Let’s explore how to get the most out of using your keyboard as a MIDI controller.
MIDI Controllers: A Quick Recap
If you’re new to this and are unsure of what a MIDI controller is, or how to use your keyboard as one, we’d strongly recommend reading our article on using your keyboard as a MIDI controller.
In this article, we’re going to build on some previous points (such as “VSTs”) and also include some new ones, allowing you to get the most out of your new MIDI controller.
As a quick recap, a MIDI controller allows you to input music via a MIDI connection, picking up digital information, such as what note you played, how hard you pressed it, and how long you pressed it for. It then creates a sound based on that.
You can easily use your keyboard as a MIDI controller, usually by connecting it directly to your computer or by using an audio interface. We outline this in our article on how to record your keyboard in GarageBand.
With this in mind, let’s look at several ways in which you can get the most out of using your keyboard as a MIDI controller.
1. Fine-Tune the Sound of Your Virtual Instruments
There are a ton of VSTs out there and while this is great for choice, sometimes it can be really overwhelming.
Fortunately, you can find a huge number of virtual instrument VSTs that are incredibly customizable. The beauty of this is that if you’re looking for a specific sound, but don’t want to go through a million VSTs to find it, there are lots of great VSTs that really let you fine-tune your sound.
This is perfect if you’ve found a virtual instrument that you really like, but it’s not quite there for you. It’s worth going into that virtual instrument’s settings and seeing what you can tweak. This can vary from VST to VST, but it saves you time in trudging through loads of VSTs and enhances your skill.
2. Open Up Experimentation With Easy-to-Install Plugins
After using the same VSTs for a while, you might be looking to try something different. Sure, there are plenty of VST iterations of pianos, synths, strings, and much more, but it’s worth just picking something completely out of your comfort zone and seeing how you find it.
As VSTs are pretty easy to install and can be done with just your computer, this removes hurdles that may have been turning you away from experimenting with different sounds.
Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to install numerous VSTs and try them out, as well as match effects plugins with virtual instruments to create unique combinations. It’s an interesting and fun jigsaw puzzle that’s well worth your time, especially if your existing VSTs are beginning to feel a little stale.
3. Record Your Ideas at Night
If you wear headphones when playing on your keyboard, you’ll appreciate the numerous benefits—a key one being able to play without disturbing anyone or being disturbed yourself.
You can also play at nighttime without waking anyone up, which opens up a whole new world of playing, writing, and now, recording. By using your keyboard as a MIDI controller, you can create, experiment with, and record music at nighttime (i.e. when most people are sleeping). All this takes is to simply start up and connect your keyboard and computer, plug in your headphones, load up your favorite VST, and start playing!
If you’re a songwriter who’s inspired beyond the witching hour, then using your keyboard as a MIDI controller is a perfect way to get your ideas down at nighttime, all without compromising your playing or your sound.
4. Combine Different Methods to Push Your Sound
Using all the points above, in addition to your current practices, you can explore, develop, and push your sound. There are so many things you can do with a MIDI controller. When combined with playing on your keyboard, you can push the boundaries of both your keyboard playing and your sound.
Combining different VSTs, easily editing mistakes, and the freedom to record anytime without distractions, amongst other things, creates a powerful workflow. It can encourage you to experiment and develop your sound in ways you might not have thought possible or have been too intimidated to try in the past.
MIDI information is incredibly malleable. The more you use your keyboard to create MIDI tracks, the more freedom you’ll realize you’ll have to create the sound that you want.
5. Multi-Track Record With Live Instruments to Improve Your Mixing Technique
Recording multiple live tracks at once, with one being your MIDI keyboard, is a great way to improve your mixing ability.
Despite the fact that you’re going to get high-quality, clear audio from both your MIDI track and your microphone track (provided it’s a good microphone), they might not sound natural together, as your MIDI track is digitally reproduced.
This is going to happen if your MIDI track’s EQ doesn’t match or complement your live track’s EQ. For example, if you record your vocals in a small room but use a piano VST with lots of reverb for your MIDI track, your project won’t sound like an organic live performance.
However, this gives you an opportunity to hone your mixing skills by tweaking your MIDI and live tracks until they sound like live instruments recorded at the place at the same time.
This takes time and effort. However, it will ultimately be an incredibly rewarding experience as you learn how to mix your artificial MIDI tracks to complement live instruments.
Explore MIDI Recording Beyond Your Keyboard
Using your keyboard as a MIDI controller is a great way to introduce yourself to the world of MIDI recording.
As you grow more conformable with MIDI recording, you might consider using a dedicated MIDI controller instead. If you love working with MIDI tracks and are looking for an upgrade over your keyboard, then a dedicated MIDI controller might be the way forward.
