Looking for MIDI help

theschnitt · #1 05-16-2005, 03:31 PM

Sorry, I hate to take up the bandwith with another newbie question, but. . .

I got a new soundcard so I could record mulitracks into my PC (m-audio delta 44 card w/ breakout box, pretty basic). It came bundled with some pretty neat software that's beyond my current level of knowledge with this stuff. Specifially, it came with virtual synth and sampler modules (contained in Reason Adapted). It seems that I need a midi controller to run the synth and sampler, though. What I'm trying to figure out is: can my bass, running thru the Bass PODxt's MIDI out function as a midi controller? That is, can I trigger samples &/or run thru the synth with my bass or do I really need a keyboard (and a midi interface) to run the synth and sampler?

I know this is a complex issue, pointers to a good FAQ or 2 would be appriciated as well.

Thanks:
Peter

Droog · #2 05-16-2005, 11:38 PM

I just read at Line 6's website and they in no way indicate that it is a controller. The MIDI input if for using an externall controller to control parameters of the POD and the MIDI out is simply for Sysex dumb, or outputting settings for storage elsewhere. If it were infact a MIDI contoller I think the price would be higher, as the process to convery audio into MIDI is not a simple one.

Get your self one of the M-audio Oxygen keyboards. There are many of them and they are pretty cheap, USB, so you just jack it straight in. As apposed to needing a MIDI input. However you could get a MIDI-Man USD MIDI interface which would allow you to use whatever key board you want, as well as externally change and automate settings on the POD.

Hope this helped, have fun.

P.S. Don't apologize, its a sound question and MIDI can be exceedingly complicated. Besides how you gonna learn if you don't ask?

theschnitt · #3 05-17-2005, 06:29 AM

Yes-that does help and I am starting to understand a bit more as I grind away at the research. This Reason Adapted package that came w/ the card is a trip - very powerful for creating electronic music (if you have a midi device!), but I'll be buggered if I can figure out how to jack a straight bass signal into it.

Anyway, thanks for your help!

Droog · #4 05-17-2005, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theschnitt

Yes-that does help and I am starting to understand a bit more as I grind away at the research. This Reason Adapted package that came w/ the card is a trip - very powerful for creating electronic music (if you have a midi device!), but I'll be buggered if I can figure out how to jack a straight bass signal into it.

Anyway, thanks for your help!

Hopefully you don't mean running a bass signal into Reason. Reason is not a recording program, so it has not audio inputs, only MIDI. However, with a recording program getting a bass signal into it would be a snap with what you have. Simply take the line out of the POD and jack it into the Delta, select your input in your software of choice and there you go.

theschnitt · #5 05-17-2005, 05:46 PM

Yep - that's what I'm doing, it works exactly as I expected it to to run into Adobe Audition. I just saw all the free stuff (especially the good drum machine) that came with the card and I have no idea what to do with it. They market Reason as an all-in-one studio solution, so I am pretty surprised that you can't add inputs to it. But, I guess it's not targeted at bass players. . .

Regardless, I'll next be trying to import the drum tracks that I generate w/ Reason into Audition. Fun stuff! The Oxygen keyboard is a great suggestion, it's been added to the GAS list.

Again, thanks for all of your help.

Droog · #6 05-17-2005, 06:18 PM

Right on! Glad to be of some service.