[Help for Newbies] This is how to record MIDI to audio

stokki · Last edited by stokki on Fri Nov 09, 2007 12:58 pm; edited 7 times in total

i know this thread is guaranteed to raise a laugh or two amongst you regulars, but i felt inspired by AEM's "level heads will prevail" post to start another newbie help thread... if you think it's worth it, bump and request for sticky...

ok, so here it goes:

i read a lot of threads here that ask for (or demand, in some cases) help in 'converting MIDI to audio'. in most cases, i sense a big confusion in the head of the poster, that's why i wanted to make some things clear. ok, most of you know all of this already (and it's almost all in the manual), but for the impatient newbie, here's some knowledge:

- MIDI is a language in which computers and instruments can communicate.
- MIDI doesn't contain audio. again: MIDI DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY AUDIO. it only transfers information about when which key is pressed on the keyboard, how hard it is pressed, and when it is released. so, think of your MIDI sequencer as if it were a piano roll (most obvious in the key editor, it really looks like a piano roll).
- the 'normal route' MIDI takes is as follows: you press a key on your keyboard, the information about your playing is recorded into the sequencer, and gets transferred to an audio source, be it a hardware synth (could be the internal synth of your keyboard), sampler, etc... or a VSTi one.

ok, let's look at some different cases and ways to get the audio from your source on an audio track in cubase. in all of the cases below, i assume that you have MIDI information recorded on tracks in SX and that you have routed them properly so that each instrument (be it VSTi or hardware) gets it's correct MIDI signal.

1. i'm using only one synth (keyboard), i only use the internal sounds from my synth, no VSTi's.

make sure the MIDI out from your synth goes into MIDI in on your soundcard/midi device. also, your synths MIDI in should be connected to the MIDI out of your midi device. make sure your synth's audio out is connected to an input on your soundcard. to avoid notes playing doubled, you can either disable local MIDI on your synth, or disable MIDI thru in cubase. now, set your locators correctly, make sure the output settings on the MIDI channel (in cubase) from which you want the data to go to your synth are set accordingly. arm an audio track, make sure it records the input on your souncard where your synth is connected to, set the recording level right and hit record.

2. i'm using a MIDI keyboard and an external synth/sampler

same procedure as above, except: MIDI out from your DAW should go to MIDI in on your synth/sampler, audio out from your synth/sampler should go to audio input on your DAW.

3. i'm using a MIDI keyboard and a VSTi

now, this is a different ballgame. first, you should understand that a VST instrument works actually the same as an external synth/sampler, but it stays 'within' cubase. be well aware of the fact that you're using two different kinds of tracks, namely: a MIDI track (which still contains the note on/note off/velocity data), and a VSTi track (where you can see and hear the audio playing from the VSTi). this VSTi track already works like an audio track, you can apply FX etc. on that. if you export your whole mix, the VSTi tracks will be rendered into the mix. actually, i never felt the need to capture the audio coming from a VSTi onto an audio track, but i imagine there are cases where this could come in handy (too little cpu left etc.). one of the following procedures can be followed:

- the simplest option is to 'freeze' your VSTi (SX2 and later). cubase will render an audio track from your VSTi and disable the VSTi itself, so that more cpu power comes available. cubase will play the audio track, instead of rendering audio from your VSTi all the time.

- VST 5 and SX 1 users can perform a freeze 'manually': set your locators right, mute all channels except the MIDI track and the VSTi track, choose 'export' from the 'file' menu, and check the boxes 'import to pool' and 'import to song/project'. an audio track will be rendered and will show up in your track window.

4. i'm using a MIDI keyboard and sounds from my soundcard (GM/GX/MS wavetable synth etc...)

this is a tricky one. it's perfectly possible that you hear sound while playing, and if you try to export, nothing is in the wav file. this has to do with the way cubase communicates with your soundcard. try changing the driver in cubase (in some case you should use the 'multimedia driver', sometimes it's the 'full duplex driver' that does the trick. experiment Wink

).
in some cases (soundblaster eg.) you have to set your soundcard to 'record what you hear'. for some soundcards, there is no other option than routing its audio output back into the input, and record that, like in case 2 above.

