How to set up Midi keyboard controller?

I was just given a Fartar TMK 88 key midi keyboard controller, and have a yamaha midi in/out +USB cable and have my keyboard connected to my computer. How do I get evrything to wrok? I dont know what software I'd need to listen to it... I just dont know anything. I've never used an electronic keyboard before, so I know nothing bout MIDI input/output.

All I want to do is be able to hear the thing. how do i do that?

Hi.

MIDI controllers do not have built in sounds, nor sound generators so you can't hear the thing by itself. You need to connect the controller to another device (your PC, a sampler, a synth, etc) via MIDI so that device can play/generate/whatever the sounds you need.

MIDI is only data so what the controller does is send data to another MIDI device that receives that data and based on that, plays some sounds with specific pitch, effects, etc.

First of all you need to connect the controller to your PC via USB or via MIDI. I think this Fatar TMK-88 controller does not have USB output, so you must connect the controller's MIDI OUT to your Yamaha MIDI IN in your PC. The other thing you have to do is get a MIDI software that can receive this MIDI data and play the sounds you want, save your MIDI sequences, etc. Most of them do not require any advanced configuration other than selecting your MIDI input device.

There is a lot of software that can do this available on the net in demo versions so you can try them out. If i were you, i would download demo versions of Cakewalk and/or Fruityloops and see if they can fit in your needs.

There is also sheet music software that can do this like Sibelius. I don't know Finale but i assume that it can get the job done too.

Fruityloops - flstudio.com

Cakewalk - cakewalk.com

Sibelius - sibelius.com

Finale - finalemusic.com

I hope this helps.