• Registered: 2011-07-07
  • Posts: 7

Topic: How to set up Babyface to Midi Keyboard/ Digital Piano Audio

Hello,

I have got the following system and connections:

Intel cuad laptop on Windows 7 64bit with Realtek onboard soundcard connected to RME Babyface via USB

Kawai ES 6 digital piano connected to RME via Midi (both Midi in and Midi Out)

Kawai ES 6 Audio Out to RME AN 3/4

RME AN 1/2 to stereo

Cubase 6 Elements with Toontrack's EZ Drummer as VST.

Latency of 2.2 ms according to Cubase.

Now, I can us the Toontrack EZ Drummer inside Cubase perfectly, playing the Midi groove patterns and listen to it etc.

However, my Kawai's piano sound seems delayed, distorted, play additional notes, does not sound like the original onboard Kawai sound etc. . I am pretty sure that I am have messed something up in Cubase or RME but have not clue how to salvage it from here. I can record Midi perfectly but the piano sound I listen to while playing is a mess which does not makes seens to me because I thought the original sound would go through the audio cable as I play it in when direct monitoring is enabled, so I should have no lag and my indeed the Kawai piano sound. Weirdly enough I do not see a yellow bar in the RME mixer in any channel when playing on my piano even though I have connected the piano's Audio out to the break out cable Analog 3/4. However, when playing the Toontracks VST AN 1/2 is moving as it should.

Perhaps someone here can help me this as it is all very confusiing to me.

Do I also need to connect the piano via its USB port to my laptop (the piano's USB only transfers MIDI though)?

How to connect/ set up my system (RME, Cubase) such that I can listen to the onboard piano sound while still recording the information as MIDI? And when I later want to export the whole project will I have to change something to make sure that say Midi track 1 is played back with the Kawai piano, Midi track 2 via the Toontrack VST and Midi track 3 by another VST (for example to emulate a bass)

I would very much appreciate your help

Kind regards

Frank

  • From: New Milford , CT USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 347

Re: How to set up Babyface to Midi Keyboard/ Digital Piano Audio

Hi frank
You are most likely monitoring the Kawai input via the Total Mix FX as well as in Cubase and you are hearing the 2 signals combined.
You need to either monitor the audio from the Kawai via the TotalFX which is at the hardware level or just monitor in Cubase via an input monitor enabled audio track. Just monitoring in the Total Mix FX/hardware is what I'd recommend sense I don't think Cubase Essentials supports the External Instruments feature from the big version.
You do not need to connect the USB of the kawai unless you want to free up your MIDI port of the RME for other devices.

What kind of audio cables are you using between the kawai and the RME?
If the kawai has balanced analog outputs that are 1/4' TRS then you need to use a cable like this.

Balanced 1/4" TRS to XLR Male
http://www.hosatech.com/dimg/8c3cb4c645f86a3c6fe4db78faf5b921.jpg

If your kawai has unbalanced 1/4" then you need this cable,

http://www.hosatech.com/dimg/3e14625568f3521c8d408059a11d07df.jpg


Thanks Chris

Chris Ludwig | ADK Pro Audio
www.adkproaudio.com
https://www.facebook.com/adkmg

ChrisADK's Website

  • Registered: 2011-07-07
  • Posts: 7

Re: How to set up Babyface to Midi Keyboard/ Digital Piano Audio

Thanks Chris.

I am currently using 2 x male 6.3mm mono TRS (L , R)  from the Kawai's Audio Out into the 6.3mm stereo TRS female at the RME (=Analog Out 3+4, or the second one to the right in the picture).

So, basically I need to go to a XLR at the RME instead of that Analog 3/4?

Kind regards

Frank


http://www.rme-audio.de/images/products/Babyface_breakout_cable.jpg

  • From: New Milford , CT USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 347

Re: How to set up Babyface to Midi Keyboard/ Digital Piano Audio

Hi Frank,
if the Kawai is actually balanced TRS out (check it's manual).
You need to go from the analog out if the Kawai to the analog 3/4 input.
Which is the first cable in my post.

Chris

Chris Ludwig | ADK Pro Audio
www.adkproaudio.com
https://www.facebook.com/adkmg

ChrisADK's Website

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-21
  • Posts: 4,667

Re: How to set up Babyface to Midi Keyboard/ Digital Piano Audio

There is no analog 3/4 input on the Babyface... and TRS female on the Babyface is Phones Out.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • From: New Milford , CT USA
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 347

Re: How to set up Babyface to Midi Keyboard/ Digital Piano Audio

Hi jeff,
Realized I said 3/4 when I meant 1/2. Doh.
Chris

Chris Ludwig | ADK Pro Audio
www.adkproaudio.com
https://www.facebook.com/adkmg

ChrisADK's Website

  • Registered: 2011-07-07
  • Posts: 7

Re: How to set up Babyface to Midi Keyboard/ Digital Piano Audio

well, now I have connected the Audio Out L/ R  from my piano to the instrument AN 2 port on the RME by clicking on Inst. So finally I am seeing some gain on Total FX:)

Then, I linked that input signal to Phones 3/4 and pressed Cue. So, I thought that I would now get a zero latency signal with a sound equal to my piano's sound. However, there is a delay and the quality of the sound is still poor. How is that possible? I have not even started Cubase. Or do I really need to go through the XLR ports?

Kind regards

Frank

  • Registered: 2013-01-30
  • Posts: 1

Re: How to set up Babyface to Midi Keyboard/ Digital Piano Audio

Hi,

I'd like to know how to set up the V-PIANO with the Babyface to get the best sound...

Actually, it's out the piano (XLR) in rme (AN 1/2), 'intrument' is ON (and GAIN is up to 9.00), but i only get sound on the Left.
Without 'intrument' ON, the sound is much too low... But the sound is on Left and Right.

Do i need different cables/adapters?

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,783

Re: How to set up Babyface to Midi Keyboard/ Digital Piano Audio

The Inst button switches Input 2 from XLR to the lateral TRS input... As the manual explains. If the level is too low, apply more gain.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website