Download here: http://gg.gg/nvrrx
*Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Number Diagram
*Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Number Lookup
*Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Number Key
*Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Numbers
Chords and melody can be played in realtime in the Live Window, with or without a connected MIDI keyboard controller or pre-entered in the Sequencer Window. Sequencing / Arranging 6 different views on the same MIDI file: Main/Recorder, Arranger, Pianoroll, Karaoke, Eventlist and Staff. From the S-Series MIDI keyboards the S88 brings a realistic piano feel to MIDI controller playing, with a fully-weighted, hammer action Fatar keybed to give you more expressive control. All S-Series MIDI controllers come with high-res color screens for quick visual reference and feedback when using KOMPLETE KONTROL and MASCHINE software. The best kind of MIDI keyboard controllers come with octave shift buttons which allows you to access a full range of note pitches even from a 25-key controller. However, if you are an experienced or two-handed player, there are 32-key, 37-key, 49-key, 61-key, and 88-key controllers available. The serial interface would create a virtual serial port. The software that reads the MIDI data and produces the keystrokes could send a serial message to the virtual serial port. The microcontroller would send a keystroke so it would look like a standard keyboard input. This would allow interfacing both MIDI ports and USB MIDI keyboards.What is Chirp?
Turn your laptop keyboard into a MIDI keyboard controller. Capture musical inspiration on the go without having to lug along a hardware MIDI keyboard. Just use your laptop’s keyboard or mouse to enter notes and chords in any music software requiring MIDI input or providing MIDI output. Use Chirp to audition soft synth patches in your favorite DAW or recording application. Want to write that masterpiece or work on that string part in your DAW during your cross-country flight? Chirp makes it both possible and easy. The keyboard is resizable on the user’s display, and the computer key mappings are shown as labels on the piano keys and trigger pads/controls.Chirp Features and Quick Specifications
*Runs on Mac OS X to 10.9 or Windows XP/Vista/7.
*High quality re-sizable keyboard display shows piano keys being pressed with photo-realistic shadowing
*Includes 10 programmable trigger pads map-able to any MIDI event-even SYSEX commands
*2 controller wheels allow mouse or trackpad entry of any MIDI continuous controller
*Installs as a virtual MIDI port-appears in the MIDI Devices menu of any music software applicationChirp Overview Documentation
This section contains general overview information about the Chirp Virtual MIDI Keyboard application.Chirp Overview BrochureChirp User ManualChirp for Windows
For Windows users, these documents provide installation and setup help along with troubleshooting advice in case of an issue.Chirp Installation GuideChirp Windows Troubleshooting GuideMicrosoft GS Wavetable Synth IssuesWindows MIDI Port Limits, SongFrame and ChirpChirp for Mac
For Mac users, these documents provide installation and setup help along with troubleshooting advice in case of an issue.Chirp Installation GuideChirp Mac Troubleshooting GuideChirp Mac Pro Tools Setup GuideChanging the Default Settings in Chirp Mac OS X VersionChirp Virtual MIDI Keyboard ControllerReason Setup Guide - Mac OS X
Chirp will run in Trial Mode for 30 days before you need to buy a license key to unlock it. We encourage you to take it for a test drive before you purchase it to be sure it fits your needs. Please refer to the Documentation tab for installation and getting started guides, as well as detailed operational information.Chirp Build 1.2 Downloads
These downloads work with serial numbers purchased between 2008 and June 2012. The Pace Interlok anti-piracy protection has been removed, otherwise these versions are identical to the current Build 2.0 in functionality. Please EMAIL us at support@tanageraudioworks.comto get an updated license key for Chirp Build 2.0. This is free for previous Chirp customers.Chirp Example Screens
Examples of Chirp screen shots can be found below. Chirp Detailed Information
Chirp turns your computer or laptop keyboard into a virtual MIDI keyboard controller with 18 piano keys, 10 drum triggers and all the control you’d expect from a piece of hardware. The program produces no actual ’sound’ itself - instead it produces MIDI notes and messages, which in turn ’drive’ any music software application, MIDI instrument or plug-in soft synthesizer capable of generating sound from MIDI input. Many music software applications and soft synths include some virtual keyboard capability, but very few allow the MIDI notes to be generated using your computer keyboard. Many limit input to a mouse click, which makes chord entry and real-time playing virtually impossible. Chirp accommodates up to 7 notes on the keyboard to be played simultaneously and in real-time, allowing for even complex 9/11/13 chord entry over 2 octaves.
