Help On Softsynthing

[gaderel_dathamonga]

Hi people... I'm sorry if this has been discussed before...

I'm thinking of trying my hand at softsynthing... I need some advice on what i need to do softsynthing... all i have is a powerbook g4..... and i understand that u need a software to do this.... Any trials of em coz i dun wanna spend the cash and find out tt its not my thing and regret later...

Pls advise... Thanks...

 

[lowjk]

Hi people... I'm sorry if this has been discussed before...

I'm thinking of trying my hand at softsynthing... I need some advice on what i need to do softsynthing... all i have is a powerbook g4..... and i understand that u need a software to do this.... Any trials of em coz i dun wanna spend the cash and find out tt its not my thing and regret later...

Pls advise... Thanks...

1) Do you have any midi instruments?
2) Do you have any way to interface this/these midi instruments to the G4 eg usb, midi interface?
3) Are you using any sequencer at the moment?
4) You could download free/demo VSTi (or softsynths) from
http://www.kvraudio.com/get.php
to try out first.

 

[lowjk]

Here's something I did totally with only softsynths:
http://www.savefile.com/files/5233453

It's a partially done cover of My Secret Garden (Excerpts) by Depeche Mode.
No hardware synth was used at all.

 

[One]

lowjk.....u using keyboard controller?? which model n brand? and u do multi track recording method eh? how many track in total did u use?

 

[lowjk]

lowjk.....u using keyboard controller?? which model n brand? and u do multi track recording method eh? how many track in total did u use?

1) Using the Edirol PCR-1 as controller. It's a slim line type of design and the touch is totally different. Took a while of getting used to.

2) Bought for ~S$270 in HK. Local agent wanted $330.

3) The Midi is in multitracks (~8). Mixed down to stereo mp3 (No mastering! That's not an area of my interest/expertise)

 

[gaderel_dathamonga]

This is more difficult then i thought... I still got no idea wads going on.... Ok i got no midi instruments save for a guitar which can be plugged in through midi via multieffects if u consider tt an instrument....

 

[lowjk]

This is more difficult then i thought... I still got no idea wads going on.... Ok i got no midi instruments save for a guitar which can be plugged in through midi via multieffects if u consider tt an instrument....

It's not difficult at all.

Let's run thru it step by step
1) A softsynth is essentially a synthesizer that lives as a computer code in your laptop.

2) You need a means of controlling this software synthesizer (softsynth).
eg keyboards, guitar, drums pad, wind instruments - the key point is that it must interface with your computer thru MIDI (either indirectly thru a MIDI interface or thru a USB cable).

3) Perhaps giving me the model of your guitar and effects may help.
(sorry, I am a little skeptical about a guitar being plugged in via MIDI to a multieffects. What usually happens it that you plug the guitar into the effects via a phono cable and connect the multieffects via MIDI to a computer/controller).

4) Instead of using the computer to run softsynths, it can also run multieffects in the computer, the famous of which is Guitar Rig (now in version 2) from Native Instruments.

Drop a line here if you have more questions.

Jk