A Complete Beginnner !!! posted by kj...

J-bot
Byte-Mixer
Member
Since: Dec 04, 2007

Jul 08, 2011 10:25 am

Okay, well let's begin at the beginning.

The Ozonic is a midi keyboard controller, so the knobs are whatever you want them to be. You can assign the knobs to perform different functions inside your DAW (digital audio workstation) However as it is simply a controller, so it has no built-in sounds, but it is used to control software synths/instruments, and to record midi automation.

As to -how- you assign the knobs to do different things, that depends on what DAW software you use and the keyboard, so it would be a good idea to read through the manual for the keyboard so you can learn and understand what all the controller can do, and look through your DAWs help files and manuals so you can familiarize yourself with the software, particularly the midi aspects.

www.m-audio.com/images/gl...nic_UG_02EN.pdf

The DAW you use should be able to "see" the keyboard (you'll need to look at the settings/preferences so you can make sure the keyboard is there, and that you're able to enable the keyboard) You'd generally create a track, load in a VST instrument, and be able to control that instrument via the Ozonic.

On learning piano/guitar, do you mean playing from the keyboard, or actually learning the guitar? For learning the instruments themselves, a tutor is invaluable. As for books, see below.

For learning to actually play piano, I think the Ozonic keyboard is a bit too small for learning that properly. (I'd say you'd want a 61-key or 76-key keyboard at the minimum for learning to play piano) A couple books I can recommend are Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course book 1, and Bastien's Piano for Adults, book 1.

www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Ba...2724&sr=1-2

www.amazon.com/KP1B-Basti...2652&sr=1-2

It's good to get both so you have more songs to try practicing as well as different ways of explaining concepts and techniques. Another book that would be a good supplement is Rikky Rooksby's How to write songs on keyboard.

www.amazon.com/How-Write-...2822&sr=1-6

It is not a piano lesson book so much as it is more learning song structures, chord progressions and other types of music theory.

I think he also has a book called "Play Great Guitar" from Mango Publications which would help for learning guitar I think. (Not positive on that though) The two books I have are the Alfred Rock Guitar complete edition, and The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer. (note I've not had time to actually sit down and learn more than a few chords as of yet, but I'm liking both the books)

www.amazon.com/Complete-R...927&sr=8-15

www.amazon.com/Guitar-Han...4977&sr=1-1

For learning to play drums from the keyboard, just learn the general-midi drum mapping, i.e. which keys play which drums, and start laying down some simple rhythms at first, and start varying those rhythms to build up a set of loops. Maybe start laying down bass/snare first, then go back over and lay down the cymbals, and then toms, etc. Or learn to use a step sequencer/pattern editor.

Beyond that, feel free to ask anything, and I mean anything around here. We were all new at one point. But in many cases a bit of manual reading can go a long way.