Chirp was designed to be a low latency controller capable of both supply MIDI notes and displaying played notes from any music application with MIDI I/O capabilities. We envisioned the primary computer platform as a Windows or Mac laptop, and most likely in a remote environment where the use of a physical keyboard is impractical, such as an airplane seat, bus seat (or even your desk at work!) Chirp allows the user to choose which computer keys are mapped to the piano keyboard keys, as well as assign the trigger pads to any MIDI event. Chirp FeaturesPorts
*16 Channel Virtual MIDI Input/Output Port (installs via driver on Windows or Mac and appears in any MIDI music host application)
*Piano Keyboard and Trigger Pads assignable to different MIDI ChannelsKeyboard
*High resolution photo-realistic display - large and small display sizes available
*18 to 21 notes mapped to computer keyboard keys for generating MIDI data with assignable velocities
*18 to 21 on-screen keys to display incoming MIDI note data
*Note velocity controlled by graphical slide or preset values assigned to top row number keys graphical octave control allows access to all 127 defined MIDI notesControls
*2 programmable continuous controller wheels operated with the mouse or glide pad - assignable to any continuous controller
*Space Bar assignable as on/off pedal (damper/sustain, etc)
*10 trigger pads assignable to any MIDI event (on a different channel than the keyboard keys)
*’All Notes Off’ Panic button
*Ability to send note data even when Chirp is not the focused application (’Send Notes Always’ function.)MIDI Data Capable From Continuous Controller Wheels
*Control every MIDI continuous controller defined in the latest MIDI Specification
*Pitch Bend and Mod wheel set up as default controllers; user can define any combination of MIDI Controllers to assign to wheelsMIDI Data From Trigger Pads
*Note On/Off with assignable velocity
*Program Change messages
*Specific Controller Values
*SYSEX Messages
*Default mapping to GM Drums on MIDI Channel 10 for most commonly used drum soundsMinimum Computer System Requirements
Windows - 2.33GHz or faster x86-compatible processor, or Intel Atom™ 1.6GHz or faster processor for netbook class devices. Microsoft® Windows® XP, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista® Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise (including 64 bit editions) with Service Pack 2, Windows 7, or Windows 8 Classic. 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended.) Chirp also installs the required Adobe AIR framework during the installation process, and also installs the required LoopBe30 MIDI Loopback Driver.
Mac - Intel® Core™ Duo 1.83GHz or faster processor
Mac OS X v10.6, v10.7, v10.8, or v10.9. 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended.) Chirp also installs the required Adobe AIR framework during the installation process.
REVIEW:While the concept of a music keyboard with a computer inside isn’t entirely new, the folks at Austin, Texas start-up Music Computing think they might have invented the new sweet spot in bridging the gap between the notebook and controller crowd and the people who won’t use anything other than a Yamaha Motif or Roland Fantom-style workstation keyboard.
Company founder and CEO Victor Wong is no stranger to computers and music having been the former CEO of Open Labs, as well as having had numerous stints at tech companies including an authorized Macintosh clone company, and value added resellers (VARs). For the new company, his team has addressed a number of shortcomings with other PC-based music products out there, a couple of which include price and portability.
Having owned quite a few PC powered systems myself, including a Muse Receptor, two Open Labs NeKo models (TSE and XXL), a Korg Oasys, and even a Hartman Neuron, I seem to fit into the target audience for this kind of thing, and sure enough, I was one of the first folks to order one of Music Computing’s new keyboards (customer #8).
So what is it?
