Topic: MIDI STUDIO

i have been running XP on my PC since new (about 6 years) and using a midi studio called GOLD. so for a while i've been having problems with the PC, and sunday after many crashes it took the final dive and went to join mr babbage in that great internet cafe in the sky.

so, i go buy a new PC with windows 7, all singing all dancing, but it sucked in and spat out my midi program and my midi interface! so i'm not a happy camper!

i have searched the internet for a decent midi studio (for free of course), but even the free ones want a license, and after paying it the prog could still be rubbish.

and so, i would be ever so grateful if someone could suggest a good midi studio and point me in the right direction.

thanks

phill

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Re: MIDI STUDIO

Hi phil, Jerome seems too have a good grip on this type of eguipment,he really helped pete alot and I gotsome good education on some of the stuff too be used for recording. Russell Harding is also good and knows his stuff.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

Re: MIDI STUDIO

Phill I dont have any experience with midi I use a digital 8 track boss BR8 and transfer to Audacity for rendering to mp3's I think Jerome would have a better idea of what gear you need free or not good luck buddy smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: MIDI STUDIO

Well, I'm on a Mac and the best synth package available for Piano sounds is Garageband, IMO.  smile  The good news for you is that there is a lot more support for Windows for these things than there is for Mac on the free end.

There are free synths out there, but it does take some digging.  You might try Glen Stegner's MiniMouge.   It is also VSTi plugin, so you can load it up in your DAW and use it that way if you want.

http://glenstegner.com/softsynths.html

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: MIDI STUDIO

Wow that is a tough question. Money plays a big part here and as always the more you pay the more you get.

Firstly though, Have you tried searching for updated drivers for your old midi interface?  It could just be drivers that are the problem.

Now for some midi programs that I have used:

FL Studio ::  starts from as low as $49 with studio express edition. There is a free trial and they provide free updates for life.  I have the fruity edition and while it is great for midi I no longer use it as I am now more recording focused and use a strong daw with specialised midi plugins to achieve what I am after.

Mixcraft :: $74.95   This is a great recording program with built in midi control and the ability to handle plugins. Comes with a library of wav loops and there are thousands of free vst instruments and effects plugins available on the web.  This is a robust program and can handle most users requirements.

Cubase : $$$  This is now my daw of choice. It is fantastic to use, never crashes and has great midi capabilities. Some of their specialised plugins ie HALion Sonic provide more featurs and sounds that you could ever hope to explore.

Of course you are also going to need a controller or keyboard to connect with and that is probably the best place to start looking as they often come packaged with software. I only use a 49 key keyboard controller and for my needs it gets the job done. Mine is an M-Audio keyrig 49 and it connects via usb and I have never had a problem with it. I was not interested in M-Audio's software, its probably good, but I didnt want to go through another learning curve and it was only bundled with entry level versions anyway. The controller only really acts as a way to get the signal into your program in a tactile way IMHO so I beleive in buying a cheapish controller and concentrating on the software for the real investment in getting top draw sounds and expressions.

Hope that rambling helps a little Phil, if not it may serve as a good introduction to someone who is thinking about midi.

As always I hope you enjoy my musical journey as much as I do.

Re: MIDI STUDIO

Forgot to add, the best place to look for plugins is http://www.kvraudio.com/ - they have virtually ( no pun intended ) every release ever made listed and it is in a searchable and filterable database. I fantastic site - highly recomended.

As always I hope you enjoy my musical journey as much as I do.

Re: MIDI STUDIO

seriousfun wrote:

Forgot to add, the best place to look for plugins is http://www.kvraudio.com/ - they have virtually ( no pun intended ) every release ever made listed and it is in a searchable and filterable database. I fantastic site - highly recomended.

This is fantastic.  Awesome link.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: MIDI STUDIO

Looks very impressive, are any of those applications for a guitar?

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

Re: MIDI STUDIO

hi, thanks for your input and it's all been a big help.

as seriousfun said "money plays a big part" so true and i've just shelled out for my new PC, so the wife's not overjoyed about buying a new recording program!

i have a midi controler keyboard a korg k61p. it has a usb output (which i've never tried) and cubase studio on the CD, which i think is for XP. but as thinking is not knowing, i shall give that a go.

thanks for the ideas and help, going now to try that web site

phill

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Re: MIDI STUDIO

The USB should work just fine for you.   I'd wager that it wont be too long before the only devices using standard MIDI cables are high end professional kit.  Consumer stuff will all be USB.

A lot of people use Cubebase, so it's gotta work.  smile

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: MIDI STUDIO

Big fan of Mixcraft. Been using it for 3 years now. Very "unbuggy" smile

I used to be disgusted; now I try to be amused.
Elvis Costello

Re: MIDI STUDIO

hi jerome,

i think it's my sound card, i took it from my old PC. it's creative audigy 2. i've down loaded all the driver updates but i'm not getting any sound from it! so i'll take it back to the shop tomorrow and let them sort it out. i've got cubase and cubasis, neither seem to be working! sobs.

hi geo,

i've got 2 mixcraft CD's. one's an MP3 music suite and 'tuther is an MP3 audio mix, they're both quite old and not fit for my purpose....dont worry i'll get there


thanks anyway

phill

now where did i put that guarantee?

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

Re: MIDI STUDIO

I have been following most of the posts on recording and am learning alotabout what works well and what will not do so good.they are helping me chose things I will get soon.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

Re: MIDI STUDIO

just as an update. i found i had a Cubase midi studio with my Alesis mixer. a few tweaks with the soundcard and i'm up and running. it's not as good as my old "Gold" studio though. i wish i could get that to work, but it was built for Windows 95, it ran well on XP but Windows 7's got it beat. if anyone can think of a way round it i'd be sure grateful

phill

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.