Complete Noop with MiDi Keyboards

B

beginners

New member
Hey!

My brother and I are attempting to make our own beats for the first time. The equipment we have purchased includes an M-Audio Axiom 25 (from ebay, so it was shipped with no original items other than the keyboard itself), a Lenovo Yoga 2 (11 inch) that operates on windows, and we are planning to use the Reaper DAW. We know nothing about programming the virtual instruments into the keyboard, so basically we have software that we don't understand along with hardware that we don't understand.... We have tried to find out how to use the keyboard with no luck at all. if any clarification is needed, i can offer it. ANY comments are appreciated

Thanks!
 
Ok, forget Reaper for now and a download the demo from https://www.pianoteq.com/

This is a very robust and easy to use MIDI piano and the laptop keys will produce (Deity awful!) sounds when you use the computer keys.

Now plug the M-A kb in using a USB cable. It should show up and install itself (the M has a power socket but I am pretty sure it will power from USB. Download the f&^%$ing manual form M-A!) .

Pianoteq should help you find the M-A and then allow you to play it through the PC. It will still sound ***t however. Solution? An Audio Interface but, since your aim it to use a MIDI device this gets a bit tricky since you run into an issue called "latency" This is a delay between the act of pressing a key and you hearing a note. Even a few 1/1000th of a second can be very offputting but people DO learn to cope.

Nevertheless I suggest two interfaces that should be ok. The Steinberg UR22 and the AudioBox 2 . The VERY best if you can spring $250ish of the "budget" AIs is the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6.

No, you DON'T need the 9volt power supply.

Dave.
 
Personally, I think you got screwed by buying the controller via eBay, because I believe it should have come with (1) a free registration for the Ableton Live Lite DAW, and (2) a free registration for AIR Ignite. If you bought it used, chances are the person you bought it from already downloaded and registered the free copy of Ableton Live Lite before selling you the controller, and may have also registered the controller to get the free copy of AIR Ignite (I forget if you need a separate registration for AIR Ignite or if it's made available once you've registered the controller).

I may have a free registration code for Ableton Live Lite that you can have-- I'll have to check and see. Of course, you don't need to use Ableton Live Lite, as there are many other DAWs out there, including some free ones (e.g., PreSonus Studio One Prime, or Tracktion T4). And if you end up buying an audio interface as Dave recommended, chances are it may come with a free registration for a DAW as well.

As for AIR Ignite, it includes a collection of several instrument sounds-- acoustic pianos, electric pianos, organs, synthesizers, acoustic guitars, bass guitars, electric guitars, brass, reeds, strings, percussion, etc. I recommend that you register the M-Audio controller and see if you can download AIR Ignite for free. If it turns out that the previous owner got it first and now you can't get it, that would be a bummer, because it has a nice set of instrument sounds.
 
Gets complicated pretty quickly don't it!

Pity if you missed out on that software but don't despair! A lot of the time music gear is bought as prezzies by people who don't know WTF it is about and never register the software, costs nothing to ask!

The NI KA6 I mentioned also comes with Cubase, no better software for MIDI work. There is also a version of Kontakt Player and about 3G of downloadable samples.
The Alesis i02 Express interface also comes with Cubase but it IS a very low cost AI and whilst very good for the money, might not have the low latency you need.

BTW do not be intimidated by the DAW softwares. They are ALL very tough to get to grips with at first (why I suggested Pianoteq to get you started. It practically sets itself up and all you do is push a key)

Dave.
 
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