Can someone help me with MIDI?

[girlfriendx]

I'm using my laptop with Sony Acid Software for the 1st time. I use a Roland midi controller and Roland JV1010 sound module to play my sounds. I noticed that the only way I can really hook my midi controller up to the laptop is by connecting the midi cable from the controller to the JV1010 and then a 9 pin d-sub from the back of the JV1010 to a 8 pin on my laptop. I went ahead and ordered the cable, but now I'm starting to doubt myself. Since the back of my controller only has outputs for a midi cable and there are no midi inputs on my laptop, is it acceptable to go through the JV1010 to transmit signals? And if anyone is really familiar with what I am saying, do I have to set my JV1010 to anything special in order to properly transmit? Thanks!

[roughly]

Hi girlfriendx,I'm not very familiar with the Roland that you're talking about, but from a quick look at it online, I think you want a soundcard to go between that unit and your laptop. The soundcard will convert the audio or midi so it will record to Acid for you. There are lots of different soundcards out there. Since you are using a laptop you'll probably want one that connects with USB or firewire. And you can get soundcards that have just the audio or both audio and midi. Or you can get a specific midi converter, but you won't be able to grab the audio from your sound module. And I've found laptop soundcards that come with the laptop to be not quite up to snuff for intense audio work. If I'm wrong about this, someone please correct me. Good luck!theresa

[staggerlee]

Ok. You need a midi in, and midi out cable to connect the sound module to the comnputer, an then a midi thru cable to connect the controller to the module. The easiest thing to do is buy a midi usb device, which will hook the module to the usb port on your laptop. Now be aware that with this set up you will be only able to record midi, abnd not audio files. So everytime you play back you will have to use the sound module to get the sounds. If you want to eventually record audio, you will have to connect the 1/4 output of your module to the soundcard on the laptop (line-in).