New to Logic Xpress 8

[Califax]

hey guys. i'm in a band and i am totally clueless on how to use these programs.

 

for starters - i just bought a macbook, and i'm looking to add drum machines and trance/techno loops into my music.

 

i'm on a tight budget but i'll spend whatever money i need to to be able to perform our music live.

 

the drum machines i'd like to have are similar to that in Nine inch nails, and the trance/techno beats from any basic electronica/techno band (The medic droid, oppenheimer, etc.).

 

i was told that i should get a

 

Macbook, logic xpress 8 and an axiom keyboard with drum pads to do all this live...but is the keyboard necessary?

 

do i need just a keyboard to plug into a pa system to play my samples (we have a live band consisting of a drummer, bassist, guitarrist, keyboardist).

 

i have so many questions

 

what programs should i get to do all this? or is logic xpress 8 all i really need for basic techno loops and drum machines?

 

i'd like to not spend $2000 on programs since i just spent 1800 on a laptop

 

~Raj

[m-m-m]

hmmm .... if you are gonna program the beats live, then a keyboard with the drum pad thingeys would probably be nice ... if you are just gonna play preprogrammed loops, then it might be nice to setup the KB so that start and stop are triggered by something on the keyboard.

 

You keep saying that you want drum machines ... does that mean you want to be able to play it like one, or that you just want it to sound like one

[Califax]

well, i'm going to be programming the beats on my own time, saving them to logic then just triggering them live.

 

i want it to kinda sound like a drum machine (that electronica beat feel from nine inch nails type of stuff).

 

i'm not sure how to go about doing this that's why i'm asking, so sorry if i sound so dumb haha, cuz in reality i'm pretty dumb at the moment.

 

but yeah we just want an electronica drum beat, with some techno loops to go over our guitar/bass/vocals in the background (since we'll be lacking drums).

 

if we plug it through the keyboard we will not be playing the keyboard live - it would just be used to trigger what we have programmed in the computer.

 

for example:

 

changing from chorus to the bridge - we'd have 2 different drum beats (obviously) for those two parts. so it would be like multiple programmed drum beats/loops.

 

get what i'm saying?

[Califax]

another question i guess is if logic xpress 8 is the only program i would need...because i know i can dl plugins, settings and even use garage band or Ableton Live Lite 4 (The program that comes for free with my axiom 49) to add more variety to what i can get.

[shivermetimbers]

I am NOT trying to talk you out of Logic just yet, but your Axiom and Ableton should suit your needs. You will definitely have to sit and learn this stuff fer sure!

 

Once you are comfortable with the basics, you can decide if you need more.

 

Your Axiom will interface to the Laptop via the USB port and work with GB or LIVE.

You are not going to need every drum sound ever sample so you won't be needing to buy every software program ever made. When you are dealing with the express and lite programs, your options are limited. Make things work for you and get out of the mindset of getting away with the cheapest thing you can find. Less expensive, yes - cheapest, no!

 

You have already made the decision and commitment - don't give up!

[Califax]

awesome response man.

 

ok so i guess ableton should have all i need...is it compatible with logic xpress 8 though?

 

i think just having logic xpress 8 will help me in the long run for some other prioriities i have (recording and such wayyy down the line).

 

but if logic xpress 8 and ableton and the axiom keyboard can work in samples easy for LIVE PERFORMANCE, then that's all i'm really asking. is will this work?

 

and how do you recommend going about hooking this up?

 

buy instrument chords to plug in the keyboard TO the pa system obviously.

 

but how do i make the axiom work WITH logic xpress 8 AND ableton?

 

obviously i'd be taking advantage of garageband as much as i can because it's an available program to me.

 

thanks!

[shivermetimbers]

awesome response man.

 

ok so i guess ableton should have all i need...is it compatible with logic xpress 8 though?

 

i think just having logic xpress 8 will help me in the long run for some other prioriities i have (recording and such wayyy down the line).

