How are components related?

izzy153 · 2024-05-15T18:11:41+00:00

There was an error rendering this rich post.

Hi,

I'm a newbie to making music, and am overwhelmed by all the technologies available. I wish to know/learn about how all of the components are related/work together.

e.g. How does a synthesizer work with a keyboard controller, with a DAW, with a MIDI controller? Do I need all of those components? Is there a website that explains the relationship of all of these pieces of equipment, and how to connect them together?

Find more posts tagged with

Accepted answers

chk071

Start with reading the manuals for the devices you already have. 😊 They should cover a lot of ground already.

In general, the devices you hook up to your computer interact with software with both the software on your computer, or other hardware. For example, for MIDI controllers, as the name implies, there's the MIDI protocol (you can do a Google search on that), which allows for bidirectional communication between your controller and software on your computer, or other hardware which is MIDI capable, which is connected to your computer.

If you buy a MIDI keyboard, I highly recommend to read its manual as well. It either explains the basics of communication between the keyboard and your computer, or things will get obvious when you dive into the configuration of your keyboard.

And, if you want an advice: start simply. Buy a MIDI keyboard (it's really essential when making music with your computer), and download a free software synthesizer, like Synth1, and then get a host which can load the plugin (something free does as well, like, the free Savihost).

DunedinDragon

At it's simplest a synthesizer is just an electronics box that can manipulate a tone in various ways to give it different sounds and textures. These days when people talk about synthesizers they're probably referring to a combined unit that has a keyboard and a built in polyphic synthesizer or multiple synthesizers simply for convenience. But it's best to keep in mind that a synthesizer and a keyboard are separate entities because you can host a synthesizer in your DAW or computer as a plug in and access it and play it with a separate MIDI keyboard.

Likewise there are virtual instruments that operate in a similar way to synthesizers and can either be hosted directly in a keyboard or separately as a plugin in your DAW. The difference being virtual instruments are actual recorded samples of real instruments versus an electronic signal manipulator.

The major difference between the two is a keyboard with built in capabilities is much more convenient for performing live whereas separate components and MIDI keyboards allow you to specifically choose only the synthesizers and virtual instruments you need rather than a whole host of ones you may never use. But that's more directed toward studio work than live work.

Most keyboard synths/samplers will additionally function as a MIDI controller as will most standard electronic keyboards such as a piano or organ.

Hope that helps clarify things.

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/30800/how-are-components-related

Making Music with MIDI | Music Production for Beginners

What Is MIDI? How It Works and Why It's Useful

Short version , all you need is a cheap midi keyboard that you can attach to the computer via USB and N.I. Komplete Start and then you are good to go to learn the basics of it all. (using computer sound output for making the sound) If you want to record the midi input you will also need a free or cheap DAW.

The most basic you have to decide is if you are OK with the keyboard only making sound through being connected to a computer or if you want something that can make sound by itself (at least if using headphones) and then next how much money you want to spend. (with the understanding that with limited spending comes limited choices and some choices might not be available with a too limited spending limit)

Some of the expressions I use in the following will most likely be disputed, for that I am sorry, I am not a know it all with respect to keyboards just trying to share what I think that I've learned since I were in the same situation as the OP.

What N.I. sells are midi controllers/midi master keyboards. And albeit that the S-Series MK3 is advanced midi master keyboards then they still are midi controllers only and keyboards that are midi controllers only do not make any sounds by themselves. If you want something that can make sounds by itself then you can go cheap and buy a cheap Home Entertainment keyboard , some of these are are also capable of acting as midi controllers but that is usually not their main purpose. Also e.g. Digital Pianos of various types (most?) often can make sounds by themselves and again at least some (or all?) of these can also act as midi controllers. Then there are Synthesizer Keyboards , this type of keyboards can almost always make sounds by themselves if you attach headphones and as good as always can also act as midi controllers. Problem with Synthesizer keyboards are mostly the price. You can get a Synthesizer for maybe €/$ 1000 but that will be low entry level and simply put an extreme waste of money and if you want anything worth investing in the you are closer to €/$ 2000 (than to €/$1000) and then upwards. Some of the Synthesizers are very feature packed and powerful and I think that some of them are referred to as Arranger keyboards (not the term used here) and they are rather expensive and again they usually can make sounds if you attach headphones and as good as always can act also as a midi controller.

As for getting your feet wet and trying out things then if you are OK with the keyboard needing a computer to make sounds then all you need is a midi controllers/midi master keyboard of a fair or good quality , just remember that not all midi controller keyboards have same key types. Some have narrow mini keys and some have full size keys and some have hammer action like a piano (usually the 88 key version) and some have 'synth like' semi-weighted keybed and at the cheapest/poorest there are often no weight at all. Not that e.g. semi-weighted necessarily means quality. Also some keyboards have 'after touch'.

With respect to software to use on computers then these are controlled by the midi signal from your keyboard. And you only need a free starter software to try. E.g. N.I. Komplete Start or Arturia Analog Lab Play or IK Multimedia SampleTank 4 CS. Of course later you might want to upgrade your Komplete bundle (which is a very economic way of getting apps and expansions compared to added price of individual items) , but that is not needed to start and enjoy yourself with trying stuff. Also the N.I. S-Series MK3 keyboards comes with a free copy of Komplete select though while still limited is a lot better than Komplete Start.

