Midi controllers ????????

[lurksalot]

I have a bit of a knowledge gap with midi and controllers as a part of that and I am looking for a bit of advice .

I have done a bit of searching and I have read a load , but it all seems double dutch to me , and I guess until I get my hands on some kit to play with it might all stay incromprehendable to me .

having said that I can play around with teh Midi editor OK in reaper but the interface thing is a bit beyond me .

Now I may be barking up the wrong tree on this , but I have an oldish technics digital piano that is a midi tool , and uses 'general midi', plus it has midi in -out and through sockets , does anyone think there would be a way of hooking this up to the DAW to make it do midi things in there?

or am I way off the mark ?

[ironside1966]

It should work with a computer and let you trigger your virtual instruments if that is what you mean.

[AL-the-Bassman]

yes , that will work, just plug the midi out of the keyboard to the midi in of your computer/sound card

[BassBus]

Just make sure that the MIDI out channel on your keyboard matches the MIDI in on the computer.

[ironside1966]

just remember its midi out keyboard to the midi in computer.

[lurksalot]

Ah , now we have some great positive advice , and many thanks for it

[i][b]It should work with a computer and let you trigger your virtual instruments if that is what you mean. [/b][/i]

Yes that sounds exactly what I mean , I think .

[b][i]yes , that will work, just plug the midi out of the keyboard to the midi in of your computer/sound card [/i][/b]

this is now where it starts to fall apart , how do I plug these things together ? the computer just has USB slots how do I get to a sound card ?

[b][i]Just make sure that the MIDI out channel on your keyboard matches the MIDI in on the computer. [/i][/b]

[b][i]just remember its midi out keyboard to the midi in computer[/i][/b]

This is a step to far , but thanks, I will get to use the advice when I understand what I need to do to hook the things together

[AL-the-Bassman]

you can buy a midi to USB cable ,
Most computer music is recorded into the computer with a separate Sound card or interface. for example a focus rite sapphire, or alexis io4
and this would have various inputs such as midi, xlr , and 1/4 " jack sockets

[OldG]

For quick and easy midi work, I use the Korg Nanokey , Nanopad and NanoKontrol - around £30 each... The Kontrol is worth having just for writing automation alone...



edit for linkage:[url="http://www.korg.com/nanoseries2"]http://www.korg.com/nanoseries2[/url]

Edited December 15, 2013 by OldG

[lurksalot]

[quote name='AL-the-Bassman' timestamp='1387076306' post='2308045']
you can buy a midi to USB cable ,
Most computer music is recorded into the computer with a separate Sound card or interface. for example a focus rite sapphire, or alexis io4
and this would have various inputs such as midi, xlr , and 1/4 " jack sockets
[/quote]
so do these have a specific midi converter to interface the computer then ? I have a midi - USB cable but nothing happens when I plug it ? I am missing something obvious I am sure

[quote name='OldG' timestamp='1387102755' post='2308150']
For quick and easy midi work, I use the Korg Nanokey , Nanopad and NanoKontrol - around £30 each... The Kontrol is worth having just for writing automation alone...


edit for linkage:[url="http://www.korg.com/nanoseries2"]http://www.korg.com/nanoseries2[/url]
[/quote]

these look doody and well priced and (most importantly for SWMBO ) small neat and tidy . I guess they just plug in and work but I would still like to understand the midi ' interface' a bit better to get the keyboard hooked up.

[OldG]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1387105554' post='2308175']
so do these have a specific midi converter to interface the computer then ? I have a midi - USB cable but nothing happens when I plug it ? I am missing something obvious I am sure






[/quote]



Lots of controllers use USB these days, which bypasses the need to have midi in built into your interface... IIRC your 2i2 has no midi in - so a Nanokey/pad is very likely the easiest and hassle free way in.

If you do want to use you existing keyboard using it's midi out, I would consider an interface upgrade ( or a separate midi interface) rather than trying to use a generic midi/usb workaround device....

Edited December 15, 2013 by OldG

[BassBus]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1387105554' post='2308175']
I have a midi - USB cable but nothing happens when I plug it ? I am missing something obvious I am sure
[/quote]

Back to my earlier post which said check that MIDI channels are matching on the keyboard and the computer. There are 16 MIDI channels. If your keyboard is set to channel 1 and computer is receiving on channel 3 you will get no sound.

