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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Recording Corner »

Permalink MIDI Controllers

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Does anybody here use a midi controller/keyboard for any of their home recording, or live?

I just bought an M-Audio Mobilepre USB interface and I intend to buy Cakewalk's Sonar Home Studio 6 at school tomorrow and to make the most of my demos/toying around I was wondering what exactly I could do with a midi controller. Drums, strings, piano? Anything extra special?

I'm looking at the M-Audio Oxygen V2 controller.

I use the MIDI clock to sync the MicroKorg to the drummachine...

There are many many options with software voices and MIDI controllers within Cakewalk, but, so far I have been pretty lame when it comes to using software instruments...I think it's because I don't really like most of them, at least the ones I have on my harddrive, they seem to sound way too "generic" for my taste. Also, I think I have an irrational bias towards the quirks and noisy-ness of hardware based instruments...and I like to tweak knobs on-the-fly when playing with gear...

Please, let us know how your exploration develops. I, for one, am interested in where your controller leads you...

Last edited: Feb 05, 2008 13:02:37

Added m-audio's Keystation 49e to my home studio. Its a no-frill controller and that's all I need. Works great with GarageBand sounds and killer with Native Instruments B4 ll tonewheel software (plug in). Its very special, if you'd like having a Hammond B3 without the bulk + $.

Guitar into Mobilpre interface for a very authentic Leslie effect via the B4 ll.

I think the Oxygen V2 would be great, btw.

Thanks guys.

DP, I am also concerned how the software instruments are going to sound, especially because I'm a little picky, but I hope there is a salvageable instrument or two. I figure it can't do an organ sound too poorly.

Cambeezy, thanks for the tip on the B4 Tonewheel suggestion, I would very much like the B3 sound, and especially the leslie sound.

I've actually always been a little disappointed with software versions of any instruments. I also have issues with how complicated some MIDI set ups can become and reliability issues that seem to crop up with computers in a live/gig environment if you're going to be doing shows.
For ease of use (and reliability), I've been basing my MIDI set up on an AKAI MPC2000XL. It's a combined sampler-drum machine and a sequencer in one package. It's incredibly reliable, I've done over 250 shows with it with no failure, and is very easy to use (for me any way).
For my sequenced instruments, I use various combinations of rack synths from Roland, Kord and Alessis. The system is easy to work with, sounds better then virtual instruments (to my ears) and feeds easily as individual instruments through DI boxes into the clubs' sound system.
When writing and programing, I can use the pads on the AKAI for the drums and percussion and everything else is done with a Fatar midi controller.
Only a handful of cables and I'm up and running.
You can hear a tiny sampling of this sequencing system on my band's Myspace site (www.Myspace.com/lostpatrol). In any case, there's no real "right" way to do the MIDI stuff, but I would certainly consider ease of use and reliability.
As far as straight organ sounds go, a lot of my clients use the Voce B-3 box and for a Leslie substitute, the Voce Spin.
Hope it all works out for you.

Hey, just get a sampler. I have an Ensoniq ASR-10, which I use
for drums and sequencing, not to mention effects processing.

Vince

Is this something you can share with the rest of us, Amazing Larry?!?

I got the midi controller. I wanted it for more than drums and that is what brought me to the keyboard/controller.

$325 bought me:
Condenser mic MXL 992
M-Audio mobilepre Interface box
M-Audio Oxygen V2
Sonar Home Studio 6
I already had a SM57

Cheaper than the portable recorders I was looking at with a boatload more of functions and capabilities.

I use a Behringer FCB1010 midi controller. It's got 100 patches you can program in (5 program changes, 2 control changes, 2 relay connections, note on/off and two pedals for each patch).

http://www.behringer.com/FCB1010/index.cfm?lang=eng

While programming the thing is a little daunting at first, it can be done. I ended up writing some software to assist me in programming mine. Makes it much easier.

With mine I control my DAW for recording, my Behringer VAMPIRE and Digitech Whammy (using a one for four Midi Solutions thru). Very handy to use.

If you're tempted with an FCB1010, be aware that the pedals don't use pot's like normal pedals. They use gradient translucent strips with LED sensors. And while you'd think this would work well, the travel isn't always smooth from MIN to MAX values (you can program what MIN and MAX are with the two pedals). Plus the pedals are simply plastic with pins in metal mounting brackets. Cheap. Really. I don't use the pedals at all.

The rest of the thing is built like a tank though.

Mel

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