Help recording from synth

[EddyEdwards7]

Please excuse my ignorance..am new to synth recording and have always been old school..ie recording using mics on speaker monitors etc...
Time to get up to date...
Got a Novation Mininova synth. Have rigged it up via midi to my full size piano so now I have full octave range. Also connected my laptop to the synths usb to laptop usb..
I do know that this synth wont transfer music directly over usb. Only Midi files, patches etc within the software library can be sent. I intend to get a DAW program so I can start recording...but havent a clue about hooking it up to laptop.
I currently have a small audio interface box with 1.4 " inputs and 1.4" jack outputs rigged to a studio monitor speaker.
The synth uses 2 inputs to the box. Other two spare for my guitar etc..
However, the interface box does not have a usb port...
It does have a 1.4" headphone socket plus two 1.4" mic inputs.
Do I need to buy a better interface box, with usb? I've seen those usb plug in ones with built in sound cards..would this work?
The laptop only has one small 3.5mm audio input hole. The rest are usb...this must be a 3.5mm headphone socket i presume..
What's best way to connect the audio interface to the laptop to then send what I'm playing to the laptop to record it?
Help greatly appreciated

[Arpangel]

You need an external interface that can support audio/Midi over standard USB. Something like the Behringer 202HD (just an example) should be fine.

[James Perrett]

If you are happy with your audio interface then you can always buy a separate MIDI interface which would plug into another USB port on your computer.

I usually recommend the MOTU Fastlane MIDI interface - mainly because it is what I use and I know that it works. Unfortunately it is no longer available new but MOTU's current range should be fine.

Avoid the really cheap MIDI to USB cables from Ebay - they often have problems if you try to send too many notes (or other data) at once.

[EddyEdwards7]

Thanks for info...so am I right in thinking that if I buy a separate audio interface with midi in, can I then use my midi out port on my synth and connect this to midi in on the interface box, then attach this interface box to laptop via usb? Will that work?
Or will just a midi to usb lead work?

[Ben Asaro]

You are correct, the interface will convert DIN MIDI to USB, and possibly the other way if it has MIDI in and out.

My interface doesn’t have MIDI but I use a MIDI to USB cable and haven’t had any issues yet. If you’re feeding the MIDI out to several synths you will probably want a MIDI THRU box to maintain the signal integrity.

[ef37a]

I may have read this wrongly but I think Eddy wants to record the analogue audio out of his Novation synth?

If that is the case the synth, AFAICT has two 1/4" jack line outputs and they will need to go into the line inputs of an interface* and Tony's suggestion of the UMC202HD is fine (but there ARE better interfaces! E.g NI KA6, MOTU M2)

But Eddy are you dead bang sure the Minova does not send audio over USB? The synth has XLR mic in and stereo jacks. Be odd not to also be able to record same? I shall study the book post brekky.

*He could kludge it into the 3.5mm laptop audio input with an adapter cable but I'd advise against it.

Dave.

[BillB]

Just looked through the manual and page 6 says
“MiniNova connected to a computer via USB. USB transmits MIDI to and from the computer.”

That seems to be all it does over USB.

Eddy, what is the make and model name/number of the “small audio interface box with 1.4 " inputs and 1.4" jack outputs” that doesn’t have a USB port?

[Wonks]

The Mininova doesn’t send audio over USB (it probably could, but reading the SOS review the decision was made not to make it an audio interface like its big brother).

However the USB connection should pass MIDI data as there is editing software for the synth.

Audio interfaces rarely have a USB port that acts as a host, as this is something the computer does very well.

So, do you have a spare USB port on your computer or a USB hub? Audio interfaces prefer to have a dedicated USB port, but for MIDI connections over USB, a powered hub is normally fine if there isn’t a spare dedicated port available.

So as has been said, connect the audio outs from the synth to the 1/4” inputs on your interface. You may already have a USB connection to the Mininova to use the editing software.

Plug a USB cable from the computer to the Mininova. I’m assuming you already have some kind of DAW software. After plugging in the USB cable to the Mininova, it should appear as a MIDI device in the DAW. It’s then a matter of selecting the correct MIDI channel to match the synth on any track you either want to capture MIDI data to or send it from.

I doubt that the Mininova can either use MIDI data from the hardware MIDI or else the software MIDI, but not both, otherwise you couldn’t use an external keyboard and the editing software at the same time.

Of course you don’t need to have a MIDI connection if you just want to capture you playing live performances from the Mininova to tracks you’ve been working on.

As long as your audio interface can be set to a 24-bit word depth, and not just 16-bit, then I’d keep it for now. As you are adding more hardware synths, you’ll probably find it easier to get one with more inputs, but wait until you find it becoming frustrating swapping cables over.

An interface with hardware MIDI ins and outs can be very useful if you get an older synth that only has those, but MIDI over USB is generally better (messages are faster so timing is more accurate).

[ef37a]

Yes Wonks, looking at the manual the Mininova does not sent audio over USB. In fact it is not even a MIDI "interface" in that the DIN ports do not send/receive MIDI data from external gear via USB.

