In terms of music production using the computer, I’m a total beginner, as well as an eternal apprentice, musically speaking.
On a budget, I am trying to DIY my modest homestudio, which for that matter is basically comprised of 2 x UbuntuStudio PCs (desktop + laptop) + 1 x behringer UMC204HD audio interface + 2 x Mics (1 USB + 1 XLR).
I did build Ardour 8.6.446
c"Kite Stories" and now I’m considering acquiring the Akai Professional MPK mini plus MIDI keyboard controller, since it seems to offer great value for its cost.
I am eager to hear from the community any experiences and advice around the use of this MIDI keyboard controller coupled with Ardour 8.6 in UbuntuStudio.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Best regards
PS: the music I’m going to play/record will include using the mic (for singing, playing the classical guitar, the saxophone and some acoustic percussion), and the midi keyboard for all sorts of other instruments…
I never felt any joy using these MIDI controllers with mini keys. The only keyboards with mini keys that are somewhat decent, imho, are the Yamaha Reface models. But they are badly suited as MIDI controllers for other reasons.
My advice would be to get a MIDI keyboard with normal size keys instead, even if it’s only a cheap used one, and some other additional device if you need more knobs and faders and transport controls (play, pause, rec, etc.) than the keyboard provides, e.g. something like a korg nanoKontrol or a Novation Launch Control.
Yes, I unfortunately understood much later the USB mic caveat. As I do have a cheap (and working) XLR mic, which is recognized by the audio interface, I might stick to that from now on.
The idea in getting a midi keyboard with additional functionalities, was to help me circumvent my current lack of expertise around Ardour, as I actually do have a very old StudioLogic/Fatar CMK-49 MIDI keyboard - recognized by the audio interface, and therefore by Ardour - but I still need to learn how to outmanoeuver Ardour in leveraging that keyboard in lieu of the various instruments/effects/utilities provided by the pluggins, upon creation of MIDI tracks, etc.
I will carefully study your suggestions.
Thanks once again @SpotlightKid for your help and time !
Hello again,
After a lot of searching, I’m back to my initial (and perhaps stubborn) query.
I am looking for maximum simplicity, portability and the fewer number of devices possible, I wonder if it does make sense to interconnect the AKAI MPK Mini Plus* to the UMC204HD audio interface, and also the older Fatar CMK-149 MIDI keyboard, being one of them (perhaps the older one) the master, as it has just the ordinary piano keys with no additional stuff.
My question concerns the physical connectivity between these 3 devices and the interoperability with Ardour.
I hope I make sense.
Thanks for your insights.
(*) I like the idea of having drum keys within one same gear, so I can focus only in learning it and its Ardour integration…
Yes, using several MIDI input devices together is no problem.
I believe your CMK-149 only has 5-pin DIN MIDI output, so you need to connect it with a standard MIDI cable to your UMC204HD interface. This will then appear in Ardour as a MIDI input named after the audio interface.
You can use additional MIDI interfaces, e.g. ones with USB MIDI. They will appear as their own MIDI inputs (and also usually MIDI outputs) with their own name.
To use a MIDI input device for note input (i.e. for recording MIDI regions), go to Ardour’s “Edit → Preferences” and under “MIDI → MIDI Port Config” make sure that for each MIDI input device all three options “Music Data”, “Control Data” and “Follow Selection” are enabled (see The Ardour Manual - Preferences).
Then when you create a MIDI tracks, as you select each of them, the MIDI input of all these devices will be routed to the currently selected track.
If you want to use the knobs and faders and buttons of devices like the MPK mini to control Ardour transport functions, track levels, mute/solo, etc. and plugin parameters, you need to enable the device as a Generic MIDI control surface. Again, the manual has a thorough description of the settings:
Hi @SpotlightKid, thanks once again for your kind and prompt reply.
Indeed the CMK-149 has only one 5-pin DIN MIDI output (+ 1 sustain pedal jack) - however, I am currently away from (not very portable, thence, amongst other reasons, the need to get a richer yet more portable MIDI keyboard controller).
For now, I’m scratching my head to decide which one to buy given that I want to hook everything to the behringer audio interface, and use Ardour as the DAW, unless not possible. I really would love to give preference to one 100% compatible with Ardour in Linux (but not too expensive, of course).
The audio interface only handles analog audio input and output and traditional 5-pin DIN MIDI connections. Most MIDI devices today come with USB MIDI, either exclusively or in addition to DIN MIDI.
Using an USB audio interface and another USB MIDI device together is not a problem, just plug both in! There is no need and no real advantage* of using the audio interface for MIDI I/O as well (unless you are using older MIDI hardware, which only has DIN MIDI).
So just get an USB MIDI keyboard with the controls, button, pads etc. you need and where you like the keyboard and use it together with your audio interface. Again, I think most MIDI keyboards with mini keys are sh*t, but if you don’t normally play keyboard you maybe don’t care.
* DIN MIDI can have advantages, e.g. if disconnecting a device by accident can be a problem, for example in a live situation, or it sometimes can yield better timing when doing synchronization using MIDI clock. But these are very specific circumstances you shouldn’t worry about in your situation.
I finally decided to go for the Novation Launchkey Mini 25 (NOVLK25MIN4). Awaiting for its delivery.
Thanks for all the support so far.
PS: EDIT: @SpotlightKid opinion on the mini keys produced their effect on me, so I’m trying to change the order from “Mini 25” to 25… hopefully they do it…
