New tutorial document for newbies

Noggle · Apr 9, 2007, 03:24 AM

Hello All,

As a kX newbie, I have just spent a few days reading all the official kX Project documentation, as well as a huge number of posts on the Driverheaven kX Project Audio Driver Support Forum. A common complaint by newbies is that there are no simple, step-by-step, read-and-do instructions that they can follow to get started at the bottom level. The available documentation is excellent at dealing with concepts and advanced features. e.g. abandoning the kX Mixer and using the DSP, setting up Cubase SX, Sonar and Logic and so on. However, it does not easily show a newbie how to get started with the very basics, step-by-step. As a consequence, I have prepared a tutorial document to satisfy that need. I have emailed the tutorial as a .pdf to Eugene, and he will be putting it on the web somewhere, sometime soon.

I hope you can benefit from this document as much as I have benefited from all the other contributions from the kX community. I believe that, after working though these steps, you will immediately be encouraged to explore further. If corrections or amendments seem necessary, please let me know.

I might add that, although I am a newbie to kX, I am quite experienced with computers, MIDI, and audio recording.

Regards,
Noggle

thomasabarnes · Apr 9, 2007, 04:35 AM

That's some good news. Thanks for sharing.

Slippers · May 18, 2007, 09:07 PM

HoWdY!!

I hope that this document you mentioned gets up here!
I found it excrutiatingly frustrating to figure all this stuff out.

Also, you said that you were experienced with computer stuff ... I wonder if you could help me with my DSP probs?

I have an SBLive! 5.1 - Behringer MXB1002 Mixer - Mixer TapeIN going to SB LineIN -- Mixer TapeOUT going to SB RearOUT.
My FrontOUT goes to a small computer speaker set.
I have a microphone in the mixer and I want to record the mic in Sonar 6 PE.
I can hear all the sounds, I can hear my mic through the mixer to my MAIN OUT to an amp to the speakers from the Mixer, but I can't seem to play MIDI and record a track in Audio while listening to it. It records all of the midi sounds on the audio track.

Could you draw me a DSP that will be able to record one track and play another at the same time?

I've checked out the DSP Presets page but nothing seems to wrok properly for my needs.

Thankx in advance for your help
Dennis

**dj_stick** · May 19, 2007, 12:06 AM

Noggle: i'd like to hear your opinion on the "Getting Started" guide i wrote, whether that covers what you're thinking of, or not
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/general-...ted-guide.html

Slippers · May 19, 2007, 06:06 AM

HoWdY!!
I just re-read your "Getting Started Guide" again. This makes about 4 times I've read it. You have written this quite well and explains the basics quite nicely.

My problem with these docs is that I need to go a little farther than what your documents explain.

You started out with a rudimentary illustration about how to connect a basic and simple DSP setup and it quite understandable.

The need and the niche that I see, is that this card and these drivers are really an excellent resource for the Internediate to Expereinced users -- such as home recording musicians -- who want to use these cards for recording instruments, voices and such.
Creating and recording music for demo purposes or for future muscial aspirations.
EXAMPLE:
There are a great number of nice thingies and giggy-goos in your "Add Effort/Plugin" drop downs that are hyroglyphics to someone not completly familiar with the intricate workings of this card and the possibilites that are hidden. People like me!
I have already almost blown my speaker amp crossing the wrong wires somehow and am VERY leery to experiment without some sort of an explanation of:
1) what I NEED to get the thing working properly
2) what each of these effects/plugins get hooked to and why
3) what they do and why they are neccessary
4) what is NOT really neccessary to make things work
5) what NOT to do so as to NOT blow a speaker or amp

These, I think, are beyond the scope of your Basic Setup Instructions but I believe are well worth the time, effort and work to get them organized and together in one place.
I don't know how many hours I've hunted and pecked through all the tons of postings for these instructions!
Mainly because I don't know what I need to look for!
The DSP's you have in the Exchange are somewhat specialized and I found them to not work properly with my equipment.

Questions such as:
1) Where do I put the Compressor in the DSP lineup?
2) How can I record and listen at the same time?
3) How do I record midi Soundfonts to audio?
4) What does a "Loudness Compensator" do?

I know that there are numerous sequencers out there but most act the same way in most cases. Even if you just used Sonar and Cubase, there must be THOUSANDS of people that would enjoy this resource!

I sincerely applaud your great efforts, ingenuity and creation of this excellent driver, but any programmer will tell you that the hardest part of the job is writing the docs for it!

It might be the world's best mouse trap, but if your customers can't set it up to work right, your creation was done in vain!

I want you to know that I understand that this is unpaid and sometimes thankless work, but also I want you to know that I really appreciate and applaud your efforts!

