Need some newbie advice with DAWs?

[James Melody]

I'd really like to get into using DAWs, but not sure how to achieve what I want...

I've spent my life composing music on keyboards, using the built-in samples. Really, I just want the exact same thing on my PC - a simple library of samples that I can make MIDI music with.

But from what I've heard about DAWs, it seems as though every instrument you use has to be loaded as a "VST", each running as its own piece of software, taking up memory, with its own controls, windows etc.

That is not how I make music. I don't need synthesizers, or fancy software to create new sounds. I don't want to have to "load" every instrument I use. I just want a SIMPLE library of samples on my hard drive, and instant access to all the samples, so they are all there ready to play, instantly.

My emphasis is on SPEED. When I'm composing music, the LAST thing I would want have to do is go looking for files, or waiting for something to load. I want fast access to my entire library of samples, ideally with facilities to arrange them in sub-categories, or tag them.

Could anyone please advise me on what direction to go in?

[bustedfist]

You talk of composing and MIDI, so I'd go with Cubase. Has the most powerful MIDI editing tools. You can set up your external kit and use its sounds and run it like a VSTi.

A lot of interfaces come bundled with a lite version of Cubase so if you pick one up, you could get a feel of it without added expense.

[jancivil]

I'd really like to get into using DAWs,[...]

I don't need synthesizers, or fancy software to create new sounds. I don't want to have to "load" every instrument I use. I just want a SIMPLE library of samples on my hard drive, and instant access to all the samples, so they are all there ready to play, instantly.

Could anyone please advise me on what direction to go in?

Some cognitive dissonance here, isn't it. You act like you don't want change but apparently you do.
The richness of say my experience is not separable from the complexity of the setup. I love setting up, sound design, creating the orchestration with all of this tech. This is actually a plugins forum and you're dismissing the whole process as too inconvenient.

My advice for you is just to approach this with an open mind.

[thecontrolcentre]

Sounds like the OP wants a standalone sampler.

[ghettosynth]

Could anyone please advise me on what direction to go in?

Yes, but not until you respond and engage. All too often newcomers don't invest sufficient energy to accompany the requests that they make.

[CTStump]

Could anyone please advise me on what direction to go in?

Yes, but not until you respond and engage. All too often newcomers don't invest sufficient energy to accompany the requests that they make.

Way to welcome newcomers, only 3 replies and you jump on him to respond..... The same day.

No need to get rough yet in my opinion there's still plenty of time to respond. I kinda think a sampler may be the way to go of that is what is simple enough to deal with.

To the OP welcome to the forum even if you don't respond as soon as some would like or not.

[bustedfist]

I think he's given a lot of useful info. I have more time so I'll take it one by one.

I've spent my life composing music on keyboards, using the built-in samples. Really, I just want the exact same thing on my PC - a simple library of samples that I can make MIDI music with.

Ok, so you're accomplished as a player so we'll take that as given and go from there. The first thing is there are certain terms in DAWland that mean certain things so best we iron out some of the ambiguity here.

MIDI music can mean different things. You can capture the MIDI performance, edit it (optional) and have it trigger a VSTi. This doesn't get recorded as audio until you choose. Nothing set in stone.

You can also capture the MIDI performance and route it to external gear and recording the audio out of the device. Again, nothing set in stone, you can just monitor the audio track without recording it, but now you have an audio track associated with the MIDI track. Certain DAWs allow you to set up external gear and use it like a VSTi. You can change patches from within the DAW as well as use other knobs/sliders on the device to control DAW functions. Caveat is, the number of simultaneous tracks you could monitor/ record depends on the physical audio outs of the device. If one stereo out and the sound is stereo, then one track at a time to get audio into the DAW.

Last, you can just record the audio for a track with no MIDI. This is what it is.

So, given this, what route do you wish to go?

But from what I've heard about DAWs, it seems as though every instrument you use has to be loaded as a "VST", each running as its own piece of software, taking up memory, with its own controls, windows etc.

It can be an issue, but there are things to do to get the most. If you stream samples, a separate SSD to hold the samples for fastest access is desired. A separate HDD for projects is also best, no less than 7200 RPM. It reads/writes separate from the OS drive. There are VSTi's that let you load different patches across all MIDI channels so only one instance is needed instead of multiple. It comes down to it depends on how far you want to go that route. It depends on how much you like what you're used to and whether you're looking for something new or different from the norm you have now.