[lurksalot]

[quote name='OldG' timestamp='1387107711' post='2308202']
Lots of controllers use USB these days, which bypasses the need to have midi in built into your interface... IIRC your 2i2 has no midi in - so a Nanokey/pad is very likely the easiest and hassle free way in.

If you do want to use you existing keyboard using it's midi out, I would consider an interface upgrade ( or a separate midi interface) rather than trying to use a generic midi/usb workaround device....
[/quote]
[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1387111045' post='2308233']
Back to my earlier post which said check that MIDI channels are matching on the keyboard and the computer. There are 16 MIDI channels. If your keyboard is set to channel 1 and computer is receiving on channel 3 you will get no sound.
[/quote]

Do I need a midi interface at all then ? should a midi - USB cable give me instant connectivity ? in which case how do I find and select channels for the midi to get the communication. I would assume the keyboard will be wacking out midi information when you hit it, and I guess it is for me to find a channel its on . but having done that how do I tell my computer how to find the channel , or does the DAW channel numbers cope with that , or are they internal channels rather than external ?
thanks for the patience in this by the way

[BassBus]

In Band in a Box that I use there is a drop down window that allows you to select the MIDI channel you want. Can't speak for Reaper as I've never used that. Maybe look for a MIDI icon or button on Reaper and see what that says. Took me a wee while to fathom out my MIDI-USB cable before it worked. If it's an older keyboard like your Technics then it might just be firing out on one channel. Again there might be some button on it to do with MIDI.

You could just be a bloke and press them all til you find what you want. [size=4] [/size]

I found the cable option worked fine for me once I had it working. Band in a Box can run my synth modules no problem through it.

[lurksalot]

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1387119594' post='2308340']

You could just be a bloke and press them all til you find what you want.

[/quote]


I thought I had pressed as much as I dared , I think its time to man up and press them all now then

[OldG]

Just guessing here....You have to enable your midi input in Reaper if you haven't already - see section 1.15 in the manual....


[url="http://dl.reaper.fm/userguide/ReaperUserGuide457C.pdf"]http://dl.reaper.fm/...erGuide457C.pdf[/url]

[lurksalot]

I think It fell apart at that point last time I tried messing with midi , I dont think that reaper/computer/soundcard or whatever , recognised the keyboard, I then probably spat my dummy out and gave up on midi

Now I feel it could be an important addition to my recording arsenal I will try it again, don't hold your breath, and watch out for flying teddies around the edges of my pram

[lurksalot]

Boys , you are the works , top patience and spot on advice , we have the keyboard recognised and configured by reaper , all I have to do now is work out what to do with the thing , but , and a big but , is that reaper can see the keys so that is a massive leap forward in my world . many thanks again .

[BassBus]

Great! Make lots of music and put some of it in the December competition.

[lurksalot]

I have already uploaded my december entry

things have taken a bit of a downer as I cant get a midi signal out of the keyboard now , that is a new challenge altogether , but at least I know where to send it when I get one

I have found a program to test the signal as it tries to send and recieve data , the real bummer is that I have only just noticed that the cable I have used has little LEDs which show when data is going through the cable .... or not ,

It all adds to the learning curve I guess , updates will follow if there are any , but may go along the lines of .....bought a midi controller

[OldG]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1387136219' post='2308576] we have the keyboard recognised and configured by reaper , all I have to do now is work out what to do with the thing ,
[/quote]

make sure your vst folder has piano/synth/drum/whatevervsti'syoufancy ready for action - now time for the cool time saver....


right click on the track window and choose 'insert virtual instrument on new track' - this should configure your chosen vsti to work within reaper.

You may have to arm the track to record and turn monitoring on ,but now you should hear your virtual instrument playing back at you....


;

[lurksalot]

I still havent got the midi data to come from teh keyboard although reaper can see the usb hook up to it , I will have another dig around when the daughter has finished tinkering with some carols

[lurksalot]

[size=6]RESULT [/size]


[size=4]Great news , I have sussed it .[/size]

[size=4]Stupidly, I misunderstood the terminology of the USB cable , the midi plugs were labelled in and out , so I plugged the midi 'in to in' and 'out to out' [/size]

[size=4]I now realise that the cable 'in' refers to in to the computer so has to go into the out on the keyboard [/size]

[size=4]Many thanks for all your help guys but you will probably get more stupid questions thrown your way as t[/size][size=4]hat is the level of my (in)competence, but no holds barred any more , I have a midi controller [/size]

Edited December 17, 2013 by lurksalot