 

but if logic xpress 8 and ableton and the axiom keyboard can work in samples easy for LIVE PERFORMANCE, then that's all i'm really asking. is will this work?

 

and how do you recommend going about hooking this up?

 

buy instrument chords to plug in the keyboard TO the pa system obviously.

 

but how do i make the axiom work WITH logic xpress 8 AND ableton?

 

obviously i'd be taking advantage of garageband as much as i can because it's an available program to me.

 

thanks!

 

If you can afford it, by all means, get Logic express 8 and you can always upgrade to Studio later. Logic and LIVE can make use of the rewire function although I am not sure about the express and lite versions.

There are tons of vids on you tube and the Ableton site of what can be done.

 

As far as getting the stuff into your laptop, you simple use your axiom and a usb cable. Getting the sound out is another issue, here are some options.

 

1. The laptop stereo headphone jack is a sound output source. A place like radio shack should have the adapter cable (stereo 1/8'' to split 1/4" mono)

2. Audio/midi interface will allow audio out from the computer ( I didn't notice any audio out of the Axiom).

 

Something like this patch cable , although you will have to ask the staff for something more specific.

 

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2110510&cp=2032058.2032228.2032251&allCount=83&fbn=Price%2F%246.00+-+%249.99&fbc=1&fr=StorePrice%2FRSK%2F00000600%2F00000999&parentPage=family

 

 

http://www.apple.com/logicexpress/specs/

 

I see rewire works with ableton live. One will act as a master and the other as a slave. For now I would suggest you play around with Lite and take one program at a time.

 

So you make your beats, learn the method of triggering them from either Logic exp or Live. Send the sound out to the PA and in no time the ladies will be tossing their unmentionables at you.

[amnestic]

i'm on a tight budget but i'll spend whatever money i need to to be able to perform our music live.

 

the drum machines i'd like to have are similar to that in Nine inch nails, and the trance/techno beats from any basic electronica/techno band (The medic droid, oppenheimer, etc.).

 

~Raj

 

It's interesting that you mention The Medic Droid. A good friend of mine just finished producing their new album.

 

Although I can't help you with figuring out live stuff, in case you wanted to know: they use Garageband for their demos and song ideas and Reason for their beats. That's where most of their sounds come from.

 

The producer works exclusively in Pro Tools, but if you were a fan of their early demos like "Fer Sure," for example... It was mainly Garageband and Reason.

 

As for you mentioning "drum machines like in NIN"... Reznor, until recently, would sample live drummers and arrange the drum samples as he saw fit. Unless you're talking about Year Zero and The Slip... He uses a lot of 808 and 909 styled drums, put through filters and various studio gadgetry.

 

You'll find most of these sounds in Garageband, Reason, Logic, and so on.

[Califax]

intersting. i'm kinda getting the hang of it.

 

so far i have learned:

 

use garageband/logic 8 xpress/ableton to work on my own samples/synthesizer settings or whatever.

 

export them via usb to my keyboard, and from keyboard put them through a PA for live.

 

so i guess i have all the proper gear...it's just a matter of learning the programs.

 

i know for a fact making techno beats/samples/sequencing is not hard to learn (when my dad does it for fun i'm sure i'll be able to do so on a creative level as well).

 

but my question is, are these programs easy to use and are they compatable with eachother? (i know garage band and logic 8 xpress are), but what about ableton?

 

i also heard ableton is kinda hard to use.

[m-m-m]

export them via usb to my keyboard, and from keyboard put them through a PA for live.

 

No ... the only thing that the axiom 49 can do is transmit and recive midi data. And the midi data that is recieves can only be used to configure the various keys pads and knobs so that you can tell them to do specific things (but what the axiom can do with recieving midi data is the least of your worries right now). I'm not sure if your aware of this, but midi does not contain audio. You need another piece of equipment in conjunction with your axiom to generate the sound (in your situation, your laptop). So if you want to trigger drum samples/loops/patterns with your axiom, you need to take your laptop with to the show. To go a step further, to get the sound out to the PA, your gonna need to take an output from your laptop and then wire that to the mixer (see shivermetimbers post above).

