, and to show his appreciation has recommended us to his competition, who was happy to have us.
This is a weird business. We're building a crowd, so the owner wants the date, but because he likes us is happy to encourage us to go to his competitor, which will diminish the crowd we built up at his venue.
Ah, but stranger things have happened in this biz. I'm glad we're not losing a week-day, in public gig.
Interesting N and W ASCII codes/values are 78 and 87, may be a clue.
Well, probably not. The bit pattern for N is 01001110 The bit pattern for W is 01010111 So the processor would see those as two totally dissimilar values.
I realize that, it was just interesting to me that they just happen to be mirrors of each other non binary speaking.
My wife asked if I had seen the dog bowl. I told her I didn't even know he could.
Our old weekly gig is coming to an end. The owner of the venue is also a musician and wants the day. He likes what we did for him, and to show his appreciation has recommended us to his competition, who was happy to have us.
This is a weird business. We're building a crowd, so the owner wants the date, but because he likes us is happy to encourage us to go to his competitor, which will diminish the crowd we built up at his venue.
Ah, but stranger things have happened in this biz. I'm glad we're not losing a week-day, in public gig.
Notes ♫
Got the email notice about this. It is weird that he would not just take another day and keep you where you were bringing in customers. Unless he wants to play every day? Anyway, hope it works out. My job may be taking me towards St. Lucie, so that would be good for me. Of course you are working/playing while I am working during those hours.
My wife asked if I had seen the dog bowl. I told her I didn't even know he could.
Our old weekly gig is coming to an end. The owner of the venue is also a musician and wants the day. He likes what we did for him, and to show his appreciation has recommended us to his competition, who was happy to have us.
This is a weird business. We're building a crowd, so the owner wants the date, but because he likes us is happy to encourage us to go to his competitor, which will diminish the crowd we built up at his venue.
Ah, but stranger things have happened in this biz. I'm glad we're not losing a week-day, in public gig.
Notes ♫
Got the email notice about this. It is weird that he would not just take another day and keep you where you were bringing in customers. Unless he wants to play every day? Anyway, hope it works out. My job may be taking me towards St. Lucie, so that would be good for me. Of course you are working/playing while I am working during those hours.
He has 7 nights of entertainment, his wife does 4 nights, and the others are covered by people who have been with him much longer than we have, so it's proper that they get loyalty.
I suspect he has been running the business end of the venue and is just missing performing. I can't say as I blame him, and I appreciate the extra effort he made to make sure we were still gigging somewhere else. Nobody has ever done that for us before.
We had a 12 year running gig at another competitor. COVID came, new owners bought the old place, and they don't know what kind of money we brought in because the old owners used a 'simplified accounting method' (we got cash, which I of course reported to the IRS as this is what I do for a living).
The new owners decided to hire single acts that do sonic wallpaper. I wish them luck, I hope it works for them, and I hold no ill feelings.
I've been in this biz long enough to know gigs come and go, and it isn't a big deal when someone wants a change. 12 years, once per week, in the same venue was a good ride.
Covid was the 13th year, so I guess in this case 13 was unlucky. Now we are working on #14 with the same afternoon party, but at a new venue, and the manager seems excited to host us.
We also did 20 years at a particular Yacht Club, two evenings per month. A new manager comes in and the first thing he did was change all the entertainers. I don't think too much about losing the gig, I found replacements, I do think fondly of the 20-year run and the friends we made with the club members.
Thanks to lingering COVID variants, we are still only doing outdoor gigs. I've refused a couple of indoor gigs which I think were risky to my health. I'd rather err on the safe side.
We have an RV resort that we gig at twice a month, and have been doing that for quite a few years. It has 900 pads and in the winter 600 are filled by Canadians, mostly from Quebec. They are just starting to trickle in. Nice people. We missed them and hope that they don't get called back to Canada due to omicron.
I'm glad to be gigging after 1.5 years off due to the plague. I'm not gigging as much as I am used to, but at least I'm getting my ya-yas out and making a few bucks.
Life is the perfect way to pass the time of day, and gigging is Mrs.Notes and my second favorite thing to do.
I got a chance to reboot the other computer in the non-Windows mode. It's the keyboard.
I haven't decided if I am just going to use the USB keyboard or try to fix it with a 40-some dollar aftermarket replacement. It depends on how much hassle the USB keyboard turns out to be.
It's my first ThinkPad hardware failure. And so far I've gotten excellent use out of it.
I got a chance to reboot the other computer in the non-Windows mode. It's the keyboard.
I haven't decided if I am just going to use the USB keyboard or try to fix it with a 40-some dollar aftermarket replacement. It depends on how much hassle the USB keyboard turns out to be.
It's my first ThinkPad hardware failure. And so far I've gotten excellent use out of it.
Notes ♫
Well I can't say I didn't expect that, but it was worth a shot.
Keyboard replacement on most Thinkpads is usually straightforward - My old X220 only required 2 screws to swap it. Of course, depending on how old said Thinkpad is, buying a cheap used replacement might be the cost of the keyboard itself. What model of Thinkpad is it?
It seems to be 6 screws and 1 ribbon connector to replace the keyboard, so assuming it is in fact the keyboard itself (which seems very likely) then that should do it for you.
I'm over 90% sure it's the keyboard as the on-screen keyboard works, an external USB keyboard works, and in the DOS-Like non-Windows mode the same problem arises.
The computer itself probably has years of service left for the function I'm using it for now.
Decembers are busy, the first two weeks of January are usually slower, so it seems like the time to put one of those aftermarket keyboards in.
I suspect the more expensive ones would be better, but I'll investigate reviews first. One nice thing about ThinkPad keyboards is they feel nice under my fingers.
Yeah I'm pretty certain it's the keyboard as well - my only thought being if it happens to be a problem with the PS/2 bus as that's how Thinkpads connect the keyboard and mouse. I'd say chances of that are slim to none though.
I agree, Thinkpads are usually among the best keyboards going, and is a large part of why I buy them.
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