KVR Audio

kevvvvv · Post by **kevvvvv** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:50 pm

I have the demo and intend to look at it as a sequencer for my laptop, so I can write while travelling.

But before I try it, what would users have to say about it.

I currently use Cubase, which has a very linear and complex structure, and isn't that good for midi jamming. Great at aranging and mixing, but not so good for spontaneity.

I looked at Live 4 but it loaded so slow on my PC (3 minutes or more), and didn't like me having so many plugs. I dread how it would perform on my laptop.

Is anyone here into Project 5 and would care to comment.

Anyone sequencing outdoors or in hotels with a laptop?

Comments/advice appreciated.

Rabid · Post by **Rabid** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 3:08 pm

I’ve tried several different programs on my laptop while traveling. Reason has been the best performer, but I don’t like converting songs from Reason to Sonar. I do really well with Acid 3 and an external drive full of loops, but that is not really creative. Live does well on the laptop when I use loops but bogs down when I start using VSTi's. It also needs a controller. Since version 2 came out I have been trying Project5 again. The interface in vs. 1 was the main deterrent. It was bad on a 19” screen, much less a small laptop. Version 2 is better in that respect. What I am finding is that it is pretty good for making patterns, and then it is good at stringing patterns together. I guess what I am saying about Project 5 is that it works best for me if I separate the pattern creation phase from the song building phase. P5v2 is complete but be aware that some instruments take a bit of CPU, and the excellent sampler has a large install. You really need a couple of low CPU instruments to help out.

And now to be honest, the most productive thing that I take on vacation is my Emu Command Station. An XL-7 with the World, Vintage and Sounds of the ZR ROM’s installed. Great sequencer, great pattern creation, and no CPU drain. 128 voice polyphony, 13 pads, and a bunch of knobs for controlling the mix and the sounds. It may seem a bit large, but I put it in the middle of a large suitcase surrounded by clothing and have not problem. I should get a carry bag.

speccyteccy · Post by **speccyteccy** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 3:15 pm

I'm using FL as my main host and on my laptop - the licence allows for that. I find it's great on a laptop - particularly as you can use the qwerty kb as a contoller.

dougsyo · Post by **dougsyo** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 3:47 pm

Project5 still uses the "dreaded VST Adapter". It seems to handle almost all of my plugs fine, but others have had mixed results. I expect this will be dealt with in P5V3 as they did with Sonar5.

Other than that, I'm happy with P5V2. I'm moving to there from FLStudio, but either used in conjunction with Sonar.

Doug

wrench45us · Post by **wrench45us** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 4:10 pm

i use P5 on my lap top on a couple of TV trays at home. one tray for the laptop, one for a midi keyboard.

a great deal depends on work habits that one has, but I find P5 to be incredibly well laid out for midi-editing and track creation. I had FLStudio and just found a lot of the midi editing and track creation to be quirky and awkward. But yes a lot of people love it or anything else they've gotten used to.

what would concern me for travelling though would be note entry -- usually I input by step or free recording off the midi keyboard and then begin to dupe and modify and copy and paste. mouse entering note by note and velocity can be very time-consuming, but some people use P5 like that all the time. there are some midi 'standard' patterns that come with P5 to browse and load, but I don't know anybody that uses them.

maybe one of those rollup keybaords I saw on kvr about a minth ago would be the ticket.

kevvvvv · Post by **kevvvvv** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:32 pm

wrench (love the tray), doug, rabid ... thank you very much for your replies.

I can take a keyboard with me - evolution mk461 - as it's quite small.

We've just bought a caravan so I can see the kids leaving me for a whole Saturday afternoon so I can get on with some toons.

Step Input Midi is important, but there's nothing like blasting out a shedload of live ideas - maybe to a backbeat.

I like the idea of making up a pool of midi files I can then arrange and play around with.

Later in the Studio I can throw a P5 rough arrangement into Cubase and finish it off.

Does this sound feasible - suited to P5?

