Frequently Asked Question!

This is a simple guide on how to connect your keyboard to your computer via a MIDI interface for use with music software.

TIP: In order to use your keyboard with your computer you will also need some music software. Most MIDI Interfaces include driver software that instructs your computer how to use the device but NOT actual music software.

Here are the most common reasons for connecting you computer to a music keyboard. Click the links to see our range of software for each catagory.


Simple MIDI connection

First you need to check if your music keyboard has MIDI capabilities. If it does it will have two (sometimes 3) five pin din socket on the back similar the image below.

Your computer must also have a MIDI interface for your keyboard to connect to. Some computer motherboards and soundcards have a MIDI interface built in but they tend to be of poor quality and little if any UK support is available if you run into difficulties.
This is why we recommend using a USB MIDI interface. These devices are reliable, easy to install, have uk support and work on nearly all modern computers and laptops.

Please note: If you have bought a professional audio card with built in MIDI you do not need a USB MIDI interface.

USB MIDI interfaces come with a driver CD. Always read the instructions (help file) on this disk before installation. This will tell you if you need to install the MIDI driver before or after you’ve made the following connections.

The diagram below shows how to make the connections between the keyboard and computer.

To see our full range of USB MIDI interfaces click HERE.

TIP: Notice how the MIDI IN goes to the MIDI OUT and the MIDI OUT goes to the MIDI IN? Having these connecting the wrong way round is the most common MIDI mistake in history!


This is a simple guide on how to connect a guitar to a computer.

TIP: In order to use your guitar with your computer you will also need some music software.

Here are the most common reasons for connecting your guitar to a computer. Click the links to see our range of music software for each catagory.

This guide offers advice to help you decide the best method of connecting your guitar to a PC depending on your requirements.


Low quality direct connection

The diagram below shows how to connect a guitar to a standard computer soundcard using a mono jack to minijack cable. This method is ok for beginners and for use as a sketchpad. However, a standard PC soundcards recording quality isn’t good enough for recording CD or MP3 demos.


Low quality FX Pedal connection

The diagram below shows how to connect a guitar FX pedal to a standard computer soundcard using a jack to minijack cable. This method is ok for beginners and for use as a sketchpad. However, a standard PC soundcards recording quality isn’t good enough for recording CD or MP3 demos.




High quality direct connection

The diagram below shows a high quality connection from guitar to a computer using the Focusrite 2i2 audio interface and a standard guitar cable. The Focusrite 2i2 is particularly well suited to this job because of its HI-Z guitar inputs. These ensure you get the best possible quality when connecting to a guitar directly. The Focusrite 2i2 has a dedicated headphone output making monitoring easy when multi tracking. It is possible to get the same quality of recording using the Focusrite 2i2 as you would in a professional recording studio.



This is a simple guide on how to connect a HIFI to a computer so you can record from the record (turntable) and cassette (tape) decks.

TIP: In order to record your HIFI with a computer you will need some sound recording software.

We recommend: Acoustica Mixcraft

This guide offers advice to help you decide the best method of connecting your HIFI to a PC depending on your requirements.


Low quality HIFI connection

The diagram below shows how to connect a HIFI to a standard computer sound card using a mini jack to mini jack and mini jack to large headphone jack converter.

The standard audio recording capabilities of most computers is of poor quality. Only use this method if sound quality is not an issue.