Trying to connect my ES8 to laptop for cakewalk purposes.  Do I need a:

1. USB to USB
2. 1/4 in. to 1/4 inch with an1/8 inch reducer for input to
sound card

Thanks!

Re: What type of cable connection do I need?

Depends what you want to accomplish. The USB cable and associated Yamaha USB Midi driver loaded on the computer will establish a midi connection. This is a data only connection - no audio. Connecting the audio outputs of your ES8 to your sound card will establish an audio path to your computer.

The typical setup is to record midi data from the instrument into the DAW (Cakewalk). On play pack, midi data from Cakewalk ‘plays’ your ES8. If you want to capture the audio for recording on the computer, then you need the audio connection.

Bob

Re: What type of cable connection do I need?

Thanks for the reply.  I need further explanation on a few things. 

1.  When you say “associated Yamaha USB midi driver loaded on the computer” please explain as I have not loaded a midi driver and if i need to- where do I get it from?

2.  If I understand you correctly, you are saying that I need both the midi connection and audio connection.  The midi connection, I assume, plugs into the USB port on the back of the motif, the other end into the USB on my laptop.  This will sync via the driver I need to download. 

3.  As far as the Audio connection, what type of “plugs” do I need on both ends and where will they plug into the ES8 and into what on my laptop. 

Thanks, Scott

Re: What type of cable connection do I need?

You can get the Yamaha USB MIDI Driver from THIS PAGE.

As to the cables you need, you can either go out the MAINS (using a Y cable) of the ES, or the HEADPHONE jack into a 1/8” TRS plug into the MIC or LINE-IN of your Laptop.

I’m sure you can figure out the plug types from there…

Re: What type of cable connection do I need?

In general, the soundcards built in to computer laptops are insufficient to do serious audio recording… mostly they are 1/8” mini (mono) microphone jacks looking for signal at about -60dB… your keyboard is well in excess of that at either 0dB or +6dB…

Even if you have a line input it probably is best to find a higher quality method of getting audio into your computer. There are many options - I would be quite surprised if you are able to get satisfactory results just trying to adapt cable sizes.

To be sure, try and find the specifications on the mic input on your computer - I’m sure you will conclude that it is not looking for anything like the signal coming your keyboard. Besides the drivers used to run that microphone are not going to give you the ability to do things like overdub in time to the music (which is essential for music applications). In general, the mic input uses some kind of “multi-media” driver (translation: designed for people who playback music not for those who play music). The latency on the standard multi-media drivers preclude you from doing any serious recording.

USB on the ES is for MIDI data only. You can move audio to a laptop via firewire (mLAN) if you get the mLAN16E expansion board for your ES. Other options include audio interface boxes that run from small I/o boxes to small format mixers all the way to full consoles.

Re: What type of cable connection do I need?

I just purchased a Motif ES6, I want know how to set it up to my laptop using Sonar/Cakewalk 5, and which other software, downloads or plug-ins i need. Also what type of USB cable or any cables in general i need to make everything compatible.

Thanx
Ezy

Re: What type of cable connection do I need?

USB cables are farily standard - one rated for USB 2.0 is probably the most flexible because they will be backward compatible to USB 1.0 (you will probably only find cables that are 2.0 compatible at this point anyway).

What else you need will depend on what you want to record to Sonar. For example, if you are only interested in recording MIDI then a USB cable is all you need. In that situation you connect the Motif ES to your computer via a single USB cable. The Motif ES will need to be connected to you sound system via its 1/4” outputs - recommended for home studio use are a pair of quality Monitor speakers. 

This will take care of MIDI communication between the synthesizer and your computer. You will be able to record MIDI data to Sonar, you will be able to use the Motif ES as a Remote Control surface for Sonar (stop, start, select tracks, etc., etc.)

If however you wish to record AUDIO to Sonar, then you will need to purchase an AUDIO Interface. There are many, many types of audio interfaces available.

MIDI data - simply use USB. In this situation the audio outputs of the Motif ES will simply go to your sound system directly. MIDI information will be recorded by Sonar and played back to the Motif ES which will sound through your sound system connected to your Motif ES.

AUDIO data - as mentioned, will require a separate audio interface. You will plug the audio outputs of the Motif ES to this audio interface device. It will be the control center that sends audio to the computer, receives audio data from the computer and then routes it to your sound system (which connects to the audio interface). See example diagram below…

Audio interfaces come in all sizes and shapes but the fundamentals are the same. Some are simple small boxes with inputs and outputs, some are built into mixers that allow more control of incoming and outgoing signals. Still others can be added as an option to you Motif ES (mLAN16E). They all will require you connect a sound system to the audio interface - so a good pair of quality Monitors is essential.

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