Problems with keyboard using USB-to-Host

[Surfwhammy]

Ohhh, okayy! xD Thanks! :3 I did find a TRS to dual TS, and I was going to ask if that was what I needed but I wasn't sure

I rechecked the Yamaha DGX-650 Owner's Guide, and it shows a 1/4" TRS connector for the Main Audio Out, so this is correct for connecting the audio output of the Yamaha DGC-650 to the Alesis iO2 Express Audio Interface to get it digitized for the computer to use . . .

[NOTE: You will see the term "phone plug" used frequently, and it comes from the original use of this style of connector, which was for the switchboards of telephone systems, where telephone operators used "patch cords" with "phone plugs" on each end to connect telephone calls; and this type of connector was designed specifically for this use; but later it was adapted for other uses, since it is smart design . . . ]


Telephone Switchboard and Operators ~ 100 Years Ago


Yamaha DGX-650 Main Audio Out

And it shows a 1/8" mini-TRS connector for the AUX In . . .


Yamaha DGX-650 AUX In


Mini-Stereo Plug (1/8" mini-TRS to 1/8" mini-TRS)

Whether the mini-TRS needs to be split will depend on the output connector for your computer, if there is one. If the computer has an audio output connector and it is a stereo mini-plug (a.k.a., 1.8" mini-TRS), then the cord shown above is the one to get, but if your computer has separate left and right channel audio outputs, you need to match them . . .

THOUGHTS

TRRS typically is used as a balanced stereo connector, but it is not so common, although it depends on the type of audio work one is doing . . .

TRS typically is used as a balanced monaural connector when one is working with external signal processors in a recording or sound reinforcement scenario, but it also is used as an unbalanced stereo connector, which is the way it is used for the Yamaha DGX-650 . . .

[NOTE: You can use TRS cords for monaural sources, so when getting cords, if the price is the same or similar for TRS and TS, then it makes sense to get TRS, because a TRS cord has more possible ways to be used . . . ]

TS is an unbalanced monaural connector, and is used most often for electric guitar cords . . .

There are three general types of audio connectors that are used in audio work, and they have male and female versions, which makes it all the more complex, since depending on the equipment one is connecting it involves mixing and matching audio connector types and genders, as well as sizes, since there are different sizes for the first type (TS, TRS, TRRS), and as I recall there are mini-XLR connectors, as well:

(1) TS, TRS, TRRS . . .

Phone Connector (wikipedia)

(2) XLR . . .

XLR Connector (wikipedia)

(3) RCA . . .

RCA Connector (wikipedia)

For example, you might need to connect the TRS output of a signal processor to the XLR input of another device, and this requires a cord with a TRS connector on one end and an XLR connector on the other end, but you also need to ensure that the gender of the connectors is correct . . .

These are a few examples of "patch cords" that are used in recording studios . . .


Balanced TRS Male to TRS Male ~ GLS Audio


Balanced XLR Female to TRS Male ~ GLS Audio


Balanced XLR Male to TRS Male ~ GLS Audio


Unbalanced RCA Male to XLR Female ~ GLS Audio

It becomes sufficiently complex that making sense of the connectors and cords required for a particular studio configuration is easier when you make a worksheet or table, which is the way I make sense of stuff like this, where the primary goal of the following worksheets was to determine which types of patch cords were needed and how many of each type were needed, since there were several patch bays in the design, where the general idea was to be able to interconnect the various signal processors from the front of a rack via patch bays and patch cords rather than needing to do the interconnecting from the back . . .

[NOTE: This certainly is a very convenient design, but I am "holding that thought" with respect to doing the patch bays and most of the patch cords, because the patch bays cost from $100 to $200 (US) each, and the patch cords cost approximately $5 (US) each, which makes it more of luxury than a necessity, since most of the time I use VST effect plug-ins rather than real external signal processors, but it is nice to have the design and to understand how to design this stuff . . . ]





[NOTE: This is the high-level overview . . . ]



[NOTE: This is the detailed view . . . ]



There is more detailed information on this stuff, as well as a lot of other digital music production stuff, in my ongoing topic on calibrated full-range studio monitors in the IK Multimedia FORUM, which I think is an excellent way to get some very practical information on digital music production, which is fabulous . . .

The Fabulous Affordable Studio Monitor System Project (IK Multimedia)

Fabulous!

[Noumenae]

More and more, my pool of gratitude deepens. You've really gone above and beyond in helping me out, and I can't even begin to express how thankful I am. I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at in the charts at the end of your post, but the rest of it makes a lot of sense to me. I've had a little bit of acquaintance with some of the cables (namely XLR) thanks to being in a jazz Big Band for three years in high school and being adamant about helping to set up the rhythm section and the solo mics, etc. (Of course, that's a performance setting as opposed to a studio setting, but still - I learned a tiny bit.)

