KVR Audio

fatalbert · Post by **fatalbert** » Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:29 am

Hi,

I'd like to start making music on my computer. I need help picking out an absolute basic setup of paraphernalia.

What I need:
Keyboard for midi input
External "audio handler"/soundcard (?)
Free DAW for midi handling on windows

What I don't need:
Input for analogue sound
DAW for recording analogue sound

Apologies if unclear. I have not yet familiarized my with the vocabulary of the trade.

DJ Warmonger · Post by **DJ Warmonger** » Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:38 am

Yep pretty much.

Though most of simple audio interaces do have some analog inputs, otherwise they'd be of little use.

i need Help · Post by **i need Help** » Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:59 am

I mean an absolute beginner setup wouldn’t even need the keyboard and audio interface.

Also is your username Fat Albert? I read it as “Fatal Bert” lol. Like your name is Bert and you’re planning to commit first degree murder on “them beats”, so you’re Fatal. Or your name is Robert, but again, you take the life of “them beats”, and the handwritten note left at the crime scene is signed “Fatal-bert”.

fatalbert · Post by **fatalbert** » Sun Nov 20, 2022 10:10 am

AUTO-ADMIN: Non-MP3, WAV, OGG, SoundCloud, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter and Facebook links in this post have been protected automatically. Once the member reaches 5 posts the links will function as normal.

fatalbert references the album Fat Albert Rotunda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_Albert_Rotunda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_Albert_Rotunda)), but Fatal Bert isn't too bad either.

So, which DAW is best for beginners (lacking keyboard and audio interface)?

BertKoor · Post by **BertKoor** » Sun Nov 20, 2022 3:53 pm

Free daws:

Cakewalk (by Bandcamp) used to be commercial and well respected. Now it is freeware.

Reaper is very capable, and has absolutely no limitations in demo mode. The full license costs peanuts. You can run in demo mode forever.

Tracktion Waveform has the recent version minus 2 available for free.

Get a midi keyboard with USB. But can you play, even a little bit?

Audio interface? Not needed yet in a bare minimum setup to get started. You will get far lower latency with a proper audio interface. Latency is the time delay between you pressing a key and you hearing the sound.

How will you hear what you're making? This is imho the most important thing. Studio monitors and/or headphones is what you need. These don't need to be expensive, but investments here do pay off and make life easier.

mixyguy2 · Post by **mixyguy2** » Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:34 am

fatalbert wrote: ↑Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:29 am What I need:
Keyboard for midi input

Your question is too vague to give a good answer. What's your budget? Is 61 keys enough (or maybe even less) or do you want 88? What kind of music? etc

External "audio handler"/soundcard (?)

"Audio interface" you mean. You could get by without one, but the superior sound card and ability to connect quality speakers would make it worthwhile. You could get along fine with the Behringer UM2 that's like I think $75ish.

Free DAW for midi handling on windows

A good list above, but I would try trial versions of some less expensive ones...you may find it's well worth it. I suggest trying Mixcraft, which is well known for being easy to learn which IMO is more than can be said for most DAWs.

Apologies if unclear. I have not yet familiarized my with the vocabulary of the trade.

No worries, but that would be a good thing to get going on before you go buying a bunch of stuff.

roman.i · Post by **roman.i** » Wed Nov 30, 2022 10:34 pm

You don't need an audio interface just for playback, use the build-in one.
Two things you'll need, is a midi keyboard and a comfortable daw.
Not sure if the free daw is a good idea, most of the free daws are crap for obvious reasons.
Many midi keyboards come with an Ableton lite, which is enough for start, or you can always get a license for few dollars or even for free in the buy/sell section of this forum.

txbdan · Post by **txbdan** » Fri Dec 02, 2022 4:07 pm

What computer do you have? If a Mac, Apple Logic Pro is a good choice. For $200 you have pretty much everything you could ever want need.

I agree that some half decent headphones plugged into the computer is likely perfectly fine to get you going. If you move to studio monitors, you'll want some kind of interface to connect and control them.

phhhhhhbt · Post by **phhhhhhbt** » Fri Dec 02, 2022 5:33 pm

Get some decent headphones with a flat frequency response. I started with the ATH M20X (on sale now for under $50) until I decided I was going to stick with it, then upgraded to the Beyerdynamic 770 pros. Even if you don't play the piano, a MIDI keyboard is really helpful and you can noodle around on it quite effectively then draw on the piano roll. I started with the Akai MPK Mini ($99), then upgraded to the Arturia Keylab 49 ($209), which came with Analog Labs software.

mixyguy2 · Post by **mixyguy2** » Sun Dec 04, 2022 5:12 am

roman.i wrote: ↑Wed Nov 30, 2022 10:34 pm Not sure if the free daw is a good idea, most of the free daws are crap for obvious reasons.

Hardly. I'm not a fan of any particular free one offhand, but that doesn't mean they are "crap" and your obvious reasons aren't obvious or necessarily even reasons.

roman.i · Post by **roman.i** » Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:50 am

mixyguy2 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 5:12 am
roman.i wrote: ↑Wed Nov 30, 2022 10:34 pm Not sure if the free daw is a good idea, most of the free daws are crap for obvious reasons.
Hardly. I'm not a fan of any particular free one offhand, but that doesn't mean they are "crap" and your obvious reasons aren't obvious or necessarily even reasons.

Isn't this obvious that software that doesn't have a revenue source will not be maintained well? Programmers are also people they need to eat and feed their families.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:55 am

mixyguy2 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 5:12 am
roman.i wrote: ↑Wed Nov 30, 2022 10:34 pm Not sure if the free daw is a good idea, most of the free daws are crap for obvious reasons.
Hardly. I'm not a fan of any particular free one offhand, but that doesn't mean they are "crap" and your obvious reasons aren't obvious or necessarily even reasons.

Most of them are crap though. Well, Cakewalk is decent. If you look past the ancient FX plugins and the lack of proper support for Mackie HUI, for example.

mixyguy2 · Post by **mixyguy2** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 12:58 am

roman.i wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:50 am Isn't this obvious that software that doesn't have a revenue source will not be maintained well? Programmers are also people they need to eat and feed their families.

No, because it isn't true in the plugin world. There are many excellent freebie plugins. Not everyone counts on plugins for their entire income FYI and others have some freebies along with paid plugins.

chk071 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:55 am Most of them are crap though.

Hardly. Many excellent freebies out there. But if you want to believe otherwise, whatever, to each their own.

roman.i · Post by **roman.i** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:34 pm

If they were so excellent, no reason for paid stuff to exist.

whyterabbyt · Post by **whyterabbyt** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:43 pm

roman.i wrote: ↑Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:34 pm If they were so excellent, no reason for paid stuff to exist.

that 'logic' applies both ways. which indicates why its not actually logical.

Help beginner with beginners setup