Connecting a Yamaha keyboard to a computer with a Windows or Mac operating system is a fairly simple task that can enhance the way you make music. This connection gives you a way to record your music or transfer saved music files from your keyboard to the computer to edit or share with others. You can also transfer files from the computer to the keyboard so that you can have more sounds at your disposal. The connection is worth far more to a musician than the few minutes that are necessary to do the job.
Instructions
Windows Operating Systems
1. Position the keyboard and the computer so that they're easily accessible to you and to each other. You don't want to walk from one side of the room to the other to connect the devices, and you don't want a mess of wires all over the place.
2. Turn the Yamaha keyboard off.
3. Navigate to the Yamaha website and download the software specific to your particular keyboard and operating system. The link to the website is in the "Resources" section.
4. Extract the software on your computer.
5. Locate either a USB port or a MIDI port on the Yamaha keyboard. If your keyboard has both ports, you can use either a USB cable or a USB-to-MIDI cable. You don't need both.
6. Insert the appropriate end of the USB cable into the USB port on the keyboard. If you're using a USB-to-MIDI cable, insert the MIDI ends into the "MIDI IN" and "MIDI OUT" ports on the keyboard. Insert the other end of either the USB cable or the USB-to-MIDI cable into the USB port on the computer.
7. Turn the keyboard on. The computer should recognize your keyboard. When the installation wizard appears, click on "No, not this time" and then click on "Next."
8. Click on "Install from a list or a specific location" when prompted and click on "Next."
9. Check the box that says "Include this location in the search" and click on "Browse ..." Select the folder to which you downloaded and extracted the Yamaha keyboard software and then click on "Next." The installation wizard will search for the files. You may be prompted that the software hasn't been validated by Windows. Click on "Continue anyway" to move on with the software installation.
10. Click on "Finish" when the installation is complete. When you are prompted to restart your computer, click on "Yes" and your system will be restarted.
11. Log in and click on "Start" and then "Control Panel." Click on "Yamaha USB MIDI Driver." If your Yamaha keyboard is listed, you have successfully connected it to your computer.
Mac Operating Systems
12. Turn the Yamaha keyboard off.
13. Download the driver software for your keyboard and operating system from the Yamaha website and extract it on your computer to a folder where you can easily find it.
14. Locate either a USB port or a MIDI port on the Yamaha keyboard.
15. Insert the appropriate end of the USB cable into the USB port on the keyboard. As in Section 1, if you're using a USB-to-MIDI cable, insert the MIDI ends into the "MIDI IN" and "MIDI OUT" ports on the keyboard. Insert the other end of either the USB cable or the USB-to-MIDI cable into the USB port on the computer.
16. Turn on the keyboard.
17.Open the "Yamaha USB-MIDI.mpkg" file on the Mac computer and click on "Continue" when the installation screen appears.
18. Click on "Install," enter your administrative password, and click on "OK" to install the drivers. Close the installation screen when the drivers have been installed.
19. Turn on the Yamaha keyboard.
20. Click on the "Applications" folder and then click on "Audio MIDI Setup."
21. Click on "MIDI Devices." If your keyboard appears on the screen, the keyboard and the driver software has been properly installed. To test the connection, click on "Test Setup" and play some keys on the keyboard. If you hear beeps coming from the computer as you're playing the keyboard, the connection is working.
