Cubase & a midi keyboard

[Godolphin&fellow]

Thought I'd finally take the plunge into a comp based system. Talked
to 3 dealer reps, read a good bit online. Had pretty much settled on
Cubase... Then found out the 600+ synth-based and sampled sounds can't
be played using an actual keyboard. (That you have to use either mouse
clicks or the typist's /typewriter's keyboard! ...which I seriously
doubt is touch sensitive... it seems a laborious unhandy way to go.)

Why isn't Cubase designed to work with a MIDI keyboard? Are there
other good similarly priced comp based systems that *are* MIDI
capable? -Any advice or insight would be much appreciated.

[Danny T]

On Aug 15, 7:53*pm, "Godolphin&fellow" > wrote:
> Thought I'd finally take the plunge into a comp based system. Talked
> to 3 dealer reps, read a good bit online. Had pretty much settled on
> Cubase... Then found out the 600+ synth-based and sampled sounds can't
> be played using an actual keyboard. (That you have to use either mouse
> clicks or the typist's */typewriter's keyboard! ...which I seriously
> doubt is touch sensitive... it seems a laborious unhandy way to go.)
>
> Why isn't Cubase designed to work with a MIDI keyboard? Are there
> other good similarly priced comp based systems that *are* MIDI
> capable? -Any *advice or insight would be much appreciated.

It absolutely is and it is really easy. I don't know where you read
that or if you read it wrong but its easy
When you buy cubase, post in alt.steinberg.cubase if you need any
help.
Basically, you need a midi in/out (they are cheap) then you go into
cubase in devices and click on the midi button and chose your in/
out.
Then, when you open a project, you just choose which input you want
for a track or an instrument and when you play, your software synth
plays. There is a delay after you get a few tracks recorded so its
best to just convert the midi to an audio track and mute the midi.
Easy stuff........

[[email protected]]

On Sun, 15 Aug 2010 17:53:07 -0700 (PDT), "Godolphin&fellow"
> wrote:

>Thought I'd finally take the plunge into a comp based system. Talked
>to 3 dealer reps, read a good bit online. Had pretty much settled on
>Cubase... Then found out the 600+ synth-based and sampled sounds can't
>be played using an actual keyboard. (That you have to use either mouse
>clicks or the typist's /typewriter's keyboard! ...which I seriously
>doubt is touch sensitive... it seems a laborious unhandy way to go.)
>
>Why isn't Cubase designed to work with a MIDI keyboard? Are there
>other good similarly priced comp based systems that *are* MIDI
>capable? -Any advice or insight would be much appreciated.


As far as I know any DAW software can record a midi performance from a
keyboard... I have an M-audio keyboard and it came with software that does that,
but I don't have Cubase.

The idea is to output the computer back to the keyboard, or another midi sound
generator, and play the tracks.

SO you can play live, or record live, or play the keyboard and listen to another
synth, or record in slow mode (the way I play!) and play it back later. If you
want to play thru the computer, you usually turn local mode off so you don't
hear yourself playing, as well as the computer output, which is delayed.

You should be able to do anything you want!

Go check M-audio, they have a few software programs.

[Nil]

On 15 Aug 2010, "Godolphin&fellow" > wrote in
rec.audio.pro:

> Thought I'd finally take the plunge into a comp based system.
> Talked to 3 dealer reps, read a good bit online. Had pretty much
> settled on Cubase... Then found out the 600+ synth-based and
> sampled sounds can't be played using an actual keyboard. (That you
> have to use either mouse clicks or the typist's /typewriter's
> keyboard! ...which I seriously doubt is touch sensitive... it
> seems a laborious unhandy way to go.)

You are quite mistaken about that. You can record to Cubase with a
MIDI keyboard, and Cubase can host many or most software
synthesizers and sample players, which you can then play in real
time if you like.

> Are there other good similarly priced comp based systems that
> *are* MIDI capable?

Almost all of them are. Cubase for Windows' most direct competitor,
feature- and price-wise is probably Cakewalk Sonar.

[Cyberserf[_2_]]

On Aug 15, 8:53*pm, "Godolphin&fellow" > wrote:
> Thought I'd finally take the plunge into a comp based system. Talked
> to 3 dealer reps, read a good bit online. Had pretty much settled on
> Cubase... Then found out the 600+ synth-based and sampled sounds can't
> be played using an actual keyboard. (That you have to use either mouse
> clicks or the typist's */typewriter's keyboard! ...which I seriously
> doubt is touch sensitive... it seems a laborious unhandy way to go.)

Don't know where you "found that out" but I wouldn't go back to that
source.

>
> Why isn't Cubase designed to work with a MIDI keyboard? Are there
> other good similarly priced comp based systems that *are* MIDI
> capable? -Any *advice or insight would be much appreciated.