That is not how I make music. I don't need synthesizers, or fancy software to create new sounds. I don't want to have to "load" every instrument I use. I just want a SIMPLE library of samples on my hard drive, and instant access to all the samples, so they are all there ready to play, instantly.

I recommend you using what you know. Forget the VSTi part, you'd need at least two more drives to make the most of it. To use a computer and your external gear you need a couple of things besides the DAW. If you wanted instant access to all devices from the DAW you need and interface for MIDI and audio, a USB mixer with enough line in for all stereo outs desired would be best. Size would depend on inputs. For the MIDI side, unless you use or have MIDI thru on all devices you may want a patch bay. I use Cubase, and for MIDI, it's at the top. You can control all your outboard gear via MIDI and use the gear to control the DAW.

If you want to skip the computer and just hammer out ideas or whatever, a digital mixer with a built in recorded may be what you want.

My emphasis is on SPEED. When I'm composing music, the LAST thing I would want have to do is go looking for files, or waiting for something to load. I want fast access to my entire library of samples, ideally with facilities to arrange them in sub-categories, or tag them.

Just getting it all set up and working is going to be a steep learning curve, then you've got to learn the software and set it up. Once done, you can save presets and templates to not have to set up every project. Plus, to set it up so it works instead of disappointing means you need the right internal bits for a DAW computer. By no means is it plug and play.

Well, food for thought.

[ghettosynth]

Could anyone please advise me on what direction to go in?

Yes, but not until you respond and engage. All too often newcomers don't invest sufficient energy to accompany the requests that they make.

Way to welcome newcomers, only 3 replies and you jump on him to respond..... The same day.

He can respond whenever he wants, and at that point, I'll jump into the "conversation." There are countless threads started by noobs that are never seen again. I'm not wasting my time on someone who hasn't demonstrated an interest in having a conversation.

Quite honestly, you're way too noob yourself. Come back and talk to me when you have a few thousand posts under your belt.

[bustedfist]

Ah, I've missed the kerfuffle.

[ghettosynth]

Ah, I've missed the kerfuffle.

Don't sweat it, there's more where that came from.

[CTStump]

Could anyone please advise me on what direction to go in?

Yes, but not until you respond and engage. All too often newcomers don't invest sufficient energy to accompany the requests that they make.

Way to welcome newcomers, only 3 replies and you jump on him to respond..... The same day.

He can respond whenever he wants, and at that point, I'll jump into the "conversation." There are countless threads started by noobs that are never seen again. I'm not wasting my time on someone who hasn't demonstrated an interest in having a conversation.

Quite honestly, you're way too noob yourself. Come back and talk to me when you have a few thousand posts under your belt.

The Op I'm sure was not waiting with baited breath for you specifically to give them your exhaulted knowledge and recomendations as to which direction YOU believe they need to go.

I guess a general plee for advice opened the door for your snarky reply... How dare they. Look whether I'm a "noob" really isn't the point is it, it's up to you "elders" to have a little patience and allow these threads to develope... Before you call out anyone, so I leave that one in your court for the moment.

Good day Sir.

[jancivil]

*bated*. past participle of bate, ‘restrain,’ from abate.

[LawrenceF]

Easy.

1. He's already adamantly said what he doesn't want and will not do, use instrument plugins that have to be loaded.

2. He's already also said what he kinda "wants" to do, use a daw.

3. He then asked "what direction should I go" which I took as rhetorical since he clearly already himself spelled out the direction he should go in his own original post.

Use hardware keyboards with the daw (?) and don't use any plugin instruments. Problem solved? Not exactly rocket science.

[CTStump]

*bated*. past participle of bate, ‘restrain,’ from abate.

Thanks for the spelling lesson....durn smart phones in the auto complete mode.

That's my story and I'm a sticking to it.

[CTStump]

Easy.

1. He's already adamantly said what he doesn't want and will not do, use instrument plugins that have to be loaded.

2. He's already also said what he kinda "wants" to do, use a daw.

3. He then asked "what direction should I go" which I took as rhetorical since he clearly already himself spelled out the direction he should go in his own original post.

Use hardware keyboards with the daw (?) and don't use any plugin instruments. Problem solved? Not exactly rocket science.

Yeah just run outboard hardware to a audio card and record the result than patch it together in an audio editor, Audacity is multi-track if you can handle the work flow.

But what would one use to access the samples on the Harddrive that was mentioned as storage maybe SYSEX them back to the outboard gear, almost have use an Vsti Ssmpler to play them in which case find a DAW and learn it... Like everyone else has done since their inception.