Would anyone know of a realtively cheap midi to usb interface that works on Mac OS X, and does not have problems with selecting the correct Bank numbers on a Yamaha PSR-2000 keyboard?

Here are the details of my problem:

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So, I have a yamaha PSR-2000 keyboard, an iBook G4, 800 MHz, 640MB RAM, running OS X 10.3, and an M-Audio UNO Midiman usb 1x1 interface. I'm looking for a software program in the range of 50-150 dollars, so far I have tried out a Intuem, Master Tracks Pro, and a beta version of Easy Beat of OS X. (All of these programs do not work with my setup).

I have recently converted to using a mac, before I had a Dell Inspiron 1100, using Cakewalk Express (8.0 I think), running windows Windows XP, that worked fine with my USB interface and keyboard, it was a little finicky, and sometimes I'd have to mess around with settings untill it worked again. (Never could figure out what it was that I was doing to fix it really)

Every time I have had problems, it has been a an issue with bank selection. The keyboard I use usually uses controller 32 to select banks, and there were times when I could only playback using GM intstruments. (In other words, if I was recording using an instrument that was say Bank 121 program 88, it would play back Bank 112 (the default bank number, and also the GM instruments) program 88.

After spending many hours on my new computer I have been unable to get the bank selection to work correctly. It refused to play on anything but bank 112. I have tenatively diagnosed the problem as being that my USB MIDI interface is crap and/or has bad drivers for OS X.

So... I want to buy a new one, I think, I've found a few things in my price range (around $50-$100), and I'm sure any one of these will be vaugely cheap and unfriendly to use, but all I'm looking for is something to get the job done.

Take a look at Metro 6 ME works OSX 10.3 and OS9.
Heres where to check it out.


www.sagantech.biz/acart/agora.cgi?cart_id=8258766.3642*U32ix1&xm=on&product=Software

Perhaps I should clarify, what I'm looking for is a piece of hardware. A MIDI to USB interface.

Thanks you, gkdoty, for the suggetion, unfortunatly, Metro 6 failed to succesfully send even the standard GM tracks to my keyboard. (It could only use the internal synthesizer). This only convinces me more that the problem is in my hardware choice.

(And from the looks of it, people have been having similar problems with the same company)

I BELIEVE THAT YOUR PROBLEM IS THAT THE YAMAHA KEYBOARD ONLY
SUPPORTS CHANGING THE GENERAL MIDI BANKS THRU MIDI.
I HAVE THE SAME THING GOING ON WITH A CASIO 671.
I USE METRO 6 AND HAVE DOWN LOADED SOUNDFONTS THAT SOUND BETTER THAN
THE MOST GENERAL MIDI SOUNDS.
YOU USE THE SOUNDFONTS WITH THE DLS SYNTH BUILT INTO METRO 6
YOU CAN ALSO ACCESS THE GM SOUNDS IN YOUR LAPTOP THRU DLS SYNTH.
THE DLS SYNTH IS LOCATED IN YOUR VST PLUGINS

AT THE METRO SITE THERE A MANUAL TO TELL HOW TO USE THIS FEATURE

Again thank you for the suggestion (though I would appriciate if you did not capitolize everything). I would like to understand fully what you mean by "your keyboard only supports chaning the general midi banks thru midi" If I am understanding you correctly this would mean that regardless of the rest of my setup, I would only be able to use the General MIDI banks of my keybard.

But you see, I have been able to use all voices on the keyboard previously, using the same exact MIDI to USB device (with a few occasional problems, that would unexplainadly dissappear) on a Dell PC, using Windows XP. That's why this sounds like a problem with drivers, specifically I've just bought a new mac, with the newist version of OS X, I described the entire thing (including this part in a longer version) in case someone would find something else in my description, which you seem to have done, but I do not see how what you are saying makes sense. Since before my keyboard worked just fine.

I spent a lot of money on my keyboard and I would be loath to give up it's full functionality (and use the sounds from my computer), since that would be missing the point of getting as good a keyboard as I got. If I wanted to do what you have suggessted (which is a good idea in general), I might as well have a cheap keboard, with the necissary keys, and a midi in and out.

Again thank you for trying to help. Perhaps what I've said here will help you help me better.