Like a lot of people, I got in on the group buy in after picking up a Keys I/O 49. Let me start by saying that I have ran through multiple things on the Forum and haven't really come close to answering the questions I have. I don't really have much of an interest in recording, other than some basic stuff, but instead plan to mostly use this for live performance. I'm trying to figure out if I'm on the right path or if I'm asking far too much from the hardware and software.
I don't follow the Ron Swanson rule of never half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing. For my band, on top of singing, I play keys most of the time as well as guitar for a few songs here and there. What I planned on doing was using my iRig Stomp I/O with Amplitube as well as my Keys I/O 49 (and if possible a second keyboard that is MIDI capable), using select samples from Syntronik, Hammond, and SampleTank 4. All of this would be ran through my MacBook Pro 2019, and then outputted to my Roland keyboard amp through their corresponding I/O device.
Here are my questions:
1. What is the best, most cost efficient (cheap as free being the best option such as Garage band or the free version of Ableton Live that we get) to run a live midi set up?
2. Is there a way to run multiple MIDI Keyboards each with a different patch on each one (i.e. Grand Piano on 1 and a Hammond preset on the other)? I know you can't open up each individual program since they all run simultaneously.
3. Right now I have the entire library of Syntronik and ST on an external SSD. Is it an issue to just have the handful of patches/sounds I want stored on the internal drive, so I don't have to risk losing or damaging my SSD?
4. Since I'm in a cover band, is there actually any place where users can share patches, or even just a write-up for how they achieve certain sounds? This can be done in Amplitube, so its super nice if you want to sound like a certain artist or even a certain song. I'm not seeing that for Syntronik and ST4.
So please, after reading through the forums, there are much smarter people than I on this stuff. With as good as everything sounds, and with every option under the sun that came with the buy-in, I just know I'm way better off than had I gone out and paid over $1000 for an okay Korg or Roland standalone arranger keyboard. I'm just not sure how to make it all work for me, and if it can be done with what I have and not have to shell out $500 or more on more software.