The new StudioBLADE line of “keyboard production stations” follows somewhat in the footsteps of what competitor Open Labs has been doing for a while now with their NeKo and MiKo systems, but ironically tries to be more “open” in their approach to design and physical construction. They are smaller, more compact, and weigh less than either a NeKo, or even a Yamaha Motif XF6, thanks to lightweight aluminum, and not over-complicating the internals.
Powered by Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit, the StudioBLADE comes pre-installed with the Presonus Studio One DAW application (full version, with mastering support), as well as a couple of proprietary VST instruments. First, SonicSource emulates the sound library you might find in a modern ROMpler, but with 8GB of sounds (more than 8x the sample data what comes with a Motif, by the way) as well as TriggerGrid, which is a drag-and-drop drum and sampler sound environment that works with the built-in grid control surface.Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Number Diagram
Out of the box, the StudioBLADE 61 is a shiny and surprisingly compact keyboard roughly 36-inches long, 18-inches deep and about 4-inches thick when the 10-inch USB-powered touch panel is not deployed. The unit is compact enough to fit on a classic Ultimate Support Apex stand (using the longer support bars for depth).
In addition to the 61-key synth action keyboard (made by M-Audio), the top area contains one of the most diverse control surface set-ups this side of a couple of Novation controllers having intimate relations. Specifically, there are nine vertical rows, each with a long-throw fader, two light-up push buttons, and four rotary knobs (see photos). An 88-key version is also available with the same action (not a graded, hammer-action full piano keybed).
The rotary knobs light up as you turn them, and work almost identically to the Livid Instruments OHM and CODE controllers. I would go so far as to speculate (due to the shared locale of Austin, and identical feel) that Livid might be providing parts to Music Computing for their controllers, but the company would not confirm this. In any case the controllers all feel solid and well built, and feel the same as my buddy’s OHM64, which is to say they feel really good.
To the right of this is an 8×8 grid of lighted pads, which can either be used for triggering samples like an MPC or loops in Ableton Live fashion. There is also a set of bank buttons (more on that in a minute), transport buttons, and a rotary push selector knob. All this is well organized to be easily at hand for live control, and breaks with the “screen in middle” ergonomics of most other workstations. Having the control sections side by side, versus on either end, does seem to make sense when you actually use them.
I particularly like the bank buttons, which will be familiar with anyone who ever used an Akai MPC with banks for sounds (A, B, C, D). Same idea. Except what’s wicked cool here is that you could have bank A be your DAW control to setup a mix in a live setup, such as levels for mics or a guitar direct input, then while performing jump between bank B for your Ableton control, while perhaps jump to Bank C where the faders become drawbars for your virtual Hammond B3, and maybe jump to bank D for controlling external lighting. Lots of possibilities there and first time I’ve seen that on any controller keyboard.
In my case I put a 23-inch Acer touch panel display behind the StudioBLADE and this proves an ideal setup with Windows 7 where I don’t need to use the mouse for many things. The built-in touch panel setup in Windows 7 took literally one minute and didn’t interfere with the 10-inch display (see photos).
In Studio One, the on-screen faders snap to the location of the non-motorized faders on the control surface, and while motorized faders might be nice, keep in mind the Euphonix control surface I have for my Mac cost $2500, or about the same price as the base model StudioBLADE.
Additionally there is a quite snazzy machined aluminum master volume control knob along with keyboard octave up/down buttons and the typical pitch bend and modulation wheels. These wheels snap back a little slower than the Fatar-type wheels, but still work well. A wireless RF keyboard and mouse is also included.
Pricing starts at $2599 “well equipped” for a Core2 Duo base configuration and $2799 for a Core i5 base configuration with 4GB of RAM and one hard drive. Upgrades include more audio ins/outs (not needed for many folks working inside the box only), and a larger or second hard drive. You can upgrade the HD yourself later if you wish by simply unscrewing some machine screws for an access panel on the bottom which is a mounting plate for up to two hard drives.
