AA What is the best host for MIDI recording and editing?

[SonicBreeze]

Any version of Cakewalk or Cubase should be ideal.

I love Cakewalk(Sonar,Home-Studio, Music Creator) for its intutive midi capabilities. for example it opens midi 0 type in separate tracks(channels)if file has more then one channel without any further commands. No import-export funtion required, it saves and opens midi data like any cakewalk project file. All midi messages are saved intact(regarding your Hardware instrument/controller)with the file unlike any other programs(FLS,eXT etc).It has built-in Piano editor,staff notation and event editor for midi tracks.
it also supports DX,DXi,VST,VSTi,ASIO,WDM,Rewire and whatever you can think of.

Though I personally use Nuendo as my main DAW. I also own eXT,FLS,REASON but I wont suggest you all these for your need

[login2300]

Thank you all for your comments. I think I will try demos of Sonar and Orion.

I just remembered that there are many midi soundfont instruments available. Is there a good midi sequencer that acts as a host for soundfont instruments without creative soundcards. I also need capabilities to record and edit the midi data.

[login2300]

I am interested in energyXT, and I like the price , but for some reason it looks like it's still under development.

[spuddle]

How cute

[jens]

for some reason it looks like it's still under development.

It is - do you consider this to be a disadvantage?

hm... - perhaps pc-users should be happy then about Emagic abandoning development for this plattform...

[SonicBreeze]

I just remembered that there are many midi soundfont instruments available. Is there a good midi sequencer that acts as a host for soundfont instruments without creative soundcards. I also need capabilities to record and edit the midi data.

Download free 'rgc:audio sfz' which will load your soundfonts(also samples) and give 16 channel midi tracks. It has a standalone version and it could be opened in any VSTi,DXi supporting host/midi sequencer.

If you want more features then try commercial 'SFZ plus' version. It is better than Creative soundcards.
Get the deatil here
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/769.html
http://www.kvraudio.com/get/770.html

[pdxindy]

If you want to work with hardware that is sequenced through midi, picking up a used Atari with Cubase is not a bad idea and it will be VERY cheap. Any and all PC-based sequencers are miles away from the midi-power that a Atari running something like Cubase3 will give you.

I do wonder about that. Had an atari years ago, and am on Mac now. Obviously there were no vsti's back then, and ease of use as far as setting up instruments, compatibility and so on is far better. But midi functionality itself has not progressed.

There is nothing out there on the Mac, and from others comments, the PC, that just nails it when it comes to midi.

I use Tracktion and Live and both are weak but passable on the midi end while being innovative fresh and strong on the audio side. Hopefully some developer who loves midi will create a host that is innovative, fresh and strong on the midi side, and passable on the audio side. I just dare not even hope for a host that does both well, yet remains simple and easy to use without too much clutter.

[mrwileycoyote72]

If you want to work with hardware that is sequenced through midi, picking up a used Atari with Cubase is not a bad idea and it will be VERY cheap. Any and all PC-based sequencers are miles away from the midi-power that a Atari running something like Cubase3 will give you.

I do wonder about that. Had an atari years ago, and am on Mac now. Obviously there were no vsti's back then, and ease of use as far as setting up instruments, compatibility and so on is far better. But midi functionality itself has not progressed.

There is nothing out there on the Mac, and from others comments, the PC, that just nails it when it comes to midi.

I use Tracktion and Live and both are weak but passable on the midi end while being innovative fresh and strong on the audio side. Hopefully some developer who loves midi will create a host that is innovative, fresh and strong on the midi side, and passable on the audio side. I just dare not even hope for a host that does both well, yet remains simple and easy to use without too much clutter.

Muzys

shame about it being discontinued

[login2300]

OK I have the Ableton and Orion demos. Both seem to be nice programs, and Ableton seems realy simple, I like it alot.
I will decide and probably get one of these, however I do have a problem with midi latency now. I see on the Ableton midi indicator that the midi data from the digital piano arrives almost instantaneously, but it takes 'a while' for the sound to come out of the speakers.

I use a m-audio midi-usb adapter to connect instrument to PC, and a motherboard soundcard with a digital fiber-optic SPDIF output to my audio receiver. I downloaded the ASIO4ALL driver, and it improved latency alot. However I am not yet satisfied with the delay.

I set my output sample buffer to 256 samples, and ASIO4ALL shows latencies <10ms. Are there any other settings to improve latency. What part of the computer do you think creates the delay, and what can I do about it. Will a m-audio 2496 soundcard help?

Damn. I spent too much time with this stuff. About a week ago I would not have understood what I just wrote. These forums are helpful though to learn about the technology.