Newbie condenser advice puhleaaase :)

The very last thing I would want to do Mr Chili is "muddy" anyone's plans!

Had the OP not expressed an interest in MIDI I would not have written as I did. The Focusrite 2i2 IS afine interface (tho' not without some issues in the past) but it is not a MIDI interface. Neither is the Oxygen and they have even cheaped out on a DIN out (which is about all the extra "bits" you need inside!).

I could understand your comment Mr C if there was a cost or performance penalty to choosing the the UR22 but there isn't as far as I am aware? There is also the bonus IMHO of the best MIDI software in Cubase for free! Win- win?

As for USB "taking over" from DIN for MIDI? I know of no MIDI device so far that can be daisy chained via USB with another? .....Mind you, if we don't all watch it ONLY expensive stuff will have MIDI DINs very soon!

Dave.
 
I already bought the Rode NT1-a. I'm not exactly starting from 0 here, altough I am just figuring out the gear I need. I've been in and out of studios for the past few years and spend hours alongside friends recording, mixing and mastering. It'll take me a little to get going but I'm getting there faster than it may seem.
That being said, the one thing that I keep trying to get Dave to clear out for me but just can't seem to is this:
- I want my audio interface and my midi keyboard to be compatible. I don't want to run midi straight into my daw. I understand that the sound quality will be lower and also there's latency problems which is not good, especially when I'm recording drumpads. What keyboard and what audio interface should I get so that I can put them TOGETHER. If there is an affordable option. Also, I need to get all the stuff I need now, otherwise I will spend the money on bills or living expenses. I am taking a plunge right now to try and make my musical dreams come true, but I need to take it before I realise that I can't actually afford to. :))
And that's it, that's the last I'll say to this.
Thanx for the help guys
Alexa
 
Has anyone talked about the Impact yet? Very capable keyboard, should be around the Oxygen's price point. It's also USB midi, but hey, for the under $200 crowd that's a hard climb.

Oh, it's made by Nektar. forgot to mention that. They say it's Pre-mapped DAW Configurations for Bitwig Studio, Cubase, Digital Performer, Garageband, Logic X, Nuendo, Reaper, Reason, SONAR, and Studio One
 
I work on Ableton.
All I want is a midi controller that actually has a midi port and is under 200$.. why on earth is that so hard? I mean, I looked everywhere, all are USB. Or if anyone knows if I can find some sort of adaptor cable so I can use a USB controller into a midi audio interface. It's still a midi signal right? So an adaptor should work. I keep googleing this stuff and nothing comes up. Am I the only one that is struggling with this?
 
"That being said, the one thing that I keep trying to get Dave to clear out for me but just can't seem to is this:
- I want my audio interface and my midi keyboard to be compatible. I don't want to run midi straight into my daw. I understand that the sound quality will be lower and also there's latency problems which is not good, especially when I'm recording drumpads. What keyboard and what audio interface should I get so that I can put them TOGETHER. If there is an affordable option."

Ok! I shall try but you have just thrown me a shifted goalpost or two in "don't want to run MIDI straight into my DAW" and "drumpads"!

If we take the simplest setup (non- MIDI interface. Only USB on keys) the keyboard plugs into the computer. You run Cubase or similar and play the software instruments in Cubase or any VST instruments you import, e.g. BFD drums (tho' that will actually also run "stand alone" without a DAW host)
But that is a closed system. If you had a drum machine say, you could not introduce that into the system unless it too had a USB port. I have no idea how that would then be setup in the DAW because I do not have such hardware to hand.

If however you had an AI with MIDI ports and a keyboard with DIN MIDI out you could chain the keyboard with the drum machine to the AI and run all in the software. If another MIDI (DIN only) piece of kit came along, a sound module say, that could be put in the chain or indeed run from the MIDI out port on the AI.

You mentioned "latency"? Let me say straight away that despite some comments you might have read elsewhere, there is no latency penalty from using a USB connected controller from one just equipped with DINs. If there IS a difference it would be in microseconds, not a problem.

Latency in MIDI however IS often a problem and one almost totally cause by the interface and its drivers. I have no idea how any of those so far mentioned perform in this regard. I suppose I could checkout my 8i6 but it probably would not be relevant.
The only interface even close to your budget that I am aware of that I can say is definitely fast enough is the NI KA6 but that is , I think, out of your budget.

