Newbie - inherited some equipment, need help and direction

[utopify]

Hello crew!

A little while ago my family and I (Dad, brothers) decided to setup a recording studio to record classic rock. Well, we all went our separate ways and moved around the country.

I was lucky enough to inherit (buy out) the little studio we had setup.

I am really wanting to get into electronic music. I know everyone loves Skrillex and so do I, but I DONT necessarily want to sound just like Skrillex - I also like Porter Robinson, Al Bizzare, Deadmau5, and several others.

I have NO idea what tools to use or buy - so I thought I'd share with what I have and nicely ask what you guys recommend to get me started.

Recently purchased: Launchpad and Ableton Suite 8. I also have an i7 laptop with 8gb ram running 64bit windows 7 (yes, I want a macbook pro). I also bought an m-audio trigger finger, but have not met up with the guy yet (hopefully he comes through).

Inherited from the recording studio:

Yamaha XS8 keyboard (this thing's a monster). Can I use this as a midi controller?
Roland VS-2480CD workstation.
AKG C1000s (microphone - sits in a cradle thing).
Universal Audio LA-610 (microphone pre-amp i believe)
Two EVENT 20/20 monitors
Mackie BIG KNOB
Some multi-headphone amp thing that I forget the name of but don't use since it's just me.

I hope I can make something work....I am sure having fun with just ableton on my laptop...knowing nothing else!

Thank you for any help and input to help me get started.

My end goals: Make some neat/fun tracks that I can start out playing for family members and maybe upload for critics. Again, I am going for a House/Trance/Dubstep mix of sounds with varying time signatures and so forth....

Many thanks!

[jer_mcclain]

you have everything you need, now go make music

[utopify]

Thanks.....but what hooks into what? How can I use these tools? I only have a launchpad and picking up a trigger finger because so many of you have them. How can I setup this studio? I feel like I don't really even need the Roland, but my Monitors have 1/4" jack inputs on them, and I am using the Roland to help tie things together. I dont know...I'm lost. If I go audio L/R out of the Yamaha to the monitors...its playing the sounds of the keyboard, not the laptop. The laptop has a standard headphone jack. If I want sounds from the yamaha xs8, I guess I need to record them as an audio track through the mic? This is a disaster....I'm sorry so posing a rather crappy question.

[Tyko]

yeah thats a good start lol

[regretfullySaid]

Hire a tutor!

[login]

Just look at ableton built in tutorials.

Of that equipment you list you will only need a keyboard as a midi controler. To connect it you will need a midi interface, also you may need an audio interface to connect your monuitors to the computer.

Almost all audio interface come with midi in and outs, depending on your budget there are tons to choose from.

[simmerdown]

oh dear, to have such a problem!

avoid the pitfall of thinking you need to figure this all out at once, get working and introduce the devices as needed, for you want to create

hope that helps, sincerely

[jer_mcclain]

Thanks.....but what hooks into what?

oh, right, so appears that you will need an audio interface (a device that connects your computer to the Event monitors). i would suggest getting an audio interface with a built-in midi interface so you can connect the Yamaha and us it as a controller. That model might have a usb connection you can use for midi but I am not sure about that. The audio connects via usb (or firewire) to your laptop and connects to the Event monitors via 1/4". You can run the outputs of the Yamaha into the audio interface ins and record into Live. You are lucky to have a good pre-amp and mic already which you can run into the audio interface as well.

[utopify]

OK Cool....so I need to find an audio interface. Too bad the Mackie Big Knob doesn't have MIDI out on it or that would work.

The Yamaha XS8 has MIDI in and out. I also have a Midi to USB cable. So, essentially I have a way to use the Yamaha as a Midi Controller.

Two questions:

1. Is the only way to utilize the sounds and samples in the Yamaha into Ableton via microphone to audio sample?

2. In order to get a true stereo output to the EVENT monitors, I need to find this "audio interface" that will allow me to have a USB to the audio interface, and then plug the monitors into the interface, correct?

Thanks again for helping.

[utopify]

UPDATE - it looks like I might be able to use the Roland as an audio interface....yes - an expensive way to do that....but it has a midi in and out on it...and a monitor hook up. Until I can get a fast track pro or something.

[antarktika]

I know everyone loves Skrillex

False!

Hello crew!
I am really wanting to get into electronic music. I know everyone loves Skrillex and so do I, but I DONT necessarily want to sound just like Skrillex - I also like ... Deadmau5

Apologies, couldn't help it, or this:

picking up a trigger finger because so many of you have them.

...

Carry on!

[utopify]

sorry, I'm a little deaf in this ear, speak up next time.

[antarktika]

All joking aside though, that is quite the epic set up for a beginner, well played!

[fcarroll]

Looks like you have everything you need, in regards to Tutorials, YouTube will be your best friend, and also I would be a big fan of Tom Cosm's tutorials, his advice and techniques apply to most genres.

Now all you need to do is not sleep for the next 6 months and learn, learn, learn like a sponge!

[savyurrecords]

FWIW you could not use the Roland as an interface. In fact I would just sell it for a little cash, a little that is.

Get some sort of audio interface, 4 ins and 4 outs are normally plenty but really you only need a 2 x 2, make sure it has a 1x1 midi IO for your keyboard. plug your Big Knob into outputs 1 and 2, 1 will be left channel 2 will be right channel. Then plug your Event monitors into the outputs of the mackie. Plug the AKG mic into the LA-610 and the 610 into a line input on the interface. If it will only be you no need for the headphone amp as the interface and the mackie will provide that. The Yamaha can be used as a midi controller as long as you have some sort of MIDI IO connected to the computer. Connect the yamahas midi out to the computers midi in