Keyboard via audio interface

[deef]

Hi Guys,

I'm searching for the best (affordable) layout to produce music at home. I need a audio interface with an input for guitar and mic. I also want to us a keyboard (possible Akai MPK mini) to add notes and drum input. Does the keyboard also connect to an audio interface or directly to the laptop. If it connects directly do I need two usb - input on my laptop and does the software recognize the audio interface and keyboard as seperate inputs ?

 

[digitallysane]

Hi Guys,

I'm searching for the best (affordable) layout to produce music at home. I need a audio interface with an input for guitar and mic. I also want to us a keyboard (possible Akai MPK mini) to add notes and drum input. Does the keyboard also connect to an audio interface or directly to the laptop. If it connects directly do I need two usb - input on my laptop and does the software recognize the audio interface and keyboard as seperate inputs ?

That particular keyboard is a MIDI controller that only has an USB connection, so it can only connect directly to the laptop.
You'll need some software to make music with it (virtual instruments).

 

[deef]

Thanks, So that means I dont need a audio interface to add input from a keyboard to the laptop ? And it als means I would have to seperate input to my laptop (and software) ; audio interface and keyboard ? Is this recognized by the software ?

 

[digitallysane]

Thanks, So that means I dont need a audio interface to add input from a keyboard to the laptop ? And it als means I would have to seperate input to my laptop (and software) ; audio interface and keyboard ? Is this recognized by the software ?

You don't need an audio interface in order to connect the keyboard. That keyboard does only MIDI, not audio (it's not a synthesizer, just a controller).
But if you want to do audio production, you really want an audio interface.

 

[DVDdoug]

"Modern" MIDI uses USB and if you don't have enough USB ports you can add a hub.

If a keyboard has an audio output you can use an instrument input or a line-input on an audio interface. Many interfaces have switchable inputs with a combo TS/TRS/XLR input jacks. Note that audio interfaces work with "pro" XLR mics and they are not compatible with "computer mics".

A headphone-output will also work into a line-input but you might need a Y-splitter to connect the interface and headphones at the same time. Or some interfaces have zero-latency direct-hardware monitoring where the monitoring doesn't have to go through the computer.

Most keyboards will have audio and MIDI. It's probably good to have an audio output because it will work without a computer so you can "just play it" and/or you might want to listen to the audio output while capturing the MIDI. The audio will generally sound somewhat different (or a lot different) from the virtual instrument.

You might get latency (delay) when playing through the computer in real-time and that will make it difficult to play.

MIDI is "notes & timing" with some other information so the files are small. You can change the virtual instrument after recording or change/correct the notes & timing.

Most of the background music you hear on TV and in (modern) movies is MIDI.