[Califax]

eek so i wonder if that guy at guitarcenter knew this or was just trying to sell me more stuff.

 

i know that an actual DRUM machine is also only able to recieve midi from a laptop too.

 

i was planning on bringing my laptop to every show in conjunction with my keyboard...

 

honestly - can i just plug my laptop into a PA system? and play samples and stuff through that? these are techno sequences/drum beats (like the sequencing you hear on high tech drum machines).

 

but in that case i'd still need a trigger to trigger different parts of the songs and stuff :\

 

ugh i'm so confused. good thing i didn't buy the keyboard just yet - because it could be something i don't need.

[Califax]

 

these are the kinds of sounds and beats i want to come out of my axiom 49 for live performance in sync with our live guitars/bass guitars/vocals on stage.

 

i know i'll need the laptop on stage with me to do this, but is it possible to get sounds and beats like THIS from logic xpress 8 through my keyboard etc.

[m-m-m]

To go further, I personally would't feel all that comfortable with using an 1/8th" headphone output from a laptop to feed a PA at a live show. If I were trying to do all this, I would take an audio interface to the show. There are some midi-controller keyboards that also have an audio interface built in, like the novation xiosynth (which is also a hardware synth) and M-audio Ozone (do they still make those??). If you already have the axiom then just get a standalone audio interface. If you don't own it already, then I would try to get one with the interface already built-in.

[Califax]

since i'm new to this i'm just gonna flat out ask - what do you mean by an audio interface? i know a lot of pro bands that do use keyboards on stage (The medic droid is just one i can think of off the top of my head).

 

but i checked out that synth you told me about just now...it's awesome. a bit pricey for me, but still affordable and looks really good quality...cept it has no pads on it to trigger samples and stuff like the axiom. so ya.

 

man i wish i've done this electronica stuff months ago that way i would have more understanding of this stuff...but i guess this ist he best place to ask since nobody around me uses this stuff either.

 

i mean worse come to worse i can just get a drum machine and use that in conjunction with my laptop...but is that any better/worse than just using a keyboard or synth like you showed me to trigger my samples/sequences/drum beats?

[m-m-m]

but in that case i'd still need a trigger to trigger different parts of the songs and stuff

 

anything that transmits midi data can be used as a trigger. It's possible that you may need to get a midi/USB adapter cable if your midi source doesn't have USB, but those are only $30-40 really. Many audio interfaces (see my above post) also have built in midi-audo converters.

 

I have a boss gt8 guitar effects processor. It has some foot pedals and some midi outs. I've never actually done it (never had the need or the desire to), but I know that I could hook that up to my computer via USB/MIDI cable and control logic (trigger samples, start and stop playback, control effect parameters in real time with the expression pedal).

 

I've got access to an old Alesis SR16 drum machine that I could use it's drum pads to contol logic (again via MIDI/USB conversion).

 

Do you NEED, the axiom?? There are other options, if you want to trigger you samples live. It's hard for me to say without really knowing the specifics of what you want to do. That being said, it's probably a good tool to have (same could be said of any midi keyboard in your situation). Most of the time when I'm programming drums, I don't even use my KB and I just use the mouse to enter the hits in the piano roll editor inside logic, but there are a lot of people that don't like to work that way. Even if you do create you loops with the mouse, I think a keyboard would still probably be the best way to start/stop those loops live. Doesn't have to be the axiom, but it doesn't seem like a bad beginner option (I have no experience with one). You could probably get by with an Axiom 25, if your just using it for creating drum patterns and triggering them.

[m-m-m]

It seems like were typing our posts at the same time.

