keyboard vs software
- Thread starter since1982
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z_z
New member
Get a midi-usb interface and you can use your X50 as a controller for the laptop. Then go get a soft synthesizer (look out for them in the buy sell section) with the sounds you like or a full-fledge DAW like Ableton Live or Reason that comes with instruments sample and you're on your way 
Cheez
Moderator
What do you intend to do with your notebook/controller setup? Do you want to play live, or would you like to do sequencing/programming? What genre do you play?
If you want to play live (ie making your noteook into a "synth" like a usual synth setup), you don't need a DAW software like Cubase, Sonar, Ableton etc. Most softsynths are standalone. If you have a notebook with good specs, Omnisphere is a good softsynth to go for. Excellent replacement for hardware synth.
If you want to play live (ie making your noteook into a "synth" like a usual synth setup), you don't need a DAW software like Cubase, Sonar, Ableton etc. Most softsynths are standalone. If you have a notebook with good specs, Omnisphere is a good softsynth to go for. Excellent replacement for hardware synth.
alshit
New member
buffalo man
Member
sry i know this is irrelavant to the thread but that moving bug for an avatar pic is seriously so real man!!!! i thot a bug flew onto my screen hahahahah lol.
Cheez
Moderator
buffalo man, sorry to bug you.
alshit, that's a good clip by CM! It's slightly outdated though, but synths like Albino 3 is definitely still one of the favorites. Good to know I have 5 in their list: Massive, FM8, Absynth, Z3ta+ and Rapture. Spectrasonics' Omnipshere, however, is likely to take the award if they do the survey again now.
Here demonstrated by none other than Jordan Rudess himself during the lastest NAMM.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF8SYLjl07g
alshit, that's a good clip by CM! It's slightly outdated though, but synths like Albino 3 is definitely still one of the favorites. Good to know I have 5 in their list: Massive, FM8, Absynth, Z3ta+ and Rapture. Spectrasonics' Omnipshere, however, is likely to take the award if they do the survey again now.
Here demonstrated by none other than Jordan Rudess himself during the lastest NAMM.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF8SYLjl07g
Cheez
Moderator
I'm not into electronic music, although I'm experimenting with them. Others can chip in here (iansoh, lowjk, where are you?). Atmospheric pads - Omnisphere is the one to go for. It is developed from the predecessor version, Atmosphere, which is well known for the atmospheric stuff. I'm more into sampling and orchestral.
As for where I got them - NI stuff is part of Komplete 5 (FM8, Absynth, Reaktor, Battery, Pro-53, Massive etc) where I got from Resolutions; some are packaged with Sonar 8PE (Rapture, Dimension, z3ta+ etc), which I got directly from Cakewalk (ie online). The main bulk of what I use isn't softsynths but softsampler libraries - all from online stores except Peter Siedlaczek's Advanced Orchestra where I got in Hong Kong eons ago (my first library) - cost a bomb then. Now hardly use it anymore as sampling had advanced tremendously.
Don't forget to check out KVRaudio for license-free VSTis. Not all of them are great.
As for where I got them - NI stuff is part of Komplete 5 (FM8, Absynth, Reaktor, Battery, Pro-53, Massive etc) where I got from Resolutions; some are packaged with Sonar 8PE (Rapture, Dimension, z3ta+ etc), which I got directly from Cakewalk (ie online). The main bulk of what I use isn't softsynths but softsampler libraries - all from online stores except Peter Siedlaczek's Advanced Orchestra where I got in Hong Kong eons ago (my first library) - cost a bomb then. Now hardly use it anymore as sampling had advanced tremendously.
Don't forget to check out KVRaudio for license-free VSTis. Not all of them are great.
alshit
New member
Yeah, there's kinda alot of difference between those free ones on kvr and those damn expensive ones like FM8. For free ones, you have to tweak alot and also add effects to make them sound nice. While you can buy those expensive softsynth and straightaway use the presets, coz they already sound good. hmmm...you pay for what you get.
You should download some freebies first. Note that soft sync is quite CPU hungry base on the recommended commercial one mention below.
Download the freebie of Crystal Green Oak plug in:
http://www.greenoak.com/crystal/
If you play a chord hitting 15% of CPU for some pads, you may need to change your laptop.
If this kind of power, big three synthesiser are flawless.
Download the freebie of Crystal Green Oak plug in:
http://www.greenoak.com/crystal/
If you play a chord hitting 15% of CPU for some pads, you may need to change your laptop.
If this kind of power, big three synthesiser are flawless.
since1982
New member
wow thanks folks for the replies! i've checked out the videos (many thanks alhit and Cheez) the Jordan Rudess one on Omnisphere is really amazing
z_z
thanks! i didn't know i'll need a midi-usb interface. will be looking out for one
Cheez
basically i'll like to leave my kb at home when i go for jam sessions in studio and i'll really like to just be able to get everything prepared in a laptop and just plug and play when i'm there. we play live too, so i'm really concerned abt whether if using a laptop i'll be able to switch patches easily, whether i'll be able to layer, create splits and add effects etc....
