Midi connections and computers

[Cindy]

Hi -- I am trying to get a midi connection from a Yamaha Portatone
PSR-225 keyboard to a IBM Computer to work. I have a Midi cable
attached to the in/out ports on the keyboard and the other connection
goes to the computer's sound card midi port. I cannot get sound on my
computer from the keyboard. The software I am using is Practica
Musica 4.0. We have a Windows 98 computer. Part of my problem is
that I have absolutely no idea as to how the midi is suppose to work
within the computer. Can anyone give me a website to visit to help me
understand the workings of a midi with a computer? Thanks. Any help
is greatly appreciated.....

[Rob]

Cindy wrote:
>
> Hi -- I am trying to get a midi connection from a Yamaha Portatone
> PSR-225 keyboard to a IBM Computer to work. I have a Midi cable
> attached to the in/out ports on the keyboard and the other connection
> goes to the computer's sound card midi port. I cannot get sound on my
> computer from the keyboard. The software I am using is Practica
> Musica 4.0. We have a Windows 98 computer. Part of my problem is
> that I have absolutely no idea as to how the midi is suppose to work
> within the computer. Can anyone give me a website to visit to help me
> understand the workings of a midi with a computer? Thanks. Any help
> is greatly appreciated.....

First make sure you have the MIDI connected correctly. Sort of
counter-intuitive, you do:

Keyboard MIDI OUT to computer MIDI IN

and

Computer MIDI OUT to keyboard MIDI IN

Don't know the software, so can't advise. What soundcard? Some have
decent midi sounds, some have awful sounds, some have none.

Rob