 

Personally, I would rather program with keys than drum pads. For one thing, the samples are already gonna be mapped out for keys in most programs, and I'm guessing you would have to do some midi-mapping so that the drum samples would be triggered by the pads (again, no experience trying to do that ... I just know that it works just fine with keys). I also don't like the feel of pads as much, but that's more a matter of preference I guess. If your talkin' about starting and stopping loops, then you can still program keys to do that, or in the case of the Xiosynth it also has 11 buttons on it that you can program to use for that kind of thing if you want.

 

Basically what an audio interface does is it converts analog audio to digital, and also it converts digital back to analog. If you want to record a guitar, or with a mic, you should probably use an AI (audio interface). The only other option would be to use the internal mic or the Line In jack ... neither are very good options in my opinion. Also, the audio interface provides an output so that you can listen to the music your makin' on somethin other that your internal speakers or something connected to the headphone jack. There are a ton of audio interfaces available currently. Most would agree that they are pretty essential if you plan on making serious music with your computer. Sure, you could get by without one, but then you end up with adapters and long cable runs being fed into 1/8" jacks that aren't putting out the proper impedance.

 

I'll type a bit about the xiosynt in my next post ...

[m-m-m]

OK ... I wanted to start another post before everything i typed got lost somehow (it's been known to happen on occasion, and I'm not the fastest typer in the world).

 

So, the xiosynth ... it's not the best audio interface, and it's not the best hardware synth, and it's also not the best midi controller either. But it does all three in one small compact package. A year ago or so, when I was just using a G4 laptop and running garageband, I knew that I could just throw the xio and the g4 (both can run off internal batteries) in a bag and go anywhere and record which was nice (I have the 25 key version ... don't think the 49 or 61 would fit in a backpack ).

 

This is my first synth, so I'm completely satisfied with the sounds that it can make. I've even started using it live on the occasional song. I've compared the action to a few other low-mid level keyboards and I like the way the keys feel ... I've read that some full time KB players don't like the action on 'em much.

 

It serves it's purpose as an audio interface. I havn't had much of an issue with latency, and it's worked just fine with the mac.

 

Haven't had any problems using it as a midi controller either. Now, that I think of it, the touch pad was acting a bit funky on one occasion but I really don't use the touchpad much for controlling midi. I really like the pitch and mod wheels wired into the same joystick.

 

I think it's perfect for beginners ... I'm starting to outgrow it a a bit, but I've had it for a few years already. The few things that I really wish it had .... more keys (I coulda gotten one of the bigger ones though), combo jacks on the inputs (as opposed to one XLR and one 1/4"). It's hard to imagine parting with it though .... at some point I'll get a better audio interface, and eventually a larger keyboard ... it's nearly worth what it cost me for just the synth section itself and it's so portable.

[Califax]

awesome thanks for the thoughtful responses i'm already learning more and more. so far i learned that i don't need pads, and that a trigger can be simpler than i thought.

the axiom seems pretty decent, if you saw the youtube video i posted, that's basically what i'd be using it for, except probably more drum beat-y (more crunchy techno riffs i guess, because we have a guitar and bass player on stage already, so we don't need too much "noise", just really something to fill in for drums).

 

if there was any confusion as to what i want to do.

 

the only thing i'm still confused about is an audio interface. and you probably did explain it rather well - i am just so new that i'm still confused.

 

so what should i do? pack my laptop and keyboard - bring it to shows, but how do i get away with playing my samples and such live without "using the 1'8 jacks?

 

do i have to have a specific program open? have a specific type of keyboard?

 

like, basically, will logic be open and running when i'm playing live? and i just switch different songs in between songs? and trigger them through the keyboard? or what?

 

i guess that's the only thing i'm confused about now. every other question you pretty much answered.

 

it seems that i'll be able to get my techno and drum beats out with this program and a keyboard, which was my main concern at first...but now that that's answered i need to know how to go about doing this live - reliably. and i know a lot of you guys do this often, and you seem to know what you're talking about so

 

thanks man appreciate it!

[Rounik]

Hey,

 

An audio interface is essentially an analogue to digital converter (also known as a sound card).

