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Old 06-05-2010, 04:08 PM
Sherry C's Avatar
Sherry C Sherry C is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Bad Axe, MI, USA (The Tip of the Thumb of Michigan)
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Default Re: Recording using a MIDI microphone or guitar-to-MIDI unit

Howdy David,

Quote:
Originally Posted by dj View Post
I just got a new Windows 7 computer and will have to buy some new hardware to go with it -- my main MIDI interface won't run on 64-bit! So, I might look for something that can handle guitar, too.
I had the same issue when I had to get a new machine last October. The audio/MIDI interface that I'd had wouldn't work properly on it (MIDI was nonexistent, and the audio sounded like a drunk robot inside a metal barrel), and neither would my soundcard (lost about 2/3 of its functionality), so I ended up getting a soundcard with an external interface for audio and MIDI (Gina 3G) It took me a little bit to get adjusted to it, but now I really like it for what I'm doing, and the audio is a lot better quality than the other soundcard I had. The only thing it doesn't support is duplex recording, so I end up routing signals if I want to do that, but since it has digital ins/outs it's not a huge problem for what few duplex needs I have.

Using the Sonuus unit has forced me to increase the clarity of my playing, because it only does single notes. It also only cost about 1/6th of the typical guitar MIDI setups, so I guess I can't complain The Sonuus G2M goes for about $100 usd, while the Roland and Axon units go for about $250 for the pickup, and then you have to have "The Box" (which varies from $400 to $650, depending on the particular one you get) that translates the signal from the pickup into MIDI. From what I've read about them, and from hearing musicians like Phil Keaggy who use them, they're pretty cool and flexible. However, I don't do anything close to what would take advantage of that kind of setup, except maybe chords. So I just stick with what I've got, and am thankful for it I still have my Kaysound MK4902 MIDI controller, and that fills all the needs I have for solid MIDI recording.

One thing I have found that I can do with the Sonuus, and it actually does pretty well, is plug my microphone into the "guitar" jack (using an adapter), and play my whistle(!) to get notes into Composer. That actually even does a little better job at "clean" notation than the guitar (not so many overtones to confuse it like the guitar) and so I've actually used that a few times to record MIDI. I just have to not use any vibrato. There are all sorts of fun ways to "misuse" equipment

ttfn,
Sherry
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Last edited by Sherry C; 06-05-2010 at 04:15 PM. Reason: spelling error
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