Help on simple home studio setup

[yellowduck]

Hi everybody,

Am a new member here. Has been having this thought of setting up a simple PC-based home studio where I can arrange and produce some music.

So far I've been playing yamaha electone, so I'm only familiar with their built-in sequencer and rythm programming. In my opinion it's very practical, as everything is packaged in the same electone unit. But pretty limited usage I guess, and I do not own an electone at home haha.. I own an old PSR-9000 though, under-utilized.

Can anybody recommend the basic equipment, software, sampler, sound generator, etc (preferably at moderate cost) that I have to buy to get the ball rolling? What I want is to be able to do multitrack recording (analog or MIDI or mixed of both is possible?), rythm programming and sequencing, adding effects etc..

Oh yeah, from my limited knowledge, I found that MIDI arrangement sounds very robotic. So far I've done PC recording in analog, never use any sequencing before. But I heard that it's possible to produce music with MIDI that sounds very realistic (eg. for symphonic type of music). Is it possible and how?

Thanks for all your suggestions. Many things I asked because I'm very new to this, but well, everything gotta start from somewhere .

 

[Cheez]

Yellowduck, welcome to soft.

If you're on a tight budget, your PSR-9000 can serve both as a sound module and midi controller. You'll need a PC running a DAW software - something low cost like Cakewalk Home or Cubase LE will do. There are also license-free open-source seqeuncers out there if you do a search.

Next you need a midi interface. Something small from M-audio (1x1) will do. This will enable you to sequence using the sounds from your PSR-9000.

If you want better sounds, you'll need:
1. A soundcard. If you already have one, just make sure that it has ASIO drivers. If not, you can download ASIOforall.
2. Better sound. Since you mention symphonic music, the best sound you can get at the lowest possible cost is Garritan's Personal Orchestra (GPO) - www.garritan.com.

And yes, it is very possible to get very realistic sounds. Teralasch (a softie) produces some good symphonic music. You can check out my music at the link below this post - although I haven't updated my music in years....should really do that if I have the time....

 

[yellowduck]

Hi Cheez,

Really glad I found this website. And thanks for your valuable suggestions . A few more questions if you don't mind

Next you need a midi interface. Something small from M-audio (1x1) will do. This will enable you to sequence using the sounds from your PSR-9000.

1. Does this mean that I'm doing the sequencing on my PC or on my PSR? Am I right to say that I'll connect PSR to midi interface to PC, and doing the sequencing on the DAW software?

2. How does sequencing actually works? Does it work like analog recording where you record track by track then mixdown into stereo? So you'll sequence the MIDI track by track (ie. instrument by instrument) and produce stereo from there?

2. Better sound. Since you mention symphonic music, the best sound you can get at the lowest possible cost is Garritan's Personal Orchestra (GPO) - www.garritan.com.

3. When you're talking about sound (patches, GPO, etc), are they plugins that you install on your DAW and recall anytime you need to use the sound? Are they samples (wav/pcm) or simply MIDI data?

4. Do people mix MIDI and analog recording in a project? For example, sequencing MIDI piano in track 1, analog string recording in track 2, etc?

My understanding of MIDI is very limited yet, but the explanations provided will be very useful for me to experiments

Thanks!!

 

[Cheez]

1. Yes.

2. If the sound comes from your PSR, yes you're right. You sequence midi track by track. But when recording, you playback all the tracks at once and record them as one audio track. Obviously, this is limited by your PSR - as to how many tracks it can playback and how many notes at one go (polyphony).

3. Yes, they are plug-ins (VSTi). Most of the realistic samples uses sampling technology but the samples are built-in as plug-ins. You use them within your DAW software. The samples come as their native format (GPO, using the Kontakt sampler engine, will use nki samples).

4. I believe you misunderstood what midi is. Midi is simply a set of signals that talks to hardware/software. The signals tell the hardware/software to play which note, how hard to play them, how long to play them, and how to play them. Midi by itself has no sound. They are simply signals. For sound to be produced, you'll need a sound generator. This comes in various forms. The simplest are the lousy build-in sounds that comes with most soundcards (those cheesy sounds when midi files are played). Note that the midi files DO NOT produce sounds - they tell the soundcard to make those sounds, so the cheesy sounds really come from your soundcard. Use the same midi files on a good tone/sound generator and you get a totally different experience.

The other thing is this. When we use external sound modules (eg your PSR), you will probably record them as analog stereo audio tracks. When we use plugins or softsamplers, we record them digitally. All these are routed internally within the DAW software. The end product is one wav file.

 

[yellowduck]

Geeez... Thanks for the explanations A few more to go if you don't mind hehe...