 

Most people use an audio interface connected to their mac via USB or Firewire.

 

An audio interface often has more inputs and outputs than your mac's built-in sound card.

 

For example, my presonus firebox has 2 xlr (mic) inputs, 4 1/4" jack inputs, 6 1/4" jack outputs.

 

It's important to think about how many inputs / outputs you need (e.g. will you ever want to record more than 2 instruments simultaneously etc etc)...

 

When i play live, i use my midi keyboard, laptop, guitar, Microphones and my audio interface (which enables my guitar and vocals to be fed into the mac and processed via Logic - and enables the output of my mac/Logic to be fed into the live venue's PA system.

 

Let's say you make some beats using Logic. You'll probably use a drum machine within Logic called Ultrabeat. You create the patterns and sounds as desired, save it.....

 

At the gig, you can set up Logic to communicate with your keyboard so that when you press one key (e.g. C0) it triggers a pattern. Another key (e.g. D0) can be used to switch to a different pattern, etc.

 

I'd really recommend if you decide to go the Logic route (or Abelton Live) to check out the tutorial videos at

www.macprovideo.com

 

They will dramatically speed up the learning process and, in my opinion, provide you with info that may take you a long time to find out yourself!

 

Cheers

[Califax]

thanks for the detailed response.

 

i'd only need really a few inputs. i might be getting a K-25 key USB Midi keyboard to control beats and the PadKONTROL USB midi Drum machine (do i need all that? i might, but it's cheaper than just getting the axiom keyboard with the 8 pads).

 

 

so another question has been answered - i can pull this off with logic 8 express. good.

 

now just to figure out how to hook all this up so that when i'm at practice rehearsing, and programming all this, i can get it out through the PA System (Basically play live right away), so i can see what it sounds like.

 

i keep hearing "I don't recommend using the 1'8 headphone jack), but what exactly can i do to not use it? is there a specific jack i can buy to plug into my keyboard to have wires go in and out of or something?

 

i've never used a mac before in my life and i'm getting mine on wed. so :\ let me know cuz i'm already unprepared haha.

 

Also, does ultrabeat COME WITH Logic express 8? or do i buy that seperately?

 

and thanks for hte site i'm checking it out now!

[Califax]

also what difference is firewire to any other wiring? (for live?)

i know it makes a huge difference in recording

[amnestic]

Also, does ultrabeat COME WITH Logic express 8? or do i buy that seperately?

 

and thanks for hte site i'm checking it out now!

 

Yes, Ultrabeat is the drum machine instrument in Logic. There are MANY instruments in Logic, and many plug-ins. Obviously, Express has less options, instruments, and plug-in effects than Logic Studio, but you won't be disappointed, and you will be able to do anything that you hear on your favourite records (be it NIN or Medic Droid) on your own stuff, once you get the hang of everything. The macprovideo option is a good one. There's also a book by the creator of this forum, David Nahmani, which I personally recommend.

 

And whenever you're ready, in the future, you can always upgrade to Pro!

 

The thing is, you first have to learn how to properly use Logic itself before you start thinking of taking it to the streets as part of your live set-up.

 

also what difference is firewire to any other wiring? (for live?)

i know it makes a huge difference in recording

 

Well, this is a bigger question, and I'm sure someone can explain this better than I can. Basically, if you're going to be using your Audio Interface (explained in a previous post by Ronnie Egg) to perform live, and then feed it to the PA system, you'll have to use Firewire or USB 2.0 High Speed to connect the A/I to your laptop.

 

Basically, your keyboard will be sending a signal to your A/I, through MIDI, which will then send a signal to an instrument in Logic (through USB or Firewire) which will then send the signal to the P.A. System. So, you want to make sure the signal is fast and has no delay. Most people prefer to use Firewire, because it works faster with data transfer.

 

More info here: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/firewire3.htm

 

But here is the breakdown:

 

Speed aside, the big difference between FireWire and USB 2.0 is that USB 2.0 is host-based, meaning that devices must connect to a computer in order to communicate. FireWire is peer-to-peer, meaning that two FireWire cameras can talk to each other without going through a computer.