I DO hope I have helped THIS time! If not keep at me until I get it right.

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
...but it is not a MIDI interface. Neither is the Oxygen and they have even cheaped out on a DIN out (which is about all the extra "bits" you need inside!).
Click to expand...

I don't consider moving the midi protocol over to USB to be "cheaped out". It's a good move and a stable platform. USB is the way to go. I wish I could be done with the old DIN cables, but my keyboard is ancient.

There is also the bonus IMHO of the best MIDI software in Cubase for free! Win- win?
Click to expand...
I'll give ya that, I'm a big fan of Cubase. But Ableton addresses a certain target user and it seems to be what the OP is familiar with.

As for USB "taking over" from DIN for MIDI? I know of no MIDI device so far that can be daisy chained via USB with another?
Dave.
Click to expand...
With USB, you don't need to daisy chain. There is no point to it.

Alexa S said:
I work on Ableton.
All I want is a midi controller that actually has a midi port and is under 200$.. why on earth is that so hard? I mean, I looked everywhere, all are USB. Or if anyone knows if I can find some sort of adaptor cable so I can use a USB controller into a midi audio interface. It's still a midi signal right? So an adaptor should work. I keep googleing this stuff and nothing comes up. Am I the only one that is struggling with this?
Click to expand...

It is indeed still a midi signal whether through a midi interface or USB, it's all midi. Only the data carrier is different.

I've heard good things about the NT1a. I know several people here at HR use it.
 
M-Audio Keystation 61 MkII - Thomann UK

That has a MIDI DIN out. If you are seeking MIDI IN and out in a controller I fear you will find nothing at that price level.

Mr Chili? Those clever Kenton MIDI people make a usb/DIN "host". But if everything goes USB won't you just end up with a lot of USB cables instead of DINS and possibly a load of hubs?
Not going to happen anyway mate...SO much high end stuff is DIN MIDI controlled.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb12/articles/kenton-midi-usb-host.htm

Dave.
 
BroKen_H said:
And there's this as well.

the ^^blue^^ is a link. :D
Click to expand...

Blue link, what sorcery is this? :P
And yeeees, that's what I was looking for. No idea how you found it, been googleing it for hours and no luck.
Will this work? For pluging in a usb controller into a midi audio interface?
 
I Have one. You plug your midi instrument into it and it plugs into the computer. Not normally the other way around...sorry.
 
Chili said:
I'm confused why you would want to do this?
Click to expand...

I don't know how many more ways I can say this, I think I should maybe go study the language some more and then come back because I don't think I'm expressing myself the right way. I want to run midi through my audio interface not straight into my laptop. I heard about the latency from too many places for it to be just a myth so I don't want to risk it. I can't seem to find a decent keyboard with midi out so I was looking for a way to adapt the usb out to my midi inputs in the interface.
Also, I give up. Thanx so much for trying to help guys. I think I'd better run to a store and try to find some answers there in person. Things seem to get lost in translation. :)
 
There is nothing lost in translation. I think you're trying to fix a problem before it exists. If you're going to have latency by plugging a USB controller into your keyboard, then you're going to have latency by plugging your midi controller into a USB interface.

To reiterate what Dave said earlier:

Latency in MIDI however IS often a problem and one almost totally cause by the interface and its drivers.
Click to expand...

Either in your driver or in your DAW program will be parameters for midi latency that you can adjust. You want to set it as low as possible so it doesn't lag during realtime playing. I believe 10ms or less is ideal, but I'm not at my studio to give it a try.

And also... Welcome to the site. :)
 
Attached is the rear panel connections of the M-A Keystation 61.

The DIN out can be taken to the MIDI input of an AI such as the UR22 when it can play software instruments in a PC.

N.B. this connection regime will NOT give any better or worse latency than using the USB connection protocol. It WILL however give more flexibility if other MIDI devices are to be added in the future some of which might not have USB capability.
I in fact picked up an old Yamaha "portasound" keyboard for £50 some years ago and that can be used as a sound module. It also has 8 nice chunky pads on its front which are assignable to any sound and are therefore handy drum sound triggers. It even has a crude "sequencer" in it with the ability to record basic patterns.

Just realized. That is EXACTLY the same rear panel layout as my Ekeys 49!
Dave.
 

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