The SETUP program will start MidiConfiger:
or get to it by PianoCheater's "green check" toolbar button.
Here's a (somewhat old) screenshot:
Here's a decent video:
If you have Vista or Win7,
please wait for it to download my soundfont softsynth.
(Please be patient - it's 35 megs:)
Name and order your midi devices:
Windows only has a one line cryptic description per midi device...:(
Give your midi devices nice names. Keep it short and sweet.
I named my keyboards "dude" and "rockin88".
A digital piano has both a
midiIn (keyboard controller) -and-
midiOut (sound synthesizer).
So give em the same name if they're the same device.
Scoot the devices up and down into the order you wish to use them.
Click on a line then the up/down toolbar arrows.
Set the "junky" devices to devicetype=OFF
Click it's Type and pick OFF.
(That Microsoft synth uses laaaame 22KHz samples and poor latency)
If you ever install/uninstall midi devices,
click the little refresh toolbar button to "refresh" the list.
It'll keep your edits but add/remove devices that are new/gone.
For now, we just leave all the devices'
Type = DEFAULT
________________________________________________________________________________
Set the CommandNote:
press the highest note on your keyboard.
That'll scoot that keyboard to the top of the MidiIn list and set
the CommandNote (if the note you pressed is highest so far)
Holding the top note on your midi keyboard will make PianoCheater
"do" stuff when you hit certain MIDI keys like:
adjust tempo, pick next song, hop to a new loop, save recording,
flip sheet music, etc...
PianoCheater will pop a window listing the commands:
(there's more:)
When that CommandNote is released, help window shuts and notes play as usual.
Only the key on the TOP MidiIn device does this.
IMPORTANT:
for pc keyboard commands to work,
PianoCheater's window must be active (focused) AND
tabbed OUT of song picking droplist into the teeny square to it's right.
It'll change from red X to lightning bolt so you can use command keys.
________________________________________________________________________________
Can you hear me now??? good...
Input test:
Press any midi key or control, and it SHOULD show up in the right side
of MidiConfiger giving the device name and note/control info.
Hit some keys, tweak pitchbend, modwheel, stomp some pedals...
It may look cryptic, but as long as you see STUFF coming in...
good.
Output test:
Click on a MidiOut device, click that play button in bottom right.
It SHOULD play a little scale.
Do check that MS Window's "volume control panel" ain't muted, etc.
PianoCheater's softsynth TAKES OVER the sound device to get good latency.
________________________________________________________________________________
Now we try out a piano practice session:)
Here's a decent video: If you have Vista or Win7, please wait for it to download my soundfont softsynth. (Please be patient - it's 35 megs:) Name and order your midi devices: Windows only has a one line cryptic description per midi device...:( Give your midi devices nice names. Keep it short and sweet. I named my keyboards "dude" and "rockin88". A digital piano has both a midiIn (keyboard controller) -and- midiOut (sound synthesizer). So give em the same name if they're the same device. Scoot the devices up and down into the order you wish to use them. Click on a line then the up/down toolbar arrows. Set the "junky" devices to devicetype=OFF Click it's Type and pick OFF. (That Microsoft synth uses laaaame 22KHz samples and poor latency) If you ever install/uninstall midi devices, click the little refresh toolbar button to "refresh" the list. It'll keep your edits but add/remove devices that are new/gone. For now, we just leave all the devices' Type = DEFAULT ________________________________________________________________________________ Set the CommandNote: press the highest note on your keyboard. That'll scoot that keyboard to the top of the MidiIn list and set the CommandNote (if the note you pressed is highest so far) Holding the top note on your midi keyboard will make PianoCheater "do" stuff when you hit certain MIDI keys like: adjust tempo, pick next song, hop to a new loop, save recording, flip sheet music, etc... PianoCheater will pop a window listing the commands:
(there's more:) When that CommandNote is released, help window shuts and notes play as usual. Only the key on the TOP MidiIn device does this. IMPORTANT: for pc keyboard commands to work, PianoCheater's window must be active (focused) AND tabbed OUT of song picking droplist into the teeny square to it's right. It'll change from red X to lightning bolt so you can use command keys. ________________________________________________________________________________ Can you hear me now??? good... Input test: Press any midi key or control, and it SHOULD show up in the right side of MidiConfiger giving the device name and note/control info. Hit some keys, tweak pitchbend, modwheel, stomp some pedals... It may look cryptic, but as long as you see STUFF coming in... good. Output test: Click on a MidiOut device, click that play button in bottom right. It SHOULD play a little scale. Do check that MS Window's "volume control panel" ain't muted, etc. PianoCheater's softsynth TAKES OVER the sound device to get good latency. ________________________________________________________________________________ Now we try out a piano practice session:)