Ok, I have a digital piano with a Midi output and two 3.5mm jack outputs. My question is, how should I record it to get the best possible sound? My current recording setup is an m-track USB interface with 6.3mm inputs and xlr inputs (2 channels for each) however there is no Midi capability. I know what Midi is and why you can't convert it to XLR etc... but one thing I'm not quite clear about is turning Midi into audio. I don't want it to sound clunky or artificial at all by using cheap software (NcH wavepad at the moment) so is there good software for this or would I be better using the 3.5mm jacks into the M-track?
Recording Electric Piano
- Thread starter Gavin TheGavlaar Scott
- Start date
Re: Recording Electric Piano
Midi is NOT audio-you can't "turn it into audio. It is a CONTROL signal. No audio is passing-so there is nothing to "convert"
Re: Recording Electric Piano
You might want to mention the make and model of your digital piano if you want some useful answers.
You might want to mention the make and model of your digital piano if you want some useful answers.
Re: Recording Electric Piano
If al the keyboard has is 3.5mm audio outputs you will need to use those. Just get an adapter 3.5mm x to 1/4" cable. Male stereo on the 3.5mm side which will split to 2 1/4 mono cables you can plug into your M track left and right.
If al the keyboard has is 3.5mm audio outputs you will need to use those. Just get an adapter 3.5mm x to 1/4" cable. Male stereo on the 3.5mm side which will split to 2 1/4 mono cables you can plug into your M track left and right.
Re: Recording Electric Piano
MIDI is a control signal for digital music instruments that must be translated into an audio signal by a MIDI instrument. Windows has some built in settings, but in your current case I suspect you'll find the most success with a Stereo 3.5mm to 2 (L/R) 1/4" TS cable from the keyboard into the interface. Tip is L and right is R.
MIDI is a control signal for digital music instruments that must be translated into an audio signal by a MIDI instrument. Windows has some built in settings, but in your current case I suspect you'll find the most success with a Stereo 3.5mm to 2 (L/R) 1/4" TS cable from the keyboard into the interface. Tip is L and right is R.
Re: Recording Electric Piano
To expand just a little on the replies by Max and Ivan - MIDI is Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Note that the word "audio" does not appear in the acronym...
Gavin, you need to do a little Wikipedia reading on MIDI to understand what it does and how it is used.
To expand just a little on the replies by Max and Ivan - MIDI is Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Note that the word "audio" does not appear in the acronym...
Gavin, you need to do a little Wikipedia reading on MIDI to understand what it does and how it is used.
Re: Recording Electric Piano
I know what midi is, I know that it's a control signal and all, but the thing that it is controlling was my issue. The Midi signal tells the computer to play X note for Y amount of time, but my concern was that that note would sound bad as I don't have any specialist software for playing notes. It's the last bit I'm a little hazy on, not the signal itself but the note that is played by the computer. Does that note require some sort of software to sound good or does the signal contain all the information required for a natural and non-synthetic sound?
Oh, and the piano is a Korg SP 170s
I know what midi is, I know that it's a control signal and all, but the thing that it is controlling was my issue. The Midi signal tells the computer to play X note for Y amount of time, but my concern was that that note would sound bad as I don't have any specialist software for playing notes. It's the last bit I'm a little hazy on, not the signal itself but the note that is played by the computer. Does that note require some sort of software to sound good or does the signal contain all the information required for a natural and non-synthetic sound?
Oh, and the piano is a Korg SP 170s
Re: Recording Electric Piano
It is a CONTROL (as been said before) signal that CONTROLS SOMETHING ELSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The thing you want to record is THE THING BEING CONTROLLED. There is no audio present in the signal-so therefore nothing to hear (except digital noise)
You simply come out of the midi device with the ANALOG output (with whatever jack it has-XLR-1/4"-1/8" or RCA)-which is designed to go into an amplifier-or mixing console etc.
No big deal.
Not to sound mean-but apparently you DO NOT know what midi is-or how it is used or what it is used for.
It is a CONTROL (as been said before) signal that CONTROLS SOMETHING ELSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The thing you want to record is THE THING BEING CONTROLLED. There is no audio present in the signal-so therefore nothing to hear (except digital noise)
You simply come out of the midi device with the ANALOG output (with whatever jack it has-XLR-1/4"-1/8" or RCA)-which is designed to go into an amplifier-or mixing console etc.
No big deal.
Re: Recording Electric Piano
MIDI does not create or modify anything audio by itself. It sends note on/note off, velocity, patch change, sustain pedal position, and other info. The sounds themselves are created by your instrument, sound module or computer. Again, MIDI does not alter the audio; it sends commands to the device that makes the sound.
If you don't like the way your piano sounds, nothing MIDI is capable of will fix that.
MIDI does not create or modify anything audio by itself. It sends note on/note off, velocity, patch change, sustain pedal position, and other info. The sounds themselves are created by your instrument, sound module or computer. Again, MIDI does not alter the audio; it sends commands to the device that makes the sound.
If you don't like the way your piano sounds, nothing MIDI is capable of will fix that.
Re: Recording Electric Piano
I'm also in the market for a solid piano synth or sampler, and Pianoteq looks very promising and reasonably priced compared to some of the sample-based software. You don't want to use the midi synth that comes with your computer if that's what you're asking.
Sent from my SGH-M919
I'm also in the market for a solid piano synth or sampler, and Pianoteq looks very promising and reasonably priced compared to some of the sample-based software. You don't want to use the midi synth that comes with your computer if that's what you're asking.
Sent from my SGH-M919
Re: Recording Electric Piano
Okay, i think you're close to understanding this. In the situation you described, the actual sound of the note would be 'created' by the computer, either with some kind of software synthesizer, or with some kind of hardware synthesizer located in the computer [many computers have a rudimentary synthesizer built in]. At that point, the only way to 'hear' the sound generated is to connect your computer's audio output to something. It's important to remember that the computer is generating ghte actual sound. The particular keyboard that is generating the MIDI signal is completely irrelevant to the sound produced.
I hope that makes some sense.
Okay, i think you're close to understanding this. In the situation you described, the actual sound of the note would be 'created' by the computer, either with some kind of software synthesizer, or with some kind of hardware synthesizer located in the computer [many computers have a rudimentary synthesizer built in]. At that point, the only way to 'hear' the sound generated is to connect your computer's audio output to something. It's important to remember that the computer is generating ghte actual sound. The particular keyboard that is generating the MIDI signal is completely irrelevant to the sound produced.
I hope that makes some sense.