My+Music+Monster+Setup

== = = back to Music Monster June 2010 =**My Music Monster Setup**=
 * 2 Axis-49 midi controllers
 * 2 right angled midi cables
 * The midi cables that come with the Axis-49 takes up too much space.
 * Spray paint and labels
 * Laptop
 * Software for midi mapping and transposition
 * I use PureData and have developed a patch (program) to translate Axis-49 that is in Harmonic Table to Wicki/Hayden layout.
 * PureData is free. My patch is also freely available for anyone who sends me an email asking for it.
 * Virtual midi cable to connect PureData to a DAW
 * I use Midi Yoke. It is great software and is free.
 * DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)


 * I use LMMS (Linux Multi-Media Studio) on Windows and Ableton Live Lite.


 * LMMS is great software and is free. It has more latency on Windows. But it is still usable for me.
 * Ableton Live Lite only allows one plugin. I got the Lite version as a bundle with the M-Audio Audio I/O Interface.
 * Virtual instrument to be loaded into the DAW
 * I use Pianissimo as my piano vst. It is reasonably priced and the sound quality is quite good for me.
 * USB Soundcard
 * I use M-Audio MobilePre. It comes with Ableton Live Lite bundle as I mentioned earlier.
 * I have tried many way to reduce the latency on Windows and to get reasonable sound out of my laptop's sound card. By the end of the day, I would say it is just a waste of time. A hardware audio interface performs much better.
 * Sound Module or headphone
 * If you are buying a powered amp, remember to buy a **keyboard amp** not a guitar amp.
 * USB Hub (optional)
 * To tidy up the cables, I plug the midi controller and the audio interface into the hub. Then plug the hub into the computer.
 * Keyboard stand
 * A "custom play surface" to play the instrument
 * I intend to make a custom enclosing to put all the equipment inside it later.
 * Music stand (optional)

=
I have only started to play with this prototype for couple of weeks. My very subjective assessment is that it is easier to play than anything I have experimented with. Hopefully, for someone who does not have much talent and time (like myself), this will help us to open the door to music instrument playing.======

- MusicLearner
References:
 * Axis-49 - []
 * LMMS - []
 * Ableton Live - []
 * Midi Yoke - []
 * Pianissimo - []
 * M-Audio MobilePre Audio Interface - []
 * [|iJammer - Wireless MIDI Jammer-style Control Surface for the iPad]
 * Since 1998, Mr Fung has been teaching piano using a modified version of Jianpu - []