[Harp-L] DM-48 midi harmonica

[Michael Rubin]

Dennis,
If you have an Iphone the DM-48 plugs right in ( with a $30 adaptor) and
uses Garage Band, which is a free ap with around 100 sounds.
Michael Rubin
michaelrubinharmonica.com

On Wed, May 10, 2017 at 11:41 AM, Dennis Michael Montgomery via Harp-L <
harp-l at xxxxx> wrote:

> Thanks for answering my question concerning instrument sounds. I was under
> the impression they came with the DM-48. That is a dissapointment as well
> as the learning curve and the software required.
> Which reminds me of a related item. If you can read music a little bit and
> like to compose music you can download a free software called MuseScore at
> http://www.musescore.com/ or org. It comes with a lot of instruments for
> you to use (including a harmonica) although the sounds aren't very
> accurate. Inspite of this it is
> a lot of fun.7
>
>
>
>     On Wednesday, May 10, 2017 6:13 AM, Richard Hunter <
> rhunter377 at xxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>   David Fairweather wrote:
> <So here are some of my impressions of the DM-48 after owning it about a
> <week.
> <
> <1.  It's a bit cumbersome to set up with Windows.  I had to download the
> <REASON, free demo version which won't save anything, which means I have to
> <reset all the midi configuration doo-dads every time I restart the
> program.
>  < That's a bit of a pain.  I also paid $13 for the collection of "Electro
> <Acoustic Waves" patches recommended in the DM48 manual.  More on that in a
> <minute.
>
> Dennis Michael Montgomery wrote:
> <Can it sound like an acoustic or 12-string guitar? If not a harmonica how
> about a clarinet or an obo?
>
> Starting with the last question: a DM48 is a MIDI controller.  It does not
> make a sound--it has no internal circuitry to make sounds.  It sends
> instructions (as MIDI messages) to electronic instruments (hardware or
> software) such as samplers, synthesizers, etc., and the electronic
> instruments make sounds accordingly.  So if you want to sound like a guitar
> with a DM48, you need a synthesizer or sampler that can accurately
> represent a guitar.  Certainly there are software and hardware instruments
> out there that can do that.  Playing a harmonica or any other wind
> instrument in a way that sounds like skilled guitarist is another issue
> entirely.  (How do you make fret noise on a wind instrument?)
>
> Note that in addition to acquiring a software instrument, running it on a
> computer demands that the computer have an audio interface, a MIDI
> interface, and a "host" program that will allow you to run software
> instruments that are delivered as "plugins" (usually in VST format) rather
> than standalone programs.  Some software instruments (such as IK
> Multimedia's Sample tank) can be acquired for free, and include standalone
> as well as hosted (VST) versions, which eliminate the need for a host.
>
> Which brings us to David's comments.  It appears that David's setup issues
> are about setting up the synthesizer (Reason), not the DM-48 per se.
> Anyone who has NOT worked with software or hardware synthesizers is going
> to go up a learning curve on those with the DM-48.  I suggest two important
> (and low-cost) sources of information and synthesizer resources for anyone
> who has to go up that learning curve:
>
> 1) Computer music magazine (available at computermusic.co.uk): this
> magazine publishes monthly, and it is an extraordinary resource for anyone
> working with software and music.  Among other things, every issue comes
> with a very wide assortment of software synthesizers and FX, plus detailed
> instructions on how to install and use them.  I've used some of these
> instruments in my own productions, and by and large they're pretty damn
> good.
>
> 2) kvraudio.com is a well-known (to electronic musicians) site where you
> can access literally hundreds of free software instruments and FX, along
> with lots of user reviews, free sets of sounds for the instruments, and so
> on.
>
> The sheer number of synthesizers available from both free and paid sources
> is extraordinary and can be very daunting and confusing.  It's also all too
> easy for the electronic musician to fall prey to GAS (gear acquisition
> syndrome), in which the sufferer spends hours every day searching for
> exactly the right instrument to express new and exciting sounds--hours that
> could be spent playing and composing music.  For those who have little to
> no experience in this area, I suggest that getting the latest copy of
> Computer Music magazine, and experimenting with the instruments included
> there, is a low-risk high-reward approach to getting started.
>
> Regards, Richard Hunter
> --
> Check out our 21st Century rock harmonica record "The Lucky One" at
> https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/richardhunter
>
> Author, "Jazz Harp" (Oak Publications, NYC)
> Latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://hunterharp.com
> Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
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