loading Trumpet v3 into EWI 4000s

Comments

• Maddcow

  June 2016 edited 9:06AM

  You'll need a MIDI interface to connect the EWI to your computer via MIDI cable. There are heaps of different brands available but I recommend that you don't get the cheapest you can find (eg the cheap no-brand units from China)....go with one by a reputable company. Personally, I recommend the MOTU Fastlane; they can be a little pricey but are very good quality and reliable. I bought mine used from eBay for a great price. I recommend avoiding M-Audio products because a) support is very poor, and b) M-Audio is very slow at releasing updated drivers for new OS versions.
  
  
  
  By the way, the thread title is misleading because you cannot load The Trumpet into an EWI. You can only control The Trumpet software installed on a computer via MIDI commands from the EWI.
• MSchnell

  June 2016 edited 9:06AM

  Supposedly you will not only need a Midi-USB interface to send the EWI signals to the PC but also an USB->Audio interface to be able to listen to the computer output. The built-in Audio interface well introduce to much latency for live playing.
  
  
  
  There are combined boxes for exactly this purpose.
  
  
  
  I use an NI Audio 6 and would recommend it, as it is built to do very low latency in live applications.
  
  
  
  -Michael
• Maddcow

  June 2016 edited 9:06AM

  MSchnell wrote: The built-in Audio interface well introduce to much latency for live playing. Depends on the computer. A recent-model MacBook Pro 15" (definitely not 13") would handle a single instrument fine with built-in audio. I've done it many times in a pit orchestra situation when I couldn't spare the space for my full gig rig (with audio-MIDI interface) and I was using all Sample Modeling instruments...my mid-2014 MacBook Pro 15" Retina machine (with MOTU Fastlane MIDI interface) performed flawlessly with MainStage running with a 32-sample buffer. Pretty impressive. However, many PC laptops (and 13" MacBook Pro machines) would have significant difficulties using built-in audio.
  
  
  
  But Michael is right: if you're not confident that your laptop's built-in audio would be fast, stable and high-quality, you're best to get a good audio interface with integrated MIDI interface. If you have a MacBook with Thunderbolt, consider the Resident Audio T2 (or T4 if you need more inputs/outputs).
• tclement

  June 2016 edited 9:06AM

  I have a 2011 13" Macbook Air and a 2015 13" Macbook Pro and haven't noticed any audio latency problems. I've also used a 2010 15" Macbook Pro.
  
  
  
  I'm able to run Reason at 64 samples and Logic Pro X at 128 samples using the internal audio or Motu Ultralite MK3 via Thunderbolt.
  
  
  
  I don't do any layering and very limited polyphonic stuff.
  
  
  
  I have read the MacBooks use Cirrus Logic 4208-CRZ audio codecs. Do you know if the different Macbook model sizes use different codecs that would contribute to your experience of larger models having better audio performance ?
  
  
  
  -Tim
• tclement

  July 2016 edited 9:06AM

  I have been doing some comparison between 15-inch and 13-inch Macbook Pros. Both with i7 processors. EWI4000S and Roland UM-One MK3 usb/midi interface, internal sound card output to a Yamaha monitor.
  
  
  
  Both perform well and sound great. The 15-inch does perform better. For example on the 15-inch I can reliably double-tongue at 152bpm with Logic Pro synths. On the 13-inch my double-tongue max is 138bpm.
  
  
  
  I have read several specification comparisons and found there are architecture differences between the 15-inch and 13-inch models.
  
  
  
  Based upon my limited testing, I now prefer the 15-inch Macbook Pro for synth playing.