Sound sculpting with the ‘blade
One mis-informed forum troll posted something the other day about how the Music Computing units only had open source sound tools and you’d need to buy stuff to actually use it. Well, I’m here to say that is nonsense from somebody who cannot read or research what he was talking about before opening his big yap. In fact, the version of the Presonus Studio One which is pre-installed and configured is not a cheap open source or “bundled” app found everywhere, but a $400 commercial “pro” level application. It even supports the latest VST 3.1 format, can take ReWire connections, and comes with a host of proprietary virtual instruments, FX plug-ins, and pro level mastering tools. It supports delay compensation, time stretching, and all the things that the “big boys” promote as must-have features.
Studio One includes: Impact, a sample trigger/drum instrument; Mojito, an analog-modeling subtractive synth; Presence, a sample player; and SampleOne, a full-featured sampler to create your own instruments with. A really gigantic overview of Studio One can be found on the Presonus website, here: http://www.presonus.com/products/SoftwareDetail.aspx?SoftwareId=11 .
Worth noting is the fact that you can launch the DAW as either a 32-bit or 64-bit host, for compatibility with older plug-ins that won’t load in a fully 64-bit DAW host. One touch buttons on the touch screen lead to either version, depending on your needs.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that Music Computing’s in-house sound instrument, SonicSource, is apparently based on the mature and highly regarded Wusik platform, and specifically the EVE variant. The EVE (ne SonicSource) plug-in is a true VST so will work with any DAW or plug-in host you choose to use on the StudioBLADE. Wusikstation and its engine is a great choice as it is well supported, and many sound companies use the platform to develop their own commercial instruments by custom “skinning” the core product, and adding their own sample libraries. Basically, this means you’re not getting a “beta” product from Music Computing, cooked up in a month or two, but something which has many years of popular support and proven usability.Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Number Lookup
SonicSource is nice because it immediately through the GUI supports layering up to three sounds from the fairly large initial library (8GB), and according to the company, they also include the raw samples (sample waveforms) to create your own patches. This is not very common, with the possible exception of my Korg Triton Extreme, which also offers this capability. Most instrument makers create patches from the raw sounds, which you can manipulate using the sculpting tools (ADSR, filter cutoff, etc.), and then you can create layers/splits as multis or combis. Few give you access to the raw samples to go back and create your own base “patches” from (this may be an inherent capability of all Wusik based instruments that don’t copy-protect the waves, but I didn’t look into that for this review). Put another way, this means you could create a much larger personal sound library if you wanted to spend the time to build the patches from scratch yourself, resulting in an almost unlimited number of sound variations.
Bundled apps with my unit include NI Guitar Rig LE, and Toontrack EZDrummer Lite, for some additional noise making capabilities. As always, check the Music Computing site prior to purchase for what is included with the system today.
In the box
I was quite happy to see a full printed manual in the box which has setup information, the full manual for the Presonus hardware and Studio One software, as well as the first how-to guides for the Music Computing applications like TriggerGrid, SonicSource and GeoMIDI.
A restore DVD is provided and the Windows license sticker is on the bottom of the case. Also in the shipping box are the external power supply, order receipt, a quick start sheet, license and serial number info for the installed software, box with wireless keyboard and mouse, and mine had a QC checklist for the system assembly.
Under the Hood
As far as audio I/O and CPU power, I opted for the Intel Core i5 650 processor with 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and two 1TB Western Digital hard drives, plus the Presonus Firestudio Mobile interface with 24/96 support. This provides 2 XLR (or 1/4-inch) TRS combo inputs with switchable phantom power and gain control, plus 6 balanced 1/4-inch outputs, S/PDIF I/O, MIDI I/O, plus one direct keyboard MIDI out. On the right side is an internal DVD/CD burner.
