Edirol PCR-800 + Korg nanoPad

[thewhitewolf]

Hi everyone,

I just stumbled upon this forum the other day and have enjoyed browsing through the threads. Very informative and friendly group, here!

I have been wanting to purchase the Novation ReMote SL 61 for some time, but I think I'm ready to go the budget route, but have some questions about midi setup.

So far, i've just been running a midi cable from my old Yamaha PSR keyboard (yeah, the kind you could buy at Target lol) to my Audigy audio interface just for the purpose of playing keys. I use Reason 4 and Mackie Tracktion as my DAWs.

What I'm considering is purchasing the Edirol PCR-800 as well as the new Korg nanoPad. Is it possible to use two midi devices simultaneously with a DAW? For example, would I be able to play keys with the PCR and use the X/Y pad on the nanoPad at the same time?

Also, if anyone is familiar with the PCR's editing software, I'd appreciate some feedback on how user friendly it is for non-Cakewalk software. I'm not intimidated by setting up templates in software, but would it work okay with Reason and Mackie? Also, can you save templates for specific devices (Reason) and VSTi's (Mackie)?

I hope I'm not asking too much in one post! Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Jason

[tacman7]

I'll just pick one.

My yamaha keyboard has a usb interface as well as the legacy midi ports. You can play a drum trigger plugged into the midi port on the yamaha while your playing keys, going to the computer on the usb port. So the keyboard has a midi merge function.

Or if you have several midi inputs you can have several devices sending midi to one VSTi at the same time. Just make more than one track with different inputs and the same VSTi.

[thewhitewolf]

Thanks for your reply!

That is all very good to know. If I have 2 seperate controllers plugged into the PC via USB, will I be able to control them simultaneously just as I would through Midi Merge? If I purchase the Edirol and nanoPad, I would most likely connect them directly via USB and I'm wondering if I could play keys on the Edirol while manipulating the same VSTi with the X/Y pad on the nanoPad. In other words, I would want to achieve the same effect as if I had a Novation ReMote was using the X/Y pad on it while playing the keys. I hope I explained this well.

Thanks!

[tacman7]

Cubase performs the same function as a midi merge. You can have more than one track (so different sources) sent to the same destination.

Also you don't really just send midi to something with automation in cubase, (you can if the VSTi will resond to it) but cubase maps incoming midi to functions of a VSTi, or cubase itself or VSTeffect or whatever. You create a GM device to do that.

[tacman7]

Doh!

Started talking Cubase again, have to read questions better. So your DAW software should function similar.