Recording MIDI Using External Synths
A lot of MIDI keyboards include sounds, and if you own one, you’ll probably want to use these sounds instead of a VST instrument at some point, especially if you’re a keyboard player. You may be using a MIDI keyboard as a controller in Cubase (which means it will be hooked up as described in Chapter 2), but even if you aren’t using it as a MIDI controller, you can hook it up to play back your MIDI track through the external synth’s sound source.
Note
Anything that can generate an audible sound can be considered a sound source. In MIDI, the sound source is where audio signal is generated and processed. It’s the source that translates MIDI info into actual audio you can hear. You’ll usually find some sort of audio outputs on a sound source.
There are several types of keyboards on the market. The first step is making sure that your keyboard actually has MIDI. Next, you will need to locate a MIDI In on your keyboard. The final step is to make sure that your sound card has a physical MIDI Out. In some cases you may be using a simple MIDI interface as opposed to an audio interface with MIDI capabilities. If you’re running a MIDI controller into a computer via USB, the MIDI Out could be on the MIDI controller. Once you have verified these three simple steps, you can get down to business.