6.0

Table Of Contents

Introduction

But please note: Some older sound cards cannot play back

digital audio data. As long as you have Windows drivers,

you can use such sound cards with MAGIX music studio

generation 6; however not for playing back audio data.

Some other older sound cards use only one driver for both

Audio and MIDI. In that case, you can you MAGIX music

studio generation 6 only for MIDI or Audio but not for

MIDI and Audio simultaneously.

Testing the Sound Card

Make sure your sound card is installed correctly and the

drivers are set up properly before using MAGIX midi stu-

dio generation 6. The software which comes with the

sound card should include routines to test the card. You

must make sure it is running correctly under Windows,

not just DOS. An easy way to test the card is with the Me-

dia Player which you will find in Windows’ Accessories

Program Group. Look in the Device menu and you should

see MIDI Sequencer… and, if your card supports digital

audio, Sound…

Try playing the CANYON.MID file which Windows in-

stalls automatically in the Windows directory. Then try

playing a .WAV file. Again, there should be some in the

Windows directory. If either of these items is missing

from the Device menu it means the drivers have not been

loaded. Go back to the Drivers Control Panel and install

the correct drivers. Refer to your sound card’s manual and

the Windows Users’ Guide for more information.

The MIDI Interface

Many sound cards have a built-in MIDI interface which is

accessed from a joystick connector on the back of the card.

To use it you need a MIDI adapter. One end plugs into the

joystick socket and the other terminates in MIDI plugs or

sockets which you connect to your MIDI equipment.

Some sound card packs include the adapter but many of

the cheaper ones do not. There are also several dedicated

MIDI interfaces available. Many are on plug-in cards

which are fitted and installed into the PC just like a sound

card. There are also external MIDI interfaces which con-

nect to the PC’s printer port or serial port. You can install

them without opening up your PC and they are ideal for

use on portable PCs. You still have to install driver soft-

ware for them. Some have a Thru socket which enables

you to plug in your printer and use it without removing

the interface. Other’s don’t.