How? Where? Help

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Blackdolphyn
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:06 am

How? Where? Help

Post by Blackdolphyn » Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:26 am

I have 61 key electronic keyboard. My PC connect with the USB cable. Connection is working fine.

BUT I just can't work out where and how to set up so that I can use the PC mouse, and type on the PC keyboard while playing on the keyboard and looking at the screen. I can't place the PC screen on top of the Yamaha electronic keyboard. And there is no wat for me to be able to set things up so that while I am using Playground I can use the mouse, type or enter on PC keyboard and also able to actually ply on the electronic keyboard.

I also have a laptop but again I can't place the laptop on top of the keyboard.

I also have a new iPad Pro so that is a option but I understand that not everything is assessable on the iPad (as on the PC app).

Please help.

Thanks :)

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sw1tch73ch
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:23 pm

Re: How? Where? Help

Post by sw1tch73ch » Mon Feb 06, 2017 1:04 pm

That is the challenge for using a computer with your keyboard. I actually have a tiny computer attached to my keyboard stand (really tiny 4.5" x 4.5" by 2" or 114 mm x 114 mm x 51 mm). The monitor is on a large swing arm attached to my computer desk (where my "real" computer is) but swung over the keyboard. I have a light weight PC keyboard and trackball mouse that sit on the digital piano. BUT, my digital piano is large enough to do all that.

I don't know your work space for your music, so it's tough to advise you on how to get what you want working without spending a chunk of money. I do know there are USB based monitors you could put on the music rest and connect via USB cable back to your computer, but that doesn't solve the PC keyboard and mouse, so it really depends on the work space.

Again, taking money, but there are laptop stands that you could put your keyboard and mouse on - OR you could find a keyboard with built in trackpad that would be small and light enough to keep on your keyboard (like the little Logitech K400 as an example, which is about $20.).

Which 61 Key keyboard do you have, by the way?
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

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sw1tch73ch
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:23 pm

Re: How? Where? Help

Post by sw1tch73ch » Mon Feb 06, 2017 1:48 pm

For those wondering about a computer mounted on the keyboard stand, my keyboard uses a "furniture" style stand (it's a YPG-635, wood stand with crossbar and the LP-7 3 pedal unit). Ignore the spaghetti mess of wires...
WIN_20170206_12_17_10_Pro.jpg
WIN_20170206_12_17_10_Pro.jpg (124.36 KiB) Viewed 4899 times
That is an Intel NUC BOXD34010WYKH1

It's an older Intel NUC with an i3-4010U processor. It does seem to be up to the task of Playground Sessions though. I bought it to run DAW and tutoring software with my digital piano.

Connections are top to bottom:
LEFT SIDE
- Power
- mini HDMI to monitor
RIGHT SIDE
- Headphones combo jack (microphone and headphones combined)
- USB to DVD/CD ROM player (mounted to outside of piano stand)
- USB to USB Hub

USB Hub, Top to bottom
- the YPG-635 USB cable (which is gray but looks white because it's over exposed siting so close to the light source)
- Kensington Orbit Optical Trackball
- Logitech K310 Washable keyboard

The HDMI cable goes to the same monitor that is connected to my main computer. I switch between inputs to get to the NUC signal.

And the top of the digital piano area looks like this:
2017-02-01 18-42-58.846_small.jpg
2017-02-01 18-42-58.846_small.jpg (53.7 KiB) Viewed 4899 times
Normally the underside of the keyboard is dark, so you can't see the NUC in this second image and can barely see the 3 foot pedals of the LP-7.
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

Blackdolphyn
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:06 am

Re: How? Where? Help

Post by Blackdolphyn » Thu Feb 09, 2017 9:20 am

Thank you for all the good advice, I will definitely try some of the suggestions.

My wife got me the Yamaha PSRE453 Electronic Keyboard for Christmas. Really enjoying my new toy!

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sw1tch73ch
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:23 pm

Re: How? Where? Help

Post by sw1tch73ch » Thu Feb 09, 2017 3:16 pm

As a secondary keyboard I have the PSR-E353. It's a nice little keyboard (well, I say little... my main keyboard has 88 keys...). The sounds are nearly as nice as my big keyboard. They aren't multi-sampled, meaning that when you play a note softly it plays a different sample of that instrument than if you play hard. But the sounds that is uses are decent.

You'll have to take a "studio" shot of your keyboard once you find a setup you like with your computer. I did find some USB monitors after I typed my previous post. They run right around $100 each. The "ergo" swing arm mount I use with my monitor was nearly that much! I might have to look into that for myself. Especially if I ever move my digital piano and gaming PC setup. If they don't end up next to each other as they are now, I'll need a second monitor. A USB panel just might fill the bill.

You will have to make sure the requirements for the monitor match with your computer - some are USB powered, but only work if you have the latest generation USB ports.
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

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