With Virtual Piano, yes, you can input notes to a soft synth with a computer keyboard. Easier with a USB or MIDI keyboard though.
AND you get Native Instruments light version with ACID 5!! Ohh so cool.
Prophet 5, B3, all sortz of fun stuff.
Thanks Spot, I'll look for Virtual Piano and check out some usb midi keyboards. I've been thinking about them for years but never got around to buying one.
Sorta....There is the Rotosound, which is USB controlled, and it's an actual spinning Piezo horn in a small, re-vented bass enclosure.
Nickle, I highly recommend trying the M-Audio Oxygen. 99.00 and it's a great lil' USB keyboard.
Nickle,
Once you get yourself a midi keyboard and load up some softsynths in Acid..WooHoo! Good, clean fun!!
Discover the thousands of different sounds possible with FREE softsynths available on the net. Record them in Acid and add loops. Add FXs, mangle the loops with The Chopper, etc.
Acid's my personal escape from the daily grind.
Kelly's Music and Computers is based in Canada and has excellent service.
I bought my Firewire 410 soundcard from them.
They have the M-Audio Evolution 49e for $140Can.
I'd recommend an inexpensive keyboard (I've got a Kaysound myself) and a Pro quality soundcard with low latency. Trust me, you don't want to hit the key and have the sound happen a half-second later.
Talk to Kelly's staff. Tell them what you want to do with your set-up. They'll help you out.
>>>"Do they know you after you've paid, too?" - er . . sorry mate .. what do you mean?
I mean some shops treat you like a king as long as the money is in your pocket. Once they've made the sale you don't exist. Like when you approach them to ask a question, register a complaint, whatever, they hang up.
Tor
To get back on topic - I am about to decide to go for Acid Pro 5. I have now seen a little of what 4 can do on my own PC. And I have realised that for the midi functions I need, it is adequate. I do some work in Finale which can save scores as .mid files. I can then open them in Acid and work on them there. (Finale can also open .mid files and convert them to scores.)
The reason i worry about all this is that I fear my old midi program (Digital Orchestrator Pro) may stop working when I install XP. Or rather it will refuse to install when it does not see my Turtle Beach Multisound card.
I'm just waiting for the generous introduction offer for old and lojal customers now ... :-)
Tor
From computer keyboard input to midi keyboards and firewire soundcards. Yikes.
Thanks for the info MySt and Spot.
I think I'll find something locally (so I can take it back if it doesn't work).
I have 2 soundcards, my old Soundblaster PCI 128 which I had to install because my PC didn't have a joystick port on the onboard SoundMax 5.1 6 channel and my joystick isn't USB.
I need to try things out before I buy them if possible.
So I'll check out the music stores and put somthing together.
My recommendation...
If you're not looking at surround capabilities, I'd suggest the Echo MiaMIDI (www.echoaudio.com) with an inexpensive General MIDI Keyboard.
Well here's the situation: I tried a Fruity Loops program quite awhile ago and it had a "piano roll" thing in it. So I composed a tune and added a few instruments and drum track and it sounded pretty good.
But I couldn't figure out how to "record" it all together so I could save it.
My thoughts were that if I could do the same in Acid it might be worthwhile. I think I can compose music more to my liking on my own rather than just putting loops together. But the bass and drum tracks and other features would certainly fill it out.
I guess I could record my accoustic guitar and digitize it as a wave file and use acid that way too.
But if an inexpensive keyboard would work, that would be something to play with.
mD over on the Acid forum records his guitar and adds loops, creates new loops by mangling existing ones, etc, and puts it all together.
Get ahold of him and tell him what you're really looking for. He's a great guy and I'm sure he could steer you in the right direction.
nickle,
Here's what I do: I create midi files (sometimes in a dedicated midi program, using the piano roll or a midi keyboard, sometimes in Finale). Then I record the midi tracks one by one or in groups to Vegas, creating a wav of each. Finally I mix those tracks, using Vegas' excellent fxs and filters to a stereo "master".
I plan to get Acid 5 soon, hoping I can then get jobs done faster by creating midi and mixing directly in Acid. The looping thing will be an interesting bonus.
Tor