Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

This is a question placed directly ans specifically to pianists/Keyboard players if you have knowledge of this please?

I don't have the cash to go splashing out on an array of keyboards and Synths to quench my thirst for unique sounds and such.

My question is this.

Have you ever used VST's Live in a performance, did it work for you and what drawbacks did you face apart from the obvious ones of keeping everyone in time and PC failure?

The PC I can handle, it will be custom heavy duty build but what are your thoughts on this please?

Many thanks.

Chippy.

Yes, I've used VST instruments in Live preferences.....lots!!!! The best way to do this, is with a simple MIDI Controller.

The M-Audio Oxygen Series are pretty good and cheap; I own one (Oxygen 49)

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Oxygen49.html

It's a USB MIDI Controller and I've used it for both Studio and Live performances. It uses very little CPU and it works with any VST Instruments. I plug it to my laptop for gigs and it never crashed on me; I usually have at least 3 VST Instruments loaded, simultaneously (each has around 30-40 MIDI sounds).

The price is great, I've paid $120 (CAN) for the Oxygen 49 (new). You have a 5 Octaves Transpose button and all the knobs, sliders and buttons are automatically linked to the VST Instruments, so you don't even need to use your PC to adjust the settings of the VST. But, you still need to use your PC to switch between VST Instruments, however, you can switch between sounds, withing the open VST Instrument, with the Controller. The Latency is also next to none, which is great!

All my keyboard tracks in my songs, were recorded with this Controller.....and I've got quite a few VST Instruments

This is a quick sample of a new song that I'm working on, it has 5 VST Instruments. This is just a little demo and please, don't comment on the vocals, it's a work in progress

Anyway, it's called Bottom Feeders: http://headbangerstudio.com/Audio/Project%20Unknown/BottomFeeders.swf

Hey Dave thanks very much for the info and I find it really interesting that you have the VST's loaded via the Keyboard, it must be awesome to have that control thanks very much indeed for all of this fab info.

The controller I have just has keys and I'm so annoyed I missed out on one similar to yours for just 25 bucks on Friday, Ugh!

Great I'll take this as a yes it can be done and do some research. Thanks again very much Dave.

Chippy.

Glad I can help

Hey Davey boy. Sorry you must think I'm ignorant

I liked your little piece you posted. It probably got lost in our conversation for people to have not commented on it.

Tell me what did you use with your Laptop to run that Keyboard please?
was it something like the M-Audio USB external card.
Anyway apologies.

Haha, asking a question is never a dumb thing to do

The M-Audio Oxygen is a USB MIDI Controller, so how it runs depends on the software you use. The VST Instruments that I have are not stand-alone, so I need a software to load them.

This is what I do:

- Plug my Oxygen 49 into a USB port on my PC
- Open Cubase SX3 (recording software)
- Load the VST Instruments that I want to use
- Create MIDI Tracks (as many as you need)
- In the MIDI Track, select the Oxygen 49 as the MIDI Input and the VST Instrument as the MIDI Output.

I use this process for both recording and live performances.

I'll send you a few screenshots and possibly a video, once I get home from work (about 1 hour from now).

You is good is you.
Hey Dave thanks so much pal. I'm probably going to end up using a desktop but this is fab info thanks very much for sharing.

Do you notice any latency issues? I have a Delta 2496 at present but I'll obviously need another sometime soon.

Many thanks again.

I have no latency problems with the Oxygen 49.

Here's a small video that I just made; it goes through my process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl0kDzQYiLc

Aaaalllrighty then. Simple. I feel like I'm living in the stone-age here.
Nice tune Dave. You gonna post it when your done completing it?

Thanks man! And, yes, I will post the sample now and and post it agin, once it's done!

Dave this is awesome thanks for posting it.