Best inexpensive audio interface for Pro Tools 12

[Vern86]

I have a Windows 10 PC, and have tried using an M-Audio Uno to connect my Korg Kronos and I am getting no results. Can someone please recommend an inexpensive audio interface that will allow my keyboard to work with Pro Tools 12 for recording MIDI.

[JCBigler]

Do you need mic preamps? Or just MIDI I/O? There's tons of cheap MIDI to USB interfaces out there for under $100. Lots of good 2, 4, and 8 channel USB audio interfaces with MIDI under $500 also.

Just depends on what you need and how much you want to spend.

I use a Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 which has 8 mic pres and MIDI. Cost me about $425 plus shipping. I also use a Roland OctaCapture which has 8 mic pres and MIDI and cost just a bit more, right around $500 iirc.

[Vern86]

I need a MIDI I/O. I have tried using an M-Audio MIDISPORT Uno, but have no results. Anything under $200 will work for me.

[mjslakeridge]

I haven't used this interface (still using my Digi 002 Rack and Command 8), but it should work for you:

https://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-i...ett-2i4#panels

[Vern86]

Thanks, I will check them out.

[Benoni]

How are you setting things up? How do you want things setup?

Can't you use the USB port to use the Kronos as a MIDI controller?

Then you would run the audio outputs into your audio interface. MIDI has no sound, it's just data.

The Kronos can do Audio and Midi over USB, but that's not going to work for Pro Tools since there isn't an ASIO driver. You may want to try ASIO4ALL and then see if you can use the Kronos as your audio interface.

The Kronos has TONS of features, so it really depends on how you want to have everything setup.

The Eleven Rack is an Avid interface and plays well with Pro Tools. You can buy these used for well under $500. Same for an 003R.

The Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 is nice, but be aware that with a lot of 3rd party interfaces, you have to close Pro Tools when you want to change things like the buffer.

[Vern86]

I want to set things up to record audio more so than MIDI from my Korg Kronos. I have ASIO4ALL and the drivers are all current. I also have the current drivers for the Korg installed. How best should I set it up to record audio?

[Benoni]

Are you plugging in only MIDI cables to the interface? Because that's just MIDI, again, MIDI has no sound. MIDI will trigger sounds, MIDI is only data.

There are MANY ways to configure a keyboard of that stature, I don't have one so I can't tell you all the possible ways, but if you just want to get sound, you need to pipe the audio that the keyboard is making into your audio interface.

So, get two 1/4" cables, plug one end into the OUTPUT of the Kronos, and the other end into an INPUT of your audio interface.

Create a STEREO AUDIO track in Pro Tools, and set the input to whatever inputs you used on your audio interface. Monitor or Arm the track and you should hear sound.

There may be other settings depending your specific hardware, but that is the basics.

You could also run MIDI cables into the interface or via the USB out of the Kronos and record the MIDI data onto a MIDI (or Instrument track) in Pro Tools. Then, later, you could send that MIDI out of PT and into the Kronos and change the sounds.

Again, that just the basics. But start there.

[Vern86]

At first I was just plugging the MIDI into the interface, but I prefer to record the actual sound I am using from the Kronos. I need the basics as I am new to the whole process to setting up a home studio. Thanks, I appreciate the information.

[lgreen100]

Midi only triggers the midi instrument. You need to record audio from you instrument in order to hear it. You can edit the midi to get it the way you want it to sound then record the audio to and audio track (I would recommend a stereo audio track). Thus you need and interface that does both midi and audio. I would go with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 or an M-Audio M-Track 2X2M although you could probably use your Uno with any USB stereo audio interface like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or the M-Audio M-Track 2X2. You have to do both to get the sound into your DAW. It makes more sense to me to use virtual instruments because all you need is a Midi controller.