I've bookmarked your other thread for reference and have started reading into it, but I'm only able to take in so much at one time. I just remembered a question I had about one of your previous posts - the one with the diagram of your music production system. What exactly is the role that Reason plays? My understanding (based on limited research of the software and some prior intuition) is that it is essentially being a mixer / "rack?" (I'm still unclear on the full scope of the term "rack.") I guess essentially I'm just asking for a basic overview of the interaction between Notion, Reason, and the DAW. I THINK I have a basic understanding, but I don't know how to word it, and it might be wrong, so I just wanted to ask for clarification. :3

Also, can I ask a little question on the side? xD I feel bad to keep asking for help (And I feel like I'm kinda jumping off the topic of Notion a bit... with the direction this thread has gone, is it still appropriate to carry on within the Notion forum? xD) but I really don't know much at all about this stuff. I'm going to be going to college in the fall for music composition, but for now all I've got is what I've got, and even though I'm fairly savvy with PC's, I've never been the best at self-guided instruction (until I've covered the bases, then I'm fine. It's just always just that first hill of getting started...). I just found out that my friend picked up one of these - [ http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi ... -pv6-mixer ] from a buddy of his for $40. He's a guitarist and vocalist, and we've been talking about getting together and writing some stuff for a while. I was just wondering how you would recommend interconnecting our equipment if we were to try to get together and mess around for a bit and maybe record some stuff. Should we use the interface and the mixer or one or the other? etc. [EDIT]: I forgot to mention; he's got a pretty decent XLR mic, though I'm not entirely sure what his setup is for his guitars.

Thank you SO much, again. You're awesome!

[Surfwhammy]

Glad to help, and thanks for the kind words!

I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at in the charts at the end of your post . . .

Signal processors are devices that modify a signal in some way, and they have a defined set of inputs and outputs, which is used to interface with them, where as a general rule the original audio signal is an input and the modified audio signal is the output, but there are other types of inputs and outputs, so it is not quite so simple . . .

The charts are a way to make sense of inputs and outputs for purposes of determining how many patch cords and patch bays are needed to be able to make all the possible connections of inputs to outputs, where one way to understand this is to look at the front and back panels of the MOTU 828x external digital audio and MIDI interface, which is the new version of the MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid, with the difference being that in addition to USB, the MOTU 828x supports Thunderbolt, while the MOTU 828mk3 Hybrid supports FireWire . . .





Essentially the same thing happens when you use VST effects plug-ins in NOTION 4 or a DAW application, except the connections of inputs to outputs is handled automagically . . .

For example, with vocals a standard set of effects includes (a) a compressor-limiter, (b) a reverberation unit, and (c) an echo unit, where the general idea is that the output signal from the vocal microphone is sent through a compressor-limiter and then is sent to a reverberation unit and finally to an echo unit . . .

There are different ways to do this, but the simple way is to do it in series, where the output of the first device becomes the input to the second device, and so forth and so on, where the first device is the microphone and the second device is the compressor-limiter; and the third device is the reverberation unit, with the fourth device being the echo unit . . .

This particular combination creates the classic vocal sound for the late-1950s and early-1960s, but continues to be used today, although with additional enhancements . . .

Bobby Darin's hit Rock and Roll song, "Dream Lover" is an example of this particular style of vocal processing, as are "Runaround Sue" (Dion) and "Fame and Fortune" (Elvis Presley), except that the fast echoes probably are handled by the reverberation units rather than by separate echo units, although it depends . . .

"Dream Lover" (Bobby Darin) -- YouTube music video

"Runaround Sue" (Dion) -- YouTube music video

"Fame And Fortune" (Elvis Presley) -- YouTube music video

John Lennon was a huge fan of reverberation and echoes, and "Instant Karma" is an excellent example of a bit of "slapback" echo combined with reverberation . . .

"Instant Karma" (John Lennon) -- YouTube music video

The vocal production for Miley Cyrus in the European single version of "Who Owns My Heart" is an example of significantly more advanced signal processing enhancements, which includes not only compressor-limiters, reverberation units, and echo units, but also custom echoes; doubling and tripling vocals; and overdubbing specific consonants and other starts and endings of particular words, which I think maps to perhaps 100 different vocal tracks, although some of them are small . . .

[NOTE: The audio on this YouTube music video is best, so listen to the audio. The video is interesting, but she is miming the singing. The classic vocal sound from the 1950s and 1960s is present, but it is enhanced with lots of additional stuff. . . ]

"Who Owns My Heart" (Miley Cyrus) ~ European Single ~ YouTube music video

This song by Carrie Underwood has a modern flavor of "old school" vocal production, where the difference in this vocal production is that the compressor-limiter is "pumped". There is reverberation and echoes, but there also is some flanging, phasing, tremolo, vibrato, and perhaps a Leslie rotating speaker to create a syrupy type of rapid vocal motion, although at present I have not determined the exact set of signal processors required to create this vocal sound, and Carrie Underwood has natural vibrato, which makes it more difficult to determine exactly how the vocal production was done, but so what . . .

"Good Girl" (Carrie Underwood) ~ YouTube music video

The reality is that nobody on this planet actually sounds like this . . .

It is an elaborate auditory illusion created with a virtual festival of signal processors, but it is easier to do when the singers understand how to work microphones and are consistent . . .

For reference, the compressor-limiter controls the dynamic range of the singing or whatever an instrument is playing; and reverberation and echo units control the duration of notes, as well as repeats and tonal textures; and this combination is used to make singing sound "bigger" . . .

What exactly is the role that Reason plays?

The overall goal of a complete system for doing digital music production is to be able to do everything, where the key is to determine what "everything" actually is . . .

There is real stuff and there is virtual stuff; and the real stuff includes microphones, electric guitars, drums, other instruments; singers and musicians; effects pedals, external signal processors, and so forth, while the virtual stuff has two general categories, where one is virtual instruments and effects plug-ins and the other is Reason 7 (Propellerhead Software) and its synthesizers and effects, including Rack Extensions . . .

