Need help figuring out how to set up synth

[Dime is Money]

I don't know a lot about audio equipment. Allow me to describe my situation:
I have a Roland SH-201, a Roland CUBE-100 amp, and a computer that I'm trying to set up as a DAW (I think). I have a creative X-fi that has MIDI in/out, TRS Line-in. I plan on getting an Echo Audiofire 4 if it will help my situation.

Right now I'm just playing my synth through the amp when playing with friends, but I want to do more. Here's what I want to do:

-Plug my keyboard into my computer and use it with some VSTs in FL studio.
-Also record my synth (the actual sounds the 201 is making)

Now here's where I start asking a ton of questions...
How can I use my SH-201 to play VSTs but have the sound come out of my Cube amp?? Right now I can't get FL to recognize my SH-201 through MIDI but it works through the USB connection. But the problem with that is the sound comes out of my computer's speakers and not my amp.

Will I need to get some monitors and use those? Where would those plug into?
What is the purpose of MIDI out from my computer?

I'm new to this stuff.

[Dime is Money]

I'm pretty sure these are simple questions, anyone can help?

[studiostuff]

Dime,

As I'm sure you know, dime is money!

You're asking some pretty basic questions that you should be able to figure out for yourself... or pay a consultant to figure out and show you.

The MIDI OUT on your computer is to make a loop back into your synth so that sequence and patch info from your computer can control the audio out sounds of your synth.

Yeah, you can output the sounds of your plugs to an amp. You may need some sort of re-amp device to make the MIDI control data coming out of your SH-201 and controlling the VSTs sound the way you want.

Find out if there is a SH-201 forum or FL forum where you can ask your questions about MIDI input to FL.

You will need monitors. They are powered either internally or by a power amp and the signal to be amplified and broadcast by them probably comes from your sound card or interface.

Why do you think folks should explain all this stuff to you if you are not capable of digging out the info for yourself? Are you cutting us into the money from your first hit record? Yeah, I didn't think so...

Why not just get busy and dig this poo out for yourself? Is your mom on the phone?

[tekkentool]

Originally Posted by Dime is Money

I'm pretty sure these are simple questions, anyone can help?

You need to route the audio to come out of your X-fi card and into the cube 100. Check around in the sound options in FL. Using Asio4all driver it'll be a lot easier to route these out.

[Dime is Money]

Meh, finding info on this is pretty hard when you're completely new to this and don't know any keywords to search for. Also it seems that most information about audio equipment is discussed outside of the internet. So I probably came to the wrong place.

Regardless, thanks for the information.

[piano]

Sorry about the lack of interest above. Allow me to help:

YOU WILL NEED:
- Echo Audiofire 4 (Yep, buy it. But you can use your card)
- One MIDI Cable
- Two 1/4 inch audio cables
- One Firewire cable

Plug the Roland MIDI OUT -> INTO-> the MIDI IN of the Echo Audiofire

Plug the firewire of the Echo Audiofire -> INTO-> Your Computer (skip this if you use your card)

Also you need to:

Plug the Echo Audiofire output 1 and 2 -> INTO-> Roland Cube amp (You can also plug your Roland - just turn the volume down when playing VST's)

Again, you can substitute your Creative X-fi for the Audiofire for now. However, I find those standard computer audio cards to be difficult to work with. Some will disagree. All Good vibes to you! If say thank you, more people here will be eager to help you out We love the kudos!

[joeq]

Originally Posted by Dime is Money

Also it seems that most information about audio equipment is discussed outside of the internet. So I probably came to the wrong place. .

Everything is discussed on the internet. Audio is no exception. You will have to do some homework to learn the terms just to do the searches, it's true, but it's all out there.

There are forums that are better suited to beginners than Gearslutz, it's true. There are also product-specific forums, software-specific forums as well.

You may find some useful tutorials on YouTube for certain pieces of equipment. I am constantly amazed at the amount of free instruction that is available there. A lot of it is even correct!

