live show???

J

Jacobi1211

New member
i really want to play live using a MIDI controller... if i get a controller and a laptop, what do i need to play a live show using this???

other questions:

do i need to run my signal through an amp??? or should i use a line out from the laptop to the board??? if so, how do i go about this??? do i need a damn good sound card???

sorry so ignorant, but i've never dabbled in MIDI... and i could and have read a lot of mumbo jumbo from the companies that make the products, but i think i really need someone to just give me a 1 on 1 explaination... i would greatly appreciate any help anyone can give me!!! thanks sooo much!!!

Jacob
 
You need to have a soft synth inserted into the MIDI controller in order to play it.
So you need a MIDI interface so you can hook up your keyboard. you don't need a good soundcard, but just an interface where you can hook it up. Well, you cannot play a MIDI controller in standalone mode since it does not contain any sounds unless you have a workstation keyboard.
 
Jacobi1211 said:
i've never dabbled in MIDI
Click to expand...
First of all, read these two good articles on midi basics --- part one and part two. Paul White is a good, patient teacher and reading these articles will help you understand the ground-level nuts and bolts of midi.
Jacobi1211 said:
do i need to run my signal through an amp??? or should i use a line out from the laptop to the board??? if so, how do i go about this??? do i need a damn good sound card???
Click to expand...
If you want every nuance of your performance to get across to the audience, plan to use a DI (or 'line out', as you call it). A 'damn good' soundcard would be an RME or some such for which you could easily spend as much as a good laptop costs. If you have a Firewire interface you could use one of these which is what I use. For laptop use you would need an adapter cable from the larger Firewire jack to the smaller and would need to use the wallwart adapter that comes with the unit, but I'm sure you won't be using your laptop on batteries so you need to make provision for AC power anyway...

To answer your most basic question, it's getting more and more common to see musicians with a keyboard and a laptop entertaining people in bars and clubs. With a little patience on your part and a little searching around this board and other online sources you'll get the idea of what you need fairly quickly.
 
thanks a lot!!! still a little confused though... i won't lie. Studiomaster, i wasn't meaning i wanted to just take the MIDI controller on stage and play it alone... i meant can i use it through my US-122, or my Firepod into my laptop and then direct sounds to the controller using a library withing Cubase or something???

thanks for the help.

Jacob
 
Jacobi1211 said:
thanks a lot!!! still a little confused though... i won't lie. Studiomaster, i wasn't meaning i wanted to just take the MIDI controller on stage and play it alone... i meant can i use it through my US-122, or my Firepod into my laptop and then direct sounds to the controller using a library withing Cubase or something???

thanks for the help.

Jacob
Click to expand...
I would use the firewire interface due to the latancy issue with usb. Definately get an amp for yourself!!!!! to many reasons to elaborate on just believe me on that one.
 
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