NOTION 4 uses music notation, but it also does MIDI, and it is a host for virtual instruments using Steinberg's VSTi and VST technologies, so this is one of the virtual systems . . .

But there are other types of virtual instruments and effects, and this is where Reason 7 becomes important, because it is another virtual universe, but it is primarily MIDI and sequencer focused, as well as being self-contained, which maps to not being used as a plug-in and only allowing Rack Extensions to be used as enhancements . . .

Reason 7 tends to be used in more modern types of popular music, while NOTION 4 is focused on music notation and handles virtually anything that one can do with music notation, including more modern types of popular music but in a different way than the way it is done with Reason 7 . . .

Historically, at one time Steinberg and Propellerhead Software were working together on a general system, but at some point they decided to go in different directions, with the result that now there are two primary industry standards, where Steinbergs VSTi and VST technologies are one standard and Reason 7, Rack Extensions, and ReWire 2 are another standard . . .

In other words, if you need to do something, then one way is to do it with music notation and VSTi virtual instruments and VST effects plug-ins in NOTION 4 and a DAW application; and another way is to do it with Reason 7 and Rack Extensions, with a separate DAW application for producing, mixing, and mastering . . .

The third way is to do it with real stuff and a DAW application, but the most practical way typically is combination of all three, hence the combination of a DAW application, NOTION 4, VSTi virtual instruments and VST effects plug-ins, Reason 7, and Rack Extensions, and the other stuff shown in the diagram . . .

As an example, this YouTube music video shows how Logic Pro X (Apple) acts as the ReWire 2 host controller in a ReWire 2 session where NOTION 4 and Reason 7 are ReWire 2 slaves . . .

The singing and most of the instrumentation is done in Reason 7 and is one of the demo songs that came with Reason 6, as I recall, but I enhanced it with a few more instruments done with music notation in NOTION 4 using VSTi virtual instruments, where one of them was played on a Behringer UMA25S mini-MIDI keyboard using a Twin 2 synthesizer (FabFilter Software Instruments), but there also are two MachFive 3 (MOTU) VSTi virtual instruments (Fender Jazz Bass and Hammond B3 Organ); and NOTION 4 is playing two of the Reason 7 synthesizers via music notation on two NOTION 4 External MIDI staves . . .

"Faster" (Techno Squirrels) ~ Surfwhammy Remix with Enhancements ~ YouTube music video

Explained another way, one of the things I do involves studying hit songs toward the goal of identifying all the parts and determining how everything is done; and based on the best information I have at present, my complete system for doing digital music production covers every possibility, at least in a general way . . .

If it cannot be done with real stuff, then it probably can be done with virtual stuff; and in the virtual stuff arena, there is the Stenberg Virtual Studio Technology (VST) strategy using music notation, and there is the Propellerhead Software strategy using Reason 7, Rack Extensions, MIDI sequencers, and rhythm machines . . .

ReWIre 2 is the interapplication communication protocol that makes it possible for everything to interact in a synchronized way; and the DAW application is the high-level controller, which is where the producing, mixing, and mastering is done, although T-RackS (IK Multimedia) also is used for mastering . . .

~ ~ ~ Continued in the next post ~ ~ ~

[Surfwhammy]

~ ~ ~ Continued from the previous post ~ ~ ~

As an example of something that is easy to do in Reason 7 but is virtually impossible to do in a practical way with music notation, this is part of a rhythm section of one of the songs I am developing, and it was done with Reason 6.5 synthesizers and sequencers . . .

[NOTE: This was done with Reason 6.5 rather than Reason 7, but so what . . . ]

"Whammy Twist" (The Surf Whammys) ~ Basic Rhythm Section ~ YouTube music video

And this is the complete basic rhythm section with all the additional instrumentation done with music notation and virtual instruments in NOTION 4, where everything is produced, mixed, and mastered in Digital Performer . . .

"The Whammy Twist" (The Surf Whammys) ~ Basic Rhythm Section ~ YouTube music video

Using an analogy, metaphor, or simile, the general idea is to paint a song, and the strategy is to have all the various media that one can use when painting, which includes waterpaints, acrylic paints, oil paints, tempera paints, chalk, crayons, drawing pencils, inks, and so forth and so on . . .

Also, can I ask a little question on the side? xD I feel bad to keep asking for help (And I feel like I'm kinda jumping off the topic of Notion a bit... with the direction this thread has gone, is it still appropriate to carry on within the Notion forum? xD)

Asking questions is good, and it is appropriate to ask questions in this topic, especially since any answer from me is virtually guaranteed to wander a bit off whatever the current topic happens to be but onto another related digital music production topic . . .

And it generally is best to have discussions in the FORUM, so that other folks can participate and read the posts . . .

I just found out that my friend picked up one of these - [ http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi ... -pv6-mixer ] from a buddy of his for $40. He's a guitarist and vocalist, and we've been talking about getting together and writing some stuff for a while. I was just wondering how you would recommend interconnecting our equipment if we were to try to get together and mess around for a bit and maybe record some stuff. Should we use the interface and the mixer or one or the other? etc. [EDIT]: I forgot to mention; he's got a pretty decent XLR mic, though I'm not entirely sure what his setup is for his guitars.