Anyone else doing anything like this?

Occa · Post by **Occa** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 1:47 pm

Just make sure you try the Live 5 demo on your laptop before you decide on anything.

I switched from P5 1.5 to Live 5 and I love it, there's nothing better for blasting out a shedload of live ideas

Another thing with P5 is that you can't use the instruments that come with it in both hosts ( P5 and Cubase) since most if not all of instruments and FX are DXi only.

xylyx · Post by **xylyx** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 3:51 pm

Occa wrote:
Another thing with P5 is that you can't use the instruments that come with it in both hosts ( P5 and Cubase) since most if not all of instruments and FX are DXi only.

How is that different with Live 5? All of it's effects and instruments are totally closed off and can only be used with Live...

sgx · Post by **sgx** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:53 pm

P5 is definitely a good choice. If you want to just jam, P5 and Live are probably where you want to look. I took a quick video of myself building a simple song sketch in P5's Groove Matrix. Maybe you wanna take a look?

http://www.wam.umd.edu/~danadler/lol2.wmv

It's just the beginnings of a song that I did in a couple hours. Built a few patterns, dropped in a couple loops, and was using this to test out the camelspace and camelphat demos (you might notice the audio on some tracks cuts out once in a while...that's because of the demo).

Its fun to just sit around and jam with this app!

superddman · Post by **superddman** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:26 pm

there are probably three hosts suitable for this: ableton live, cakewalk project 5 v2, or fl studio. All of them allow you to use your qwerty keyboard as a piano. I would also include reason here if you don't need qwerty piano or if you can set up one of those midi piano plugins.

kevvvvv · Post by **kevvvvv** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 11:49 pm

sgx ... the video tells the story - v cool.

Could you export all the tracks to Cubase if you wanted to? I would imagine so. Either way it looks like a very natural spontaneous way to create.

Thank you for sharing your file.

As they say - there are no errors, only subconscious anticipations of what might be possible

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 12:02 am

Have you looked at EnergyXT? You could mess around with that while you're away and just load it up into Cubarse as a VSTi when you get home.

You know what, though? You've hit on the one thing I miss from hardware - step input. I used to use it to great effect as it allowed me to concentrate a lot more on velocity whilst playing, without having to worry about keeping in time. I suppose I have become very lazy these days as I do everything with the mouse but step input would definitely have me spending a lot more time in front of an iinstrument, which can't be a bad thing. I'm not sure whether you can do it in eXT or not.

Stairsteps · Post by **Stairsteps** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 12:10 am

I would say project 5 hands down but just because i use it dosent make me advise you to go out and marry it, to be truthful FLstudio is what you need, even though I dont use it I recomend it, as all my friends swear by it, and to make instant jams it cant be beat. Thats a honest opinion if I can ever offer one, and its not based on my preference but on whats correct.

kevvvvv · Post by **kevvvvv** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 12:26 am

I turned up this live dem of P5 and have to say I'm impressed.

It's 17 mins long, and gets better and better as it works through.

http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews ... wsid=2122#

BONES: I know what you mean. These days I play live melodies and chords, use loops and acid loops, use wave sequenced riddims, make midis, borrow midis, use arpeggiators, step input - you name it, I use them all.

P5 seems like the sort of host that handles all of this without spending too much time worrying about the system (not unlike your synths - effective and to the point)

keyman_sam · Post by **keyman_sam** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 1:12 am

I'd say Reason, cos its very CPU-effecient while providing a host of tools you'd need to make music. You can do almost everything realtime (even open/save a project while everything's running.)

The sequencer is kinda not very advanced, but it gets the job done most of the time. One thing that i dearly miss though is patterns. There are two ways to making patterns : use the monophonic matrix pattern sequencer or use the redrum, but thats only for drums/samples.

If you're fine with that, then reason is the answer. Its VERY CPU effecient, and there are a lot of freebies on the net (like refills) so, you never run out of sounds.

Is Project 5 good for writing while travelling