using my extra computer for softsynths in a different way

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theloniusjones

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i just bought a new computer to use as my main daw (a mac), and i want to use my older computer (a pc) to run some of the software synths i have like b4. the thing is that i really don't like messing with recording midi. the only reason i use midi is to use software synths. i don't really go back and adjust the synth after i've recorded and then render it to audio. i like the old school way of setting up the instrument and recording it and living with that. so anyway i'm wondering if i can put my software synths on the old computer and use that computer only to translate the midi from my keyboard to audio using the softsynths and record that audio output to an audio track in my new daw. the old computer would be all softsynths and the new computer would only record audio tracks and no midi. i would basically be using the old computer and my keyboard (which is a midi controller) together as a synth. so here's what i'm thinking - i have an m-audio firewire 410 that i'm going to use as my audio card on the new computer. i was thinking of getting a built in card for the old computer like an m-audio 192 or something and going midi in to the old computer from the keyboard and digital audio out from the old computer to the new computer's digital audio in. does this sound like it would work or would there be problems with latency and stuff like that? i've read about people linking up their old computer through midi, but it seems like they're doing that to take the load off their computer and still be able to edit the midi afterward, and it seemed a little overkill and too complicated for me. i'm looking to take the load off the computer too but also to simplify the way i use softsynths. hopefully this question makes sense. i appreciate any help or advice.
 
anyone? i want to know if this will work before i fork over the money for the card.
 
It would work. The one thing that I can think that might give trouble, would be syncing up the transfered audio from the old computer to already recorded tracks of the new one.
How would you intend to go about composing your soft synth tracks?
Will you be listening to tracks on the new computer while composing the MIDI tracks on the old?
I think, if it where me, I would render a mixdown of the audio on the new computer and import that to the old one for a guide while composing the MIDI. However, if you are going to compose your MIDI tracks first and import that over to the new computer as the guide for subsequent audio tracks, you should be fine.
 
the way i was thinking of doing this, and the way i usually work, is to record first some electric or acoustic guitar as an audio track on the new computer, then probably some vocals, and depending on the track some bass or drums somewhere in there. then what i usually use midi for is to add some synth or b4 organ in there to add some texture. so i was thinking of basically using the old computer and my midi keyboard together as another instrument. i would set up the synth on the old computer and play the recorded tracks on my new computer while recording the synth/b4 audio out from the old computer as an audio track over the already recorded guitar, vocals, and bass on the new computer. does that make sense? so i'd be using the digital audio out on the old computer and running it in to the new computer's digital in. i'd only be dealing with audio tracks then (and no midi tracks) in the new computer. will it work? will i have problems with latency? like i said my idea is to take some strain off of the new computer by not asking it to translate the midi everytime i play back the tracks, saving processing power for reverbs and stuff like that.
 
Sounds like a plan to me as long as you get acceptable low-latency from the old PC to play soft synths in real-time.
Most sequencing programs, nowadays, will detect and off-set for recording latency so that newly recorded tracks will stay in sync with previous tracks.
If not, you may just need to manually enter an off-set value (if that's an option with your software) or nudge the synth tracks back in time slightly. Really only one way to find out.
All in all, I'd say it's worth a shot and still a reasonable investment to add a decent card to the old PC.
 
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