Anyone recording with a Yamaha MODX8?

[debmccall]

Just got the Yamaha MODX 8. Nice keyboard, supposed to be compatible with CUBASE (access to libraries and so forth) for recording. I am getting some tutoring with Cubase...but since I got this keyboard for all the great sounds, is there any advice for recording various sounds/piano etc coming from a keyboard such as this one?

[andygabrys]

Deb,

At this point, most people who are having great success are using sounds derived either from recording live instruments / voice or using software Virtual Instruments which are very flexible for sound programming and use of effects.

These days, anything vintage and cool has been sampled by someone and made into a software virtual instrument.
Anything new and cool has been done in the same way.
As cool as the sounds are in some of these Keyboards, there is little reason to have one beyond using it as a MIDI controller.

The only exception would be someone who has collected many original vintage hardware synths and Rhodes, wurli, B3 organ and makes their business off recording actual parts on these instruments.

If you want to cut right to the chase forget about most of the sounds in semi-modern hardware tone modules and keyboards. They become dated quickly, and usually are already laden with effects as they are made to sound good in live performance with a band. To be able to mix them properly you often need to ditch all the effects and add others in the mix itself.

In your other post about broadcast quality:

Broadcast quality means your piece can stand up to other similar popular pieces in a certain genre and not stick out as amateurish.

Paulie hit it right on: A/B comparisons against commercially available music is the #1 way to make yours meet the bar. Keep on working on it. Youtube is filled with free tutorials on how to accomplish things in various DAWs like Cubase.

Recording stuff from a keyboard:

If you have a keyboard its got the capability to be a MIDI controller for any virtual instrument that you have running inside Cubase.

To capture the actual sound output of the keyboard is fairly simple - you just plug the mono output (usually one of the 1/4" jacks is mono if you only use one output) or stereo output using 2 x 1/4" cables and run them into your audio interface.

You can play live along with your track capturing what you play in this manner, or its also possible to pre-record a MIDI part in your arrangement, have it output to the sound bank of the Yamaha keyboard, have it trigger a sound you like in the keyboard, and record it back into the DAW. You might have to shift your recorded audio regions a few milliseconds in the arrangement to make them line up correctly with the click depending on what latency your system has (usually related to the process buffer size).

Hope that helps!

[debmccall]

Hi Andy,
Thanks for the input. We struggle with recording period. My husband and I were not born into the techy gen. So we have had Cubase for a few years , and still need to see a tutor...HA!! no kidding You are obviously very gifted in that area, we listened to your cue and your resume is very impressive.

We have backgrounds in live performance totaling over 25 years...but I have always loved writing since I was about 9, and Lord willing will continue. Found out about Taxi over 5 years ago, and it's been a learning curve that seems to go in a circle. I like the Yamaha, but feel like I made a mistake in buying now...however the piano/pianos should still be usable, shouldn't it/they?

There is a direct connect USB from the keyboard to CUBASE...but we have not even ventured that far. Do you use CUBASE?? We actually use a little sister to it mostly...It is Sequel 3...also a Steinberg product.

Hope to hear back from you, thanks for taking the time for us...

deb and keith

[andygabrys]

HI again,

Deb - I totally get where you are coming from. The tech thing is daunting, and its a serious barrier to getting much done until you are able to get around it / learn enough to get started.

Tom is right - you can record directly from the audio outputs of your Yamaha keyboard - and for solo piano things, that might be great or enough.

For most things, plugging the Yamaha in via the USB is going to allow it to be used just as a controller - and then trigger sounds which are in your computer / cubase. The funny thing is a really cutting edge piano plugin is <$300 (versus the $3,000 you likely paid for the keyboard) and its easier to mix and make it sound great using Cubase that dealing with the Yamaha by itself. So if you like the hammer action of the Yamaha use it as a controller.

I used to use Cubase but that was about 1,000 years ago so can't be of much help. There are others here who do and if you make a separate post for Cubase wizard needed somebody might be able to help you.

Once somebody takes you through the process a few times you will find its not that hard to recreate it.

Good luck!!

p.s. - I am not always "right" but have enough experience to know what things are more trouble than they are worth.

[debmccall]

Thank you Tom and Andy!! I did find out that this MODX is already "wired" for CUBASE and will, as you said act as the controller...allowing me to tap into lots of sounds etc. The last CUBASE lesson we had was a good stepping stone... Really appreciate the help and encouragement to follow thru!

[jimbaker]

Just got the Yamaha MODX 8. Nice keyboard, supposed to be compatible with CUBASE (access to libraries and so forth) for recording. I am getting some tutoring with Cubase...but since I got this keyboard for all the good sounds, is there any advice for recording various sounds/piano etc coming from a keyboard such as this one?

Would you recommend me to get this keyboard? I hope this thread will help me to make the right choice.

[Zaychi]

As said above, pick a keyboard based on the controller aspects of it (for example, do you like the interaction between your fingers and the physical keys) and not on the sound it generates, you will find yourself replacing that in the software anyway.

[cosmicdolphin]

Would you recommend me to get this keyboard? I hope this thread will help me to make the right choice.

Not for working on production music no, just get a good controller keyboard that suits your needs. The built in sounds will likely never cut it and it's much easier to work in the DAW with VSTi's