 

I hope I didn't make this more complicated for you.

[Califax]

nope. i now understand 95% of all this. only thing i'm confused about at the moment are these 3 topics:

 

*Audio interface (is it an audio interface if i am using my laptop on stage with my keyboard midi controller)?

 

*Is firewire an actual wire that i need to buy? like an instrument cable?

 

*how do i solve the 1'8 headphone jack "problem"?

 

like how do i connect my keyboard to my laptop properly?

 

(it's the keyboard that is actually going to plug into the PA right? even with the laptop connected to the keyboard)?

[amnestic]

nope. i now understand 95% of all this. only thing i'm confused about at the moment are these 3 topics:

 

*Audio interface (is it an audio interface if i am using my laptop on stage with my keyboard midi controller)?

 

*Is firewire an actual wire that i need to buy? like an instrument cable?

 

*how do i solve the 1'8 headphone jack "problem"?

 

like how do i connect my keyboard to my laptop properly?

 

(it's the keyboard that is actually going to plug into the PA right? even with the laptop connected to the keyboard)?

 

Alright, well, as I said, I'm not an expert when it comes to this.

 

Okay, let's break this down:

 

A) Audio Interface (or "A/I"): Nothing to do with your laptop or keyboard/midi controller. It is a seperate "sound card" (per se) that is seperate from your computer. I, for instance, use a TASCAM US-122. I can plug in my microphone, guitar, or keyboard to the Tascam (my Audio Interface) and properly set the levels of the sound BEFORE it goes into my computer & DAW (Logic or Pro Tools) for recording. That way, I don't fry my sound card. The Tascam connects to my computer through USB 2.0. The Tascam, though, is not the best A/I out there. In fact, it is incredibly dated. I use it because it's what I have been using for years, and I can depend on it.

 

Another example would be the Apogee Duet, which does the same thing as my Tascam (give or take), except it connects through Firewire, making it a superior A/I.

 

EDIT: Every single user on this forum has his/her preference when it comes to A/Is. It's all about what you need and what gets the job done for you. If I would get an A/I right now, I'd look into the Duet, because I will be travelling a lot in the next year. A friend of mine, an electronic producer and musician, swears by the Duet, and he just came back from an extensive European tour. The Duet seems small enough for me not to worry about storing it somewhere... But I guess some people don't like it for that same fact: because it's so compact it seems like you can break it easily. Right there, two sides of the coin.

 

Your laptop, being a mac, SHOULD have both a USB input and a Firewire input (and if it's a MBP laptop, it would have two FW inputs: 400 and 800). Just look at your laptop. There will be the USB symbol (Y) and the FW symbol (the Y with the circle in the centre). Each connection, either USB or FW, requires specific cables (which answers your second question).

 

B) Yes, it is a cable that you would buy to connect a Firewire product to the Firewire input of your computer. However, most A/Is (like my Tascam and the Duet) come with the appropriate cables in the box.

 

C) What m-m-m was trying to explain before was that he wouldn't feel comfortable sending your signal from your laptop's 1/8" headphone output to the PA system, and neither would I.

 

So, yes, you could essentially send your signal through the 1/8" headphone jack... However, if you have an A/I, you solve the problem. The A/I usually uses 1/4" inputs/outputs, XLR I/O, and MIDI I/O, and sometimes RCA cables.

 

No, your keyboard will not be plugging into the PA. From what I understand, you will be triggering sounds in Logic, right? Your laptop or your A/I will be sending the signal to the PA. Your keyboard will simply be a MIDI controller for your samples in Logic. You can imagine, that without the keyboard, you still could trigger the sounds in Logic, although it would be incredibly difficult and a PITA to do live, so the keyboard simply gives you ease of use.

 

Does that make sense? All the pros in this forum will probably correct my mistakes, but that's how I understand it.