I listened to GPO demos, gosh, sounds very realistic and impressive!! Especially the solo woodwind and string instruments. Haven't heard the symphonia link you provided as I'm browsing from my office and it's blocked


1. Is there any recommended MIDI keyboard controller that provides good initial touch (attack) and after touch (envelope) response? Or do you actually edit the touch response manually (note by note in the recorded data) to produce whatever response you want? Or is it already provided by the sound samples? In electone, one can produce pretty realistic sounds by using after touch (in my opinion the touch responses are excellent). But I couldn't find the same good aftertouch response with PSR.

3. Yes, they are plug-ins (VSTi). Most of the realistic samples uses sampling technology but the samples are built-in as plug-ins. You use them within your DAW software. The samples come as their native format (GPO, using the Kontakt sampler engine, will use nki samples).

2. When you're saying about tone/sound generator, is it a standalone hardware, or is it software which generates the tone and play it back through whatever soundcard you have?

When we use plugins or softsamplers, we record them digitally. All these are routed internally within the DAW software. The end product is one wav file.

3. Am I correct to say that, when you play tunes using your midi controller (no sound produced, only MIDI data), the DAW software use the plugins/softsamplers to generate the actual sounds based on the MIDI data and then record it to the assigned track?

4. Heard a lot of names. Propellerhead's Reason, Cakewalk's Sonar, Protools, Cubase, etc.. They are the DAW software right? Which one you think is better to buy, for a beginner?


Wow, I find that by buying sound samples (like the GPO you recommended) and DAW software + MIDI controller, I can actually turn my PC into powerful music workstation. And expandable by adding more sound samples and plugins. This is so much fun

Again, thanks

 

[Cheez]

1. If you are a pianist, you would want an 88 key. If you are going to do symphonic music with softsamplers, then you would also want an 88 key. Most softsamplers will come with programmed key-switching (that means loading one instrument will load all the articulations that comes with it - eg: basic violin sustain patch; press E1 and it switches to staccato; press F and it switches to spiccato; press F#1 and it switches to expressivo etc etc). Most of the key-swtiches are located in the lower octaves accessible only with an 88 key. You would also want a controller with a mod-wheel. Most softsamplers will have programmed the mod wheel for greater expression (vibrato depth, harder attack etc). After-touch is not necessary and hard to control for orchestral instruments (good for electronic music and lead sounds though). So, that narrows your selection to either M-audio's Keystation Pro 88, Keystation 88es, or CME's UF8.

2. Both

3. Yes.

4. Yes to all except Reason, which is much more than that. If on a tight budget, search for license-free ones. Otherwise, I imagine you may be upgrading your soundcard. Most soundcards meant for audio purposes come packaged (free) with Cubase LE or similar basic DAW software.

And to your last comment, yes you can! But becareful. When using softsamplers (in particular for symphonic music), it's best your PC is dedicated to DAW and only DAW (no microsoft office, no internet, no games, nothing except for music). Instead of getting a new PC, the best cost-effective way is to dual boot your PC and make one boot paritition dedicated to music and the other for your everyday use.

 

[Cheez]

Yellowduck, make sure you keep checking on the Garritan website because they are going to have a sale. And the sale is an unusual one - read below:

---

Garritan Announces Three-Day Holiday "Go-Round" Revolving Extravaganza​

72-Hour Sale Offers Unprecedented Discounts​

Garritan is pleased to announce a unique three-day "Go-Round" revolving sale on its sample libraries. The various Garritan libraries will be sold at electrifying discounts, one after another, in a 72-hour revolving sale.

The Garritan Go-Round starts Saturday December 15th, noon PST; and ends December 18th, noon PST.

During the Garritan Go-Round, a Garritan library will be listed at a dramatically low price, each lot in limited quantities. Once the lot is sold out – Garritan will offer the next library, until that lot is sold out; with the process repeated until the sale is over on December 18th at noon. The Go-Round for each library lasts an unspecified amount of time – a library can sell out in as little as a few minutes (when the limited supply is sold out); or the Go-Round can last hours, prior to bringing the next library up for sale.

Libraries to be offered include Personal Orchestra, Jazz & Big Band, Concert & Marching Band, Stradivari Solo Violin, Gofriller Cello – and there may also be a few additional surprises throughout the 72-hour event.

The inspiration for the revolving sale came from the popular Woot-off and shopping channel rounds. And in the same tradition, great bargains are to be had by all!

Get your trigger fingers ready, and take this unprecedented opportunity to save some real money on a Garritan library for yourself or someone special for the holidays!

We'll post more information soon!


Gary Garritan

 

[yellowduck]

Cheez!!

Thanks for all your responses, kinda give me better picture of MIDI. Just manage to visit your symphonia website.

Equipment used:
Gigastudio, Logic, Echo, keyboards. All recordings are done at my home using my PC. Gigastudio remains the centre piece of all my music.

What are Gigastudio, Logic and Echo? heeheee... Are you also using MIDI to do your songs?

 

[Cheez]

Yes, all midi sequences using Gigastudio as my softsampler, Logic as my DAW, and Echo as my soundcard. You don't expect me to record a live full orchestra, do you?