The mixer will interface with the Alesis iO2 Express Audio Interface, where the left and right channels of the main output of the mixer will be input to the Alesis iO2 Express Audio Interface . . .

When you do something on the Yamaha DGX-650 keyboard, you will connect its audio output to two of the channels of the mixer, as will be the case when your friend plays electric guitar or both of you do some singing . . .

If you need help understanding how to interconnect everything, post a follow-up reply to this topic, and I can provide some help, but the high-level perspective is that the Peavy mixer connects to the Alesis iO2 Express Audio Interface and expands the two input channels for the Alesis iO2 Express Audio Interface to four channels, but if you are doing one part at at time, you can use the Alesis iO2 Express Audio Interface for your keyboard, and your friend's electric guitar and microphone, but only two things at a time . . .

With the Peavy mixer, you can connect the left and right channels of your keyboard, your friend's monaural electric guitar, and one microphone, and then feed the output of the Peavy mixer to the two channels of the Alesis iO2 Express Audio Interface, where you can record it on your computer with Cubase LE (Steinberg) . . .

The key to doing songs in layers is to have a "click" track, which you can create in NOTION 4 by having a bass drum play the basic beat with a snare drum to make it easier to hear; and you need a reference tuning track, which you also can do in NOTION 4 using the NOTION 4 native Piano, since you need to be able to tune the electric guitar to "Concert A", which is the reference tuning pitch . . .

Also, you will want to change the global tuning pitch in NOTION 4 Preferences to 440-Hz, which is standard "Concert A" in the US . . .

If you record the real instruments and singing to a NOTION 4 rhythm section, then you can use either one from that point forward, where if you want to add some virtual instruments, then you switch to working in NOTION 4, but if you want to add some real instruments or singing, then you switch to real stuff and record it in Cubase LE, where you also record the NOTION 4 generated audio in Cubase LE in a ReWire 2 session . . .

The "click" track and the reference tuning pitches (for example, E, A, D, G, b, e, which are the notes for the six open strings of a standard electric guitar) are important, because they are used to ensure that everything is played to the same beat and is tuned to the same set of reference pitches, which is very important when you are creating a song in layers, which is fabulous . . .

Fabulous!

[Noumenae]

Ack! I apologize for forgetting to reply for so long... I will check out your links when I can -- unfortunately, I have satellite Internet and all of my bandwidth for the month over both my Wi-Fi and my phone's mobile network are pretty much used up. My Internet speeds are about on par with Dial-up (Usually worse, to be honest...) right now until the billing period restarts, so streaming media is pretty much impossible... I get the gist of what you're trying to say with your descriptions though. Thank you so much for your help, really!!

I knew the bit about the click track but not the bit about the reference tuning track. Awesome! I had already gone ahead and changed the tuning in Notion to 440Hz when I first noticed the option and realized that it was set to something else. I also tried setting it to 432Hz once (just for the heck of it because of all the stuff going around about 432Hz... who knows if any of it is even true, but hey it's a good thought haha) but it wouldn't go exactly, so I kept it at 440.

One more thing, while it is on my mind - I feel like I read it somewhere, but cannot remember for the life of me. When I start using Notion in conjunction with Cubase and Reason, which program will be best suited as the ReWire 2 host? In your example, Logic Pro is the host... is there any reason I would want to use Notion or Reason as a host as opposed to Cubase? I feel like from what I read, it seemed liked using Cubase as the host would better suit my needs, but I cannot remember why... what is the difference?

Thanks yet again!!!

EDIT: On the subject of connecting the interface to the mixer... would I use a cable with dual TS on both sides, or another cable with a TRS and a TS splitter? (Or another method unmentioned heretofore?)

[Surfwhammy]

I knew the bit about the click track but not the bit about the reference tuning track. Awesome! I had already gone ahead and changed the tuning in Notion to 440Hz when I first noticed the option and realized that it was set to something else.

Good! 440-Hz is the standard reference tuning pitch for modern music, so it is the reference tuning pitch to use for most genres . . .

The other reference tuning pitches are for different types of music, typically either European or something earlier when instruments were tuned differently and strings were made of different materiel . . .

Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, DISCO, Pop, Rhythm and Blues, and so forth and so on use standard "Concert A" as the reference tuning pitch, where it specifically is 440-Hz . . .

There are variations, but unless you are composing for a genre which specifically requires a different reference tuning pitch, then 440-Hz is the one to use . . .

One more thing, while it is on my mind - I feel like I read it somewhere, but cannot remember for the life of me. When I start using Notion in conjunction with Cubase and Reason, which program will be best suited as the ReWire 2 host? In your example, Logic Pro is the host... is there any reason I would want to use Notion or Reason as a host as opposed to Cubase? I feel like from what I read, it seemed liked using Cubase as the host would better suit my needs, but I cannot remember why... what is the difference?

Reason only runs as a ReWire 2 slave, but Cubase and NOTION 4 can be either a ReWire 2 host controller or a ReWire 2 slave . . .

NOTION 4 does not record singing and real instruments, but you can do this with Reason, except that Reason only works as a ReWire 2 slave, all of which makes it logical to use the DAW application as the producing and mixing focus . . .

Generally, you want the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) application to be the ReWire 2 host controller and NOTION 4 and Reason to be ReWire 2 slaves . . .

