Keyboard, MIDI Cable, Sound Card

[Grayburg]

I have a keyboard and I want to use it on the computer.

I thought I'd just need the Line In/Out connection to use it, so I went out and bought one. That just makes my computer recieve the sound information, instead of the actual key press information, right?

I think I need to connect my keyboard using a MIDI cable, so I went out and bought one.
I didn't bother to check if my computer had a MIDI cable port, which it doesn't.

So, I'll have to buy a sound card that has a MIDI port, right?
I've been using the one that came with my computer which is Realtek HD audio, or something, which has sounded fine with me.

I checked the local Best Buy earlier, they didn't have any sound cards with MIDI ports. zz Suggestions? Willing to spend like.. ~$50.

[Yoozer]

That just makes my computer recieve the sound information, instead of the actual key press information, right?
Correct.

You need one of these: http://www.zzounds.com/item--EMUXMIDI1X1

MIDI on audio interfaces is usually supplied as a nice extra - e.g. you generally only have 1 input and 1 output. USB MIDI interfaces can give you up to 8 ins, 8 outs.

[Zephyr]

Maybe you should do a little bit more research before going out and buying things, if the keyboard has a USB port I'd recommend that, otherwise there are a few other options such as a midi to usb cable or a soundcard with midi (which I'll let others recommend).

[big giant circles]

You're not very likely to find a regular sound card that has a MIDI port on it. The Midisport UNO is a 5-pin midi (round) to USB connector. They run around $30-$40. The drivers are included with the cable.
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Uno.html

Audio is sound. MIDI is just information, like telling the computer which notes to play, or at what velocity to play those notes. Which is why you can record MIDI information, and then do things like change the instrument that is playing those notes later. With audio, what you hear is what you get.

Check the turorials, & somewhere on here is a link to some good MIDI 101 information.