Basic Help please

Hi
Please check the trackinfo
On your left find your track: input/output
click the arrow button to expand
assign the input port
Look in options midi devices and make sure your'keyboard is enabled in the input'port.
The output port is allready there but the CH, Bank, and Patch indicators are blanc so you must fill in
what CHannel (midi 1 to 16) PATCH  just right click on the arrow and make your choice
succes
ris
 

You always have an input if you have a sound card...and that means you also have an output as well.
 
My web page has a tutorial on how to get different instruments to play using TTS. If you have MC5, you have TTS as well. It's a nice softsynth that was included with MC5 and you should be using it as your default synth if you are not already. If not, you need to set TTS as the default..... then, follow this tutorial.
 
http://www.herbhartley.com/hh2_edited_slimmer_005.htm
 
read the info there, and use what you need.  To learn how to switch instrument sounds, go down to "Advanced TTS" and follow the instructions.  If you have questions, just ask. I tried to make it as easy as I could.

Herb,
I couldn't wait to get stuck in!
I followed the first part of your instructions and got something rather different.
I have four tracks, the two originals (labelled "vocals" and "guitar") then two new ones, labelled:
TTS-1 2OUTPUT1:S
TTS-1 2
no reference in the latter two to audio or midi.

Hi Greg,
The TTS-1 2 OUTPUT 1:S track has a keyboard icon, the other shows a DIN plug.
Got to leave it for now (getting nagged by SWMBO) but will get back on it later. I tried to post a screenshot, but I could not see how to insert it from my computer ( there are times when the will diminishes!)
Pete

I believe in MC 5 you click Insert at the top and navigate to the soft synth you want to use.

My tutorial assumes that you have 3 midi tracks and one audio track.  You can do it custom (open a blank project and add tracks according to what you need) or use a template and change it as needed.
 
You need to insert the TTS synth into the FX bin in the audio track.
You need to be able to import the midi data one way or the other.
 
You can either use the mouse to draw in the midi notes to tracks 1 thru 3... the midi tracks, or use a live midi keyboard. It's so much easier if you can input the midi from a midi keyboard in real time. This requires a midi input. A midi input becomes available to MC5 when you either connect an interface that supports midi input OR.... if the musical synth keyboard uses USB to communicate with the computer. Your factory sound card generally will not support midi, hence, you don't seem to have a midi input available. As soon as you connect the midi capable device, the midi inputs should appear in your MC5 list for input devices under the MIDI option.
 
Once you have all that set up, it's simply then a matter of setting up the channel and input/output routing as shown in my tutorial.
 
Essentially, you record the midi data INTO the midi track. Next, you send the midi data OUT of that track on a channel that corresponds to the same INPUT channel number in TTS.  In TTS, that particular channel has a patch assigned to it. Could be piano, bass, strings, flute, bagpipes, drums, or whatever. You can echo that data so that you hear it in real time as you play. You set the details for each track and channel in MC5's Track Inspector window.
 
It might sound complicated, but once you grasp the concept, it's really very simple.