You're docs are quite good in explaining the basics but they need to be organized and progressed a little farther into the Intermediate territory.

Again, my congratulations at an excellent product!
Keep up the excellent work!

Dennis

thomasabarnes · May 19, 2007, 06:41 AM

Hi Slippers:

I'm not trying to be funny, and I'm no genius, but I think you have to connect outputs to Inputs and Inputs to Outputs.

You will need a MIDI interface for your computer/soundcard to be able to record MIDI data in SONAR. That is, you need something like a MIDI keyboard connected to your computer/soundcard via a USB port or a game port (and for a game port connection, you need a special cable that has MIDI connectors on one end and game port connectors on the other end). You connect the MIDI out of the keyboard to the MIDI in of the MIDI interface for the computer.

This is a helpful guide for getting an understanding of how to use the kX DSP. Please read and even study this great guide: http://members.home.nl/nahutec/kxtutor/kxtutor.html

Here's a nice little guide for setting up kX with SONAR, and it even shows you how to get started using kX effects plugins: http://www.geocities.com/kxsonar/kxsonar.htm

I was just there and it was up, but then, I got a message that it had reached the data transfer limit. Goodluck with catching it up, though.

Slippers · May 19, 2007, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasabarnes

Hi Slippers:

I'm not trying to be funny, and I'm no genius, but I think you have to connect outputs to Inputs and Inputs to Outputs.

OK ... my typo mistake ... it is set up that way as you say.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasabarnes

You will need a MIDI interface for your computer/soundcard to be able to record MIDI data in SONAR. That is, you need something like a MIDI keyboard connected to your computer/soundcard via a USB port or a game port (and for a game port connection, you need a special cable that has MIDI connectors on one end and game port connectors on the other end). You connect the MIDI out of the keyboard to the MIDI in of the MIDI interface for the computer.

Yes .. I have a M-Audio Keystation Pro 88 connected by USB cord as well as a Peavey Studiomix connected via MidiIN and MidiOUT
They both work perfectly and do as their told (wink)

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomasabarnes

This is a helpful guide for getting an understanding of how to use the kX DSP. Please read and even study this great guide: http://members.home.nl/nahutec/kxtutor/kxtutor.html

OK .. THIS is something I must have missed! Great Stuff!
It looks like on the outset that it answers a lot of questions I've had!
I'll go give it a thorough read-through right now!

THANKX!!
Dennis

**dj_stick** · May 19, 2007, 07:34 AM

to answer a couple of questions in your second series of numbered questions there:
1. anywhere between the input/output of the DSP, where it's placed (before/after EQ) will affect the sound at the end, and is entirely a creative choice
4. i know i wrote a small section in the getting started guide on soundfonts, i'm pretty sure i added how to record them

Apr 9, 2007, 03:24 AM	#1
Noggle DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	New tutorial document for newbies Hello All, As a kX newbie, I have just spent a few days reading all the official kX Project documentation, as well as a huge number of posts on the Driverheaven kX Project Audio Driver Support Forum. A common complaint by newbies is that there are no simple, step-by-step, read-and-do instructions that they can follow to get started at the bottom level. The available documentation is excellent at dealing with concepts and advanced features. e.g. abandoning the kX Mixer and using the DSP, setting up Cubase SX, Sonar and Logic and so on. However, it does not easily show a newbie how to get started with the very basics, step-by-step. As a consequence, I have prepared a tutorial document to satisfy that need. I have emailed the tutorial as a .pdf to Eugene, and he will be putting it on the web somewhere, sometime soon. I hope you can benefit from this document as much as I have benefited from all the other contributions from the kX community. I believe that, after working though these steps, you will immediately be encouraged to explore further. If corrections or amendments seem necessary, please let me know. I might add that, although I am a newbie to kX, I am quite experienced with computers, MIDI, and audio recording. Regards, Noggle

Apr 9, 2007, 04:35 AM	#2
thomasabarnes Long Time ***** Friend Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: USA Posts: 1,375 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	That's some good news. Thanks for sharing. __________________ May a song always touch you in a positive way. SONAR X1D Expanded, Windows 7 Pro 64Bit, MOTU UltraLite MK3, 150 GB HDD, 250 GB HDD, 1 TB x2 HDD 7200 rpm My Music Production: Top 40, Contemporary Christian, Pop/Rock, Decent Rap, Inspirationals, and Children Songs

