How do I set up my synths / computer to record properly?!

[benroles]

Hi all,

New member here with a question! Over the past few years I've purchased various synths etc. and coming from a piano-playing background am pretty adept at flying round the keys when i feel like 'jamming' (with myself!). I've also hooked up my synths etc. at various different times to my computer. However, generally all my kit isn't hooked up to each other and whilst playing around is fun I want to get in to properly composing / recording etc. Can you help me please with regards to how I should go about hooking things up together. At the moment I have:

Virus TI Keyboard (has MIDI, can be a MIDI controller and USB link)
Korg Radias (MIDI only I think)
Korg Kaossilator (ordered the other day but has MIDI and can be a controller?)
Roland Fantom S (MIDI)
Roland VP550 vocal harmoniser (only audio out I think)

At the moment I have them all plugged in to a noddy mixer to allow me to play them 'all' and get sound out.

I already have cubase software on my PC that I bought a while ago but have never used it fully.

So in essence I think I just need to know what audio cards / controllers I need and also what mixing equipment or similar I need? I guess the MIDI / USB etc. controlled synths etc. I'd conrol from the PC but I also need to be able to capture the sound from things like the VP550. As an aside, I'd like to be able to record some acoustic sound (guitar, harmonica etc.) as well as vocals.

Can somebody please help me put together my set-up?! Basically a 'how to' and 'equipment needed list' would be superb.

I ultimately want to be able to control my instruments, record the sounds that cannot be controlled (e.g. vocals) and mix together the output.

Thanks so much for your help.

Ben.

[mitchiemasha]

I recomend you aquire the ask media guide to cubase dvd's. This will help you and teach you so much.

Your virus ti can be your computers sound card so you don't really need anything at all. Apart from you might want a midi man. A usb device to give you more midi connections. You can connect all your synths to 1 connection and address them differently but you will only have 16 channels in total (tracks in cubase) well, 16x2 as in 16 virus ti (usb) and 16 others connected via midi.

With a midi man you will be able to use all 16 channels of each synth, depending on what size you get. I've got a 4x4, midi out a,b,c,d midi in a,b,c,d. Cubase recognises these for you automaticly when you install it. You can also rename them within cubase to spead up workflow.

I did have a radias far a short while and off the top of my head this only has 4 channels. Like in my set up, I have a KS and a Nord 2, both only have 4 channels. I keep these on the same midi chain, the KS 1-4 then nord 5-8. These are conected to each other by the through midi connection of my Ks going into the midi in of my Nord. You have to set the midi settings inside each synth (usualy very easy to do). Just to confuse you even more though, I have the midi outs from the KS and Nord returning into seperate ins on my midiman. This is so I can record controllers in real time from each synth. You'll need to do this if you want to play your other keyboards at the individual keyboard rather than jst using a master keyboard to play the sounds inside the others.

To explain more

My Jv 1080 is on it's own midi out from my midi man but I don't need to record controllers from this (it has no realtime controllers or a keyboard). Say my Nord and KS are on midi out A and my 1080 is on midi out B I use the midi in A to record controllers from my nord and midi in B to record controllers from my KS. This works because the nord and KS are connected via the midi through instead of the out. You might not understand this at first but it falls into place very quickly.

I think thats my worst attempt ever of trying to explain that. You will also need to learn abt local on off.

The audio outs of each synth then run to my zed436 mixer and the master out of that go's into another PC I use to record my mix downs. Lucky for me the zed desk is usb so this acts as my sound card for my recording Pc cutting out another stage of noise. As in not sending the my mixdown into a cheap sound card in my pc to record your mix.

[benroles]

Hi - really appreciate the response and if did actually make sense!

I had kind of figured I might need more MIDI control so was looking at the M-Audtio Midisport 2x2 or 4x4 - then I can control all my devices.

However, I was also looking at the Focusrite Saffire pro 40 to allow me to then control all the audio in from things like mics, the vp550 (which given it takes an mic input to function again cannot be 'controlled' by MIDI). This given it has pre-amps etc. will then act as my mixing utility (using a mix of the hardware and the provided software - it's a firewire audio card).

How does that sound to you?

B.

[mitchiemasha]

Can only really comment on things I use and I'm not sure on that hardware. I know about Allen & heaths Zed desk that has fire wire. This desk acts as a multi in and out audio card for your computer and gives you full midi controll (not via midi) of all the individual tracks with in cubase etc.

[Abnorm]

I use a Midisport 4x4 for controlling my synths, and a sapphire 24dsp FW card for input via my analog mixer (crappy but got it for free. Main out from the mixer goes straight to the Sapphire`s main input, all synths are connected to the mixer on individual audio channels.
I have a Virus KB as masterkeyboard and I do all my midi recording/automation from that when needed.
The saffire also got 2 pre-inputs for i.e mics and guitars etc btw.
My Virus snow I usually use with the USB, when I get the sound i want I output it to the mixer and record it as any other of my synths. You get about half a second predelay which you have to manually fix after the recording is done though.
So if i get your question right, you need a Saffire soundcard (I recommend it, not to expensive and no issues at all this far), a midisport 4x4 (or 2x2 depending on your needs), and a analog / digital mixer.
A digital mixer can also feature a soundcard though, but they tend to cost a bit more than using an analog setup.
Hope this helps :P

[Abnorm]

double post, please delete me =