Hey guys,
Anyone here into MIDI? I'm attempting to record some songs all by my lonesome (since I can't get a band together), but since I don't know how to play sax or lead guitar, I thought I'd try some MIDI out. I have a Delta 1010, which has MIDI In and MIDI Out; I have Cubase SX 2.0; I have multitudes of .wav samples of the various instruments I would like to use, as well as soundfonts (which I don't have the slightest idea how to use); and I have the controller I need (a Roland keyboard). Is there anyone who could give me a bit of advice on how to get started? I've checked out some of those "Beginner's Advice for Midi" websites, but those sites seem mostly interested in telling you what MIDI is, instead of how to actually use it if you've never done it before.
Full Version: Some MIDI advice, anyone?
oh jeez... this is a huge question.
here is a short answer: you load up a sampler/synth of some sort in cubase, you set up your midi controller in to work in cubase thru the 1010, you record some midi notes, assign those to a sampler or a synth.. play it back in cubase.
easy. although each one of those steps can be a pitfall. once you get it going, it shouldnt be a problem.
however, to raise a larger issue, using MIDI for lead guitar and sax is probably a bad idea. in a larger sense, i think MIDI should be used for sythetic stuff, and instruments should be used for acoustic stuff. and only rarely should you cross that line. rarely and carefully.
tread with caution!
cant you just work around the lack of guitar and horns?
here is a short answer: you load up a sampler/synth of some sort in cubase, you set up your midi controller in to work in cubase thru the 1010, you record some midi notes, assign those to a sampler or a synth.. play it back in cubase.
easy. although each one of those steps can be a pitfall. once you get it going, it shouldnt be a problem.
however, to raise a larger issue, using MIDI for lead guitar and sax is probably a bad idea. in a larger sense, i think MIDI should be used for sythetic stuff, and instruments should be used for acoustic stuff. and only rarely should you cross that line. rarely and carefully.
tread with caution!
cant you just work around the lack of guitar and horns?
QUOTE(eeldip @ Jan 13, 2005, 6:33 pm)
cant you just work around the lack of guitar and horns?
I could, but then I would be leaving out parts of my songs that I really want included....
here is a midi guitarist:
are you making THAT sort of music?
could you fill the parts with different instruments? what do you have to play with?
or maybe you want a synthetic sound? nothing wrong with that (most of the music i make is mixed synths and acoustic instruments).
are you making THAT sort of music?
could you fill the parts with different instruments? what do you have to play with?
or maybe you want a synthetic sound? nothing wrong with that (most of the music i make is mixed synths and acoustic instruments).
QUOTE(eeldip @ Jan 13, 2005, 6:33 pm)
in a larger sense, i think MIDI should be used for sythetic stuff, and instruments should be used for acoustic stuff. and only rarely should you cross that line. rarely and carefully.
I personally think MIDI does a great job when it simulates keyboard insturments like organ, electric piano, and, to a lesser extent, piano and harpsichord. I think it gets harder for MIDI to do a good job on other acoustic stuff like guitar, horns, and strings.
agreed. with some normal caution you can simulate some "keyboard" instruments reasonably well. organs are the easiest to simulate (works best if reamped and miced) but still more limited than the real thing.
electric pianos, rhodes those sorts of things.. work pretty decently. you dont get the right dynamics... so i think its best to reserve the MIDI versions to parts that dont highlight this issue. no soloed out leads for very long. keep it low in the mix... etc. then you wont even notice. just like adding special effects to movies.. keep the shot short or keep it in the background or apply some grunge to it.
pianos work out ok. similar to electric pianos, you can "fool" people with them for simple stuff, but a real piano is more ideal. real piano has better dynamics for example. better percussive stuff. it does the right thing with the tuning and how the tuning subtly changes etc. MIDI pianos are perfectly fine for buried parts. or for "played straight and narrow" parts. but for expressive stuff; keep away.
mellotrons, optigons, etc. (primitive samplers) MIDI works pretty darn well... especially if you amp it. for obvious reasons.
electric pianos, rhodes those sorts of things.. work pretty decently. you dont get the right dynamics... so i think its best to reserve the MIDI versions to parts that dont highlight this issue. no soloed out leads for very long. keep it low in the mix... etc. then you wont even notice. just like adding special effects to movies.. keep the shot short or keep it in the background or apply some grunge to it.
pianos work out ok. similar to electric pianos, you can "fool" people with them for simple stuff, but a real piano is more ideal. real piano has better dynamics for example. better percussive stuff. it does the right thing with the tuning and how the tuning subtly changes etc. MIDI pianos are perfectly fine for buried parts. or for "played straight and narrow" parts. but for expressive stuff; keep away.
mellotrons, optigons, etc. (primitive samplers) MIDI works pretty darn well... especially if you amp it. for obvious reasons.
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