OT but you're my crowd: Just bought a mini usb midi keyboard. Please throw ideas at me.

[Jkater]

Was cheap and I felt (rather than know) that I could use it to add simple organ or/and other instruments to my recordings with Reaper. It's the AKAI LPK25

The description promised an almost plug and play easiness of use.... But I must be dumm because even EZdrummer doesn't really work for me.

 

I have never used midi before and that stuff is way over my head so I need help. Please don't be afraid to talk to me as to a child learning to eat with a spoon. I won't be offended...

 

Specific questions (may or may not be stupid questions...):

- How do I have access to virtual instruments without breaking the bank and be sure it will work? I saw  "microsoft GS wavetable synth" and "microsoft synth" in windows somewhere and was wondering if W7 doesn't have a usable synth or VST on board (not very optimistic).

 

Reaper user: What's the way to access the VST and make them record and sound in the edit window. I tried it with EZdrummer and I saw the level meters go up and the midi little thingy bars showed up in the visual clip but no sound the hear! (arrggghhhh...).

Are there Free plug-ins safe to use (don't know why I wrote that) and decent enough for some instruments like organs and strings?

 

I have more questions but I'll first leave it at that. Feel free to add infos I didn't ask but you think I should know.

 

Thanks!

[Into Nation]

 

If you are seeing the levels moving then I think you have the Reaper setup correct.  Try using the octave up/down and see if you can find some sounds. 

 

You can try this vst for a Rhodes sound.

http://www.yohng.com/software/rpiano.html

 

[Jkater]

 

---

Into Nation wrote:

 

 

If you are seeing the levels moving then I think you have the Reaper setup correct.  Try using the octave up/down and see if you can find some sounds. 

 

 

 

You can try this vst for a Rhodes sound.

http://www.yohng.com/software/rpiano.html

 

 

---

 

Thanks. Interesting but does it cost something and then how much? i see no pricing on his page.