Will a Vs 1880 and a pc be friends?

Hello all.

First of all let me say I know nothing. That said- I have a new fast pc, a lovely screen, an old trinity workstation (keyboard) that outputs midi, an old Vs 1880, an acoustic guitar and mic etc. I would like to start recording track by track but, as I said I know nothing so- will the Vs 1880 plug into the pc (hoping to use the vs1880 as an interface?) via a midi to usb lead and then use Tracktion on the pc to mix it? This is my first foray into all of this so please excuse my almost embarrassing level of knowledge (that’s me bowing in respect).

 

MIDI cables don't carry audio. To record and mix on your PC it's going to be a lot easier to get a USB recording interface and skip the VS1880. Figure out the maximum number of live audio inputs you'll need at a time, consider adding two or more just to be safe, and shop around for something that covers your needs. Something with built-in MIDI connection via traditional DIN connectors might be the way to go.

 

Sooo much to learn.

Boulder- would my korg trinity workstation be able to play sound that I have in my DAW on the pc or would I need a midi keyboard (M Audio Keystation for instance) for that?

 

Hi,

Welcome to the forums. You actually have all you need to make an album without a PC. In fact I recorded Eric Haydock Ex hollies on a vs1880. Also Savage Garden did an album on on a VS880 .

Anyway, what you need if your going to go PC DAW is a very clean windows install. You’ll then as advised above want a reasonable interface I’m personally not a fan of USB, however if you’re keeping to a low input count, it’ll be fine. Anything from focusrite or personus, or rme (more expensive), will do you in good steed. Motu also make great interfaces.

To connect your Korg you’ll need midi input. That is usually possible also on a decent interface. That will allow you to use virtual instruments within the DAW, or conversely third party virtual instruments.

Cheers,

Tony

 

Cheers Tony.

I really wanna go down the DAW route so I don’t have to lean over the little screen all day.

If not USB connection of the interface, is there another way you advise?

 

As I said, for your purposes USB will be fine, it's a personal thing. I definitely would not run any multiple interfaces such as USB for midi along with a audio interface separately. This is particularly an issue with most PCs if their not purpose built or made from high quality personally sourced parts . I personally won't give up my big old Mac Pro . Just worry about getting a half decent USB audio interface with midi connections on it to get you started. If you have a big budget, then we have a different conversation

Tony

 

I'm sure the trinity has a midi output port.
Make sure your future audio interface has midi input and you'll be ok

 

Yep, if the Trinity has the conventional 5-pin DIN MIDI port and the interface has the same then you should be able to use it to control sounds in the computer. Some people have issues with MIDI latency so you'll have to research that stuff to learn how to get the best performance. MIDI isn't really my specialty so I can't help you beyond generalities.

Besides USB there are interfaces that use Thunderbolt connection or have a PCI host card. At one studio I use an old MOTU setup with a PCI host card that allows up to four connected interface modules for as many as 96 inputs and outputs. At another studio I use an Apollo 16 that connects by Thunderbolt. But USB 2.0 can accommodate 16 inputs well enough so that's a practical option.

 

Where it gets off course is when looking at latencies and how drivers and realtime mixers are made.
I worked focusrite interfaces and was able to do everything needed up to 18 channels. But when I switched to RME FF800 (an old unit) I was blown away by how better the drivers was and Totalmix is a blast (route any input to and output is very nice...)
If I didn't want to do full bands and need that many channels. I'd be tempted by Audient products. The included preamps are very nice.
If not antelope and RME remains on my top list !

 

Cheers for the advice you lot that’s great.

I’m on a budget this time around so I’ve got a fresh and fast pc with a Behringer UMC 404hd. I’m struggling to work out how to get sound out of my trinity keyboard and out of the interface, daw, monitors. I’ve come out of the midi out port on the trinity, into the midi in port on the 404hd Interface, I’ve chosen a new track and assigned midi track 1 (tracktion7 daw, I’ve got output set to 1/2 which outputs all other instruments n vocals fine. Any ideas what I’m missing?

 

Midi does not transport audio. Only data. If you want to record the sounds coming from you keyboard, you need to plug its audio outputs to the UMC.
Of course one could record the midi data, makes some edits and then make the daw play the midi data back to the keyboard and record the audio at the same time for a perfect track..
Did I loose you ?

 

Hi Pc. Thank u for the advice. funnily enough as I read ur first sentence I had a (at myself) “oh of course!” moment Lol. So that bit I get but... I’d like, if possible to use the trinity as, what I think would in effect be a midi keyboard- in as much as I’d like to grab some voices/ percussive sounds off the net and then have them play as I hit the trinity’s keys. So now back to question one i guess?

 

I’m just gonna throw this thought out there...
Your Korg Triton keyboard patches might be available in a VSTi/softsynth collection.
I say “might”, because I’m not familiar with the Triton, and wouldn’t know whether the sample collection patches that could be available are the same as your synth’s internal patches or not...
Hold on a a sec... let me look...BRB.
Okay, I have located a Korg Triton sample collection.
According to the description, the library offers various Triton sound banks and patches in a “softsynth” (VSTi, or “virtual instrument”) format.
This means that - if the sounds are acceptable to you - you could install the Triton library into your computer, and you could trigger these sounds in your DAW, using your current keyboard to record the midi data of what you are playing; and then assign any of the Korg samples to be triggered by that midi track.
If you want to check this out and compare the sounds offered to that of your actual synth, you could see (hear) for yourself if they are in fact the same patches that are in your Triton - or if they wouldn't be of any use to you.
Anyhooo... just something to consider.

-d.
https://www.producerloops.com/download-korg-triton-le-triton-studio-sounds/

 

Many thing can be controled with midi data, including DAW parameters, softsynth, VSTi, samplers etc...
You want to control sound of the net. What sounds ? samples like .wav files or Virtual software instruments ?
In any case the midi out of your keyboard needs to be connected to the midi in of your interface which should be connected to your computer and then configured in your daw.
It's not because the audio works that the midi interface is configured in your daw.. Often they remain inactive until you select them.
OK now how too record..
You had a midi track to your project (or should midi input depending on the DAW)
then arm record and go...
You should have midi recorded onto your track. but no sound is produce yet. Your midi track output should match the instrument/sampler input(s)
Most DAW will let you load a software instrument and will already assign a midi input channel (1 to 16 on a specified midi interface).
But, your keyboard needs to transmit on the same channel (usually 1 by default) also in the instrument software it needs to be ready to receive the same midi channel..
If you want to hear the sound of the software synth in realtime, there is also an option for that.

For exemple.
I use Samplitude. Open a project, on a track I add a piano instrument plugin. The software instrument and track is already on channel one.
My track already capture for Omni midi by default (omni = any channel) but if I want I can create other tracks that will send midi to my piano tracks by choosing it in the output of the channel.
My midi controler (an old Korg M1) is set to output midi channel 1.
I do activate realtime monitoring on the software track and then when I play on the keyboard I can hear the piano.
BAM ready to record !!

 

Thank u Donny and pc you are both so generous with ur time to write all of that and I really appreciate it.

I’m hoping to be able to try out what you have both said this weekend and then I’ll let u know how I get on

 

Cheers for now

 

I used to track in the 1880 and then transfer via spdif to the pc using midi to sync so they were lined up

2 tracks at a time..then mix in the Daw..

Fidelity wise you are better of using the Behringer I think, The Rolands use a data compression to save space.