Audio | Imagination Works

Behringer U-PHORIA UMC202 audio interface review

Lets review external sound card Behringer U-PHORIA UMC202, designed for professional use. It can work with sampling rates up to 192 kHz and 24 bits precision. Its frontal panel has : 2 combined XLR/TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) microphone inputs, to which MIDAS preamplifiers are connected and +48 V phantom power can be connected; for each of them there are linear/Hi-Z work mode and PAD switches, amplification control knobs and signal and clip indicators; TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) output for monitor headphones with volume control, Direct Monitor function switch, power and phantom power application indicators and main outputs volume control knob. Its back panel has : USB port, through which it is powered from computer and communicates with it; phantom power switch; Kensington Lock slot; and TRS ( 1/4″ jack ) linear outputs

External sound card Behringer U-PHORIA UMC202 ( rear view )

It works in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and newer and Mac OS X operating systems, with support of ASIO and CoreAudio interfaces, with which it tightly integrates with modern DAWs : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others. After purchases there are free recording software and instruments and plug-ins are available for download from manufacturer’s web-site. Card is covered with 3 years manufacturer warranty. Package contains : audio card Behringer U-PHORIA UMC202 itself, USB cable, optical disk with drivers and user’s guide. To speak shortly : it is one of the best external sound cards in respect of value/price relation : support of 192 kHz and 24 bits, large amount of connectors and functions and high-quality hardware. So, if there is need to buy external audio interface, then this one is one of the main applicants for this role.

Korg Taktile 49 – MIDI keyboard with drumpads and arpreggiator

In audio part lets review MIDI keyboard Korg Taktile 49 wih drumpads and arpreggiator. It is high quality keyboard, which has 49 full-size velocity-sensitive keys, 16 velocity-sensitive drumpads, arpreggiator module, 8 of each type programmable switches, sliders and knobs, 7 transport control buttons, pitch-bend and assignable wheels, and touchpad and OEL display. It communicates with computer and receives power via 1 USB port and has MIDI input-output, optional peal can be connected to it. It is supported by Windows 7 and newer and Mac OS X version 10.6.8 Snow Leopard and newer operating systems, in which it tightly integrates with modern DAWs, their instruments and VST plugins : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Its sizes are 750 ( width ) x 290 ( depth ) x 83 ( height ) mm, and mass is 3.8 kg. Package contains : MIDI keyboard Korg Taktile 49 itself, USB cable, user’s guide and card with PIN code for licensed software downloading and discounts receiving on various applications. It is high-quality MIDI keyboard with full spectrum of functions for home studio and professional use and it worth its money, especially, if it is bought with discount.

ESI MAYA22 USB – compact studio audio interface for analogue sound recording

Lets meet in audio part with external studio audio interface ESI MAYA22 USB, which is oriented on professional recording of analogue sound. Card can work with 96 kHz sampling rate and 24 bits precision and has 102 dB range of analogue to digital conversion and 108 dB range of digital to analogue conversion. Frontal panel of card contains : microphone XLR input, to which +48 V phantom power can be connected; phantom power switch; instrumental TRS ( 1/4″, 6.3 mm jack ) Hi-Z input; and the same type headphones output; 2nd and 3rd connectors are gold-plated. Rear panel contains : USB port, through which it communicates with computer; linear analogue balanced TRS ( 1/4″, 6.3 mm jack ) inputs ( this allows to neutralize all noise, which is added to signal in cables ); and linear analogue RCA inputs; they all are covered with nickel coating. Card can simultaneously record microphone and instrumental inputs.

External sound card ESI MAYA22 USB ( rear view )

It can work in operating systems Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8.1 and newer via special drivers with support of ASIO 2.0, MME, WDM and DirectSound interfaces and DirectWIRE; and Mac OS X 10.4 and newer without additional drivers installation with support of CoreAudio interface. In them it tightly integrates with modern DAWs : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others. Package contains : ESI MAYA22 USB external sound card itself, optical disks with drivers and software, USB cable and user’s guide. It is good sound card with high sampling rate and precision, which is oriented on professional recording of microphone and instrumental inputs and completed signal transmittance. So it is good device for home studio. Wherein there is need to note, that if card will be used for work with MIDI instruments and digital signal transmittance, then it is better to buy card, that has corresponding connectors.

chord Micro MU Control Station – mini MIDI keyboard with maxi functions

Lets meet in audio part with mini MIDI keyboard chord Micro MU Control Station with functions, that are inherent to high-level keyboards. It has : 25 velocity-sensitive mini-keys, 8 velocity-sensitive drumpads, 4 programmable sliders, 4 programmable knobs and 8 customizable buttons. Wherein its sizes are 320 ( width ) x 35 ( height ) x 190 ( depth ) mm and mass is 750 g. It is powered from 1 USB port and works without additional drivers in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and newer and Mac OS X operating systems via Plug and Play technology, in which it integrates with modern DAWs, their instruments and VST plugins : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Package contains : chord Micro MU Control Station MIDI keyboard itself, USB cable and user’s guide. Overall, it is mini keyboard with very rich functions, which costs approximately 60 USD at the middle of Autumn 2015; pitch-bend and modulation control wheels ( programmable sliders, knobs and even buttons can perform their functions ), pedals inputs and specialized transport control buttons ( programmable buttons can act as they ) can be wished, but with such price it has quite adequate functions.