Inside the case, the layout of the CPU module, audio modules, I/O, hard drives and cabling is very clean and neat, and the efficient design shows clever use of the off the shelf hardware with some custom I/O. Contrast this with the inside of a NeKo or MiKo which have numerous proprietary circuit boards which would become problematic if Open Labs disappeared one day. The nice thing about looking at the inside of the StudioBLADE is that it’s much like an older car, you can actually figure out what’s going on, and if for some reason Music Computing went into the great long night, it’s actually plausible
https://diarynote.indered.space
*Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Number Diagram
*Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Number Lookup
*Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Number Key
*Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Numbers
Chords and melody can be played in realtime in the Live Window, with or without a connected MIDI keyboard controller or pre-entered in the Sequencer Window. Sequencing / Arranging 6 different views on the same MIDI file: Main/Recorder, Arranger, Pianoroll, Karaoke, Eventlist and Staff. From the S-Series MIDI keyboards the S88 brings a realistic piano feel to MIDI controller playing, with a fully-weighted, hammer action Fatar keybed to give you more expressive control. All S-Series MIDI controllers come with high-res color screens for quick visual reference and feedback when using KOMPLETE KONTROL and MASCHINE software. The best kind of MIDI keyboard controllers come with octave shift buttons which allows you to access a full range of note pitches even from a 25-key controller. However, if you are an experienced or two-handed player, there are 32-key, 37-key, 49-key, 61-key, and 88-key controllers available. The serial interface would create a virtual serial port. The software that reads the MIDI data and produces the keystrokes could send a serial message to the virtual serial port. The microcontroller would send a keystroke so it would look like a standard keyboard input. This would allow interfacing both MIDI ports and USB MIDI keyboards.What is Chirp?
Turn your laptop keyboard into a MIDI keyboard controller. Capture musical inspiration on the go without having to lug along a hardware MIDI keyboard. Just use your laptop’s keyboard or mouse to enter notes and chords in any music software requiring MIDI input or providing MIDI output. Use Chirp to audition soft synth patches in your favorite DAW or recording application. Want to write that masterpiece or work on that string part in your DAW during your cross-country flight? Chirp makes it both possible and easy. The keyboard is resizable on the user’s display, and the computer key mappings are shown as labels on the piano keys and trigger pads/controls.Chirp Features and Quick Specifications
*Runs on Mac OS X to 10.9 or Windows XP/Vista/7.
*High quality re-sizable keyboard display shows piano keys being pressed with photo-realistic shadowing
*Includes 10 programmable trigger pads map-able to any MIDI event-even SYSEX commands
*2 controller wheels allow mouse or trackpad entry of any MIDI continuous controller
*Installs as a virtual MIDI port-appears in the MIDI Devices menu of any music software applicationChirp Overview Documentation
This section contains general overview information about the Chirp Virtual MIDI Keyboard application.Chirp Overview BrochureChirp User ManualChirp for Windows
For Windows users, these documents provide installation and setup help along with troubleshooting advice in case of an issue.Chirp Installation GuideChirp Windows Troubleshooting GuideMicrosoft GS Wavetable Synth IssuesWindows MIDI Port Limits, SongFrame and ChirpChirp for Mac
For Mac users, these documents provide installation and setup help along with troubleshooting advice in case of an issue.Chirp Installation GuideChirp Mac Troubleshooting GuideChirp Mac Pro Tools Setup GuideChanging the Default Settings in Chirp Mac OS X VersionChirp Virtual MIDI Keyboard ControllerReason Setup Guide - Mac OS X
Chirp will run in Trial Mode for 30 days before you need to buy a license key to unlock it. We encourage you to take it for a test drive before you purchase it to be sure it fits your needs. Please refer to the Documentation tab for installation and getting started guides, as well as detailed operational information.Chirp Build 1.2 Downloads
These downloads work with serial numbers purchased between 2008 and June 2012. The Pace Interlok anti-piracy protection has been removed, otherwise these versions are identical to the current Build 2.0 in functionality. Please EMAIL us at support@tanageraudioworks.comto get an updated license key for Chirp Build 2.0. This is free for previous Chirp customers.Chirp Example Screens
Examples of Chirp screen shots can be found below. Chirp Detailed Information
Chirp turns your computer or laptop keyboard into a virtual MIDI keyboard controller with 18 piano keys, 10 drum triggers and all the control you’d expect from a piece of hardware. The program produces no actual ’sound’ itself - instead it produces MIDI notes and messages, which in turn ’drive’ any music software application, MIDI instrument or plug-in soft synthesizer capable of generating sound from MIDI input. Many music software applications and soft synths include some virtual keyboard capability, but very few allow the MIDI notes to be generated using your computer keyboard. Many limit input to a mouse click, which makes chord entry and real-time playing virtually impossible. Chirp accommodates up to 7 notes on the keyboard to be played simultaneously and in real-time, allowing for even complex 9/11/13 chord entry over 2 octaves.
