Setup Laptop based synth

[acattoir]

I would like to replace my Korg Triton with a controller and a laptop. I'm not a keyboard player so nuance isn't important. I record on a stand alone via analog inputs and don't use midi or do any sequencing. What I invision is a controller plugged into my laptop and my laptop routed to an analog input on my recorder. My asumption is that there is lots of synth software available to experiment with.

I expect to do my own research but don't know where to start. Simple is better for me and I would only want to insure that I don't have time delay issues since I will play this set up in real time.

I would appreciate knowing what hardware is needed and a suggestion of who makes some software to start with.

Thanks a lot

ac

[VomitHatSteve]

There are a lot of options out there for this.

I personally use some custom-made JS effects in Reaper.
There are a couple bands that use Guitar Hero controllers and assorted software (The Guitar Zeroes, Happy Wednesday (the guy from HW has an video explaining his system somewhere on his site: www.trhonline.com))

Most of the options I've seen involve doing at least a little bit of programming and customization (but that makes it more fun!), but I'm sure there are pre-packaged systems out there somewhere.

[acattoir]

Originally Posted by VomitHatSteve

There are a lot of options out there for this.

I personally use some custom-made JS effects in Reaper.
There are a couple bands that use Guitar Hero controllers and assorted software (The Guitar Zeroes, Happy Wednesday (the guy from HW has an video explaining his system somewhere on his site: www.trhonline.com))

Most of the options I've seen involve doing at least a little bit of programming and customization (but that makes it more fun!), but I'm sure there are pre-packaged systems out there somewhere.

Thanks, never thought of that approach.

[circle x]

I use the Native Instruments FM8 and B4 with an M-Audio USB keyboard interface. I run it into Sonar and it is pretty easy. I really like the flexibility of the software. with some standard EQ, Comp, Verb, I can get some convincing sounds.

[acattoir]

Thanks for the suggestion.
ac

[Spencer09]

Reason is a really nice program if you run it together with a MIDI device, such as a synth, though you'll need a midi interface to your laptop and latency (the time it takes for a key press to sound on your laptop) can be an issue if your interface isn't that good. I'm using a MOTU Ultralite (firewire soundcard) and a Novation synth and the latency is pretty good I guess, I think around 11milliseconds or something, I don't think my brain is fast enough to hear the difference..

[acattoir]

Thanks. That sounds like an interesting alternative. May be more complex than I want to try. I appreciate the responses.
ac

[Hard2Hear]

Brainspawn Forte is a host program designed to use with live VSTi playback. That along with NI Komplete would give you nearly any sound that exists, in very high quality. I have built over 50 laptops using this setup for live playback in broadway shows (including Wicked, Little Mermaid, Shrek, Mama Mia, and some others). They all work really wel land are used night after night in that configuration, 4-5 laptops per show.

[acattoir]

This looks great! Is there a particular box you like for getting out of the laptop into an analog input? Were your setup's firewire of usb? Does it make any difference? Thanks again for the advice.
ac