Any Recording Engineers or Home Recording Musicians out there? Question concerning MIDI set-up.?

Question

I recently invested in some home recording gear, and I'm frustrated because I haven't been able to get MIDI working. I'm pretty much a noob to all this stuff... but I'm hoping someone can tell me what the problem is. First off, my recording interface is Presonus Firestudio Tube. I'm using Cubase LE4, and my MIDI input device is a Casio keyboard that I bought used off of a friend of mine. I have the MIDI cables running from the ins and outs of the keyboard and recording interface properly, yet I cannot for the life of me get Cubase to pick up anything when I try to record MIDI. Because I'm new to this I don't know enough to know what it is I'm doing wrong. Am I lacking some other hardware that I need? Is there some sort of MIDI software I have to have aside from Cubase? Is there some sort of MIDI installation disc that is supposed to come with the keyboard (mind you I bought this used and didn't get one). I'm dying to get this fixed but it's hard to fix a problem when you don't know what the problem is.

Answer 1

I'm not sure about Cubase, but in other platforms (Pro Tools) you need to set up a specific "MIDI track" instead of an audio track.  Then, that can record the MIDI notes as they are played.  Remember that MIDI and audio are not the same and MIDI does not make a sound, it can only trigger a sound or movement.  

So, on your MIDI track, you need to have some sort of MIDI software based instrument for it to trigger.

Also, make sure you have the MIDI OUT on the Keyboard going into your computer interface.  And you only need to connect the MIDI in if you want the computer to trigger the keyboad on playback.

Your keyboard may not send MIDI out if you have something plugged into the MIDI IN at the same time.