The primary reason is that no matter which operating system platform you decide to use (Mac OS X or Windows), there are limits on what applications can do, and there are limits on what the hardware can do . . .

Ideally, you want to do everything in 64-bit mode, and this requires a more powerful computer, as well as more memory, where the minimum I recommend is 16GB of memory, although you can be productive with 8GB of memory . . .

There is a limit to the number of VSTi virtual instruments you can have in a single NOTION 4 score, and this limit is lowered by any VST effects plug-ins that you might have in the NOTION 4 Mixer for the score . . .

It is helpful to have a high-level strategy, which includes a system for composing, recording, and mixing audio; and the system I recommend focuses NOTION 4 on VSTi virtual instruments with no VST effects plug-ins and no reverberation . . .

I do all the effects plug-ins work in the DAW application, since the DAW application does not need to deal with VSTi virtual instruments, music notation, and all that stuff . . .

But everything begins with a basic rhythm section done with music notation and VSTi virtual instruments in NOTION 4; and this includes doing a "click" track and providing a series of reference tuning pitches to which electric guitar, electric bass, and so forth are tuned . . .

Ideally, you should be able to tune real instruments using a tuning fork or electronic tuning device, but I like to include a series of reference tuning pitches as a separate track in the DAW application, which is more a relic of the time when magnetic tape was used and there could be tiny variations in the speed of tape machines, so instead of tuning to a calibrated set of pitches, you tune to the pitches on the tape, although I suppose you could use a tuning pitch to adjust the speed of the tape machine, but regardless I like the idea of tuning electric guitars to a recorded reference pitch tuning track; and I like the idea of providing a "click" track, which typically is a kick drum and a snare drum playing a simple steady beat like a metronome does . . .

I use effects plug-ins to adjust the volume levels; and I keep the NOTION 4 volume sliders pegged to 0dB, which also is what I do with the volume sliders in the DAW application . . .

I use effects plug-ins (typically a small set of compressor-limiters) as if they were trim controls, and this works nicely for several reasons, one of which is that it provides more detailed control over volume levels, which is very important for mixing . . .

I use another set of effect plug-ins for other purposes, so it depends on the particular goal for using an effects plug-in . . .

And while you can record real singing and real instruments in Reason, this is best done wither as a separate activity or with a DAW application acting as the ReWire host controller, and the reason is that the ReWIre host controller is responsible for audio reproduction in a ReWire 2 session, which causes a problem when NOTION 4 is the ReWIre 2 host controller and Reason is a ReWire 2 slave . . .

There are other reasons, but these are enough to get the high-level overview . . .

On the subject of connecting the interface to the mixer... would I use a cable with dual TS on both sides, or another cable with a TRS and a TS splitter? (Or another method unmentioned heretofore?)

THe Peavy PV6 Mixer has 1/4" balanced TRS outputs (left, right), and the Alesis iO2 Experss Audio Interface has two 1/4" TS/TRS inputs, so I would use 1/4" balanced TRS cords, with a TRS plug on each end, where this specifically is to connect the output of the Peavy PV6 Mixer to the two inputs of the Alesis iO2 Express Audio Interface . . .

Lots of FUN!

[Noumenae]

Fantastic! Thanks heaps, once again! I've had so much trouble trying to get information from Google and the like. Hearing everything explained in a structured way (and one that I can understand) makes it so much easier...

I do have some more questions; sorry to keep bugging you... :c I feel so naive hahaha... But the drive is there, at least. The more I learn, the more I want to keep learning.

I went ahead with the Alesis iO2 Express USB Interface (got it as a slightly-early birthday present! Yay!) and just got everything going to the point I knew how. Cubase LE 5 is installed, registered, and activated, and the interface is set up and appears to be working. I have my keyboard plugged into the interface via a 1/4" TRS to 1/4" TS splitter, with the Ring end in the Line In on channel 1 and the Tip end on the Line In on channel 2. I also plugged my headphones (Right now my best pair is a set of Sennheiser HD201's...) into the Phones jack on the interface via a 1/4" TRS adapter that came with my DGX-650 package. Both my keyboard and the interface are plugged into my computer via USB.

I followed the directions on page 2 of the manual that came with the interface (I did a quick Google and found it here: http://www.alesis.com/stuff/contentmgr/ ... __reva.pdf ) to the best of my ability, with a few exceptions: My Windows 7 computer recognized the device as "Speakers" (with the subtitle "iO|2"); and I did not have the option of setting it to 16-bit, only 24-bit. (My options here were "24-bit, 44100Hz (Studio Quality)" and "24-bit, 44800Hz (Studio Quality)." What is the difference here? Also, when it says to set the slider under 'Levels' to '4,' what is the purpose of that? (The slider is labeled "Microphone" and ranges from 0 - 100.) Also, for reference, the boxes under "Exclusive Mode" read: "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device" and "Give exclusive mode applications priority."

If anything in the prior paragraph needs clarification, let me know and I'll do my best. If need-be I may be able to post some screenshots as well, granted my Internet will cooperate at least that much. I realize that you use a Mac and not a Windows, and I tried to be specific enough, but I may have failed Let me know. haha

If everything I've said so far seems good, I only have a few questions about the actual interface itself. Ideally, will I want to leave the Gain knobs on both channels turned all the way down? Turning them up creates static/feedback. Also, I assume I will set my line/guitar switches to the "Mic/Line" function? And, finally, to the Monitor Mix knob. Turning it toward USB causes the volume of my playing to diminish to nothing, and turning it toward Direct increases the volume (with no DAW and no Notion running). How exactly is this used?

