Syncing Macbook up to Keyboard/Turntables

[ThaQuest]

I have an old 1991 sampling workstation/keyboard, the Ensoniq EPS 16+

I sample, play keyboard, sequence and compose songs with this machine. Now I would like to sync it up to my Macbook, so that I can record the songs as MP3s and possibly compose on the Macbook as well. I want to be able to access various instruements which are stored on the Macbook, and play them on the keyboard. I was told that I would need an audio interface to do this. Can anyone give me an advice or recommendations on what to buy?

I would also like to connect one USB record player into the setup, so the audio interface needs to support this connection as well.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[zimv20]

I have an old 1991 sampling workstation/keyboard, the Ensoniq EPS 16+

awesome machine.

if you want to use your mac as a sequencer, then you'll need a midi interface so the mac can "play" the eps. if you're going to keep doing your sequences on the eps, then you don't need that.

to record the audio onto the mac, however, yes, you do need an audio interface. how many simultaneous outs does the eps have? is it 8 or 16, i can't recall. regardless, to record those sequences as separate tracks, you'll need an audio interface with that many channels, which can get expensive. if you're happy recording just the stereo out, then you'll only need 2. see the primer (stickied) for more info.

to play your mac's virtual instruments, you should get a USB keyboard. the keyboard and mac will communicate with midi messages, but it'll run over USB.

also, though i don't know exactly how this would be done, i expect you'd also be able to play the eps w/ that keyboard, through the mac, though you'd need the mac <-> eps midi interface i mentioned above.