Bass and Guitar MIDI question

[88fingers]

Hiya,
I'm looking to doing some recordings, and want to add some bass lines and guitar parts to the recordings. I'm thinking about just playing out some MIDI bass lines on my keyboard, then substituting in some decent-sounding bass samples, but I don't know anything at lal about MIDI work, so don't know where to begin, and don't know what programs and samples to use. Any help please?

[ssscientist]

First, you'll need a midi interface for your computer. Nothing fancy --- one of these would do the job ---

http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOUNO

Then you need to hook up your midi keyboard to the interface.

Then you need software for the computer. I use and recommend Tracktion because it's easy and cheap and they have a free demo version that's fully functional for two weeks from downloading.

http://www.mackie.com/products/tracktion/

If you like it as much as I do it's $80 to buy your own copy.

From there, visit this web site for many free and low cost VSTi + VST fx

http://www.kvr-vst.com/

[88fingers]

Okay,
I have a Delta 1010, which has MIDI in and out, and I have Adobe Audition, which has some midi options, which I have never fully learned the use of. I know the Delta1010 will do what I need; does Audition have full midi capabilities. What are VSTi + VST fx and how do I use them? (Forgive me for my stupidity on this, but I've never dealt with MIDI before).

[ssscientist]

Midi is a control language which tells other midi devices (for example, keyboards) which note to play, how loud and how long to hold it. Being a control language it makes no noise of it's own.

Other portions of the midi stream can contain midi clock information, midi machine control commands and midi continuous controllers which, depending on the receiving intrument, can be set to control synth or sample parameters like filter frequency, modulation amounts, pitch bend and just about any other parameter you can think of.

VSTi's are software instruments that comply with a standard set by Steinberg, makers of Cubase and other fine software products. The 'i' at the end stands for instrument and your Adobe Audition v 1.5 supports them. Go to K-v-R and download Synth One. It's a favorite of mine because it's free and sounds very good. Read the Adobe manual for instructions on loading this into a track. Then plug the midi output of your keyboard into the midi in of your Delta 1010 and away you go!

[Josie]

I bought a "Cakewalk Music Pack" that came with the basic "Cakewalk Express" PC program, a Keyboard-to-Computer Midi Cable, and installation CD, for $29.95.

I think the cable alone was worth the money, and the Cakewalk software, though not the most advanced when compared to other programs, is a good start for someone starting out on Midi Sequencing. I am talking Beginner Level. 3 years later, I am still using for editing my Midi sequences, though I am aware of Cakewalk Sonar, Cubase, and many other great and advanced programs, though I can do 95% of what those other programs can do with Cakewalk Express.

Early this year, we recorded using my well-polished Midi sequences, and just added guitars and vocals. The engineer uses NUENDO software, he did the final mixing and mastering, while we collaborated on the overall mix. I wish I could post some of the songs here to show what Midi can do as a musical "bed". After playing the CD to some people, they are asking me "who's the drummer?", and "who's the Bass player?", to which I answer, "Me", (on Midi drums and Bass). I even added "mistakes" for a "live feel". I did not use an Antares Autotuner, everything is: "what you hear is what you get". The music I recorded is not Metal Rock, but Latin Jazz and American Oldies, to promote our Duo's Live Music service. We are not looking for a "record deal", we want to make money! So far, that recording has landed us a 6-month job at a Hotel Chain, exactly what we wanted.

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by 88fingers

What are VSTi + VST fx and how do I use them?

Sorry 88, I misled you.

I downloaded a demo version of Adobe Audition and much to my surprise it doesn't support VSTi's! That means that my careful instructions in my answer of a few nights ago are useless...

There ARE low cost options for audio/midi sequencer packages that DO support VSTi's, Tracktion being one of them -
http://www.mackie.com/products/tracktion/
but Adobe Audition is not among them. It DOES support VST fx, but it's main function seems to be arranging created or existing wav files into an arrangement with no real midi functionality except to import and edit midi files.

