MIDI Soundcards for PCs

[Moggo]

Not entirely sure I'm in the right thread here, but Im looking for a cheap midi soundcard that I can plug into my PC and beef up Guitar Pro, a midi-based tab authoring/playing tool.

 

 

[packrat]

 

Originally posted by Moggo Not entirely sure I'm in the right thread here, but Im looking for a cheap midi soundcard that I can plug into my PC and beef up Guitar Pro, a midi-based tab authoring/playing tool.

[Rauzi]

I think you have the wrong idea of what MIDI is.

 

MIDI is a language. A digital language. Thanks to MIDI, electronic instruments can communicate with eachother.

 

The messages that MIDI can send can be, for example, "Note On", "Note Off", and that sort of things.

 

Your soundcard on your computer can probably handle MIDI too.

 

Now, you ask yourself, then where is the actual sound coming from that I'm hearing while inserting notes in Guitar Pro?

 

Those are the onboard sounds on your computer's soundcard. They are uttercrap, to say the least. The MIDI protocol is sending "note on" and "note off" messages to that soundsource.

 

You can buy other soundmodules to enhance your sound experience. The only requirement is that they have a MIDI port.

[Yoozer]

Most MIDI interfaces don't come in PCI-cards anymore, either. They're usually USB based. Some controllers have this built in, so then you only need a single USB cable instead.

 

MIDI on audio interfaces (that's the thing you're probably looking for) is often thrown in as an extra. Either the I/O is put on the break-out box (a separate box which you hook up via USB, Firewire, PCMCIA or a proprietary format - in the last case it's a break-out box combined with a PCI card) or it's put on a multi-cable interface (see E-mu 0404).

 

Check out http://secure.turnkey.co.uk/web/searchAction.do?dispatch=fullSearch&subCategory=Audio_Interfaces_(PCI)

 

Rauzi : as far as I know Guitar Pro does not do much with notes - it's more like a virtual chain of stompboxes, amp sims, etc.

[Windreaper]

Well, actually Guitar Pro is a tabulature/notation software. I think it uses your default midi playback device. In other words, he needs a better gm synth. Most current cards don't feature gm-playback, so the files go through some crappy MS sampleset.

 

I checked the web site , apparently version 5 comes with a dedicated playback engine (RSE, or real sound engine, whatever) that will probably sound a lot better than what you're using at the moment. In other words, your cheapest option would probably be upgrading into version 5.

 

If you absolutely need/want hardware, get some cheap 90s GM module (such as Roland SC-55). Does your current card have midi ports? If not, you'll also need a cheap midi-usb or midi-game port -interface.

[Moggo]

Originally posted by Windreaper Well, actually Guitar Pro is a tabulature/notation software. I think it uses your default midi playback device. In other words, he needs a better gm synth. Most current cards don't feature gm-playback, so the files go through some crappy MS sampleset. I checked the web site , apparently version 5 comes with a dedicated playback engine (RSE, or real sound engine, whatever) that will probably sound a lot better than what you're using at the moment. In other words, your cheapest option would probably be upgrading into version 5. If you absolutely need/want hardware, get some cheap 90s GM module (such as Roland SC-55). Does your current card have midi ports? If not, you'll also need a cheap midi-usb or midi-game port -interface.

 

Thanks for the advice, I do kinda know what MIDI is in a sense, but not really how I want to use it. I think you're on to the kinda thing that I need though.

 

I have tried that RSE thing and although it sounds better, once you get used to it the whole thing does sound pretty nasty and it slows my PC down everytime I play a song.

 

So I'm after some ... sound modules? Is that the right term for what I need? I dont really even know what Im searching for a the moment. I dont have a midi interface on my PC as the soundcard is built into my motherboard, so I'll need one of those as well...

[Yoozer]

Argh, right. I was confused with NI's Guitar Rig. Oh well .

 

Synthesizers are generally pretty crappy imitating (distorted) guitars. Nylon or steel strings or typical chorused "Strat" sounds, not that much of a problem.

 

The "slowdown" can be remedied directly, if you're willing to try this: www.asio4all.com. Install and see if it gets better .

[Moggo]

Originally posted by Yoozer Argh, right. I was confused with NI's Guitar Rig. Oh well . Synthesizers are generally pretty crappy imitating (distorted) guitars. Nylon or steel strings or typical chorused "Strat" sounds, not that much of a problem. The "slowdown" can be remedied directly, if you're willing to try this: www.asio4all.com. Install and see if it gets better .

 

What is the asio4all driver? I'm not sure I want to install it if I dont know what it does!

 

I know what you mean about the reproduction of guitar sounds being hard but it would be good to just have better percussion, bass and keyboard sounds that I could then export as backing tracks. If it does turn out to be costly then I might give it a miss, but I use it every day as a learning tool and I'm hoping it would be more inspirational if what I was playing was more authentic sounding.

 

Well, that's the idea anyhow

[Moggo]

What about something like this? It seems a bit excessive to get a rack mounted piece of kit when I have nothing to mount it to or anything to go with it, but would this provide the functionality I'm after?

 

Roland U220

 

EDIT: Or this...? Roland U110

[Moggo]

BUmp

 

First auction finishes in 10 mins, would it be worth the plunge?

[Rauzi]

You should always first try out these units in a local shop before making a bid on ebay. You might not like the sound at all, for all I know.

 

*edit: Although I doubt you would find these old roland units still somewhere.

[CaptKremen]

I think the U110 and U220 pre-date the General MIDI specification, so I doubt they would be of any use to you anyway.

 

You'd be better off looking for a jv1080/jv2080 or xv5080/xv3080, if you're keen on buying a Roland ROMpler. But like Windreaper said, a cheap 90's GM module like an SC-55 would do you. (If I remember correctly, Roland's Sound Canvas series was brought out for people who were only interested in GM, and had no desire to own a fully-functional synth. Edirol now handles the distribution of SC machines.)

 

Another option you might want to consider is a cheap sampler, like an EMU ESI or Akai S series, and a GM sample soundset CD. Although you will also probably have to budget for an external CD-ROM drive, but at least if you don't like the guitar samples you can replace them with others or your own (if you ever get as far as figuring out how to).

 

Most sound modules and samplers are rack-mountable (though I think the SC-55 was meant to be a table-top device and had a small footprint), but if you don't have a rack you might need to clear a bit of table-space.

 

Like Rauzi said, you'd be best off trying it out before you buy it, especially as you seem unsure of exactly what you want.

[Yoozer]

Originally posted by Moggo First auction finishes in 10 mins, would it be worth the plunge?

Here's how those things sound (note: they're antique and the joy of operating these can be compared with wearing gloves covered with cheese graters on the inside).

http://www.synthmania.com/u-110.htm

http://www.synthmania.com/u-220.htm

 

Here's a few guitars from my Korg TR Rack:

 

Muted guitar / Distorted guitar / Distorted guitar 2 / Chorused guitar

 

Please don't mind my crappy playing

 

All guitars are loaded with effects, and the distorted ones really need the distortion effect to sound remotely realistic.

 

There's also a software VST plugin called "Slayer" which is pretty popular.