husker
Thank you abacab. A few follow up questions:
>If you are using the FA-08 Audio interface over USB as your primary PC audio interface, I think you could plug the audio output from the Moog directly into the the rear panel audio input on the FA-08 as a second audio input channel to the PC.
If I do this, somehow I can choose within Sonar which keyboard to record? Would this be separate Midi channels?
Would this be using the Midi out of the Moog to the Midi in of the Roland, or the TRS 1/4 type connector out of the Moog to the TRS 1/4 type in of the Roland?
That looks like an awesome keyboard! I just saw BobF's comment, and I was going to suggest that you ping him, since he just picked up an FA
I realize that that the Sonar docs are a little sparse regarding initial audio/MIDI studio setup. Your Roland keyboard has a cool feature (the internal audio interface + MIDI over USB), that unfortunately blends the visual aspects of keeping things separate in your head as well as Sonar. When I started out, MIDI was MIDI 5-pin DIN cables, and audio was TRS 1/4 cables. But the basic concepts have not changed.
First, realize that you need to decide what you want to record.
Audio, or MIDI, or both? You can do either alone, or both simultaneously, once you have installed the audio interface and the USB MIDI ports in Windows. Sonar should see the audio inputs/outputs available as well as the MIDI input/output from the keyboard.
If you just want to record the audio output of your keyboard's internal sounds (the audio waveforms), then assign them to
audio tracks in Sonar trackview (connect your synth to an audio interface, such as the Tascam, using TRS 1/4, if you are NOT using Roland's internal audio interface). Sonar behaves like a digital tape recorder in this case. There is no need to assign or record the MIDI port in Sonar to do this. On each audio track, you can assign the audio input from your hardware that you wish to record from. This is the same method you would use to record any other external hardware such as a microphone or guitar, for example.
You can record the MIDI track performance data in Sonar by assigning the instrument via it's MIDI input to it's own
MIDI track. That way you can edit the MIDI performance if you wish and replay the sequence. You must also assign the correct MIDI output to your instrument to trigger it during playback of the MIDI track.
Remember, MIDI has no sound, it is just a sequence of data like a piano roll, that tells the synth which note to play. It can also send volume, velocity, expression controls, as well as system messages (bank/patch change, etc).
husker
>Or you could just use the Tascam 4x4 for the audio inputs from both keyboards.
If I do this, I would use the the TRS 1/4 I assume. Are these stereo connectors? Same question, I can set in Sonar somehow which keyboard to record (or do them both at once on separate tracks?
I _think_ I would prefer to use the Tascam, but I'm not sure if it has any benefits.
Thank you abacab. You helped me out quite a bit over the summer as well.
I'm sure that the Moog would be a great addition, however I would recommend just getting things set up and working well to your satisfaction and understanding with one keyboard first. If you go the Tascam only route initially, you will need to run 1/4 cables from the Roland audio outputs to the Tascam, using the Roland USB for MIDI only.
Then add to that as you grow into it. You will have everything you need to get connected and running, since you already have the Tascam. Be patient, one step at a time
As far as building your DAW, I recommend hopping over to the computer forum to ask any PC related questions. There are lots of guys there who can make the best recommendations to spec a DAW for the best Sonar experience. I think you have the music hardware and audio interfaces well covered now.
Good luck!