5. i'm using reason via rewire

welcome to the wonders of rewire! the thing is: you don't have to 'convert your audio to midi' at all. i love reason for its sounds, but for my needs its sequencer is too limited. that' why i often use reason as one 'big VSTi' (and it beats any audio app in putting the least possible stress on your system). proceed as follows:

- in SX, make sure all rewire channels are active. ('devices','reason')
- in reason, get rid of the mixer. patch all the devices directly into the rewire audio interface. by doing this, you will have the most options during mixdown. this is what i prefer anyway.
- now, there is a little downside to this: rewire provides only one stereo channel, the rest are all mono ones. i hear rumours about promises of fixing this in coming updates/upgrades of SX.
for example:
if you patch your reason devices (redrum etc) directly into the rewire audio interface (not using reason's mixer), you will see that if you connect the L output of a stereo device to an odd-numbered channel, the R channel will automatically be plugged into the channel next to it. (3+4,5+6, etc.)
however, in SX, these signals will end up in pairs of mono channels. luckily, there's a workaround: pan the two mono channels of a stereo signal hard L and R, create a stereo group track and route the two mono's to the stereo group. now you don't have to apply insert FX twice...

this way, you've set up reason as a "big (collection of) VST instrument(s)". if you still have the need to record these sounds to an audio track, export them like they were VSTi's (see nr. 3 above). you cannot freeze these tracks (afaik).

- when you export your mix, your reason sounds will end up in the mix, with all the FX you applied to them...

ok i think i pretty well covered any situation that i can think of... feel free to contribute if there's any left-overs.

edit 11/2007: just a tip: never use 'ctrl-s' to save, always use 'crt-alt-s' !!! this will save your project as a new version (adding a number at the end of the project's name) so if your project becomes corrupted for any reason, you will always have a previous version...

and for you newbie's: read AEM's "level heads will prevail" post. also, try and read the manual, it won't bite you. speaking for myself: i consider myself to be an fairly accomplished user, but i too had to start from scratch 7 years ago... and still i encounter situations that seem impossible to get my head around. though this can be frustrating, i try to look at it as an opportunity to learn something new...

greetz 'n succes!

stokki.
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Paul Woodlock · Guest

Greetings

I didn't laugh ( well not much anyway - just kidding I really didn't laugh at all! )

Unless this is made a sticky, your valiant efforts will disappear down the forum's toilet of cyberspace in a day or two.

Which would be a shame!

Smile

Paul

juanpablo · Guest

here's a couple of bumps for you.

juanpablo · Guest

bump

the dawn draws near when i shall be a member

numnutz · Guest

Hey Yossarian, I think they raised the number of missions again...

Major Danby

juanpablo · Guest

its a catch 22 situation man. Cool

Peter Spittal · Junior Member Joined: 13 Mar 2005 Posts: 25 Location: UK

Thats a really helpful post - cheers. However, when i tried to do what you said, i ended up with a really bad hiss in the final mixdown - is this unavoidable? Also, i was wondering if youcould put more than one MIDI file onto one audio track, or if you can get away with putting 5 or 6 onto one to save time. Im a pretty new user (by the way, i use SX 3.0) and help is always appreciated.

Cheers

stokki · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:00 am Post subject:

stokki · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:00 pm Post subject:

ok i'll bump already... Wink

and: sticky request!

maybe i chose the wrong title for this thread, i'm afraid it's being ignored by the regulars here who think "awww.... not again..." Wink

if it ever gets to being sticky, maybe an administrator could change it into "NEWBIES IN NEED FOR HELP CONCERNING MIDI AND AUDIO, READ THIS FIRST" ?

stokki.
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alabamian · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:33 pm Post subject:

bumppity -
yeah, we need some more sticky threads here, including one about the midi timing problem that requires the ignore port filter move, but maybe they don't want to put a sticky thread that has any hint of problems?
I dunno...
BUT
mr stokki, I think you can change the thread title yourself... give it a look!
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stokki · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:05 pm Post subject:

thx for the suggestion alabamian, just did it... didn't know it was possible Wink

learn something new everyday! Wink

stokki.
_________________
intel pentium D955 extreme edition dualcore 3,46 GHz on intel D955xbk mobo, system drive: 160 Gb sata, recording drive: 4x 160 Gb in a 1,0 (striped/mirrored) RAID, 2 Gb RAM, ASUS nforce 6600 graphics card (PCI-x), belkin 1394a PCI card, presonus firestudio, SX 3, TC powercore firewire, UAD-1e