Now that the hardware stuff is out of the way, on to the software... how do I know whether Cubase LE 5 is 64-bit or 32-bit? I checked on the "Help -> About Cubase LE" menu in the program, but it only tells me a version number and a build date (v5.1.1; Nov. 23, 2009). I searched every PDF that came with the installation for references to "ReWire," "32-bit," and "64-bit," and the closest thing I found to ReWire was FireWire. 64-bit was never mentioned, and 32-bit was only mentioned in reference to "32-dithering" and on the page listing minimum system requirements (the minimum Windows OS being Vista 32-bit). There was no recommended system specs list, though. I don't mind pitching in for the upgrade (hey, I got LE 5 for pretty much free!) if I need to, but I want to be sure. Though from what I can tell, there isn't much--if any--loss from upgrading one step at a time versus skipping certain iterations of Cubase, which is pretty nifty.

I may need some help setting Cubase and Notion up to communicate with each other, BUT I will save those questions for when the time comes so that I can give myself the chance to try to figure it out on my own! I always prefer to try to exhaust my own prior knowledge on my search for an answer before asking for help, because sometimes the experience can be valuable, and I might learn a thing or two along the way--or at least come across something that piques my attention so that I can also address it with my questions.

Thank you, again, SO, SO much.

[Surfwhammy]

Glad to help!

I followed the directions on page 2 of the manual that came with the interface to the best of my ability, with a few exceptions: My Windows 7 computer recognized the device as "Speakers" (with the subtitle "iO|2"); and I did not have the option of setting it to 16-bit, only 24-bit. (My options here were "24-bit, 44100Hz (Studio Quality)" and "24-bit, 44800Hz (Studio Quality)." What is the difference here? Also, when it says to set the slider under 'Levels' to '4,' what is the purpose of that? (The slider is labeled "Microphone" and ranges from 0 - 100.) Also, for reference, the boxes under "Exclusive Mode" read: "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device" and "Give exclusive mode applications priority."

[NOTE: This is the way to make a link look nice in the FORUM . . . ]

Alesis i02 Express Audio Interface User Guide (Alesis) ~ PDF (20 pages)

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[url=http://www.alesis.com/stuff/contentmgr/files/22/f9c082f6858e4eb7167e18678ba2086d/file/io2_express___quickstart_guide___reva.pdf] Alesis i02 Express Audio Interface User Guide (Alesis) ~ PDF (20 pages) [/url]

This is the pattern:  [url=<link goes here>]<descriptive text goes here>[/url]

The part between the less than and greater than signs is replaced by the actual link or descriptive text, minus the left and right arrow signs or whatever . . .


NOTION 4 outputs audio at standard CD quality, which is 44.1-kHz (or 44,100-Hz) at 16-bits, where the first value is the sample rate (44.1-kHz) and the second value is the resolution in bits . . .

You should select 44,100-Hz for the sample rate, which maps to 44,100 samples per second, and since there is no 16-bit resolution, leave it a 24-bits . . .

I am not certain about purpose of the "Levels = 4" parameter, but it probably is the value that works best with the Alesis iO2 Express Audio Interface on a Windows 7 computer . . .

Windows Help probably has more information on the purpose of the "Levels" parameter . . .

Ideally, will I want to leave the Gain knobs on both channels turned all the way down?

The "Gain" control on the Alesis iO2 works like a "Trim" control, and "Trim" is the more correct name, although "Sensitivity" is another way to understand its purpose . . .

For example, while all electric guitars output a standard audio signal, there are subtle variations depending on the type of guitar pickups; tone and volume controls; active or passive circuitry; and so forth . . .

When doing studio work, the general idea is to ensure that you are getting good signal levels, and this is where the "Gain" control becomes important, because it is used to make adjustments to the incoming audio signal for a device; and this also applies to microphones, keyboard synthesizers, and other types of instruments that produce audio signals . . .

Some audio interfaces have a separate LED indicator for their "Gain", "Trim", or "Sensitivity" controls, and this LED indicator basically is off until the incoming signal has too much "Gain" or whatever, in which case the LED indicator turns red to indicate "clipping", but since the Alesis iO2 does not have a separate LED indicator for the "Gain" level, this probably is indicated by the larger LED level meter in the middle that runs from green to yellow to red . . .

The general rule for LED level meters is that green is good; yellow is a bit hot but not a problem if it is mostly occasional; and red indicates too high of a level, as well as potential clipping and distorting . . .

Another perspective is that green is like people having a normal conversation; yellow is a normal conversation but with some of the people occasionally talking a bit loud; and red is a conversation where everyone is screaming . . .

The term "clipping" refers to the tops of sine waves being cut or removed, which is like clipping hair or fingernails . . .

