Ok, so SB Live! is bad...but is there a way to avoid it?!

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DimitryDL

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I want to do MIDI music sequencing with serious vocals. So far I only have a SB Live! Value soundcard. My question is: Can I do totally software-based MIDI sequencing with SoundFonts, as I'm doing now, and at the same time also record quality single-track vocals? I'd like all of that on the same machine...

I was looking at all those digital pro soundcards (particularily at Echo Darla 24) for my vocals, but if I get one, how will then I be able to do MIDI sequencing? As far as I understand, those digital cards are nothing but A/D converters...no soundfonts, no hardware effects, just plain digital sound. But I need MIDI...which I am very happy with in SB Live!. Is that possible?

One more little question: Following the advices of many people in this board, I want to get a Shure SM58 mic and an ART tube preamp for it to record vocals. Is this really going to be a waste if I still stick with my old good SB Live! Value's line in?

Thanks in advance,

Dimitry


[This message has been edited by DimitryDL (edited 04-08-2000).]
 
I'm not much of a MIDI person, so I won't step into that discussion, suffice to say that the Echo cards aren't the only prosumer soundcards on the market - there are a number of cards that also support MID I/O etc. I think (although a bit of research on your part wouldn't go astray) that the Midiman cards might suit you a bit better.

Using a nice preamp and a decent mic (SM58, or something else like a RodeNT) will certainly give you quite good vocals. Also this gear would never be a waste, cos they will work quite happily with any soundcard.

In short - get the mic and the preamp, see how you go, and if you're not happy, get a better sound card. You will not go wrong buying the mic and pre, though - they will always be useful.

- gaffa
 
Hey,

I am using a SBlive too, just not the value edition. Use the card and then decide if you need to upgrade.. I am using it for plenty of multitrack projects and it is suiting me fine..

If you want to hear a project I did with it, check out this MP3


It was done using soundfonts for the drums, and all the vocals recorded through a Mixer into the SBlive.. with an SM57. Bass is direct, guitars are mic'ed..

I personally think the SBlive is good enough for "stuff that is for your own amusement" like the stuff I do. Eventually ( Coming in May) Tascam is putting out a control surface with 24 a/d converters and 4 inputs with USB output bundeled with VST.. I plan on moving up to that. (599 list) ..

Use what you have to its full potential, you'll be suprised at what you get.
 
There are softsynths/samplers out there such as Retro, Rebirth, Reality, Vaz, Reaktor, Generator, Gigasampler, Unity, Sureal. These are all highly regarded although I haven't used any of them. They can also be very expensive unless you can find cracked versions on the net, which I hear is possible.

DUKE-X
 
Thanks for your advice, guys.
I ordered the equipment this morning.
And concerning MIDI and digital in one card I found out that there are actually many cards that do both, and on a decent level. For example the EWS64, or TurtleBeach cards. Maybe I should look forward to those instead.

Also, if anybody would be kind enough to make a comment on this, I'd appreciate:

The pro sound cards usually have built-in microhpone inputs with preamps. Well, how good are those? Is my ART tube preamp going to be better? (I assume so because a tube preamp costs $100 which is probably a lot more than what a preamp that is built in into a $500 card can cost) Also, I assume so because those preamps built in into cards are not tubes (and tubes usually are a better value, aren't they?)

Thanks again,

Dimitry

P.S.: BASSMAN, hey. Sorry, you probably figured it out: the MP3 link isn't working. I'd still like to hear it though.


[This message has been edited by DimitryDL (edited 04-08-2000).]
 
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