Anyone using Karma software with their M-50?

[salientdigital]

I'm not really sure exactly what Karma does; I envision like an auto-intelligent arpeggiator - is that about right?

Anyway, I saw on the Karma website that you can Karma-ify your M-50.

I write mostly electronica & techno using Cubase 6.5 on Win 7 64-bit and was thinking of using my MacBook laptop to run Karma and some other junk, maybe Reaper slaved to Cubase or standalone VSTs - there's even an XY Controller app for MacBook.

Will Karma send its random MIDI data to embellish what I play live? That is, does Karma send MIDI out like the arpeggiator does?

If someone's done this I'd like to hear your experience.

[csteen]

You problably should adress your questions on Karma to Stephen Kay over at the Karma Lab forum. He created the software and is extremely helpful and willing to adress such questions if you pose them over there. He does come to this forum but I am fairly sure he is also busy getting ready for Namm and working on new projects so I am not sure if he would see your message here or not. I use Karma with my M50 and really love it but I do not understand the technical side enough to give you the answer you need so try signing up over here. http://www.karma-lab.com/forum/ and see if you can get the help you need.

[StephenKay]

I'm not really sure exactly what Karma does; I envision like an auto-intelligent arpeggiator - is that about right?

Hi - yep, that's about right.

Anyway, I saw on the Karma website that you can Karma-ify your M-50.

Yes. Basically, once you've configured the M50 to go with the software, you have the KARMA features and sounds of the M3. What does that mean, exactly?

Well, it means that these YouTube demos, performed on the M3, can be done in a similar fashion, and sound exactly the same on the M50.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnDgnAFm ... RQ&index=4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL8SZyjO ... RQ&index=9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9sqLfdg ... Q&index=10

Will Karma send its random MIDI data to embellish what I play live? That is, does Karma send MIDI out like the arpeggiator does?

Yes, the software can be configured to send the MIDI it generates so that an external sequencer can record it.

[salientdigital]

Thanks for the reply, Stephen. I appreciate it.

You're obviously an amazing engineer and a terrific keyboardist. That said, I have no intention of using Combis or the M50 sequencer. Cubase 7 is my DAW of choice. Since I have an M50 and those videos were done on a M3 I'm not really sure what I'm seeing, other than you mixing in and out 8 channels of stuff you pre-programmed and then playing a solo over top of that. I've been doing that for 20 years with an Ensoniq ESQ-1 and then ASR-10. I never sounded as good as you, but that's not my point.

I'm not seeing anything Karmic on these demos. Or I don't know what to look for.

What I'm having trouble understanding is what Karma does on its own. Is there any way to give an example of some patches being played on an M50 ... and then what does that sound like if you flip on the Karma switch?

Is Karma Non-deterministic? Meaning, does Karma produce entropy that is different every time it's played? How different? Does it know what key I am playing in and won't produce off-color notes?

[csteen]

Yes it sounds like that on an M50 that is WHAT MAKES it KARMA/
The M3 and the M50 share the same sound engine except that the M50 was missing the Karma. The software brings all of those rhythems and textures aboard the M50 as well as so much more than can ever be shown in a video. As far as what your old keyboards could do all I can say is they sure were not doing what Karma does nor was any other keyboard doing it prior to Karma that I'd heard.
All of those loops were not exactly preprogrammed but instead triggered from the keyboard. The resulting sound depends on what input you give the various sliders and switches and keys. You can even configure your own Karma soundsets to interact with. As far as combi's /programs. you are free to turn on or off the programs making up the combi as you see fit or you can also use karma to trigger a single program such a bass guitar or just karma drums and then use that as a jump off point for your creation. One single Karma program or combi can easily be reconfinured to do something entirely new each time you use it or by loading presets it can be brought back to it's original state.
I find it hard to describe in full detail but damn it sure is fun to work with.