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View Full Version : How can I connect my Alesis QS 8 keyboard (no USB) to my Apple iBook (which...


OptionsNewbie
January 18th, 2008, 07:23 AM
...doesn't have audio-in)? I'd like to use my Alesis QS 8 keyboard with GarageBand running on my iBook. Since the iBook doesn't have an audio-in jack, and the Alesis doesn't have a USB port, I know I need to get some kind of hardware interface to connect the two.

Here are the I/O ports I have to work with:

The iBook has
• USB and FireWire

The Alesis has
• analog audio out (left and right, plus a headphone jack whose levels are somewhat higher)
•*optical digital audio out
• MIDI in/out
•*a serial port (which was great for connecting it to the Macs of the 1990s)

You may be wondering, do I want to record the audio signal generated by the Alesis, or do I want to just send MIDI to the iBook?

If there's a hardware interface that does both of these things well, great. Or maybe I'll have to get two separate interfaces.

So I'm looking for recommendations. The usual qualifications apply (it should have good Mac compatibility, be inexpensive, reliable, easy to use, not distort the signal).

Thanks!

Dusty Chalk
January 18th, 2008, 03:15 PM
Apogee Duet does I/O, but no MIDI.

ERIC31
April 2nd, 2008, 06:42 PM
I have a Yamaha UX16 USB MIDI interface cable that has MIDI in/out connections on one end and a USB on the other. That should work for you. Good luck!