[NOTE: The first wave is a sine wave, and pure tones are sine waves. However, a note played by an instrument usually is a combination of a root tone and harmonics or overtones, and it is the harmonics and overtones that make a trumpet sound different from a violin when they are playing the same root tone, but it is good to understand root tones and pure sine waves, because these are the fundamental building blocks. As an example, the root tone of "Concert A" at standard tuning in the US is 440-Hz, and this is a pure tone, which in turn is a sine wave, but there also are harmonics and overtones, and it is the harmonics and overtones that make a piano sound different from an oboe, saxophone, viola, soprano, tenor, and so forth . . . . . . ]



[NOTE: This is how a "clipped" sign wave looks, but instead of the drawing showing the sine wave curve, it shows the area underneath the sine wave curve as it appears when divided into rectangles, which basically is the way one determines the area using calculus, except that the rectangles are very tiny. If you connect the ends of the rectangles, then you draw a "clipped" sine wave curve, where "curve" is just a fancy mathematical term for "line" . . . ]



Music is very mathematical, and it makes sense to learn as much about mathematics and physics as is practical, because this makes it easier to understand music from a scientific perspective, where acoustic physics is the study of sound, music, auditory perception, and so forth and so on . . .

Distortion is similar to "clipping", except that it usually is more extreme; and distorted audio waves look more like the other types of waves in the diagram of wave types (see above) . . .

When you switch hats to producing, mixing, and mastering, it becomes important to understand as much about mathematics and physics as is practical, which at the college level typically will be Trigonometry, Geometry, Calculus 1, 2, and 3; Differential Equations; and a full year of Physics with Calculus, depending on what you studied in high school, because quite a few of the techniques and corresponding terminology only make sense when you understand mathematics and physics, where "phase" is an example . . .

From trigonometry and geometry, you learn that a sine wave looks very similar to a cosine wave, and the difference is the "phase" of the two waves. The overall shapes are the same, but the cosine wave starts at a different time or offset from a sine wave . . .

[NOTE: You can get a lot of information on this stuff in wikipedia . . . ]

I assume I will set my line/guitar switches to the "Mic/Line" function?

Yes! This is correct, as explained in the Yamaha DGX-650 Owner's Manual, where the key bit of information is "or other line-level device":

The PHONES/OUTPUT jack also functions as an
external output. You can connect the PHONES/OUT-
PUT jack to a keyboard amplifier, stereo system,
mixer, tape recorder, or other line-level audio device
to send the instrument’s output signal to that device

[SOURCE: Yamaha DGX-650 Owner's Manual, page 17 ]

How exactly is the [Monitor Mix knob] used?

The Monitor Mix control determines how much of the direct audio input to the Alesis iO2 is mixed with the audio output of your computer, where the "direct audio input" to the Alesis iO2 will your keyboard or when you are using the Peavy PV6 Mixer, whatever you have connected to the PV6 Mixer inputs, since the output of the PV6 Mixer will be the "direct audio input" to the Alesis iO2 . . .

In contrast, the "audio output of your computer" will be whatever audio the computer sends via USB to the Alesis iO2, and what this will be depends on several factors, but in a general sense probably is what you will hear if your computer has a stereo headphone jack and you use headphones to listen to whatever the computer is doing . . .

This is different from the Main Output of the Alesis iO2, which has a separate and independent volume control, and I think the difference is that Monitor Mix is intended to be used when you are listening on headphones and are playing along with already recorded music, where in this scenario you are using the headphones to monitor what you are playing, which is a scenario where you might want to make what you are playing a bit louder than whatever already is recorded on the compute . . .

Moving the Monitor Mix knob to the extreme right maps to hearing only the output of the computer, while moving it all the way the extreme left maps to hearing only what you are playing on your keyboard, with the middle position being approximately an equal amount of what you are playing and what the computer is outputting, noting that the Monitor Mix probably is independent of the input levels and the Main output levels, since it is only for monitoring . . .

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[Surfwhammy]

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As an example of the way monitor mixing is used in a recording session, a drummer might want to hear the bass, guitar, piano, and singer but very little of the drums, while a bass player might want to hear more of the drums, rhythm guitar, and singer but less of the bass; and this is done by adjusting the monitor mix for each musician, albeit with more sophisticated monitoring equipment, although the concept is the same . . .

[NOTE: There are hardware units that are used along with DAW applications and other software for creating custom monitor mixes for multiple musicians in recording studio and concert scenarios, but when one person is doing everything, it works like the monitor mix functionality of the Alesis iO2 combined with the ability to do a bit of temporary mixing in the DAW application . . . ]

. . . how do I know whether Cubase LE 5 is 64-bit or 32-bit?

I am not certain how to do this on a Windows computer, but there should be a way to determine whether an application is running in 64-bit mode on a Windows computer . . .

[NOTE: One of the reasons I recommend doing digital music production on the Mac is that everything works on the Mac, but this is not necessarily the case with Windows computers, where 64-bit ReWire 2 is an example . . . ]

I may need some help setting Cubase and Notion up to communicate with each other, BUT I will save those questions for when the time comes so that I can give myself the chance to try to figure it out on my own!

This is good, but I do everything on the Mac, so while I can provide very detailed and quite specific information on how to work with NOTION 4 on the Mac, including doing ReWire 2, this is not the case with Windows, since (a) I cannot run the same software ; {b) I have no way to do experiments; and (c) there are significant differences in the way everything works on the Mac versus the way everything works on a Windows computer . . .

At a high-level, everything generally is the same, but the specifics are different for the Mac and Windows

If you get a Mac, then I can provide very specific detailed help on this aspect, but otherwise all I can do is make high-level suggestions . . .

