|
|
Digital Music -
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Creative SoundBlaster Audigy Platinum
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Sound Blaster Live! Sound Card
|
 |
You can see the 15 pin connector on the right hand side of the face plate of the Live! card (it's yellow, and pocked with holes). Most desktop computer sound cards will have this connector (It's the one you connect the older style joysticks to). This is how you can connect MIDI input and output devices. You'll need a Sound Card to MIDI cable to make this connection..
 |
Plug the 5-pin connector labeled "MIDI Out" into the MIDI female connector on the MIDI device labeled "MIDI In". Plug the 5-pin connector labeled "MIDI In" into the MIDI female connector on the MIDI device labeled "MIDI Out/Thru" | Newer laptop computers (and our Audigy Sound Card) don't typically have a 15-pin connector, so the above setup won't work. What they do have are USB ports, which you can hook up to a USB MIDI Interface Box. We use a Midiman USB Midisport 2x2 Box (running a 5-pin to 5-pin MIDI cable from the "Out" connector on the back of the box to the MIDI In female connector on the MIDI device. |
|
| Typical MIDI input devices are synthesizer keyboards (we use a Yamaha CLP-550 digital keyboard), drums, or guitars. You can always output your MIDI through your Sound Card Synth, but we typically output to an Alesis NanoSynth 64 voice multitimbral synthesizer module (a synthesizer without the keyboard) because we like the sounds so much better. We run the output of the NanoSynth back into the Line In 2.5 mm input on the sound card. Any full duplex sound card will have no trouble with this setup. |
 |
| The NanoVerb gives you 16 of Alesis' best preset effects algorithms in a compact, easy-to-use, and incredibly affordable package. You'll enjoy its lush hall, plate and room reverbs, rich true stereo chorus, flange, delay, rotary speaker emulation, and useful multi-effects. Plus, NanoVerb's 18-bit digital converters ensure the sonic quality that allows you to use it for any effects application, from guitar rigs to studio recording. |
|
|
We use sequencing
software to manipulate, edit and compose the MIDI masterpieces that are just
waiting to leap out of your creative mind. We use Cakewalk Home Studio and
PG Music's Band in a Box for our needs.
We also use Syntrilluim Software's Cool Edit 2000 for .wav editing. |
|
| Our Behringer MX802A Eurorack Mixer stays on the
computer desk so we don't have to lug the Yamaha EMX-2000 Powered Mixer when
we want to record. We use it with the NanoVerb
digital effects processor in our home studio (and even on the road
with a powered speaker for smaller settings). For guitar recordings, we use a Fishman Humbucker pickup and a line/XLR transformer to clean the hum from the sound signal. For a bit more money, you could also use an active or passive DI Box. |
 |
 Shure KSM27
Single-Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser, 20 Hz to 20 kHzThe KSM27 has a side-address, externally biased, 1-inch diaphragm, extremely low self-noise, and an extended frequency response specially tailored for vocal tracking and instrument recording. Though it has 3 internal mesh layers, we use it with an external pop-protection screen mounted to the microphone stand. |
|
 |
For vocal or instrument recordings, we have also used the microphones and sound board that we take to church concerts. It's certainly more than you would need for home recordings alone, but it does the job nicely. Perhaps the most cost effective solution would be to purchase a good microphone and an XLR to 1/4" transformer, so you can plug a decent microphone directly into your sound card. Hint: we always get the best results by using the Line In input rather than the microphone input. | ||
 |
ElectroVoice N/D 267 Dynamic Cardioid Microphone | ||
| Yamaha EMX-2000 Powered Mixer (above)
(high-performance digital reverb and echo, a 7-band graphic equalizer, and
high-efficiency 2-channel 200-watt power amplifier (400 Watts in Mono/Bridge
Mode). The mixer has 8 mono
input channels with both balanced XLR-type microphone inputs and
balanced/unbalanced TRS phone jack line inputs and 2 stereo input channels
(9/10 and 11/12) with unbalanced L/MONO and R phone jack inputs as well as
RCA pin jacks.
|
 Shure A96F XLR female to stereo 3.5mm phone plug. Hosa XVM115 makes a much less expensive cable (but also less compatible). This is great to use with camcorders or sound cards. |
||
Glad you asked. There are an abundance of MIDI files on the Internet for free download. MIDI File Search and MIDI Search are two sites where you can locate a MIDI arrangement of a song on the web. That's as good a place as any to start. Think of MIDI as a new-fangled piano roll. Your equipment (sound card and computer, and a synthesizer, if you go that far) serve as the piano. It goes without saying that the better your equipment, the better the MIDI file is going to sound.
Here are a few examples of ways we've used MIDI. To hear any of them
you'll need a free copy of
Please note: these are .wav recordings of MIDI music, blended with vocals. The
MIDI file alone is much, much smaller, but the quality of what you hear depends
entirely on your playback device. Compare this
download of the I'm Forgiven MIDI,
for instance , to #1 just below.
(You can hear other some of our other recordings here.)
Where to go for more info?
back to the top
MTLC or Music Technology Learning Center. Good site for reviews and tutorials covering music software and hardware. Good prices and support as well.
Band-in-a-Box MIDI accompaniment software we use at Skyline.
Cakewalk MIDI sequencing software
MidiStore MIDI Basics Online Guide.
MIDI Explorer - the easiest way to search for MIDI files on the Web.
MusicMatch Digital Audio Software (MP3) download Great product. Well-worth the $20 registration. I use it to organize our music library, rip CD's and burn new collections of MP3 and WAV files.
Windows Media MS site for downloading Windows media products, bonus tools and other add-ons. The Encoder compresses media to half the size of MP3 (though, of course, you need the Windows Media player to hear it).