Dave.

[EddyEdwards7]

Great info...many thanks..
Ive decided to buy a small seperate dedicated midi audio interface box to plug the midi from synth into the box which then goes to laptop...
My other interface box doesnt have these. Only mic inputs and 1.4" jacks...
It waa just a cheap starting interface, and I guess I didn't think things through properly when buying it. but it works great except for no midi inputs
So I'll keep this one rigged up. But this newer one is able to convert midi and has pass thru etc and sends to computer via usb.
This should be better..I'll update when it arrives

[BillB]

Thanks Eddy

It would be interesting and helpful to know what you already have and what you are getting.

[EddyEdwards7]

Getting a Edirol UA 25 midi interface box.
Currently got just a cheap Soundtown Triton A-08.

[tea for two]

Please excuse my ignorance..am new to synth recording and have always been old school..ie recording using mics on speaker monitors etc...
Time to get up to date...
Got a Novation Mininova synth. ...
I intend to get a DAW program so I can start recording...but havent a clue about hooking it up to laptop.

We all are on the same boat re Ignorance more than one way or another lol.

Getting a Edirol UA 25 midi interface box.

For recording Vocoder and Audio out from Mininova this Edirol UA25 will be fine.
Recording MIDI from Mininova this Edirol UA25 will be fine.
I was pleasantly surprised my Edirol UA4FX worked with Wind11.

::

I have a soft spot for Novation.
I had their X-Station with built in 2x mic inputs.
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/no ... station-25
Also had their XioSynth with built in 1x mic input.
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/novation-xiosynth
Also because BassStation 2 could be powered by a phone usb battery bank.

I have considered getting the Mininova.
Back in the day I wanted to get the Supernova I / II. I used to trawl through SoS magazine readers ads early 00 to try to get a Supernova : I recall seeing a couple advertised but a bit beyond my budget at the time.

[EddyEdwards7]

Ahhh..i downloaded a free daw to test my current usb connection before this midi interface box arrives....and guess what...computer daw software IS receiving and I'm able to record what I'm playing..
Question I now have is this...
I cant HEAR anything on playback unless I use a virtual vst within the daw..
So how do I go about editing a track so the sounds are the ones that cane from the synth, and not the vst ones?
Confused again!
I'm hoping that my new interface box with midi converts it to audio into the laptop? Or will it only send into my daw as a midi?

[ef37a]

Ahhh..i downloaded a free daw to test my current usb connection before this midi interface box arrives....and guess what...computer daw software IS receiving and I'm able to record what I'm playing..
Question I now have is this...
I cant HEAR anything on playback unless I use a virtual vst within the daw..
So how do I go about editing a track so the sounds are the ones that cane from the synth, and not the vst ones?
Confused again!
I'm hoping that my new interface box with midi converts it to audio into the laptop? Or will it only send into my daw as a midi?

You don't need a DAW nor an interface to hear and record audio the MIDI the keyboard sends to the laptop (as it were). I often suggest people download the trial version of Pianoteq, it is about as simple a MIDI player to setup as I have ever found. You don't even need a keyboard, it gives you one on screen and you will hear the piano on headphones. Next step is to connect the controller and 'tell' Pianoteq that it is the MIDI input device. Once you have the audio you can record it by setting up Audacity to record the internal sound card.

Once you have your head around that it should be easier to progress to an external interface still using Pianoteq as the signal source. The interface will give you better sound quality and the ability to use monitor speakers.

Dave.

[The Elf]

You are missing half of the equation: you have recorded the MIDI data from your keyboard into your DAW, but you are not sending the MIDI from your DAW back to your synth.

When you have recorded the MIDI data (i.e. the actions of you pressing keys) then you need to send that MIDI data back to the synth in order to hear the synth responding as if you were playing the keys again, To do this you need to route the track containing the MIDI data back to your hardware synth.

There is no 'convert MIDI to audio', because MIDI is not audio. It is like the paper roll of an old pianola. All it will do is 'play' an instrument, internal (like the VST you have tried) or eternal to the computer (your synth). So...

To record the hardware synth you need to connect its audio to your computer (typically through an audio interface), play the MIDI from your DAW to that synth, such that it generates audio, then simultaneously record the synth's audio to an audio track in your DAW.

[BillB]

Getting a Edirol UA 25 midi interface box.
Currently got just a cheap Soundtown Triton A-08.

Thanks, that clears thing up. The Soundtown is a mini mixer, not an audio interface. The UA25 is a USB audio/midi interface. Knowing this will help everyone to sort out any further issues you may have.

Having seen your other posting, I would suggest that, as it is very closely related to this one, it would be better to continue here, then everyone can see the back story without repeating already answered questions.

Hope you enjoy the UA25, it’s a great little unit.

[EddyEdwards7]

Many thanks all..especially Dave...
I'm starting to get my head around things...slowly!
Apologies for the other similar thread...
I have enough info to try things out and I'm sure I'll begin to get it...cheers