Hit the books. When you understand the basic concepts of MIDI, audio, line level, plug-ins, you will at least know what questions you have to ask. Without the basic understanding, you could get your advice and still be in a fix. It would be like having someone come over and set up everything for you, but as soon as one thing went wrong, you were again helpless.

[Masaaki]

First, MIDI out and stereo line outs from the synth are totally different things. MIDI out signal is digital information which contains just notes and velocity information (no audible signals), whereas stereo line outs are analog audio signals you can amplify and listen to. Your VSTi's job is to take the MIDI information and convert to the audio signals, based on the sample voice store in the computer.

The comment above ^^ is the method to get your MIDI signal out from the synth, let the FL and VSTi to generate sound, and forward the sound back to the Echo interface. Then, you will feed the audio signal to the external amp through the Echo interface.

If you want to record the stereo line out from the synth, at the same time you are doing this, then you have to connect from synth's R/L out to echo interface, and set up the record channels in your DAW.
You can record (called print) MIDI/VSTi generated sound into another track, while you record the R/L lines simultaneously, but that's probably...I'm talking above your head, so why don't you start from simple MIDI setup?

In the meantime, you could setup in your DAW, X-Fi card as sound output device, and then FL/VSTi generated sounds should come out from the line out jack of the X-Fi card. Then connect to your amp. You'll need some 8/1 ->1/4 conversion cable for this purposes. I think that's interim solution before you get echo interface.

[piano]

Gee wiz, why do you some of you unhelpful guys have to be such A Holes?

The guy admits he is new to it and you spend more time telling him to go elsewhere.

In the same time you could have helped him.

[piano]

Thanks for helping him Masaaki

[Masaaki]

By the way, current X-Fi cards don't have MIDI so I guess your X-Fi card is kind of old. That may be the reason the driver is outdated and MIDI is not recognized. USB-MIDI probably works as a class compliant device. So, forget about MIDI on X-Fi, and use USB-MIDI to feed VSTi, and set up output (playback) audio device through X-Fi, in FL's preference or options.

Hope that works (I'm just guessing all the way).

[Dime is Money]

Lots of good info coming around and is actually helping me. Thanks a bunch guys.

Indeed my X-fi is a little old (I guess in terms of how fast computer technology ages it is old). It has the front I/O panel with the MIDI.

Alright so I'm assuming that since my Cube amp only has one mono 1/4 input, I would only use one 1/4" cable coming from [let's say] the Audiofire from either L or R?

I might be asking this a little too early and I feel that I would get my answer once I get an Audiofire 4, but would the Audiofire 4 automatically take the sounds created by the VSTs and play them through my amp? Or is any type of playback needed to be configured to play through the Audiofire 4.

OK one last question, but what do you call something like the Audiofire 4? Just a "recording interface?"

Again, I appreciate all the help given.... Kudos!

[piano]

Originally Posted by Dime is Money

Lots of good info coming around and is actually helping me. Thanks a bunch guys.

Indeed my X-fi is a little old (I guess in terms of how fast computer technology ages it is old). It has the front I/O panel with the MIDI.

Alright so I'm assuming that since my Cube amp only has one mono 1/4 input, I would only use one 1/4" cable coming from [let's say] the Audiofire from either L or R?

I might be asking this a little too early and I feel that I would get my answer once I get an Audiofire 4, but would the Audiofire 4 automatically take the sounds created by the VSTs and play them through my amp? Or is any type of playback needed to be configured to play through the Audiofire 4.

OK one last question, but what do you call something like the Audiofire 4? Just a "recording interface?"

Again, I appreciate all the help given.... Kudos!

If the Cube amp only has one input then yes just plug in R or L (or use head phones from the card for stereo).

Yes, you could hear all your VSTs through the Audiofire (provided, of course, that an audio plug is going from Audiofire to the Roland Cube)

You call Audiofire an audio interface.

Thanks for the Kudos!