Possible to use a keyboard as an external synth?

[laba170]

Since I'm willing to invest some money in my hobby, I am thinking about getting a keyboard and using it as a synth. My reasons are:

1. It's cross-platform. (?)

2. It'll sound good.

3. I'll get a new instrument.

But can a keyboard receive and playback multiple midi-channels at the same time? Can I connect the keyboard to the midi-out port, and then connect it to a sequencer with jack?

Probably stupid questions, but I have no experience with keyboards...

[Yeri]

Can I connect the keyboard to the midi-out port, and then connect it to a sequencer with jack?

I understand that connecting the keyboard to the midi-out port of the computer aims to 'play' midi sent from the computer.. but connecting the keyboard back to a sequencer seems contradictory since your keyboard, used in this way, is not generating midi but sound.
In my opinion you should EITHER connect your keyboard to the midi-out in order to use it as a synth OR connect the keyboard to the midi-in of a sequencer in order to record the midi from the keyboard.. but not both at the same time.

[laba170]

In my opinion you should EITHER connect your keyboard to the midi-out in order to use it as a synth OR connect the keyboard to the midi-in of a sequencer in order to record the midi from the keyboard.. but not both at the same time.

Yeah. I meant using the keyboard as a synth, controlled by a sequencing program on my computer... I probably expressed myself in a confusing way. I'll try to phrase my question a bit more generally:

Is using linux with an external synth (for example a yamaha mo-6), a good alternative (both quality wise and price wise) to just using windows, buying cubase/reaper and buying/downloading alot of VST's/VSTI's?

I like linux and its softsynths, but I think a synth-workstation or VSTI's will generally sound much better. Especially for acoustic instruments..

[Yeri]

Is using linux with an external synth (for example a yamaha mo-6), a good alternative (both quality wise and price wise) to just using windows, buying cubase/reaper and buying/downloading alot of VST's/VSTI's?

I'm not an expert, but I don't see the reason of using VSTI's if you plan to use an external synthesizer.
Take a look at Rosegarden.. an excellent midi sequencer that incorporates a lot of other capabilities (audio files management, synth plugins)

[laba170]

I'm not an expert, but I don't see the reason of using VSTI's if you plan to use an external synthesizer.
Take a look at Rosegarden.. an excellent midi sequencer that incorporates a lot of other capabilities (audio files management, synth plugins)

I wasn't thinking about using both at the same time...
I'm just considering the alternatives I have, when I'm willing to pay for quality.

linux + external synth vVS windows + VSTi's...

What's the pros and cons of these two alternatives? I know it's possible to use VSTi's on linux through wine, but I'm a bit sceptic to it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it won't...

[Yeri]

linux + external synth vVS windows + VSTi's...

What's the pros and cons of these two alternatives? I know it's possible to use VSTi's on linux through wine, but I'm a bit sceptic to it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it won't...

I don't know about windows software, so I cannot give you a comparison.
However, I use Rosegarden as midi sequencer, ZynAddSubFX as general purpose synth and Hydrogen as drum synth.. all of them perform nicely, imho.
BTW, I recommend you to install the latest svn versions when possible, they use to perform better than the older ones.