Midi keyboards.
Discussion
Ill put this in this section but may be better in gadgets.
Dabbled a little when i was younger with playing the keyboard but would like to get back into it to fill up free time. Things have move on abit from my casio days.
What should i be looking for. Ideally something i can plug into the laptop via usb. What software is out there.
Barrie.
Dabbled a little when i was younger with playing the keyboard but would like to get back into it to fill up free time. Things have move on abit from my casio days.
What should i be looking for. Ideally something i can plug into the laptop via usb. What software is out there.
Barrie.
If your laptop is old/slow*, then choose a keyboard with built-in synthesis to use instead of CPU-sapping soft-synths. Something like the Yamaha MX49/61/88 range, which are the Motif engine in a low-cost format.
With MIDI, USB (audio and/or MIDI), VSTs, etc, there are many ways to hook things up now. Some people spend all the ££££s on CPU power and try to do it all inside the computer. Others work with any old computer and use external synths for sound. You need to work out what you want to do first.
* There's nothing worse than latency (time between you pressing a key and hearing the note from the speaker) and those digital pops and crackles from laggy CPUs.
With MIDI, USB (audio and/or MIDI), VSTs, etc, there are many ways to hook things up now. Some people spend all the ££££s on CPU power and try to do it all inside the computer. Others work with any old computer and use external synths for sound. You need to work out what you want to do first.
* There's nothing worse than latency (time between you pressing a key and hearing the note from the speaker) and those digital pops and crackles from laggy CPUs.
I have a pretty decent laptop. I7 4720hq i think. Bit thirsty but better pretty solid.
Ill have a browse and report back. Budget not mental. Software is probably a bit expensive im guessing. I had dodgy copies of cubase and fruitloops years ago. Im guessing things have moved on a lot.
Is there keyboard software that will simply be an onscreen synth controller layout if you get me.
Ill have a browse and report back. Budget not mental. Software is probably a bit expensive im guessing. I had dodgy copies of cubase and fruitloops years ago. Im guessing things have moved on a lot.
Is there keyboard software that will simply be an onscreen synth controller layout if you get me.
Fast PC, then. But as it's a PC you can't use Apple's Garageband (which is super easy to use and really a Lite version of the excellent Logic Pro X).
These days, many PC users on a budget opt for Reaper*. You can download and try for free, and you can download/buy software synthesizers in the form of VSTs that run within Reaper; you get an on-screen representation of the synth, like this:
So, just add a USB bus-powered class-compliant keyboard controller (lots of those around at all price points) and some monitors. At some point you may decide that your laptop's audio output is lousy, and the next step is an audio interface (better DAC, better audio outs, and the possibility of recording other analogue sources - mics, guitars, etc).
* One thing on Reaper - a lot of people claim it's easy to use. It's not, and when it first starts up, there's this "now what do I do?" moment. So follow the tutorials on Youtube.
These days, many PC users on a budget opt for Reaper*. You can download and try for free, and you can download/buy software synthesizers in the form of VSTs that run within Reaper; you get an on-screen representation of the synth, like this:
So, just add a USB bus-powered class-compliant keyboard controller (lots of those around at all price points) and some monitors. At some point you may decide that your laptop's audio output is lousy, and the next step is an audio interface (better DAC, better audio outs, and the possibility of recording other analogue sources - mics, guitars, etc).
* One thing on Reaper - a lot of people claim it's easy to use. It's not, and when it first starts up, there's this "now what do I do?" moment. So follow the tutorials on Youtube.
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