Hi megafiddle,

To answer your programming question, I started programming Cobol, assembler, RPG and PL1 when I was 26 after I left teaching guitar. I was basically programming for business apps. I learned about 11 languages in total including Unix shell programming. I left that job after having learned VBA for MS-Access mostly. I left to trade the markets so now I program in a language called EasyLangauge which is used in MultiCharts and TradeStation. I still to a lot of VBA since my database app communicates with MultiCharts via global variables. I never learned C language which is likely the language used to program these midi drives etc. So therefore I am not up on all the Windows system calls as a C programmer would be. It is just that over the years (I am 58) I have caught on to some of the basic stuff going on with windows (especially having worked with tech support people for 19 years). If I had only played guitar for 22 years (as I have) I would be 100% lost on this midi drivers topic. The 32 years working with computers helps me know how to design some of the Google searches, reformat disk drives to install windows, etc. You might have guessed there was a period of overlap where I was still teaching guitar while programming. Returning to playing guitar has been a treat for me (discovering this whole new music world which I totally missed).

How about yourself, what is your background that gives you the knowledge that you have?

UPDATE: The stuff below may be a bit out of date. I just found a link below that mentioned something I suspected before which is that the "USB Midi 5Pin adaptor" may supply the Midi driver built in.
http://www.musicmasterworks.com/midi_cable.html
So I just have to make sure I get a good one. I still need to follow the procedure below however.

So I think I know what I have to do now regarding buying the GR-1.
1/ Find a music store that has a "Midi-5pin to USB adaptor" which I can return if I need to.
2/ Download both Midi-OX and BIAB to learn how to do the test for the signal at the USB. Learn how to select the Midi driver and to do a basic recording of midi input I guess.
3/ When I feel ready to test the GR-1, take the computer and do the tests for all 6 guitar strings, etc. I also will need to take the windows install CDs just incase windows detects the GR-1 via Plug-and-play protocol (or whatever) and asks me to insert the CD so it can install a generic driver for midi. I should also take the middle trouble shooting sheet at the link above to see if I can play around if the above does not work.

Thanks again for responding. You got me thinking through things I have not thought about for a long time.

John

P.S. So some might be asking, why not just buy a Midi interface or Guitar Synth with USB (like GI-20, GR-33 etc). The thing is I can not justify spending the money because I realized a probably will not have much time to write music and record it into BIAB using midi. I am only getting a hour in a day now just to maintain my guitar playing. However I can justify this used stuff and it may get me allocating more time to BIAB as I gradually learn it. Its a start. Hopefully my business will get less busy in the future.

Last edited by bowlesj; 07/19/12 04:39 AM.
John Bowles
My playing in my 20s:
https://www.reverbnation.com/johnbowles