Omnisphere seems a really good choice.. btw would there be any difference between Omnisphere and other DAWs?
(sorry for noob questions i'm really green in this software area!)
btw i play rock/pop mostly (actually to zoom in mostly Jrock/pop) but i really wouldn't want to be confined to just this genre
kongwee
thanks for your recommendations, i'll be trying greenoak soon. i don't have a laptop at home atm, and if i ever decide to switch to softwares most likely i'll be getting a netbook, beacuse of its portability.
a netbook should be fine right? wld there be some kinda of specs guideline for softsynths to run smoothly?
z_z
thanks! i didn't know i'll need a midi-usb interface. will be looking out for one
Cheez
basically i'll like to leave my kb at home when i go for jam sessions in studio and i'll really like to just be able to get everything prepared in a laptop and just plug and play when i'm there. we play live too, so i'm really concerned abt whether if using a laptop i'll be able to switch patches easily, whether i'll be able to layer, create splits and add effects etc....
Omnisphere seems a really good choice.. btw would there be any difference between Omnisphere and other DAWs?
(sorry for noob questions i'm really green in this software area!)
btw i play rock/pop mostly (actually to zoom in mostly Jrock/pop) but i really wouldn't want to be confined to just this genre
kongwee
thanks for your recommendations, i'll be trying greenoak soon. i don't have a laptop at home atm, and if i ever decide to switch to softwares most likely i'll be getting a netbook, beacuse of its portability.
a netbook should be fine right? wld there be some kinda of specs guideline for softsynths to run smoothly?
z_z
New member
Hi sorry, if you're using the x50, u dun need a midi-usb interface. Your x50 should have a USB port (small head type - think it is designated as USB-B) which you can connect to your laptop (normal head type - think it is designated as USB-A))with just a usb cable...my bad
Cheez
Moderator
If you're intending not to lug your keyboard along, you need to have a gig bag of tools that will enable you to play any keyboards. This will indeed include a midi interface, since the keyboard in the studio may not be USB capable. USB midi interfaces are not expensive. I usually have 3 pedals in my bag as well - one for sustain, one for switch, and one expression pedal.
The flexibility of switching patches and playability depends 2 things:
1. The programming of the softsynth itself
2. The controllers the keyboard has (how many faders, knobs, wheels, and whether they are assignable)
The last thing you want to do live is to twiddle around with your notebook's mouse or mouse pad. Omnisphere, as evident from the youtube clip, is very versatile live. Notice Jordan Rudess switching sounds using the Korg Nano. That's call key-switching, one of the many ways of programming for patch/sample change. You don't need that if you're using a keyboard with 88 keys - the switch is usually programmed at the lower octaves. But Jordan is using a 76-key synth action keyboard, hence the Korg Nano to extent the range. You can also program a patch/sound change using the mod wheel - ie by cross-fading. Mod wheel at one end is one patch, at the other end is another patch, anywhere in between is a mix of the 2 patches.
Forget about the Netbook. The only known softsynth/sampler that is known to work with the Netbook currently is Garritan's libraries (Garritan Personal Orchestra) running on his ARIA engine. It's orchestral-based. For most of softsynths that rely on a lot of synthesis, expect CPU and RAM drainage. You would want to get something that's fast and has lots of RAM.
You would also want to dual boot it so one boot is entirely dedicated to playing music. Do a search on the forum on dual boot - it has been discussed in great detail in many previous posts.
The flexibility of switching patches and playability depends 2 things:
1. The programming of the softsynth itself
2. The controllers the keyboard has (how many faders, knobs, wheels, and whether they are assignable)
The last thing you want to do live is to twiddle around with your notebook's mouse or mouse pad. Omnisphere, as evident from the youtube clip, is very versatile live. Notice Jordan Rudess switching sounds using the Korg Nano. That's call key-switching, one of the many ways of programming for patch/sample change. You don't need that if you're using a keyboard with 88 keys - the switch is usually programmed at the lower octaves. But Jordan is using a 76-key synth action keyboard, hence the Korg Nano to extent the range. You can also program a patch/sound change using the mod wheel - ie by cross-fading. Mod wheel at one end is one patch, at the other end is another patch, anywhere in between is a mix of the 2 patches.
Forget about the Netbook. The only known softsynth/sampler that is known to work with the Netbook currently is Garritan's libraries (Garritan Personal Orchestra) running on his ARIA engine. It's orchestral-based. For most of softsynths that rely on a lot of synthesis, expect CPU and RAM drainage. You would want to get something that's fast and has lots of RAM.
You would also want to dual boot it so one boot is entirely dedicated to playing music. Do a search on the forum on dual boot - it has been discussed in great detail in many previous posts.