The problem with Cubase is that it is a Steinberg product, while ReWIre 2 is a technology developed by Propellerhead Software, and these two companies do not have a particularly cordial relationship, which overall maps to Reason 7 (Propellerhead Software) not supporting Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology (VST and VSTi) and Cubase (Steinberg) providing only typically minimal support for ReWire, and then in 32-bit mode only for certain products, although the current versions of Cubase (v7.5) support 32-bit and 64-bit ReWire 2 . . .

The reason for this is that at one time Propellerhead Software and Steinberg were working together on interapplication communication technologies and other stuff, but each one wanted to do it a different way, and this eventually led to conflicts and parting ways, with the result that Steinberg developed VSTi and VST, while Propellerhead developed ReWire, Refills, and Rack Extensions . . .

[NOTE: Steinberg has some quite amazing technologies, and there are aspects of the most current versions of VSTi and VST that truly are mind-boggling; and this also is the case with Propellerhead Software and its technologies, so it is not a matter of one being better than the other insofar as I am concerned. My perspective is that doing everything requires both of these sets of technologies, along with NOTION 4 and some real microphones and real instruments, as well as some other stuff, including MIDI and a full-featured DAW application . . . ]

This also is one of the reasons that doing everything requires NOTION 4 and Reason 7, as well as a full-featured DAW application, and all the other stuff in the diagram of a complete digital music production system . . .



There is more information Cubase 7 and ReWire in the Cubase 7 Operation Manual, and since ReWire is not found in the Cubase LE 5 Operation Manual, this suggests that an update to Cubase 7 is required, which in turn shifts focus to developing a plan for the future, because the selection of your primary DAW application is very important, and it depends on the operating system platform you decide to use . . .

As a general rule, there are two ways that DAW applications do ReWire 2, and one way involves using auxiliary channels to interface with ReWire 2 slaves, where the audio for the auxiliary channels then are routed to audio tracks for recording and so forth, which is fine and is the way it is done on the Mac with Cubase 7 (Steinberg), Live 9 (Ableton), Logic Pro X (Apple), and Studio One 2.6 (PreSonus), but I prefer the way it is done with Digital Performer 8 (MOTU), where ReWire slaves simply are input sources for audio tracks; and I prefer Digital Performer 8 because it is easier to use and does not require routing ReWire signals via intermediate auxiliary channels, noting that there are both Mac and Windows versions of Digital Performer 8 . . .

Both strategies work nicely, so it depends on what you need and want in a DAW application, and on the Mac I have verified that Digital Performer 8, Live 9, Logic Pro X, and Studio One 2.6 Producer do ReWire 2 with NOTION 4 correctly. I do not have Cubase, so I have not verified it, but there is a Cubase Elements 7 Trial Version, and I think it does ReWire 2, so I will do a few experiments with it and let you know what I discover . . .

Nevertheless, you can be productive with the system you have, and you can develop a plan for the future and start working on a strategy to get enough money to pay for it, where based on current pricing for everything and a reasonable set of digital music production software, including VSTi virtual instruments, VST effects, and a nice set of Reason 7 stuff, a professional quality system that makes it possible to do Pop songs in the style of such folks as Justin Timberlake and Miley Cyrus that actually sound at least "ballpark" costs approximately $7,500 (US), which includes approximately $2,000 (US) for a calibrated full-range studio monitor system, which is one of the primary requirements, since a calibrated full-range studio monitor system is required for accurate producing, mixing, and mastering, which is the case because (a) if you cannot hear the music accurately, then you are spinning wheels and (b) the only way to hear the music accurately is to listen to it through a calibrated full-range studio monitor system, noting that headphones will not work for producing, mixing, and mastering, although they are vastly helpful at various times, with the reason being that with headphones each ear hears something separate and independent, which is not the case when you listen to calibrated full-range studio monitors. You can do headphone mixes, but you need to be able to hear the music through a calibrated full-range studio monitor system at least some of the time during the producing, mixing, and mastering steps, where "calibrated full-range" maps a flat equal loudness curve running from 10-Hz to 20,000-Hz at 85 dB SPL and at present cannot be done with any commercial-off-the-shelf studio monitor system currently available anywhere on this planet, hence the approximately $2,000 (US) custom solution, which is the least expensive custom solution I have been able to devise, all of which is explained in vast detail in the following topic in the IK Multimedia FORUM . . .

The Fabulous Affordable Studio Monitor System Project (IK Multimedia)

[NOTE: $7,500 (US) is not a small amount of money, but you can get some of the things in steps, since it takes time to learn how all the stuff works and interacts . . . ]

If you got all of it a one time but have never installed and configured everything, it could take a year or longer to get everything working correctly in a way that maps to your understanding how everything works in great detail, so doing everything in small steps is a good strategy, which is fabulous . . .

Fabulous!

P. S. There are no guarantees that having a complete digital music production system will map to being able to creae a hit song, but it certainly will map to your songs sounding good in a general way in the sense that a Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster and a Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus are professional quality electric guitars . . .

Having a Stratocaster or Les Paul electric guitar does not make one a good guitar player, but if one is a good guitar player, then these guitars provide the required professional quality stuff, especially when combined with a vacuum-tube based Marshall half-stack or a comparable Fender rig, for sure . . .

For sure!

[wcreed51]

Since you seem to have so much time on your hands, here's a little something to occupy your mind...

http://www.youtube.com/