Chirp was designed to be a low latency controller capable of both supply MIDI notes and displaying played notes from any music application with MIDI I/O capabilities. We envisioned the primary computer platform as a Windows or Mac laptop, and most likely in a remote environment where the use of a physical keyboard is impractical, such as an airplane seat, bus seat (or even your desk at work!) Chirp allows the user to choose which computer keys are mapped to the piano keyboard keys, as well as assign the trigger pads to any MIDI event. Chirp FeaturesPorts
*16 Channel Virtual MIDI Input/Output Port (installs via driver on Windows or Mac and appears in any MIDI music host application)
*Piano Keyboard and Trigger Pads assignable to different MIDI ChannelsKeyboard
*High resolution photo-realistic display - large and small display sizes available
*18 to 21 notes mapped to computer keyboard keys for generating MIDI data with assignable velocities
*18 to 21 on-screen keys to display incoming MIDI note data
*Note velocity controlled by graphical slide or preset values assigned to top row number keys graphical octave control allows access to all 127 defined MIDI notesControls
*2 programmable continuous controller wheels operated with the mouse or glide pad - assignable to any continuous controller
*Space Bar assignable as on/off pedal (damper/sustain, etc)
*10 trigger pads assignable to any MIDI event (on a different channel than the keyboard keys)
*’All Notes Off’ Panic button
*Ability to send note data even when Chirp is not the focused application (’Send Notes Always’ function.)MIDI Data Capable From Continuous Controller Wheels
*Control every MIDI continuous controller defined in the latest MIDI Specification
*Pitch Bend and Mod wheel set up as default controllers; user can define any combination of MIDI Controllers to assign to wheelsMIDI Data From Trigger Pads
*Note On/Off with assignable velocity
*Program Change messages
*Specific Controller Values
*SYSEX Messages
*Default mapping to GM Drums on MIDI Channel 10 for most commonly used drum soundsMinimum Computer System Requirements
Windows - 2.33GHz or faster x86-compatible processor, or Intel Atom™ 1.6GHz or faster processor for netbook class devices. Microsoft® Windows® XP, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista® Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise (including 64 bit editions) with Service Pack 2, Windows 7, or Windows 8 Classic. 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended.) Chirp also installs the required Adobe AIR framework during the installation process, and also installs the required LoopBe30 MIDI Loopback Driver.
Mac - Intel® Core™ Duo 1.83GHz or faster processor
Mac OS X v10.6, v10.7, v10.8, or v10.9. 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended.) Chirp also installs the required Adobe AIR framework during the installation process.
REVIEW:While the concept of a music keyboard with a computer inside isn’t entirely new, the folks at Austin, Texas start-up Music Computing think they might have invented the new sweet spot in bridging the gap between the notebook and controller crowd and the people who won’t use anything other than a Yamaha Motif or Roland Fantom-style workstation keyboard.
Company founder and CEO Victor Wong is no stranger to computers and music having been the former CEO of Open Labs, as well as having had numerous stints at tech companies including an authorized Macintosh clone company, and value added resellers (VARs). For the new company, his team has addressed a number of shortcomings with other PC-based music products out there, a couple of which include price and portability.
Having owned quite a few PC powered systems myself, including a Muse Receptor, two Open Labs NeKo models (TSE and XXL), a Korg Oasys, and even a Hartman Neuron, I seem to fit into the target audience for this kind of thing, and sure enough, I was one of the first folks to order one of Music Computing’s new keyboards (customer #8).
So what is it?
