Are musical instruments with computers & midi keyboard for you?

Computers are faster and more reliable than ever before and with these technology advancements it has opened up the door to use software and musical instruments in conjunction with this new found power. With new products coming out everyday it has never been harder to determine if a computer setup may work for you as a digital keyboard. We will look at how expensive a workstation setup compared to the software route will add up when trying to not break the bank account. Also, how portable is a computer setup and is it expandable? When you complete the reading of this article you should know exactly which way you want to invest your hard earned money.

Musical instruments over the years have slowly been adapted to the digital format but none so prominently as the piano which became the keyboard. The first major innovation came in the 60′s when Bob Moog unveiled his Moog series of keyboards. While still analog, these advancements set the stage for the digital revolution to begin. Today the choice to setup a keyboard workstation using a computer and software is much debated just as the analog versus digital audiophiles have squabbled about for decades now.

So that leaves us with the current set of choices that seem to be most prevalent among new keyboard purchasers. Do you buy the all in one workstation which would be considered the more traditional route or do you go the newer computer/software road. There are many things to consider before making your choice and hopefully I will be able to shed some new light on which one is right for you. First things first lets see what makes up each keyboard setup. For the workstation its simply the keyboard along with any accessories you would want to include, but for the most part everything you need is built into the synthesizer. Things are a bit more difficult for using software. Your brains of the operation will be a computer so if you want this to be portable then you will have to use a laptop.

Secondly you will need an audio sound card to handle the processing of the digital signal. Its possible the one built into your computer may be ok for just one signal with a half to quarter inch jack converter running into the microphone input, but chances are the latency (the time it takes for you to hit a key and have it converted and output through your speakers) will be too high to deal with. So along with a computer you will need a simple external sound card to process the signal. Add to that a midi controller and the software and you now have a solid software setup.

Wow, it can be a bit overwhelming when considering a software setup. So why would anyone choose this route then? As far as Im concerned the sounds are far superior to anything you will find built into a workstation and the ability to expand your setup and add-on is limitless. Not only that, but you now have the capability to record your ideas or songs using a piece of recording software like (Pro-Tools, Nuendo, etc). As a matter of fact you kill two birds with one stone buy purchasing an M-box by Pro-Tools. Not only would that allow you to record onto your computer and come with the software to do that, you could use it for live performances as well.

So does ease of use and setup time become more important than the overall quality of sounds and add ons? Plus how can you argue against the fact that this is turning your computer into a home studio. Yes, some workstations can do some simple recordings but it will not create a demo for your band to add to myspace.

Some good examples of software would be anything by Native Instruments. Also my absolute favorite libraries are made by East West. They record all of their sounds using the highest quality of mics, recorded by professionals and convert them to individual wav files. With a midi controller you can be John Williams and score your own soundtrack with just one piece of software.

In conclusion let’s discuss the pricing of each setup. First is this going to be used for live gigs or just home use. If you do plan to take it on the road then do you have a laptop? If you do not then you have to add the purchase of one into the final price. Good workstations can cost between one to four thousand dollars but they will usually have better playability than most midi controllers. If a laptop purchase is not required then it is probably a safe bet that a software solution will be cheaper.

When you add up your main components (controller, sound-card, and software) you should be able to stay under one thousand dollars. You do have to be aware that some software, including the above mentioned East West, can be just as pricey as a new laptop. In the end, the amount of software you decide to buy is what will really determine how much you spend on this setup. Hopefully I have been able to guide you through the mysterious world of software setups for the keyboard (or even other musical instruments) and you should now be able to make better choice as to which is right for you.