May 19, 2007, 06:41 AM	#6
thomasabarnes Long Time ***** Friend Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: USA Posts: 1,375 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Hi Slippers: I'm not trying to be funny, and I'm no genius, but I think you have to connect outputs to Inputs and Inputs to Outputs. You will need a MIDI interface for your computer/soundcard to be able to record MIDI data in SONAR. That is, you need something like a MIDI keyboard connected to your computer/soundcard via a USB port or a game port (and for a game port connection, you need a special cable that has MIDI connectors on one end and game port connectors on the other end). You connect the MIDI out of the keyboard to the MIDI in of the MIDI interface for the computer. This is a helpful guide for getting an understanding of how to use the kX DSP. Please read and even study this great guide: http://members.home.nl/nahutec/kxtutor/kxtutor.html Here's a nice little guide for setting up kX with SONAR, and it even shows you how to get started using kX effects plugins: http://www.geocities.com/kxsonar/kxsonar.htm I was just there and it was up, but then, I got a message that it had reached the data transfer limit. Goodluck with catching it up, though. __________________ May a song always touch you in a positive way. SONAR X1D Expanded, Windows 7 Pro 64Bit, MOTU UltraLite MK3, 150 GB HDD, 250 GB HDD, 1 TB x2 HDD 7200 rpm My Music Production: Top 40, Contemporary Christian, Pop/Rock, Decent Rap, Inspirationals, and Children Songs Last edited by thomasabarnes; May 19, 2007 at 07:12 AM.

May 18, 2007, 09:07 PM	#3
Slippers HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ingersoll, Ontario Posts: 70 Rep Power: 0	HoWdY!! I hope that this document you mentioned gets up here! I found it excrutiatingly frustrating to figure all this stuff out. Also, you said that you were experienced with computer stuff ... I wonder if you could help me with my DSP probs? I have an SBLive! 5.1 - Behringer MXB1002 Mixer - Mixer TapeIN going to SB LineIN -- Mixer TapeOUT going to SB RearOUT. My FrontOUT goes to a small computer speaker set. I have a microphone in the mixer and I want to record the mic in Sonar 6 PE. I can hear all the sounds, I can hear my mic through the mixer to my MAIN OUT to an amp to the speakers from the Mixer, but I can't seem to play MIDI and record a track in Audio while listening to it. It records all of the midi sounds on the audio track. Could you draw me a DSP that will be able to record one track and play another at the same time? I've checked out the DSP Presets page but nothing seems to wrok properly for my needs. Thankx in advance for your help Dennis

May 19, 2007, 06:06 AM	#5
Slippers HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ingersoll, Ontario Posts: 70 Rep Power: 0	HoWdY!! I just re-read your "Getting Started Guide" again. This makes about 4 times I've read it. You have written this quite well and explains the basics quite nicely. My problem with these docs is that I need to go a little farther than what your documents explain. You started out with a rudimentary illustration about how to connect a basic and simple DSP setup and it quite understandable. The need and the niche that I see, is that this card and these drivers are really an excellent resource for the Internediate to Expereinced users -- such as home recording musicians -- who want to use these cards for recording instruments, voices and such. Creating and recording music for demo purposes or for future muscial aspirations. EXAMPLE: There are a great number of nice thingies and giggy-goos in your "Add Effort/Plugin" drop downs that are hyroglyphics to someone not completly familiar with the intricate workings of this card and the possibilites that are hidden. People like me! I have already almost blown my speaker amp crossing the wrong wires somehow and am VERY leery to experiment without some sort of an explanation of: 1) what I NEED to get the thing working properly 2) what each of these effects/plugins get hooked to and why 3) what they do and why they are neccessary 4) what is NOT really neccessary to make things work 5) what NOT to do so as to NOT blow a speaker or amp These, I think, are beyond the scope of your Basic Setup Instructions but I believe are well worth the time, effort and work to get them organized and together in one place. I don't know how many hours I've hunted and pecked through all the tons of postings for these instructions! Mainly because I don't know what I need to look for! The DSP's you have in the Exchange are somewhat specialized and I found them to not work properly with my equipment. Questions such as: 1) Where do I put the Compressor in the DSP lineup? 2) How can I record and listen at the same time? 3) How do I record midi Soundfonts to audio? 4) What does a "Loudness Compensator" do? I know that there are numerous sequencers out there but most act the same way in most cases. Even if you just used Sonar and Cubase, there must be THOUSANDS of people that would enjoy this resource! I sincerely applaud your great efforts, ingenuity and creation of this excellent driver, but any programmer will tell you that the hardest part of the job is writing the docs for it! It might be the world's best mouse trap, but if your customers can't set it up to work right, your creation was done in vain! I want you to know that I understand that this is unpaid and sometimes thankless work, but also I want you to know that I really appreciate and applaud your efforts! You're docs are quite good in explaining the basics but they need to be organized and progressed a little farther into the Intermediate territory. Again, my congratulations at an excellent product! Keep up the excellent work! Dennis