The new StudioBLADE line of “keyboard production stations” follows somewhat in the footsteps of what competitor Open Labs has been doing for a while now with their NeKo and MiKo systems, but ironically tries to be more “open” in their approach to design and physical construction. They are smaller, more compact, and weigh less than either a NeKo, or even a Yamaha Motif XF6, thanks to lightweight aluminum, and not over-complicating the internals.
Powered by Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit, the StudioBLADE comes pre-installed with the Presonus Studio One DAW application (full version, with mastering support), as well as a couple of proprietary VST instruments. First, SonicSource emulates the sound library you might find in a modern ROMpler, but with 8GB of sounds (more than 8x the sample data what comes with a Motif, by the way) as well as TriggerGrid, which is a drag-and-drop drum and sampler sound environment that works with the built-in grid control surface.Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Number Diagram
Out of the box, the StudioBLADE 61 is a shiny and surprisingly compact keyboard roughly 36-inches long, 18-inches deep and about 4-inches thick when the 10-inch USB-powered touch panel is not deployed. The unit is compact enough to fit on a classic Ultimate Support Apex stand (using the longer support bars for depth).
In addition to the 61-key synth action keyboard (made by M-Audio), the top area contains one of the most diverse control surface set-ups this side of a couple of Novation controllers having intimate relations. Specifically, there are nine vertical rows, each with a long-throw fader, two light-up push buttons, and four rotary knobs (see photos). An 88-key version is also available with the same action (not a graded, hammer-action full piano keybed).
The rotary knobs light up as you turn them, and work almost identically to the Livid Instruments OHM and CODE controllers. I would go so far as to speculate (due to the shared locale of Austin, and identical feel) that Livid might be providing parts to Music Computing for their controllers, but the company would not confirm this. In any case the controllers all feel solid and well built, and feel the same as my buddy’s OHM64, which is to say they feel really good.
To the right of this is an 8×8 grid of lighted pads, which can either be used for triggering samples like an MPC or loops in Ableton Live fashion. There is also a set of bank buttons (more on that in a minute), transport buttons, and a rotary push selector knob. All this is well organized to be easily at hand for live control, and breaks with the “screen in middle” ergonomics of most other workstations. Having the control sections side by side, versus on either end, does seem to make sense when you actually use them.
I particularly like the bank buttons, which will be familiar with anyone who ever used an Akai MPC with banks for sounds (A, B, C, D). Same idea. Except what’s wicked cool here is that you could have bank A be your DAW control to setup a mix in a live setup, such as levels for mics or a guitar direct input, then while performing jump between bank B for your Ableton control, while perhaps jump to Bank C where the faders become drawbars for your virtual Hammond B3, and maybe jump to bank D for controlling external lighting. Lots of possibilities there and first time I’ve seen that on any controller keyboard.
In my case I put a 23-inch Acer touch panel display behind the StudioBLADE and this proves an ideal setup with Windows 7 where I don’t need to use the mouse for many things. The built-in touch panel setup in Windows 7 took literally one minute and didn’t interfere with the 10-inch display (see photos).
In Studio One, the on-screen faders snap to the location of the non-motorized faders on the control surface, and while motorized faders might be nice, keep in mind the Euphonix control surface I have for my Mac cost $2500, or about the same price as the base model StudioBLADE.
Additionally there is a quite snazzy machined aluminum master volume control knob along with keyboard octave up/down buttons and the typical pitch bend and modulation wheels. These wheels snap back a little slower than the Fatar-type wheels, but still work well. A wireless RF keyboard and mouse is also included.
Pricing starts at $2599 “well equipped” for a Core2 Duo base configuration and $2799 for a Core i5 base configuration with 4GB of RAM and one hard drive. Upgrades include more audio ins/outs (not needed for many folks working inside the box only), and a larger or second hard drive. You can upgrade the HD yourself later if you wish by simply unscrewing some machine screws for an access panel on the bottom which is a mounting plate for up to two hard drives.