Some software can be used as stand-alone apps meaning that you with the keyboard attached to the computer and software started then you can play using the keyboard's midi output to control the sounds made by the app. Some of the apps are also available as plugins (most all , if not all of N.I. apps are also available as plugins). And generally then some 'sound makers' 'apps' are only available as plugins which means that they need either a plugin host (which can consist of a simple app acting as host only) or e.g. a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Some software plugins are instruments such as e.g. a software synthesizer and some plugins are e.g. effects. DAWs are usually used for purposes such as e.g. recording the keyboard midi input and/or Sounds made including by the midi controlled plugins and also for being able to e.g. chaining instruments and effects and building multiple tracks of music (I am not very knowledgeable about DAWs)

If you like to play a 'physical' instrument and would like to record that or if you like to sing and would like to record that then you will also need an audio interface of some sort though I guess that if you don't care about the quality can just use a cheap microphone that you attach to the computer.

izzy153

Hi PoorFellow,

Thank you for your detailed answer. The thing that prompted my query was that I saw the ad for the Native Instruments Kontrol S61 keyboard controller. I viewed the video of the walkthrough, and wondered what extra hardware and software I would need to buy. One of my buddies suggested that I should consider an ASM Hydrasynth Explorer synthesizer which costs nearly as much as the Kontrol S61, but the S61 seems to have many of the features that I like. I've seen some virtual synthesizers that have displays that show the effect of manipulating the waveshapes to produce the associated sounds. But, whichever device I get, I would want it to be flexible and expandable, as I may want to explore other aspects of music making in the future.

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/154148#Comment_154148

But, whichever device I get, I would want it to be flexible and expandable, as I may want to explore other aspects of music making in the future.

If you want "flexible and expandable" then you do not want an "ASM Hydrasynth Explorer synthesizer" or any other hardware synth. And since the terms "flexible and expandable" are terms that is always open to interpretation then you will see that a lot of people will even have a hard time agreeing on what that is, many people will probably say that this or that hardware synth is "flexible and expandable". It's true that you can buy expansions and sounds banks and what not , to a lot of devices. But you might as well just buy a midi master keyboard of good quality and then use software synthesizers which has come a really long way. Others might say that (imaginary example) flexibility is to have 25 (?) keys stand-alone hardware synth that you can have in your backpack and play that using battery power and a set of headphones.

Take a look at our discussion over here : Omnisphere and/vs Komplete? (Ominisphere can be played using a midi controller and do not need a hardware synth) :

Omnisphere 2.8 , Komplete 14 Standard , Komplete 14 Collectors Edition , Komplete compare (even Komplete standard comes with 15 software synths).

You do not need a N.I. keyboard to use the Komplete bundles , but if you get a S-Series MK3 then you will get almost unrivaled software integration with sound browsing on keyboard while at the same time the keyboard can also function as just a midi controller.

The true flexibility comes from that you can simply buy anything software stand alone or VST that can be controlled by the midi signal and run that on your computer and then use the keyboard to play/control the software/plugin. In some cases you might want a MIDI Polyphonic Expression gizmo but that doesn't alter that you can just buy more software.

It all comes back to my first post to you where you need to decide how much you want to spend and if you want something that can make sounds without a computer, in which case then get a great €/$ 2-3000 hardware synth that can also be used as a 'simple' midi controller or if you are OK with that the keyboard can only generate sounds when attached to a computer, in which case then get a midi master keyboard within whatever range you want and buy into whatever ecosystem that you want. (E.g. N.I. midi controllers can also be used with other make software and plugins but excel at Komplete software due to the great integration)

All comments

chk071

Start with reading the manuals for the devices you already have. 😊 They should cover a lot of ground already.

DunedinDragon

Most keyboard synths/samplers will additionally function as a MIDI controller as will most standard electronic keyboards such as a piano or organ.

Hope that helps clarify things.

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/30800/how-are-components-related

Making Music with MIDI | Music Production for Beginners

What Is MIDI? How It Works and Why It's Useful

izzy153

Hi PoorFellow,

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/154148#Comment_154148

But, whichever device I get, I would want it to be flexible and expandable, as I may want to explore other aspects of music making in the future.

Take a look at our discussion over here : Omnisphere and/vs Komplete? (Ominisphere can be played using a midi controller and do not need a hardware synth) :

Omnisphere 2.8 , Komplete 14 Standard , Komplete 14 Collectors Edition , Komplete compare (even Komplete standard comes with 15 software synths).

DunedinDragon

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/154148#Comment_154148

It really all comes down to what you envision doing with your setup. In the end it all comes down to the simple rule, you get what you pay for.

For example, your buddy's recommendation may be more due to the type of music he intends to play. Some people are drawn more to synth sounds because of the music style which tends more toward dance, hip hop, or atmospheric sounds. Today's synths can simulate the sound of almost any instrument, but it has a very different and artificial sound to it than sampled instruments that sound exactly like the real instrument.

I personally enjoy both, and that's why I have a setup that's based around Native Instruments and my NI 88 key MK3 midi controller keyboard which gives me the best of both worlds. But I don't ever play that rig live, it's only used in the studio to produce backing tracks with coordinated stage automation controls that are played live with my band. The more you know what you intend to do with it, the more you can hone in on what you need.

The keyboard your buddy recommended can be expanded, but it's very limited to what expansions the company decides to offer. The advantage is it's a lot less complex than an open, unlimited system like NI which can be daunting due to the complex nature of it. Only you can answer what's best for you.

Quick links

Unanswered questions