[88fingers]

Yeah, after a little playing around, that is what I found out too I would really like to get some sort of freeware for the time being while I'm learning a bit about MIDI; how good is the Traction demo? Will it allow me to sve files, convert them to mp3 and wav, and will it be useful at all?

[ssscientist]

Download it and give it a try.

See if you like it.

The demo version is fully functional for two weeks after you download it, then it starts putting out a little 'fffft' of white noise every 10 or so seconds.

Tracktion does render to .wav, but you need to use another program to convert to mp3. I use a freeware program called Audacity -

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

[wakeupbomb]

I have a question here about this sort of thing too. I have a Digi 001, and I've been trying to get my (crappy) casio keyboard into protools via the midi in/out on the back of the 001 interface. I have the in to the out and vice versa, but I don't get any midi notes or anything when I play the keyboard. Does anyone know why, or can they help with the setup?

[ssscientist]

Wakeup-

Your (crappy) Casio should be all you need to get midi into ProTools. I hate ProTools, not only on general principles but because it's VERY hard to troubleshoot on a BBS like this one.

If you want to post your computer type, OS and brief outline specs I'll try to help.

[manning1]

88fingers. if you want some free tutorials on midi and digital audio visit
pgmusic.com and in the support section you will find some very usefull
free learning info. also - if you feel disposed try the demoes of powerttracks and band in a box sometime. these are both very capable audio and midi products with a thousand and one features to help produce good songs.
read about them on the site. as well as the user forums. both have a very large user base due to their ease of getting up and running.
peace.

[radicaltruth]

ssscientist...you're clearly know what you're talking about. I recently bought an audio interface card (M-audio Delta 1010LT) and a MIDI keyboard. I got everything (mics) hooked up beautifully, but I can't seem to figure out what needs to happen for me to successfully play the midi keyboard straight into Tracktion. I know how to do quite a bit with regular mic recording, but I'm an idiot when it comes to midi. Do I have to buy a midi interface? I'm seeing conflicting answers about this and you seem to know quite a bit about tracktion. please advise. Thanks.

[Hugo H]

radical,
What kind of keyboard are you using? Does it have MIDI ports or a USB port?

For a USB based keyboard, you'll use a USB cable to feed the MIDI data to the computer.

For a keyboard with MIDI ports, you can either:
a) feed the data into MIDI ports on your computer - sometimes not included
or
b) buy a little MIDI-to-USB converter (like a MIDIsport Uno) and hook the keys to the MIDI side and the computer to the USB side.

Then in your software tell it what MIDI devices to use.
-Hugo

[radicaltruth]

M-Audio Keystation 49e - and it has midi and usb ports. I've got both going into the computer at present. The usb is going straight into the computer and the midi is going in through the audio interface I recently bought. Tracktion is recognizing it, and I've got both the in and out enabled, so I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do next.

[papabear_13]

Originally Posted by radicaltruth

ssscientist...you're clearly know what you're talking about. I recently bought an audio interface card (M-audio Delta 1010LT) and a MIDI keyboard. I got everything (mics) hooked up beautifully, but I can't seem to figure out what needs to happen for me to successfully play the midi keyboard straight into Tracktion. I know how to do quite a bit with regular mic recording, but I'm an idiot when it comes to midi. Do I have to buy a midi interface? I'm seeing conflicting answers about this and you seem to know quite a bit about tracktion. please advise. Thanks.

I have a 1010LT also, which has a MIDI interface built in. When I started dabling in midi, it was the differences in the terms used to describe the language, i.e. program changes, banks, channels, etc. Your 1010 is good for the job, so you question should be Traktion specific.

[ssscientist]

Originally Posted by papabear_13

I have a 1010LT also, which has a MIDI interface built in. When I started dabling in midi, it was the differences in the terms used to describe the language, i.e. program changes, banks, channels, etc. Your 1010 is good for the job, so you question should be Traktion specific.

Why now?

This is a thread going back to 2004. It was tagged onto last in March of 2006, and now again in July 2006.

I don't get it.