Sound sculpting with the ‘blade
One mis-informed forum troll posted something the other day about how the Music Computing units only had open source sound tools and you’d need to buy stuff to actually use it. Well, I’m here to say that is nonsense from somebody who cannot read or research what he was talking about before opening his big yap. In fact, the version of the Presonus Studio One which is pre-installed and configured is not a cheap open source or “bundled” app found everywhere, but a $400 commercial “pro” level application. It even supports the latest VST 3.1 format, can take ReWire connections, and comes with a host of proprietary virtual instruments, FX plug-ins, and pro level mastering tools. It supports delay compensation, time stretching, and all the things that the “big boys” promote as must-have features.
Studio One includes: Impact, a sample trigger/drum instrument; Mojito, an analog-modeling subtractive synth; Presence, a sample player; and SampleOne, a full-featured sampler to create your own instruments with. A really gigantic overview of Studio One can be found on the Presonus website, here: http://www.presonus.com/products/SoftwareDetail.aspx?SoftwareId=11 .
Worth noting is the fact that you can launch the DAW as either a 32-bit or 64-bit host, for compatibility with older plug-ins that won’t load in a fully 64-bit DAW host. One touch buttons on the touch screen lead to either version, depending on your needs.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that Music Computing’s in-house sound instrument, SonicSource, is apparently based on the mature and highly regarded Wusik platform, and specifically the EVE variant. The EVE (ne SonicSource) plug-in is a true VST so will work with any DAW or plug-in host you choose to use on the StudioBLADE. Wusikstation and its engine is a great choice as it is well supported, and many sound companies use the platform to develop their own commercial instruments by custom “skinning” the core product, and adding their own sample libraries. Basically, this means you’re not getting a “beta” product from Music Computing, cooked up in a month or two, but something which has many years of popular support and proven usability.Chirp Virtual Midi Keyboard Controller Serial Number Lookup
SonicSource is nice because it immediately through the GUI supports layering up to three sounds from the fairly large initial library (8GB), and according to the company, they also include the raw samples (sample waveforms) to create your own patches. This is not very common, with the possible exception of my Korg Triton Extreme, which also offers this capability. Most instrument makers create patches from the raw sounds, which you can manipulate using the sculpting tools (ADSR, filter cutoff, etc.), and then you can create layers/splits as multis or combis. Few give you access to the raw samples to go back and create your own base “patches” from (this may be an inherent capability of all Wusik based instruments that don’t copy-protect the waves, but I didn’t look into that for this review). Put another way, this means you could create a much larger personal sound library if you wanted to spend the time to build the patches from scratch yourself, resulting in an almost unlimited number of sound variations.
Bundled apps with my unit include NI Guitar Rig LE, and Toontrack EZDrummer Lite, for some additional noise making capabilities. As always, check the Music Computing site prior to purchase for what is included with the system today.
In the box
I was quite happy to see a full printed manual in the box which has setup information, the full manual for the Presonus hardware and Studio One software, as well as the first how-to guides for the Music Computing applications like TriggerGrid, SonicSource and GeoMIDI.
A restore DVD is provided and the Windows license sticker is on the bottom of the case. Also in the shipping box are the external power supply, order receipt, a quick start sheet, license and serial number info for the installed software, box with wireless keyboard and mouse, and mine had a QC checklist for the system assembly.
Under the Hood
As far as audio I/O and CPU power, I opted for the Intel Core i5 650 processor with 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and two 1TB Western Digital hard drives, plus the Presonus Firestudio Mobile interface with 24/96 support. This provides 2 XLR (or 1/4-inch) TRS combo inputs with switchable phantom power and gain control, plus 6 balanced 1/4-inch outputs, S/PDIF I/O, MIDI I/O, plus one direct keyboard MIDI out. On the right side is an internal DVD/CD burner.
Inside the case, the layout of the CPU module, audio modules, I/O, hard drives and cabling is very clean and neat, and the efficient design shows clever use of the off the shelf hardware with some custom I/O. Contrast this with the inside of a NeKo or MiKo which have numerous proprietary circuit boards which would become problematic if Open Labs disappeared one day. The nice thing about looking at the inside of the StudioBLADE is that it’s much like an older car, you can actually figure out what’s going on, and if for some reason Music Computing went into the great long night, it’s actually plausible
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