Hey Folks,
Ok, we are using our laptops to play along to during live gigs.. However, what kind of sound card are we using.. DO we have a radio shake adaptor that we we use to connect to 1/4 cables...
Let me know how this works..

Thanks!

I use an Echo PCMCIA card, or midi to keyboard. For the Echo, I was an 1/8 to 1/4 Radioshack adaptor.
Bernie

The internal card in my Sony Vaio is just wonderful. I did not feel the need to upgrade for audio playback. I use one mini jack to 1/4" and run it into my Bose.

Dave your saying that all your SMF songs thru the Sony Vio sound card is as good as running them thru the Korg? or any KB?
What SC is in the Sony, GS wave Table, or?

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-05-2008).]

Try m-audio 410 Firewire, MOTU traveler,
E-MU 1616 or 1616M which I highly recommend.

Stay away from USB cards!

It may be some folks are confusing the quality [or lack of quality] of the sound card...for the quality of the wave table [sound bank] being used..I have found most of the laptop sound cards to be more than adequate for recording and playback..

Try using a higher quality wave table or vst's..You may need to use a host program to use the for-mentioned..but the results will be as good as the hardware [keyboards] we use..

There are many small mixers[firewire and USB that can be used with the original laptop sound card..

I also have an old pcmcia sound card with break out cables [I love it]..but have found no need to use it with my newer PC and laptop..

Just thought I would clarify the difference in case anyone was confused...

Most of the onboard sound cards are more than adequate for everything we do. They do an excellent job with MP3s and .WAV files. For midi files, well, fire them through the keyboard and you can't go wrong.

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

i have had no problems at all with my USB 0404 from E-MU.
but it's also true it is a usb 2.0 card.
i'd be very cautious with usb 1.1. in fact, i'd never buy that. but usb2,0 is fine for two channels recording.

I'm no expert, but I have a hard time believing that the sound card found in the average (even high-end) laptop would have the same quality clocks, converters, and preamps found in dedicated pro-quality units. I do agree that USB 2.0 is probably ok for 2-channel recording, but any higher than that and I'd go firewire for sure, 800 if possible. Of course, when you say "Most of the onboard sound cards are more than adequate for everything we do", then you need to define "everything we do". Just my HUMBLE opinion.

chas

oh, and BTW. Some firewire cards have problems with certain chipsets. Make sure you check with the manufacturer, or better yet, a dedicated forum, before you purchase.

chas

SMF is another story Yamaha is the worst for SMF playback....there are hand claps due to the wrong drum sound assignments vs GM, etc ....excessive reverb saturation & many more....Roland & Ketron do SMF the best IMO....LT/PC wave tables are just OK on most songs but leave alot to be desired, every SMF has to be hand tailored, tweaked, edited.



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-05-2008).]

I have rarely heard ANY SMF that didn't need all the above tweaking, finagling and editing, even when the drum assignments ARE correct

Donny,

The hand claps, etc.., are usually sysex products that can be easily corrected using Michael Bedesem's Midi Player program. Most GM midi files don't have this problem, but there are no hard, fast rules with midi files.

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Thanks guys for clearing it up!

Not all Gary .....but when it occurs ...its a tedious Micro editing fiasco.....I'llcheck MB program also.

thanx

I misunderstod.... the laptop only plays back MP3 unless I don't have the korg on the job. So far, the PA800 has the best smf tones I've ever owned. 2nd best was the Ketron, then Roland, then Yamaha.