Subject:Prodkeys anyone?

Posted by: vitalforce2

Date:7/1/2005 2:18:02 PM

I'm normally tramping around the Vegas forum but just bought a Creative Prodikeys DM, which is a combination IBM style keyboard (as in computer keyboard) and also, along the bottom, a 37-key keyboard (with octave buttons) for MIDI input.

It comes with software and drivers, and can do the automated music creation as well as note-for-note music from the user, etc. My issue is that I'm scoring music to my DV feature, have used royalty-free and SonicFire music so far but need a few finishing touches, such as some classical piano.

Anyone have experience recording from this keyboard/any MIDI keyboard into a live Acid timeline (I have Music Studio)? The Creative software with the keyboard can save songs the keyboard produces, and I find I can also punch into the timeline, though there's a tremendous volume difference. What I don't know how to do is load a different instrument beyond the consumer level sounds. The piano sound is fine, but forget the strings. I have a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz card.

Any advice for a new student to MIDI?

Subject:RE: Prodkeys anyone?

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:7/1/2005 5:18:39 PM

> What I don't know how to do is load a different instrument beyond the consumer level sounds.

The limitation is that you are using ACID Music Studio which only supports the built-in DLS softsyth. This will severely limit the sounds available to you as DLS never really caught on so finding new banks of sounds is next to impossible. There is a folder icon next to the bank name to load new sound banks.

If you want some nice Piano pieces, check out Hark Loops Gorgeous Pianos I & II. It has intros, middles, and endings. Everything you need to compose a piano piece. Very nice collection.

~jr

Subject:RE: Prodkeys anyone?

Reply by: VMP

Date:2/12/2007 10:14:51 PM

Can you record midi info with the creative prodikeys keyboard onto Acid?

I find it strange how can Midi info be recorded through USB port.


I dont see anything mentioned about USB MIDI Controller in Acid help pages.

Thanks for any reply,
V

Subject:RE: Prodkeys anyone?

Reply by: pwppch

Date:2/13/2007 8:52:23 AM

Drivers for USB MIDI devices expose MIDI input and output ports to Windows. So while technically the MIDI data is traveling over a USB cable, the interface to applications provided by Windows (and the hardware drivers) is a MIDI port.

The reason you don't see any mention in the ACID docs is because ACID does not talk/connect through a USB port. ACID sees and exposes the MIDI ports.

Peter

Subject:RE: Prodkeys anyone?

Reply by: VMP

Date:2/13/2007 11:58:38 AM

Good info! Thanks SonyPCH ,

Is the usb interface faster than the midi interface?
I heard someone once say that there is a special USB cable by which you get faster key response than with Midi interface.

V

Subject:RE: Prodkeys anyone?

Reply by: pwppch

Date:2/13/2007 11:15:54 PM

Yes, USB is much faster than MIDI.

So, yes the data travels faster, but serial nature of MIDI is still present.

Example:

Note one, two and three, even if played at the exact same time, will still have a delay between each of them since MIDI sends it one byte at a time. So, the first note will be sent at time x, but the second note will send at a time greater than x, etc,etc.

Note, if you are using an external MIDI USB port connected to an external synth, the MIDI ports impemented on the USB interface still must follow the xfer speed as defined by the MMA. So, even though the MIDI data can move faster between the PC and the "box" over USB, the MIDI timing standards must still be followed.

Also, there is much discussion on the relative latency of MIDI over
USB. (Do google search on MIDI USB jitter and you can read up on this.)

>>I heard someone once say that there is a special USB cable by which you get faster key response than with Midi interface<<

I don't see how a cable could do this. USB defines the speed, not the cable. I would be interested to know exactly what you heard - and from where.

If the USB MIDI device has a standard MIDI 5-DIN connector, it must follow the specifications of the MMA to work correctly when it sends MIDI data or recieves MIDI data. This speed is defined by the MMA, not by USB.

If the USB device is a keyboard, then technically, yes, the device can send MIDI data faster than over normal MIDI.

Whether this would give you a faster Key response would remain to be seen. (Really depends on what you mean by "faster key response".)


Peter