Akai MPK88 Hammer-Action – professional MIDI keyboard with full spectrum of functions

Lets review professional MIDI keyboard Akai MPK88 Hammer-Action. It has full spectrum of functions for music playing and DAW control. Following modules are integrated into it : 88 velocity-sensitive keys with Aftertouch function; 16 velocity-sensitive drumpads, which also react on pressure strength and have access to 4 samples banks; pitch-bend and modulation control wheels; 8 knobs, 8 buttons and 8 sliders with assignable functions, together they can control 72 parameters with use of Q-Link technology; 6 transport control buttons; Key Split function, which allows to play 2 sounds simultaneously from 1 keyboard; MPC Note Repeat, MPC Swing and arpreggiator modules; MPC Full Level, MPC 16-Level, Tap Tempo and Time Division units; inputs for optional pedals; USB port, through which it is powered and communicates with computer; and MIDI input-output. Keyboard works in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and newer and Mac OS X 10.4.11 and newer operating systems without need of additional drivers installation via Plug and Play technology and tightly integrates with modern DAWs, their instruments and VST plugins : Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live and others.

MIDI keyboard Akai MPK88 Hammer-Action ( rear view )

MIDI is bundled with DAW Ableton Live Lite Akai Pro Edition and is optimized for work with AIR Ignite software. Its sizes are 1.31 ( width ) x 0.38 ( depth ) x 0.13 ( height ) m, and mass is 30.4 kg. Package contains : MIDI keyboard Akai MPK88 Hammer-Action itself, USB cable, optical disks with software and user’s guide. It is very good keyboard with wide range of functions and controllers and corresponding price.

DAW REAPER : creating variation on Jingle Bells theme

DAW REAPER : variation on Jingle Bells theme

Let us continue studying of DAW REAPER, today we will create small variation on Jingle Bells theme. As components we will use the same drums sounds and VST-synthesizer Genobazz 2, which is created by TEK’IT Audio. You can download archive with REAPER project, all sounds files and completed FLAC file of composition via this link : variation on Jingle Bells theme in DAW REAPER. For main melody I used preset Default of synthesizer and for basses Acid Tweet Arp preset. First lets create main melody with use of MIDI notes, then copy their block needed amount of times on its track; then we will use it for basses, by copying and replicating block on their track.

Next we will add accords to main melody : they are 3 notes, which are played together; additional notes are taken through the white key from main note or already placed note, they can be located in the same octave or in different from main note. They can be chosen by the ears, so that they will sound in unison with main melody; also, there is ability to read additional information about accords and their classifications. Then we add drums sounds to composition with use of snares and hats WAV files, which we place in needed places. After arrangement of composition, it starts to sound and now there is ability to continue work on it, making it more interesting. If you have questions about creation of variation on Jingle Bells theme in DAW REAPER, then ask them in comments, I’ll answer on them as soon as I’ll have free time. This is all for today, see you in the next lessons.

DAW REAPER : создаём вариацию на тему Jingle Bells

DAW REAPER : вариация на тему Jingle Bells

Продолжаем осваивать DAW REAPER, сегодня создадим небольшую вариацию на тему Jingle Bells. В качестве составляющих будут использованы всё те же звуки ударных инструментов и VST-синтезатор Genobazz 2 созданный TEK’IT Audio. Архив с проектом REAPER и готовым FLAC-файлом композиции можно скачать по этой ссылке : вариация на тему Jingle Bells в DAW REAPER. Для основной мелодии я выбрал пресет Default синтезатора и для басов выбрал пресет Acid Tweet Arp. Для начала создадим мелодию с помощью нот MIDI, затем скопируем блоки нот нужное количество раз на треке мелодии; затем этот же блок используем для басов, скопировав его нужное количество раз на их трек.

После этого к основной мелодии можно добавить аккорды : это три ноты, которые воспроизводятся одновременно; дополнительные ноты берутся через одну белую клавишу от основной ноты и могут находиться в этой же октаве или в других. Комбинации нот можно подбирать на слух, так, чтобы они звучали в унисон, можно также прочитать дополнительную информацию о том какие бывают аккорды и по каким критериям они классифицируются. Далее добавляем к композиции ударные, расставляя звуки бочек ( snares ) и тарелок ( hats ) в нужных местах. После выстраивания композиции она приобретает звучащий вид и над нею можно работать дальше, делая её более интересной. Если у вас есть вопросы по созданию вариации на тему Jingle Bells в DAW REAPER, то задавайте их в комментариях, я на них отвечу по мере возможности. На сегодня всё, до встречи в следующем уроке.

