New At music, please help

[bica1]

Hello,

Please bare with me since I am VERY new at creating music. I just had a question. I just wanted to say that it's not something I would like to make a career out of, but I would like to try to create nice music. This is a hard question to ask so please bear with me.

I want to get an electronic keyboard. I know there are options so you can play different sounding instruments(like trumpet, or violin) in the keyboard itself. I also know of programs that have a big set of sounds that you can use. If I attach the electronic keyboard to a program(lets say garage band for example), does using the actual keyboard limit the sounds I am able to use for making music.

In other words, If I use a keyboard with a program. Can the sound contained within the keyboard be the only options I can use to make music? Or can I use the keyboard, pick a sound(in the program)that the keyboard might not have, and then use the keyboard to make music?

So lets say I want to use a robot sound found in garage band, but not found on my electronic keyboard. Can I set it to the robot sound in the program, and then use the actual keyboard to play that sound? Or is it only limited to whatever sound options I have on my keyboard?

I hope this helps, and sorry for the lack of music knowledge. Also if you know of a program that is good for beginners but has a potential to make great music, that would be great.

Thanks again!

[Trampzy]

To summarize, if you want the sounds from the keyboard to appear in your program use direct line or if you want to use the sounds from your program but control it with the keyboard you need to plug in via MIDI or if the keyboard has USB you might want to use that instead. If you only want to use sounds from your program you should just get a MIDI controller, such as an M-Audio one.

[Deutschmeister]

MIDI keyboard - Sends notes for the computer to play
Workstation/Electronic keyboard - Plays audio and can send notes to the computer.

MIDI keys can be pretty cheap, but go with something that has a heavy classical piano feel. My Akai MPK49 doesn't work very well for playing traditional music.

[Step]

What Trampzy said. Personally, I'd suggest getting a MIDI controller. This means that the keyboard won't have its own sounds, and you'll have to attach it to a computer with a DAW if you want it to play any sound. This is of course, personal preference. If you want a keyboard that can play its own sounds but even play sounds on your computer, then you can get that too, but if you want it to play sounds on your computer, make sure it's got what's called a MIDI port.

I personally have this. It's a KORG microKey MIDI controller. It doesn't have its own sounds, and can only play sounds on your computer. It's really really simple, and if you're starting out I'd highly recommend it. All you do is plug it in; it installs all device drivers itself. It's got the essentials; pitch and modulation knob (which you can assign your own parameters to), and octave transpose buttons, and it's even got its own extra USB ports which you can plug other devices in and comes with the one cable you need to plug it in. It's really neat, durable and portable; you can't go wrong with it.

[bica1]

Thank you everyone for your help! I do agree, MIDI keyboard just for the computer sounds like a plan! Thanks again!

[ChasingPresence]

At 8/12/12 10:02 PM, bica1 wrote: Thank you everyone for your help! I do agree, MIDI keyboard just for the computer sounds like a plan! Thanks again!

Or you could use Reason, Ableton, Fl studio, or Logic. I personally use Fl studio 10, but those are 4 prgrams i highly recommmend for making electronic music/ stuff of that nature.

[bica1]

At 8/13/12 06:19 AM, theMacATTack5 wrote:

At 8/12/12 10:02 PM, bica1 wrote: Thank you everyone for your help! I do agree, MIDI keyboard just for the computer sounds like a plan! Thanks again!

Or you could use Reason, Ableton, Fl studio, or Logic. I personally use Fl studio 10, but those are 4 prgrams i highly recommmend for making electronic music/ stuff of that nature.

Thank you for the recommendation. What if I wanted to do techno music, but also wanted to do other orchestrated music as well? Are any of those good choices for that as well? Like instrumental for example? Or is there plug-ins people use?

Thanks!

[Deutschmeister]

At 8/13/12 04:16 PM, bica1 wrote:

At 8/13/12 06:19 AM, theMacATTack5 wrote:

At 8/12/12 10:02 PM, bica1 wrote: Thank you everyone for your help! I do agree, MIDI keyboard just for the computer sounds like a plan! Thanks again!

Or you could use Reason, Ableton, Fl studio, or Logic. I personally use Fl studio 10, but those are 4 prgrams i highly recommmend for making electronic music/ stuff of that nature.

Thank you for the recommendation. What if I wanted to do techno music, but also wanted to do other orchestrated music as well? Are any of those good choices for that as well? Like instrumental for example? Or is there plug-ins people use?

Thanks!

I use the newest version of Reason, and if you can score some high quality soundfonts for it, will do your sound great justice.

http://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/1200140

[bica1]

Thanks again for the link! Looks good!

[DetiousMusic]

At 8/13/12 05:04 PM, Deutschmeister wrote:

At 8/13/12 04:16 PM, bica1 wrote:

At 8/13/12 06:19 AM, theMacATTack5 wrote:

At 8/12/12 10:02 PM, bica1 wrote: Thank you everyone for your help! I do agree, MIDI keyboard just for the computer sounds like a plan! Thanks again!

Or you could use Reason, Ableton, Fl studio, or Logic. I personally use Fl studio 10, but those are 4 prgrams i highly recommmend for making electronic music/ stuff of that nature.

Thank you for the recommendation. What if I wanted to do techno music, but also wanted to do other orchestrated music as well? Are any of those good choices for that as well? Like instrumental for example? Or is there plug-ins people use?

Thanks!

I use the newest version of Reason, and if you can score some high quality soundfonts for it, will do your sound great justice.

http://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/1200140

Since you said you were new to creating music I wouldn't suggest Reason. I find that it'd be too complex and overwhelming. I'd start with something like Ableton or FL Studio. And Reason also can't import external VSTS (The things that make sounds/synths) But with Ableton you can. Though it is personal preference.

[Deutschmeister]

At 8/14/12 03:44 PM, DeadRewind wrote: Since you said you were new to creating music I wouldn't suggest Reason. I find that it'd be too complex and overwhelming. I'd start with something like Ableton or FL Studio. And Reason also can't import external VSTS (The things that make sounds/synths) But with Ableton you can. Though it is personal preference.

If he wants to learn production from the grueling ground-upwards approach, Reason is the best option (It took years to develop my sound with Reason). But for making quick and effective productions, FL or Ableton is the gold standard.