Using Sy77 Keyboard As A Sound Bank, no sound! Options

[robinntp]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post - we'd be really grateful if anyone out there could help us!

We've got Logic Pro 7 and don't think the EXS24 conventional instruments are anywhere near as good as the ones we left behind in Logic 4 (piano, harp etc.). We prefer the sounds on our ancient Yamaha SY77 keyboard!

I've tried for hours to get the SY77 to talk to Logic via midi so I can use it as a midi sound module. I've created a multi instrument you can access in the Arrange window, and when I choose it and play a melody the midi out registers in the transport window. The SY77 is shown in the channel strip as 'plugged into port 1' of our Firebox (detected automatically). According to manuals and other information I can find I should be able to hear sounds from the SY77 when choosing it as an instrument.

I've even tried the new function of selecting it as an external midi device and plugging audio back into the front of the Firebox. Still no sound. The Firebox works fine otherwise.

Am I trying the impossible or missing something simple?

Thankyou for any input,

Tracey

[robinntp]

Hi Minskybabs,

Thankyou so much for your suggestion - I plugged headphones into the SY77 and it talked to me! I then tried plugging the audio back into the Firebox again and this time remembered to put an audio track in recording mode (doh!) and the sound came through loud and clear!

Now I can hear what's going on I've been able to name all the voices on the multi instrument and can hear that the computer IS dictating the sounds on the SY77. I swear the keyboard display wasn't changing before but all of a sudden it's being controlled by the computer - everything's suddenly clicked!

I think I was expecting to leave it all in midi rather than convert it to audio but you're right - I was getting confused. Being able to get the midi melodies spot on and then let the keyboard put them into the audio tracks automatically is priceless.

I think I was disappointed with the piano and woodwind noises mostly in Logic 7 - Logic 4 has a great piano sound and nice panflute etc., and I think the strings sound worse! I'll try some effects to improve them.

Thanks again,

Tracey