[Califax]

ww you guys are so smart and great at explaining stuff to complete newbies like me.

 

i finally get it.

 

now i just need help finding a good affordable A/I.

 

are they hard to use? i'm gonna look into the Apogee Duet but it sounds expensive. hopefully it's not :\

 

i don't know how to use an AI, or what it does, other than i guess have cleaner/more dependable signals being sent from my computer to a PA.

 

since i've never used an A/I, i don't have one that "Works for me" just yet. i should prolly start finding one. that connects to firewire and is affordable. any ideas?

[Califax]

weird, i was talking to my friend who is in a really big powerpop band in this state, and he recommended the Apogee Duet after i threw that name out there. since i'm on such a low budget - it looks like that's what i'll go for. but that means that my midi controller can't be expensive. i don't wantt a crappy midi controller (the axiom keyboard was like $250, with the drum pads and everything), but is there a better deal i can get? i am not tryin to be cheap - but i know that nowadays you can get a really nice midi controller to work as the "Slave" for a cheap price. i just don't know of any since i'm new to all this.

 

i have a pretty decent $1600 mac coming, and buying a $500+ A/I, and logic 8 express.

 

so the midi controller doesn't have to be all that expensive right? if ic an find one for less than $300 or even beat the axiom's $250 price that would be awesome. i heard that the korg k25 or whatever was good...but it seems to be out of stock everywhere...do they not sell it anymore?

[m-m-m]

glad that some others have chimed in to help while i was away ...

 

One of the reasons I was suggesting the Xiosynth is that it has an onboard AI ... so that would be less cables and what not that you have to setup at the gig. Again, it's not the best interface, but it serves my purposes and I think it would do you just fine as well. Don't take my word for it though ... do a little window shoping. If I had the disposable income right now I would probably get a Duet for myself, but there are some other things that are taking priority in my budget right now.

 

Audio interfaces are not hard to use ... if you can use a mixer, than an AI shouldn't be a problem. Many AIs only have a few knobs on 'em and everythings pretty straight forward.

[Califax]

would you recommend buying the apogee duet and the xiosynth as the midi controller?

 

or maybe just the xiosynth for live play til i can afford the apogee, then just use the xiosynth as JUST a midi controller after that?

 

i'm thinking about buying

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Novation-XioSynth-25?sku=701052

 

it's $300 but has a "high quality A/I"....now what i wanna know is

 

is this compatable with logic?

 

and can i use firewire with it? since i'll be using this as a midi controller AND A/I for a few months before i buy a seperate A/I....i'm prolly gonna wanna use firewire.

[amnestic]

ww you guys are so smart and great at explaining stuff to complete newbies like me.

 

i finally get it.

 

now i just need help finding a good affordable A/I.

 

are they hard to use? i'm gonna look into the Apogee Duet but it sounds expensive. hopefully it's not :\

 

i don't know how to use an AI, or what it does, other than i guess have cleaner/more dependable signals being sent from my computer to a PA.

 

since i've never used an A/I, i don't have one that "Works for me" just yet. i should prolly start finding one. that connects to firewire and is affordable. any ideas?

 

Hahaha, I'm still a newb, man. It all just takes a lot of patience and asking the kinds of questions you're asking.

 

Once again, check out the Apogee Duet. It's about $500 or so. Go to a music store that has a keyboard/recording section, or preferably a store devoted to music recording technology and keyboards (I'm from Canada, so I'm not sure what to recommend for US citizens), and ask about it. In my experience, the major music stores with keyboard/recording sections are terrible for newbies. The people working there are usually complete dicks (at least, from my experience) who all seem like they're working under the management of Michael Scott from the Office.

 

The people working in stores devoted to recording and electronics are usually incredibly helpful, allow you to ask stupid questions without eyerolls, and give you a chance to try out the equipment. I suggest you go in and get your hands on the gear. You will find this all infinitely less scary once you realize how A/Is work. They should have various A/Is already set-up at their computers in the store.

