Alesis Micron?

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Farno

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I just recently heard about the Alesis Micron keyboard and what I've seen, it looks really cool.

Before I go buy it, I want to make sure that it's worth it (even though the price is cheap). It supports MIDI right? I have a this sound output cord. It has a red side and a white side, will this work for it? (Sorry I don't know what they are called).

Yeah, so if you know anything about this keyboard, please say it.
 
I have one, it's a really good synth. I got it not long ago for a song. I haven't had much time to actually put it thorugh it's paces yet, but what I have played with it I really likee.

It full supports midi.

I don't know what you "sound output chord" is, but it will output mono (single cable) or stereo.

Here's a review:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan05/articles/alesismicron.htm

PM me if you want an electronic copy of the manual.


Farno said:
I just recently heard about the Alesis Micron keyboard and what I've seen, it looks really cool.

Before I go buy it, I want to make sure that it's worth it (even though the price is cheap). It supports MIDI right? I have a this sound output cord. It has a red side and a white side, will this work for it? (Sorry I don't know what they are called).

Yeah, so if you know anything about this keyboard, please say it.
Click to expand...
 
What I can tell you is that the drums will not sound very real but are decent for hip hop or dance types. It has one big knob which is usually the biggest complaint from people. It does basically everything which can be tedious but it's not really too bad. Those are the potential downsides to it. The regular presets sounds pretty good and a lot of editing can be done if you get into it (either by the big knob or editing can also be done on the computer with some 3rd party software). It's a synthesizer so it's difficult to make anything that sounds "real" as in piano or brass etc. If you have any specific questions about it I may be able to help.
 
Ok. I already have a keyboard that is good for regular sounds. I'm going to have to get a stereo cable but thats nothing. I'm going to get EZ Drummer with the DKH plugin so I don't need to worry about drums.

I just realized that I have the Alesis M1Active 320USB Speakers. I have a question with those. If I were to get the keyboard, I would need to have separate cords going into the speakers so I will have the stereo speakers going into it and these other input cables from my OSIO driver. I don't know if those speakers can do that. Anyone know?
 
Amendment to my original; statement - I have the Ion, not the Micron. But the Micronis just as good as far as I understand.

And yes, this is NOT your standard workstation. It doesn't really do the bread and butter workstation sounds such as bass, drums, keys. It's a virtual analog synth.

I don't know your speakers, but it sounds to me like you want a micer in there somewhere.

What are your goals with setting this stuff up?
 
I plan on doing metal but would like to work with some synths. Can I use plugins with this keyboard (like ones I get off the internet).

I would like to do bass guitar through midi. Thats why I'd like to find a good bass plugin and use it for the keyboard.
 
Oh really, I didn't know that it can't transfer data.

I do have a existing keyboard. It's a Yamaha YPT-300. Anyone heard of it? Can that accepted imported MIDI banks?
 
I meant, how to you plan to incorporate it into whatever setup you have?

Plugins work only with software hosts, typically DAW softrware (Sonar, Cubase, etc). there is the MUSE outboard host, but that's another beast altogether.

So, to do what you want to do, you need to be able to use the keyboard as a controller into a DAW. How that works is that the keyboard transmits midi commands to the computer running your DAW software. Your DAW software is running the plugin on a track that you have set up to read those MIDI commands. So, in that sense, yes, this keyboard will do, assuning that you have:
1) a computer
2) DAW software to act as your VST host
3) some MID Interface on your computer. Most sound cards support this nowadays.
4) a midi cable.


Farno said:
I plan on doing metal but would like to work with some synths. Can I use plugins with this keyboard (like ones I get off the internet).

I would like to do bass guitar through midi. Thats why I'd like to find a good bass plugin and use it for the keyboard.
Click to expand...
 
Oh, I have Cubase LE 4. I can set up a MIDI bank with that (somehow). So, I can use my different VST sounds.
 
Yeah I know that their right and left but does it support the smaller cords (not stereo).
 
Farno said:
Yeah I know that their right and left but does it support the smaller cords (not stereo).
Click to expand...

Hi Farno,

The ouputs from the ION are 1/4" (the large headphone style plug if you're not familiar with this). If you want to plg it into a stereo using RCA jacks (the red and white plugs I htink you're referring to) you can buy 1/4" to RCA adapters. If you're lookign to plug this to your computer sound card you will need a 1/4" to 1/8" converter and a normal 1/8" male to male cable. Otherwise you can connect to your computer using MIDI, but I don't think thats what youre after here.