Alternative Energy Music! · Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 9:09 pm Post subject:

Excellent thread! <bump>

stokki · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 12:27 pm Post subject:

another bump + sticky request + promise to add a chapter 'rewire' in the original thread, will do that tonite...

please admins, don't let my efforts be in vain Wink

stokki.
_________________
intel pentium D955 extreme edition dualcore 3,46 GHz on intel D955xbk mobo, system drive: 160 Gb sata, recording drive: 4x 160 Gb in a 1,0 (striped/mirrored) RAID, 2 Gb RAM, ASUS nforce 6600 graphics card (PCI-x), belkin 1394a PCI card, presonus firestudio, SX 3, TC powercore firewire, UAD-1e

Oudista · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:41 pm Post subject:

OT Where are the Admins? No sign of any of them in days!
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numnutz · Guest

Oudista · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 4:44 pm Post subject:

Right, though they weren't closed when i posted
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11 strings is not enough
(i want a Kora next)

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MrVictory · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 4:55 pm Post subject:

The are some who just understand Midi and Audio, and there are some who just dont...
I remember explaining somebody about the fact that "MIDI does not carry Audio, it's notes only",
i remember i tried to explain him 3 times and he still did not get it all the way, ehe
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Doc Jones · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 7:59 pm Post subject:

HornForHire · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 8:05 pm Post subject:

Bump. Keep it on top of the page !!! Laughing

vaughn · New Member Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 7

Stocki, I found that very useful. I'm not really a newbie, just an old muso with limited computer chops, over the last few years I have learned enough about Cubase to use the B4 organ, soundfonts, and am now working with Garritan personal orchestra. I still have trouble though understanding where all those signals are coming from, and going to. I can't get my head around the concept really, so I welcome explanations like the one you posted. Laughing

I've printed it out and put it in my "Help" folder.

Tommy-boy · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 11:38 pm Post subject:

This doesn't seem to work when I play the C6 key. Mr. Green

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MIDI MATTERS!!!!!

Old Forum - registered Mar 2001; Post Count - 1795

Alternative Energy Music! · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:20 am Post subject:

johnstead23 · New Member Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 7

Hi,

I have just bought Cubase SX 2 after using Cubase SL at university and I am having problems recording the MIDI tracks to audio. I have my finished song with audio and MIDI tracks and have tried to record the MIDI ones to audio. However when i arm the blank audio track and record, it records silence. I read all your tips for solving this but I am not sure the settings I am using. I know the MIDI tracks are all from my sound blaster sound card. I don't know how I can change the settings to get it to record properly.

Also, is this the best way to get my song onto a CD? How can I make the quality perfect?

Any help you could give me would be much appreciated.

johnstead23 · New Member Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 7

Alternative Energy Music! · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 4:56 pm Post subject:

Hi, John!

You should consult the Operation Guide. Specifically look at the MIDI chapters and the chapter on synchronization.

And we'll probably need more details on exactly what it is you want to do, John. For example, are you using the MIDI track to trigger a VST Instrument's sounds, or are you using the MIDI track to trigger the sounds in an external keyboard? If it's the latter, then the Cubase SX MIDI Device Manager Guide might be helpful to you.

Please review the relevant sections of the Operation Guide and the MIDI Device Manager Guide, and get back to us with more details on your situation.

Hint - you might wish to start a new thread on this; to get good visibility.

Good luck; I'm confident that we can get you some help!

frogga · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 5:03 pm Post subject:

alexis · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 5:52 pm Post subject:

Nice work, stokki! Thanks for the great post.
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Snailzer · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:12 pm Post subject:

Moderators please sticky this post, please. Wink

I spent my first two years on this forum explaining this stuff to newbies.
I'm at the stage now whereas I feel like drowing them like so many unwanted kittens Evil or Very Mad

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Alternative Energy Music! · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 7:43 pm Post subject:

stokki · Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 9:41 pm Post subject: