Alright, so what I'm looking to do is find something that will allow someone like me who doesn't play keys at all, to compose keyboard parts and have them play back using realistic sounds and be able to export them for use in multitrack software. I know there are things like the Korg Triton series workstations that allow you to record your parts into them and quantize everything so it sounds like you actually know how to play, but what would be ideal for me is anything like computer based, where I could either just straight up program/sequence in the notes I want to play, or play them in with a MIDI controller, and then be able to trigger samples and stuff for better sounding strings/pianos/brass/etc. What is the best way to do this stuff? Does anyone know anything about this or do something similar? I don't even know where to start looking for what I want to do, it sounds simple enough to me, and I don't think what I want to do really requires the $2k+ price tag of something like that ridiculously powerful Korg units. Anyone?
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Anyone know anything about synthesizers/computer based composing?
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Fruity LoopsCold Hollow Machinery
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You'll want the following:
-Alesis QSR, or QS6 if you want the keyboard.
-Guitar Pro software (tablature) or Cakewalk Sonor (though I don't think it does tab)
-a MIDI device to hook your PC to the synth (I use an old joystick-port MIDI cable, though the USB stuff is nice - and probably faster)
-a way to get the sounds from the synth to the PC - into the soundcard LineIn works for me
-Patience
-Dedication
It can be daunting at first, but once you figure out the hookups and how to make the PC actually talk to the synth, it's worth the effort.
Of course, an older unit like the QSR/6 will not have as realistic sounds as the newer stuff, simply because the newer stuff has better/bigger memory. The QSR boasts 16MB of RAM. My PC sound card has 256MB, so why should a 256MB synth cost $2K?
But that's the trade-off.
You CAN, however, get by with stacking sounds and creatively EQing things once you get it recorded.
Spend enough time with it and then you'll be able to decide if it's worth it to you to upgrade to the $2k+ synth.I want to depart this world the same way I arrived; screaming and covered in someone else's blood
The most human thing we can do is comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.
My Blog: http://newcenstein.com
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Cool thanks for the info! Well I did a little hunting and found this sample set:
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...which sounds AWESOME, but I don't know how I would trigger those samples? I know it has something to do with VST Instruments and all that jazz, which I know nothing about, but I guess I would need Cubase/Nuendo and some sort of plugin to trigger those samples? Or does Cubase have MIDI channels or whatever that I can use, set the output to the EastWest sample set (if it is it's own sampling plugin...?) and then record that way? I just need to get past this first roadblock of understanding and then I'm sure everything will become clear, haha...
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I didn't realize I could do all this stuff with Fruityloops! I've been using Fruityloops for drum programming for years and now I'm just starting to get into it's melodic capabilities! Looks like this will suit me just fine for now, and I can use that EastWest Symphonic Orchestra plugin with Fruityloops if I wanted to as well! So I don't need a whole new rig, haha...Thanks guys!
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