New member, new to MIDI and have basic questions

[Slash8789]

Hi all. I just found this forum yesterday. Since I am an absolute noob, I am reading the guide from tweakheads to start getting immersed in all this digital/MIDI music. I am an intermediate classical pianist that returned to piano about a year ago. I have always had a knack for composing music even though I've never had any real training in music theory. Anyways, that's my into

I want to get started and would like to begin fiddling around with my current digital piano. I have a Yamaha Arius YDP-160. I would like to try different piano sounds different from the ones on the unit. With the little bit of research I have done, so far I've figured out that I need:

1. My digital piano which acts as the controller? Is that right?
2. A software synthesizer which makes it possible to have sound?
3. A soundfont to go to that software synthesizer.
4. MIDI to USB cable (from my piano to the pc)

Now my questions:

1. Don't I need a program (a midi client?) or will the softsynth use my digital piano as the output source?

2. Any recommendations on the software synths or other software I would need?

3. I have some soundfonts in NCW file format. Don't most softsynths use the sf2 format?

I dont know much about this stuff.

Thx in advance

 

[ecc83]

i have to go out very soon but I have had a very quick look at that piano. It does not connect directly to a computer, you need the optional MIDI to usb box.
Therefore IMHO you would do better to buy a decent Audio Interface, the Steinberg UR22 would be fine, I am sure.
That will interface the piano and give you Cubase as a host and Cubase is the dog's whatsits for MIDI.

Gottta go!

Dave.

 

[Slash8789]

Thx, Dave, for your reply. Actually, I already have a MIDI to USB cable hooked up from my YDP-160 to my computer. I use it because I have a program called Synthesia that I use to speed up the learning process of new piano songs.

I'm very new to this so I have to go learn what "Audio Interface" is, what "host" is, and what "Cubase" is.

 

[ecc83]

Thx, Dave, for your reply. Actually, I already have a MIDI to USB cable hooked up from my YDP-160 to my computer. I use it because I have a program called Synthesia that I use to speed up the learning process of new piano songs.

I'm very new to this so I have to go learn what "Audio Interface" is, what "host" is, and what "Cubase" is.

You already have an AI (of sorts!) built into the motherboard of the PC but these are B awful! The recording quality will be poor and the latency, the delay twixt hitting a key and hearing a sound from the computer is usually quite poor,i.e. takes a noticeable and offputting time.

A good AI will give you far better quality and much lower latency and this will be even better we (musical son and I) have found running MIDI using Cubase as a host.

Cubase is a "sequencer" it enables audio and MIDI recording and playback and much, much more. It uses ASIO drivers with an appropriate AI to give the lowest latency.

The Steinberg AI I mentioned comes with a cut down* version of Cubase as do many other AIs. One, even better than the UR22 is the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 and that has the lowest latency of anything in its (£200) price class or even well above it.

*Fear not! The cut down is still extremely powerful and should keep you out of mischief for a long time. Then, if you want to progress to the biggy you get a discount.

You have a lot of reading to do my friend!

Dave.

 

[Slash8789]

Yes, I know I have a lot of reading to do and, every chance I get, I read and research. Right now, I get zero latency with my MIDI to USB cable using the Synthesia software I use to practice. I understand what you are saying though.

I'm going to try and some it up and see if I actually do understand the basics and everything you've said:

1. Controller ----> Audio Interface----> Synthesizer---->Sequencer----> back to synthesizer---->back to Controller speakers (sound)

Questions:

1. Why can't the synthesizer send the sound to my controllers speakers directly without having to go to the sequencer?

2. What is the difference between a NCW file and a SF2 file. Aren't they both soundfonts that the synthesizer uses?

3. Any recomendation on a good software synthesizer for piano sound and perhaps strings?

Thx