 

In terms of understanding how an A/I functions... It's not too difficult to understand and I urge you to look up "Audio Interface" in Google, and have a look at what pops up.

 

The A/I is not just about "cleaner, more dependable" signals... I think once you get an A/I that you like, you will find it will become a KEY tool in your recording process, should you want to experiment with recording, engineer, or producing your own material.

 

It's about controlling the signals before they reach your computer. It's like a soundcard, that receives signals and sends them out, except an A/I is not your typical soundcard... It's specifically made for audio recording and production.

 

If you want some more info, check out this page: http://www.tweakheadz.com/soundcards_for_the_home_studio.htm

 

It even has a chart of Firewire and USB 2.0 A/Is and how they all compare to each other, with an intro on how everything works.

 

Now that I think about it... If you want to be performing live with a band, maybe the Duet is not the best option. How many people will be using Logic live? Are you the only keyboardist?

 

Lots of questions to think about, especially certain things in the long run, such as:

 

1. In the future, if I want to record in Logic, will I be recording a track at a time as a solo musician, or maybe use two mic inputs at a time (acoustic guitar and vocals-- or gang vocals and some clapping) or two 1/4" instrument inputs (elec. guitar and keyboard) at most? This would lead you to the Apogee Duet, which has two XLR and two 1/4" inputs.

 

2. or... Will I be hoping to record an entire set of drums, maybe the entire live band in a studio, and hope to have two keyboardists live, one using Logic, the other using Live, etc.. That would lead you to an A/I with more I/O so that you can achieve what you desire.

 

Of course, the easiest thing would be to say: Go for the bigger A/I, because you will always keep those options open in the long run. But that might not be an option financially. So, there are a lot of factors.

 

For me, I'm a solo musician. I rarely record with others, and when I do, those artists usually have their own setup at home, and just send me their raw tracks. So, I have no need for a massive (and expensive) A/I. Actually, come to think of it, I'm surprised my Tascam hasn't died over the past 4-5 years. Usually, I have the worst of luck with technology, and something is ALWAYS not working properly. But the Tascam has been my faithful sidekick. So, until he dies, I'm going to keep using him. Sometimes the old technology stands up well against the new stuff.

 

But, the main point I want to make here: make sure you look into the "long-run" of things. I never did, and just bought stuff because I needed it at the moment. And now I wish I was a little smarter with my money when I first got into music recording 6 or 7 years ago. If you really think things through, you can set yourself up with a decent rig that will last you for a while. For now, I have make-shift studio with really low-end gear mixed with high-end gear, as well as useless gear that I never use. So, don't listen to those store guys that tell you: "You need this. This thing is cool. Trust me."

 

In fact, kudos to shivermetimbers for saying: "Actually, you might not even need Logic," at the beginning of this thread. Although this is a Logic forum, it's great to hear this kind of advice. Sometimes you don't need Logic, AND Reason, AND ReCycle, AND Live, AND whatever else, to make some awesome beats and synth lines. You can even do some interesting stuff with Garageband alone. You just gotta know how to use your tools.

 

So, by the time I finished writing this, I saw you posted something else:

 

is this compatable with logic?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, ye Logic Pro Gods, but all A/Is should be Logic compatible, right? Logic and your computer should recognize the A/I once you plug it in and install all the drivers, right?

[Califax]

Now that I think about it... If you want to be performing live with a band, maybe the Duet is not the best option. How many people will be using Logic live? Are you the only keyboardist?

 

i'm actually a bassist. i'm going to be programming everything and then having a fill in keyboardist to trigger all the samples/sequencing/drum machine beats that i made.

 

so if the apochee isn't a good idea to use live, what's a good A/I to use live?

 

cuz i obviously need a midi controller too....the xiosynth (i posted a link in my previous post) has an A/I in it...is that a good idea?

 

i just need something affordable and reliable.

 

everything i post in here is mostly a question for LIVE performance. recording and stuff is way down the line.