really dumb question

[ringo_zx]

i just bought a cheapo 2nd hand m-audio oxygen 61 to learn keyboard with and start playing around in ableton.

problem is, i cant figure out how to get sound out of it it came with no instructions, just an ableton live 4 disc. i installed the vista driver from the m-audio website, installed ableton and the enigma software. and yeah, i have plugged it into the usb port and turned the power on

all i want is a basic piano sound so i can start learning. what can i do?

[seraph]

well...the problem is that that keyboard does not have internal sounds but only controls external sound sources.

[Kassen]

[Mohoyoho]

I assume that you know the keyboard is not designed to make a sound on its own and that it is only a controller. I would look at the Ableton preferences and make sure its found the Oxygen driver. You also would want a midi instrument loaded into Ableton Live and have it set to play. I think Ableton is a pretty complicated program for a beginner. You have to know how to arm the instruments.

To make things easier, you might want to find a simple standalone instrument to get started with. Perhaps something like Native Instruments' FM8 or Pro 53. You can download a demo here:
http://www.native-instruments.com/forums.html?id=demoversions&L=1&ftu=2c2966059c165ac
They also make Acoustic Piano:
http://www.native-instruments.com/forums.html?id=akoustikpiano
It's standalone which means you can play it without any hosts. You will need to set these instruments up in their preferences to find the keyboard as well.

Then you can learn how to incorporate that instrument into Ableton Live if you want.

To make things even more complicated, you might find that your audio card in your computer to be lacking. If your soundcard doesn't use a ASIO driver you might find some latency. Latency is a delay of time between playing the note on the keyboard and hearing it. There are some ASIO drivers that a free, but sometimes you have to buy a better soundcard.

Good luck.

[ringo_zx]

thanks M.

i downloaded the FM8 demo, but there doesnt seem to be any sound coming from it, even when i just use the mouse to click the virtual keyboard.

there must be something off with my laptop setup because another native instruments program, guitar combo, refuses to output any sound either.

maybe i should save up for a mac.

[Mohoyoho]

I would say that your software isn't directed towards your sound card. Again that would be under preferences or "Audio +Midi Settings" under the Systems or preference dropdown. That can happen as easily on a Mac. I use PCs and have no trouble.