Review of Novation Impulse 25, 49 and 61 MIDI keyboards

Today in audio part we will look on professional MIDI keyboards Novation Impulse 25, 49 and 61, which are modifications of the same keyboard with according velocity-sensitive keys amounts. Besides them they have : 8 knobs, which can be rotated any amount of times in any direction; 8 velocity-sensitive drumpads with backlight; 9 sliders ( on 49 and 61 models ) or 1 slider ( on 25 model ); 6 transport control buttons; pitch-bend and modulation wheels; 2 octaves control buttons; LCD display; 6 programmable buttons, 4 of which has backlight; 4 control change buttons ( 49 and 61 ) or 3 such buttons ( 25 ); 9 mute and solo buttons; and arpreggiator. They have following ports : USB connector ( through which they are powered and communicate with computer ); MIDI input and output; power adapter input, which is needed only in MIDI connection case; 1/4” ( 6.3 mm ) TRS jack inputs for sustain and expression pedals; and Kensington slot. Keyboards support High Rate Scan ( HRS ) technology, with which they scan their state 10000 times per second and acquire all nuances of musician play. They are tightly integrated with modern DAWs, their instruments and VST plugins : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others. MIDI keyboards are supplied with DAW Ableton Live Lite 9.

MIDI keyboard Novation Impulse 25 ( rear view )

They are compatible with Windows 7, 8 and newer and Mac OSX 10.8 and newer operating systems. Keyboards sizes are : 25 : 525 ( width ) x 332 ( depth ) x 100 ( height ) mm; 49 : 864 ( width ) x 332 ( depth ) x 100 ( height ) mm; и 61 : 1022 ( width ) x 332 ( depth ) x 100 ( height ) mm. Their package contains : Novation Impulse 25, 49 and 61 MIDI keyboards, USB cable, optical disks with software and user’s guide. They are good and functional keyboards with full spectrum of controls and adequate price for their functionality.

ESI U46 XL – professional external audio interface, that is designed for majority of studio tasks

Lets review professional external studio audio interface ESI U46 XL, which is designed for majority of sound recording tasks. It is created on base of preceding model ESI U46DJ. Card’s frontal panel has : balanced XLR microphone input ( this allows to neutralize all noises, which are added to signal during its movement in the cable ) with ability to switch +48 V phantom pwer, switch for choosing of linear or microphone work mode of the input, phantom power button and amplification level control knob; instrumental TRS 6.3 mm ( 1/4″ ) jack Hi-Z input, its Hi-Z or linear work modes switch and amplification level control knob; TRS 6.3 mm ( 1/4″ ) jack output for monitor headphones, their volume level control and power button. Back panel of sound card has : USB port and power adapter input; analogue TRS 6.3 mm ( 1/4″ ) jack mix inputs for left and right channels; 6 analogue RCA outputs ( which can work as 6 independent analogue outputs or as outputs for 5.1 channel audio system ); and 4 analogue RCA inputs. Sound card works on 48 kHz sampling rate with 24 bits precision and 100 dB range of digital-to-analogue and analogue-to-digital conversions. Body of card is produced from aluminum to increase its durability and to reduce electro-magnetic interference on its electronics.

For it drivers are released for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 ( with MME, WDM and ASIO 2.0 interfaces and DirectWIRE support ) and Mac OS X 10.3 and newer ( with support of Core Audio ) operating systems, with which it can tightly integrate with modern DAWs : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others. Card is bundled with DAW Steinberg Cubase LE for PC and Mac systems. Package contains : ESI U46 XL sound card itself, USB cable, optical disks with drivers and software and user’s guide. All in all, this a good professional studio sound card, which supports majority of functions, except of MIDI and digital connectors; its other minuses are support of only 48 kHz sampling rate ( this is due to big channels amount and USB 2.0 bus speed capabilities limits reaching; but higher sampling rates are not always needed, for example, if sound will not be processed too much after recording ) and lack of volume level and clip indicators on its body. So, this interface should be bought only if it will be used exactly for functions, for which it is designed; if there is need to simply buy studio level or fully functional audio interface, then it is better to buy device, which has full spectrum of audio connectors and functions, for approximately the same price.

Nektar Impact LX 49 and 61 – fully-functional MIDI keyboards with optimal prices

Lets review MIDI keyboards Nektar Impact LX 49 and 61, they are variations of one model with 49 and 61 full-sized velocity-sensitive keys. There is ability to choose one of 4 velocity curves or one of 3 fixed velocity levels. Keyboard has octave shifting buttons; pitch-bend and modulation control wheels; 8 velocity-sensitive drumpads ( there is also ability to chose for them one of 4 velocity curves or one of 3 fixed velocity levels ); 8 potentiometers; 9 30 mm faders; 9 programmable buttons; 6 transport control buttons; 5 set and recall parameters sets buttons; pedal input ( pedal itself isn’t bundled with controllers ); and USB port ( through which they are connected to computer or Apple iPad via camera connection kit and from which they are fully powered ). MIDI keyboards are compliant with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and newer and Mac OS X 10.7 and newer operating systems, there is no need in additional drivers for their work. They are tightly integrated with modern DAWs and their instruments : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Package contains : Nektar Impact LX 49 or 61 MIDI keyboard itself, USB cable and user’s guide. These are very functional MIDI keyboards with full spectrum features : keys, drumpads, pitch-bend and modulation control wheels, control buttons, including programmable, and adequate price. One “minus” is their blocky design, but this is a matter of taste and different people have different tastes.

Tag: Audio