play midi controller without launching sequencer?

[Veej007]

hey everyone

i'm looking for the easiest way to play a midi controller without having to use a sequencing program. hopefully using the built-in general midi bank in my sound card, or maybe even some flash thing that loads on a web page.

ideas?

[Professor]

Most MIDI interfaces have some kind of default MIDI-thru configuration that is used whenenve the software isn't doing something more involved. Maybe it's a selection on the setup menu for your soundcard. Either way, it should be in there somewhere but may take some hunting - and it is possible that the soundcard won't keep the MIDI instrument available at all times, though that's hard to say.

-Jeremy

[Veej007]

right. thing is, these are usb keyboards so there isn't a separate midi interface nor software of any sort. one of them requires a driver installation which, best i can tell, disappears into the os once it's there (ie no control panel in the system preferences or anything like that) -- there's no window which would have a "midi thru" box to check. the second usb keyboard i'm trying to do this with is class compliant, so there's REALLY no software involved.

i guess what i'm asking is, can this midi thru function be found on the system level in either osx or windows?

[effector]

can you explain again what it is that you're trying to accomplish? do you want to play a sound module that is not connected to your computer, or do you just want to play sounds on your computer without having to load your sequencing program? it sounds to me like you're looking for the latter...in which case, you could probably download something like a soundfont player for free.

[Veej007]

you're right, i'm trying to do the latter (so i guess i'm *not* actually looking for a midi thru function; i think that suggestion assumes that i have an external module)

i was hoping there was an easy way to do it without even depending on a separate soundfont player. quicktime and most sound cards both include gm instrument sets; is there no way to access them with a keyboard?

[effector]

i think if you open the audio / midi setup utility in os x, you can enable the quicktime synthesizer as a midi destination. i'll have to check on that, since i'm on my pc right now.

i don't know if there's a way to do that under windows or not. what soundcard are you using?

[thesimulacre]

You are gonna have to open something unless you want stardard midi shite sounds. I recommend Chainer, which has a free demo (loading presets disabled) or savihost. Savi is especially cool because you simply put a copy of it in the the same directory as whatever VSTi you want to use standalone and rename "savihost.exe" to "name of dll.exe," whatever the name may be. Once you select your sound and midi settings in Savihost, they will be remembered for next time. In this way I have immediate access to some of my favorite synths (on a special toolbar) without all of the creativiy-killing setup and loading of a new Cubase project.

If you are a little more patient, Chainer is better because you can set up effects chains and even record what you are playing using a VST wav file recorder such as Voxengo Recorder or Tape It.

These tools have helped greatly in moments of sudden inspiration.

[effector]

i was totally wrong, by the way. i think i might have been thinking about OMS.

[Veej007]

standard midi shite sounds are ok.

[housepig]

you might check out Tobybear's MiniHost - www.tobybear.de - it's a donationware program (ie freeware with a nag screen) that will allow you to open up VST instruments or effects and play around with them without opening a DAW.

it's got a simple sequencer and onscreen keyboard built in, but you can also use external gear.