Cubase (originally called cubasis) was one of the first MIDI
sequencers available on PC...way back in the 1990's. It had full MIDI
support and piano roll way before it could accept audio and it not
only does MIDI, it does it very well. You can not only input your
"sounds" using a keyboard, you can also program that keyboard or
another MIDI interface to control your DAW. Steinberg also pioneered
VST technology and thus are a rock solid host for thousands of VST
instruments and effects. Go to the Steinberg site and take a look at
some of the possibilty...you might also want to continue your reading
by Googling Cubase and Midi. There are other "sequencers" out there
that also do Audio...Pro Tools is popular (and is quickly catching up
to Cubase with its MIDI implementation), Sonar is also a good choice
(the new ACT technology allows for quick programming of MIDI
controllers) as is Reaper.

I find that a good way to see if a program or hardware is what I need
is to download and read the users guide and manuals...they are oten
free and often go through each feature and capability allowing you to
make and informed choice and, once you make a purchase, you can hit
the ground running.

-CS

[Paulo Gomes]

Steinberg invented the VST technology more than 10 years ago and, one of the
things behind the secene was having everything inside a DAW without external
help :-)
Things have grown huge since then and, of course, that's one of the things
that Cubase does, easily. Cubase does all of what you can imagine and a lot
more.

Paulo

[Godolphin&fellow]

On Aug 15, 10:01*pm, Danny T > wrote:
> On Aug 15, 7:53*pm, "Godolphin&fellow" > wrote:
>
> > Thought I'd finally take the plunge into a comp based system. Talked
> > to 3 dealer reps, read a good bit online. Had pretty much settled on
> > Cubase... Then found out the 600+ synth-based and sampled sounds can't
> > be played using an actual keyboard. (That you have to use either mouse
> > clicks or the typist's */typewriter's keyboard! ...which I seriously
> > doubt is touch sensitive... it seems a laborious unhandy way to go.)
>
> > Why isn't Cubase designed to work with a MIDI keyboard? Are there
> > other good similarly priced comp based systems that *are* MIDI
> > capable? -Any *advice or insight would be much appreciated.
>
> It absolutely is and it is really easy. I don't know where you read
> that or if you read it wrong but its easy
> When you buy cubase, post in alt.steinberg.cubase if you need any
> help.
> Basically, you need a midi in/out (they are cheap) then you go into
> cubase in devices and click on the midi button and chose *your in/
> out.
> Then, when you open a project, you just choose which input you want
> for a track or an instrument and when you play, *your software synth
> plays. There is a delay after you get a few tracks recorded so its
> best to just convert the midi to an audio track and mute the midi.
> Easy stuff........

'ell I be damned. Good to find out I was wrong!... I'd read on some
forum a couple posts stating midi keyboard is unavailable with
Cubase... one said midi itself is basically obsolete. - I've only used
an analog cassette 4 track up till now, so this is all pretty much a
'black project' to me.
Guess now I need to read up a bit on midi in/outs and "M-audio"
keyboards. Thanks a lot for the help.

[Godolphin&fellow]

On Aug 16, 3:17*pm, "Soundhaspriority" > wrote:

> Godolphin&fellow,
> * * Even old versions of Cubase do this. Admittedly, it's not easy to figure
> out. But it is a mainstream capability of Cubase, very well supported.
>
> Bob Morein
> (310) 237-6511

....Much thanks to everyone for all their wisdom and advice.

[Danny T]

On Aug 19, 12:28*pm, "Godolphin&fellow" > wrote:
> On Aug 15, 10:01*pm, Danny T > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Aug 15, 7:53*pm, "Godolphin&fellow" > wrote:
>
> > > Thought I'd finally take the plunge into a comp based system. Talked
> > > to 3 dealer reps, read a good bit online. Had pretty much settled on
> > > Cubase... Then found out the 600+ synth-based and sampled sounds can't
> > > be played using an actual keyboard. (That you have to use either mouse
> > > clicks or the typist's */typewriter's keyboard! ...which I seriously
> > > doubt is touch sensitive... it seems a laborious unhandy way to go.)
>
> > > Why isn't Cubase designed to work with a MIDI keyboard? Are there
> > > other good similarly priced comp based systems that *are* MIDI
> > > capable? -Any *advice or insight would be much appreciated.
>
> > It absolutely is and it is really easy. I don't know where you read
> > that or if you read it wrong but its easy
> > When you buy cubase, post in alt.steinberg.cubase if you need any
> > help.
> > Basically, you need a midi in/out (they are cheap) then you go into
> > cubase in devices and click on the midi button and chose *your in/
> > out.
> > Then, when you open a project, you just choose which input you want
> > for a track or an instrument and when you play, *your software synth
> > plays. There is a delay after you get a few tracks recorded so its
> > best to just convert the midi to an audio track and mute the midi.
> > Easy stuff........
>
> 'ell I be damned. Good to find out I was wrong!... I'd read on some
> forum a couple posts stating midi keyboard is unavailable with
> Cubase... one said midi itself is basically obsolete. - I've only used
> an analog cassette 4 track up till now, so this is all pretty much a
> 'black project' to me.
> * Guess now I need to read up a bit on midi in/outs and "M-audio"
> keyboards. Thanks a lot for the help.

Party on Dude!