MIDI confusion- newb.

[taylapong]

Hi guys,

I'm looking to set up a small recording thing at home to explore, and for personal music and stuff. But i'm getting confused... especially with the MIDI thing. Currently i'm intending to get a Presonus Firebox and hook it up to my laptop via firewire, as well as a midi controller into the Firebox.

Here's where i'm confused: Will I be able to get and use the more sophisticated synthesizer sounds with this setup? Or am I stuck to simple GM midi sounds? I mean, i read that we can download soft synths from online and then use it through a sequencer, but, do i need like a soundblaster card with all that inside?

thanks!! I recognize i may not even be asking hte right questions.. hope you can help!!

 

[azhiwen]

As you mentioned, with a MIDI keyboard, you'd need softsynths to be able to produce those synthesized sounds you mentioned. And download? I don't know about that, but most of the good ones have to be bought.

What do you mean by you need a soundblaster card with all that inside? Hmm you do need a good sound card to cut reduce latency though.

 

[taylapong]

i meant like, someone once told me soundblasters have this "soundfont" thing with really nice sounds for midi use... i'm wondering if these soundfonts are a hardware thing or software thing? like, is my (future) setup decent enough?

 

[One]

dude.

1)do u use multi effect for ur gtr? for example like podxt live or zoom etc which have a usb port to connect to comp??

2)u might wanna get USB-keyboard controller like m-audio or korg. its the same thing...its still control the MIDI notes.


ok here's why i ask this questions. firstly...if u have those type of multi effects as mention above and u buy a USB-keyboard controller, u can directly plug both in into ur laptop n record. this is suitable for real basic set-up for u to experiment around...latency problem wouldnt be much of a problem if ur laptop has reasonably good built in soundcard...YES having a dedicated audio interface is highly recommended but u can get that later on...u can try this set-up first n play around...

oh yes and the most cheapo way is to line-in ur gtr into the lappy and record. and all u need is to buy a keyboard controller....m-audio keystation is a good start.

juz my thought on helping.
sorry if i say anything wrong.
enjoy

 

[taylapong]

Thanks One.

Nope, I don't use any multi-effects on my guitar...

hmmm... the USB midi controller sounds like an interesting option... so are you suggesting that I buy a (cheaper) audio interface and use a USB MIDI controller for keyboard and drum sounds instead? That would save me some on cost... right?

WRT the multi-effects suggestion, I'm not really looking for effects per se (chorus, reverb, delay etc)... i don't htink i'll be recording electric guitar, at least not yet.. what i was asking about is whether i can get nice aftertouch and sounds from the likes of Korg and Roland if i used only a MIDI controller? Or do i need to buy a sound module eventually?

I've tried the "cheapo" line in method... haha.... really cannot make it... sound was quite bad... noisy and stuff...

 

[Indigo_blues]

u can read up on some basic knowledge of midi first.

http://www.borg.com/~jglatt/tutr/miditutr.htm

 

[soft]

taylapong, the reason why you should buy a FireBox is to be able to record sound from external source, ie. microphones or line-out from guitar/amp/keyboards.

so if you want to record stuff like vocals, acoustic guitar, acoustic piano .. these you can use microphone and record via the FireBox into the computer.

for a start, i would suggest getting a synthersizer with built-in sounds. this way, you can use the keyboard as an input device and at the same time, use the keyboard's on-board sound.

computer (recorder/sequencer) + Firebox (interface) + Synthersizer (input device/sound module) + microphone = complete studio!! :lol:

 

[kithsa]

If it's just the MIDI you want, then a keystation is sufficient.

But if you want to record guitars, you'll need an audio interface (firebox is not bad), and possibly mics if you want to mic up the guitar cab. If you want to just plug the guit into the interface, then you'd probably need some software amp modellers. Alternatively, the pod, black box, hardware amp modeller works too.

As for synth sounds, you can download vsts from nice websites such as kvr-vst and the like. They sound pretty good, IMHO. Just make sure that your software can support vsts.

 

[taylapong]

Cool, that pretty much answers the question..., so i CAN download synths and control them thru my software and with the MIDI controller...

Soft: thanks for the advice... i would love to get a keyboard with onboard sound if i could, but those usually cost quite a lot more... way out of budget for this point in time...

indigo blues: thanks for the webbie.. i'll check it out!

kithsa: any software to recommend that will handle vsts and all?

 

[Indigo_blues]

no problem dude. all the best!

 

[azhiwen]

Cubase is one, Adobe Audition is another. Though Cubase is a more popular choice.

 

[kithsa]

Well, software is a thing you'll have to buy lah, unless you can get it by "other means". The firebox you're getting should come packaged with some lite version of a vst capable software. I think its cubase.

 

[qfactor]

So far, the cheapest MIDI keyboard around would be M-Audio Keystation 49e (below $200). It's velocity sensitive (harder/faster you hit, louder the sound) but no aftertouch (seldom need this actually!) and has sustain pedal input (though sustain pedal not included).

As for your question about Soundfonts and Soundblaster cards, in short, a Soundblaster (actually only the Audigy cards now) is a hardware that would be able to LOAD in Soundfonts (the software sounds) to enable you to play the various sounds you loaded (be it GM sounds or 1 specific instrument sound).
However, with VST Soundfont players (you can look at this as like a "software" soundcard, in your case), this will allow you to load in those same Soundfonts you'd have, into this Soundfont player, and do away with needing to have an Audigy or Soundblaster - just any existing soundcard/soundchip from your internal motherboard would suffice until you feel the NEED for better sound quality from your soundcard.
In this way, your generic soundcard is functioning as an interface to convert digital signals to analog ones, to your speakers.

QF

 

[teraslasch]

pertaining soundfonts, u need not have a creative soundcard to use them, cause u can download the vst for it, and load soundfonts in. Some soundfonts are pretty good in my opinion, and alot of them are free.