Want to expand sounds MIDI?

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Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Member Since: May 10, 2002

I have two keyboards. Both have midi capabilities. One is an old style synth. e.g. LFO, HFO, UFO, BFE, etc. Kinda like dial-a-tone technology. The other has a selection of sounds. Some keyboards, strings, reeds, etc.

From my understanding, I should be able to hook up the output of my keyboard(s) to the midi in of my computer, access a "software synthisizer" program and output sound via my sound card output jacks.

If this is accurate, what software do I need? Or is a hardware solution a better idea? I am primarily interested in keyboard, piano, string, and reed voices. Percussion, guitar, bass, and horns are pretty well covered.

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Dec 02, 2004 06:42 am

You would need a MIDI DIN cable to run from the out(s) of the keyboards to the MIDI in of your sound device. Then it's just a matter of setting transmission and reception on the right channels.

Since you have two keys you may have to daisychain the ins and outs into a circle, out key1 to in key2 out key2 to in PC, out PC to in key1...

Frisco's Most Underrated
Member
Since: Jan 28, 2003


Dec 02, 2004 05:19 pm

Walt, that depends if you want to use the onboard sounds of the keyboards you're working with. If you want to use those sounds, they should probably have an audio out which you would input directly to your soundcard. If you want to use the keyboards to trigger sounds that reside in your computer (soft synths, or samples - I do a lot of sound fonts still), you would hook up the midi out of your keyboard to the midi in on your soundcard/computer (if it has one). Once you assign the midi input for the program that is hosting softsynths or whatever, to be your keyboard, you should be good to go.

For software, to start with, you should be able trigger VST instruments in Cubase, though I've never done this, since i don't use Cubase.

Hope that wasn't confusing. It makes perfect sense in my head, but don't know if I'm able to convey my thoghts clearly.

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Member
Since: May 10, 2002


Dec 02, 2004 07:46 pm

Coolo,

I think it makes good sense. Just in case, I will paraphrase to double check.

I do want to use one keyboard as a controller, so I will hook up the midi out of that controller to the midi in of my sound card. Then I will do something I have no concept of and get Cubase to become a synthisizer. That will be the challange. I think I have some VST instruments with Cubase SX, I will check. Then I guess sound will come out the soundcard that I can actually record? Sounds way too simple for something I thought would definately eat me!

dB, sorry I wasn't clear. I am definately not good enough to play two keyboards at once. One is a good challange for me!

Frisco's Most Underrated
Member
Since: Jan 28, 2003


Dec 02, 2004 09:29 pm

Yeah, once you're in Cubase, there should be something somewhere, that should let you select your midi input. You choose your soundcard where you keyboard is connected. Open up a VST instrument, press on the keyboard, and you should get sound out of your soundcard. At least that's how it would work if I got to make the rules.

As for recording it, I will also assume that you can just mix it down in Cubase. Should be no need to reroute your soundcard out to your soundcard in and record it that way.

Member
Since: Dec 12, 2004


Dec 12, 2004 05:35 am

Go for the VSTi's in Cubase. There's a wealth of instruments available on the net, both commercial and freebies (example www.la-la.com/free_stuff.htm)

Only word of caution is that depending on your soundcard you may have a problem with latency

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Member
Since: May 10, 2002


Dec 12, 2004 11:29 am

Thanks folks!

I have been reading the Cubase manual (something closer to an enclyopedia comes to mind) and with your responses in mind it is actually starting to make some sense! I never thought I would see the day. Within the next couple of days I will patch one of the keyboards in and give it the smoke test. This is a quantom leap for me, making midi my friend. I am actually excited about it. Time to see my shrink I bet.

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