Few reason questions (hardware related)

[onlydude]

Hello. I recently purchased a copy of reason 3 to check it out. I have a few hardware midi related questions before I go out and buy more devices.
#1. MIDI Keyboad. I have an old yamaha psr-140 keyboard and I am wondering if I can hook it up via usb port with one of those cables to go from midi outputs to usb. I dont want to do anything special with it - I just want to lay down my notes with this
#2 Drum Machine. I also have an old sr-16 and im wondeirng if I can hook this up to my usb port with the same method described above to trigger drum samples for redrum.

Thanks for checking this out and any help is greatly appreciated

[AlChuck]

I doubt that either of these devices have USB connectors. Do you mean can you plug them into a USB MIDI interface (MIDI ins and outs <--> USB to the computer)? Then the answer is yes. Assuming the Yamaha keyboard has MIDI ports at all.

[travelin travis]

do you have midi in/out on your sound card?

[onlydude]

Originally Posted by TravisinFlorida

do you have midi in/out on your sound card?

No It does not. That was another thing that I was hoping to upgrade this summer but I am absolutely clueless on what to get.

I ordered one of these cables http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Uno-main.html too hook up my keyboard and would this work with my sr-16? If so would I have to program everything?

[AlChuck]

The Uno is not a cable, it's a MIDI interface that connects via USB to the computer. But it's only got one MIDI In and one MIDI Out (hence its name). If you want to use the keyboard and the SR-16 at the same time, you really should have a 2X2 interface like Midiman's MIDISport. It's only a few bucks more than the Uno...

[onlydude]

Originally Posted by AlChuck

The Uno is not a cable, it's a MIDI interface that connects via USB to the computer. But it's only got one MIDI In and one MIDI Out (hence its name). If you want to use the keyboard and the SR-16 at the same time, you really should have a 2X2 interface like Midiman's MIDISport. It's only a few bucks more than the Uno...

Yea, I didnt know that. I thought you had to have a seprate interface for each machine. Will I be able to use the sr and the keyboard with reason 3 if I buy another interface? Or should I just try to return that and buy a 2x2?

[onlydude]

If I end up buying the 2x2 what other cables would I have to buy? And what happens down the line if I want to hook up another midi device?

[travelin travis]

do your midi devices have midi thru? you could daisy chain them and set them up on different midi channels without the need for a 2x2.

[onlydude]

O.K. the 1x1 interface came today and I got my keyboard hooked up great. I tried it out with my sr-16 but I couldnt get things to work right. It's hard because I dont know of any way of programing the different buttons to the right function. It seems as all of the buttons on my sr are connected to random buttons in Redrum. There is no sr button for the second sound and it's just a hassle. Plus since my hardware is out of date I dont think there is any way to get my sr and keyboard working together. The keyboard works great for what im using it for and it makes things a WHOLE lot easier. Its just a little bit harder to try to work my drums but its all good. Maybe ill get a trigger finger or mpd16.
Does anybody have the UC-33? (I belive thats what its called) The device with a bunch of buttons and faders. I am wondering If I should buy this, If it would benfit me and any way. If anybody has any information about this or another device that had nobs and sliders that I might want to pick up Holla.

[travelin travis]

does your keyboard have midi thru? if so you can use both the sr-16 and the keyboard with your 1x1.

dig out the manual for the sr-16, or download it.

[onlydude]

Nah I dont think I'ma end up using the sr, too much of a hassle :-(

[AlChuck]

Nah I dont think I'ma end up using the sr, too much of a hassle :-(

It really isn't, it just takes a little effort and application of some understanding.

[travelin travis]

any effort you put into learning about midi on one device will be knoledge you can use on any midi device. the sr-16 is pretty damn simple. I used to own one myself........a long time ago. it may be old but i'm sure the pads are adequate for triggering drum samples.

[onlydude]

Yea The Sr would be GREAT for triggering drum sounds. I am playing around with reason and damn this program is powerful! My goal at the moment is to learn all that there is to learn about reason and get a better understanding of it because the posibilities are endless.

Alchuck, just to clarify things, I do not think that the sr itself is a hassle- the sr is a great standalone drum machine but I cant figure out any way to get the pads to trigger the sounds in reason that I want it to. If you have any advice it would be appreciated :-)

TravisinFlorida, What other cables would I need to buy to hook them both up on the 1x1? Also After I got them up, How would I use them for different devices? Wouldn't reason recognize this as one device not two?

[Riverdog]

If the PSR series keyboard has a MIDI thru on it, you could connect the "THRU" of the PSR to the "IN" of the SR16... The PSR series keyboards as I recall do not have the best MIDI Implementation in them... This configuration would allow the computer to trigger the sounds in the SR16...

If you're looking to control the drum sounds in reason from the SR16; look in the SR16 manual about assigning "key" values to the pads... I think there's a section in there about that... Then you could choose which sounds to trigger from those pads...

Also, if you - right now - have the PSR keyboard with MIDI in from the computer and the MIDI out going back INTO the computer, you should be able to trigger the drums in Reason using the keys on the PSR...

Lastly, the UC33 won't help you much in this situation...
The UC is primarily designed to be an "all MIDI" controller that could control sliders and volume levels in a computer program - It's not really designed to trigger drum sounds from the main face of the unit... However, I believe there is a specific setup in the UC33 for controlling "reason's" onboard computer functions... (I don't know much about Reason) So the sliders would work parameters that are in Reason...

Hope this helps...

[onlydude]

That helps a bunch. The only midi on the psr is the out and in. Could I still connect the sr as well?

[Riverdog]

This may be a long shot - But check with the PSR manual to see if you could actually route the MIDI "Thru" the OUT port... Many synths have a switch for this function when they don't have all three MIDI connections - Again - Not sure about it with the PSR...

This still needs to get to your basic question though...

If you really want to trigger the sounds in Reason from the drum machine - It would probably be better to "ebay" that one port MIDI interface (Or store it - You'd be surprised how many Times I've pulled out the MidiSport 2x2 from moth balls!) and pick up the 2x2 interface... That way each piece of hardware in your system has it's own set of MIDI ports - IT could make it easier for you in the long run...

Keep me posted..

[onlydude]

Allright.... Great news. When I actually had time to sit down and play with the sr-16 i Figured out how damn easy it was to program different keys to different notes... Damn do I feal stupid for not trying to do this in the first place.... Lesson learned: dont ask for help without making sure you need it first.

Damn This saved me a lot of money, now I dont have to go out and get an mpd-16 or trigger finger. But I do notice that with the sr the notes and drums that I play are considerably louder than playing them normally or through my keyboard but I will keep researching.

Its amazing to think that this is such a great tool and it was put out 15 years ago.

Thanks for everybody's input as allways it is greatly appreciated. but damn do I feal stupid on this one... lol

[travelin travis]

btw, so you don't get frustrated with Reason. You can only control one virtual device at a time in Reason.

[onlydude]

Good to know thanks.