[Help][Question] Those of you who know how to use Analogue equipment [MORE INSIDE]

I've recently been wanting to get the Korg Volca Series http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gau7UIzYY0
(Bass + Beats) and get into Analogue equipment, but my simple questions are:

* Is it possible to connect the Analogue equipment via USB into Ableton and Ableton would recognize it as a MIDI device?

* If so, would you be able to create sequences and patterns through the Analogue equipment into Ableton?

* Is there any known tutorial showing this?

I really appreciate any help, I've been trying to research myself on this but since the Korg Volca series are brand new, I have little to no clue on Analogue equipment, it's been only 8 months since I got into producing music and I've been learning about different equipment.

Thank you!

You would use an analogue device through an audio Line In, not MIDI. Otherwise it's not analogue.

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Originally Posted by makar1

You would use an analogue device through an audio Line In, not MIDI. Otherwise it's not analogue.

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As in the one in the middle?
http://res2.windows.microsoft.com/re...5521758_17.png

you should be able to get a midi to usb converter, then set the output of Abletons midi to go to your synthesizer, and the synth's audio output would need to be routed back to your soundcard so you will need a good one.

Once that's set up you can use the step sequencer as you normally would with a VST Plugin. The problem with doing this is a lot of analog synths are only capable of producing one sound at a time so you would have to bounce everything back to audio if you require more than one sound from your synth.

I think a better alternative is something like the Arturia Spark, it is a fully software based analog modeling synth with a really intuitive hardware interface, plus you can control hardware synths with it aswell.

here is an indepth review of it

http://youtu.be/-zYgw8nuHGs

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Originally Posted by synthet1c

you should be able to get a midi to usb converter, then set the output of Abletons midi to go to your synthesizer, and the synth's audio output would need to be routed back to your soundcard so you will need a good one.

Once that's set up you can use the step sequencer as you normally would with a VST Plugin. The problem with doing this is a lot of analog synths are only capable of producing one sound at a time so you would have to bounce everything back to audio if you require more than one sound from your synth.

I think a better alternative is something like the Arturia Spark, it is a fully software based analog modeling synth with a really intuitive hardware interface, plus you can control hardware synths with it aswell.

here is an indepth review of it

http://youtu.be/-zYgw8nuHGs

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Thank you for that, without a midi to usb converter I won't be able to use the Korg Volca analogue equipment in Ableton, right?

you would be able to record into it but you wouldn't be able to sequence it from ableton, but midi to usb converters can be brought for about $10 for a crap one but are on pretty much any production soundcard, then you could just daisy chain your synthesizers with the single midi input on ableton, you just need to change the channels on your chained devices, that's why there is 16 channels on every device that can be controlled by midi.

Analog is awesome and the production experience is more organic and far removed from a DAW, but I still think software is the best way to go when you are starting out. Have a play with creating some sounds with VST Plugins you will find it takes a lot of practice and knowledge to get anything good sounding, analog equipment makes it even harder as you can't really save presets. That said analog is better sounding than the software alternative as you get audio artifacts that software can't replicate very well and if you have some valves in your synth you get a richness you will never get in software.

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Originally Posted by synthet1c

you would be able to record into it but you wouldn't be able to sequence it from ableton, but midi to usb converters can be brought for about $10 for a crap one but are on pretty much any production soundcard, then you could just daisy chain your synthesizers with the single midi input on ableton, you just need to change the channels on your chained devices, that's why there is 16 channels on every device that can be controlled by midi.

Analog is awesome and the production experience is more organic and far removed from a DAW, but I still think software is the best way to go when you are starting out. Have a play with creating some sounds with VST Plugins you will find it takes a lot of practice and knowledge to get anything good sounding, analog equipment makes it even harder as you can't really save presets. That said analog is better sounding than the software alternative as you get audio artifacts that software can't replicate very well and if you have some valves in your synth you get a richness you will never get in software.

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Is this basically it?

http://i.imgur.com/dQ2cHwj.png

You should probably buy a production audio interface that has decent line inputs as well as MIDI in/out.

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Originally Posted by makar1

You should probably buy a production audio interface that has decent line inputs as well as MIDI in/out.

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Would you recommend one for less than $150?

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Originally Posted by Danek

Would you recommend one for less than $150?

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Focusrite makes some really nice, affordable sound cards.

Like others have said, I would focus on software to get started on the basics. Once you're more comfortable, buy hardware when the opportunity presents itself. Get one good soft synth and learn it inside out.

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Originally Posted by Danek

As in the one in the middle?
http://res2.windows.microsoft.com/re...5521758_17.png

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If that's your audio interface in the picture, then I agree with makar1. Spend your $150 on a new audio interface before you start worrying about more advanced audio/midi routing and external synths.

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Originally Posted by jdownesbaird

If that's your audio interface in the picture, then I agree with makar1. Spend your $150 on a new audio interface before you start worrying about more advanced audio/midi routing and external synths.

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Nonono, my audio interface is the M-Audio Connectiv.

connective isn't great, there is distortion in it and the latency isn't that low

does anybody have a VOLCA BEATS yet?

I completely gave up on the Volca series, so if anyone is interested in this, I unfortunately have no clue anymore of the answer.

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Originally Posted by Razzlesnaz

does anybody have a VOLCA BEATS yet?

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Gear slutz is filled with people praising the volca series for how inexpensive the hardware is compared to the sounds you can get out of it.