How to Make Your Crappy Keyboard Sound Good for $39!

All you need is a $39 MIDI cable and two pieces of free software to make your old keyboard sound good (as long as it has a MIDI output).

Intro: 00:00 Software Setup: 01:47 Sound Demo: 05:45 Conclusion 06:22

Sorry I didn't demo the features of zynaddsubfx. I didn't because there's already a couple of videos that do this. For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVPr6iUuO3g

Software: JACK audio connection kit, zynaddsubfx

The keyboards in the intro were recorded with the same setup.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• keyboard
• open
• source
• free
• software
• zynaddsubfx
• jack
• audio
• connection
• kit
• jackd
• server
• midi
• uno
• m-audio
• how
• to
• ubuntu

[fineartinoils]

if your on a mac , skip all the downloads and installs and fire up garage band . :)

[w104bgs]

@fineartinoils I was suggesting a more cross-platform solution (and also non-proprietary). Also, there's a certain emphasis on a being frugal. If someone has a mac, this person is likely not concerned with frugality. Besides, Zynaddsubfx smokes the synth on garageband.

[plasman36]

Awesome Snakes and Arrows t shirt

[w104bgs]

@plasman36 Thanks! I was wondering when someone might notice that.

[gordonfreemannr2]

sadly my keyboard is so crappy it doesn't even have midi outputs. It's my birthday soon and I plan to wish for a new keyboard, and hopefully one I can hook up to my computer to use in different kinds of softwares. Plus my current keyboard covers way to few notes for my taste. Any good suggestions for a cheap yet comfy keyboard I can connect to my comp?

[w104bgs]

@gordonfreemannr2 Sorry, Gordon. I haven't been in the market for a keyboard lately so I don't have any immediate recommendations. And honestly, it really is determined by you what you want. You can get a keyboard will full-sized keys for pretty cheap nowadays (back in the day those were expensive. That's why we all have these crappy little ones laying around). You can also get one with touch-sensitivity, which I highly recommend getting if you are going to play pieces with lots of dynamics.

[SpartanDrazen]

@fineartinoils lol, mac. =P

[heroknaderi]

cool

[devildolliarp22]

My keyboard is so crappy and old that doesn't even has a midi output :(

[karuca7]

@w104bgs That's really good to know. I'd like to buy a good quality keyboard eventually (one that doesn't require a computer to work), but I probably will just buy something cheap to start off with.

And you're right, I did have an old keyboard laying around (for about 20 years! lol), but I gave it to my nephews a few months ago. I'll have to let them know about this too, since it definitely sounded pretty crappy. Thanks again for the great info. :-)