If you need more help post a reply and I'll give you any info I can.

Regards,
Lumstar
 
Ok, thanks. It's the RCA cables that I was talking about. I'll have to pick up some adapters for it. Now, I'm not sure if I'll get it. I want to use my own sounds and I don't think you can use downloaded MIDI banks.
 
Farno said:
Ok, thanks. It's the RCA cables that I was talking about. I'll have to pick up some adapters for it. Now, I'm not sure if I'll get it. I want to use my own sounds and I don't think you can use downloaded MIDI banks.
Click to expand...

Don't get adapters - just get the proper cable.

And you can use your own sounds - the Micron is quite easy and fun to program.
 
Ok. I heard that I should get a MIDI controller instead of this. Could that help more (I already have a keyboard).
 
If you have a keyboard why get a MIDI controller. Just use your keyboard as a MIDI controller. I think a lot of people are confused as to what exactly you are trying to do (I know I am). If you want to play sounds on your computer using a soft synth then you need a midi controller but just about every keyboard you can get will work as a midi controller. If you have audio on your computer you want to play on a keyboard, you'll need a keyboard that can either sample or can accept such an audio file via usb transfer or something along those lines. Just a quick question... you do understand that MIDI is not audio right?
 
Yes, I know 100%, audio is not MIDI. I'm really good at confusing people on forums so, I am going to re-explain everything.

Ok, here I go:

I currently have a keyboard that is a standard 61 key yamaha YPT-300. It's basic with speakers built into it. Not exactly set up for recording.

The type of music I want to make is metal but with synth's (I don't know if anyone here has played Red Alert 2 but that's the kind of music I would like to make).

A main problem for me is bass. I don't own a bass guitar nor know how to play one. I want to do bass with using MIDI (is it possible). My current keyboard does support MIDI but won't do the functions like workstations do.

Just recently (a minute ago), I came along the M-Audio Axiom 25 Keyboard MIDI Controller. It' looks really cool but is it good? It seems awful cheap but I guess you'd get that with only 25 keys (but their is a octave changer thing).

So, I hope now people will understand me. If not, I'll try to clear things up.
 
What "operations" do you want your current keyboard to do?

I suspect that your keyboard will do what you want from a midi controller perspective. If all you want to do is play bass patches from a soft synth, it should allow you to do that readily.

The M-Audio Axiom series are nice controllers, but if you don't know what it is what you need from it, you probably don't need it. Your keyboard will do fine.

get the Micron. You'll be able to get some really kewl synthesized basses out of that puppy.
 
I want a real bass sound from my keyboard. I think I could download a library though. But, I will use synth bass though.

I'm going to get the necessary equipment for recording first and then consider see if I need the keyboard.

Isn't the M-Audio Axiom series the same as the Micron? Just the M-Audio has more features.
 
Whooboy. OK, here's the basics.

MIDI is a stream of digital bits that represent instructions.
A synth is a sound module. (A sampler is a type of synth. For our purposes it is ithe same).
A soft synth is a sound module that runs on a DAW (digital audio workstation) as a software plugin to host software. This host software is most commonly a VST host because you will likely want to run VST pugins.
Some software synths provide their own standalone host. Kontrakt is an example of this.

nowadays, all synths are MIDI driven.

Now,. a keyboard is may be
- A MID controller only.
- A MIDI controller and a synth.

A synth without a MIDI controller is called a module.

I say all this to point out that
1) All you need to drive a soft synth is a midi controller. Since all (modern) keyboards are midi controllers, you current keyboard should be OK.
2) The Maudio Axiom is a MIDI controller ONLY. It has no synth and thus outputs no sound.
3) The Micron has BOTH a MIDI controller and a SYNTH. So it is NOT the same as the Axiom.

Things getting a little clearer?

Farno said:
I want a real bass sound from my keyboard. I think I could download a library though. But, I will use synth bass though.

I'm going to get the necessary equipment for recording first and then consider see if I need the keyboard.

Isn't the M-Audio Axiom series the same as the Micron? Just the M-Audio has more features.
Click to expand...
 
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