effects on converted MIDI files

[larrye]

I am using Band-in-a-box to produce MIDI tracks which i import in N-track. After I import to n-track I convert to wav file to use as soundtrack for vocal recording. Would it help the quality of the MIDI to treat these MIDI files as you would any recorded instrument? Like a low cut on the bass guitar track?
I have a turtle beach montego sound card in my computer.
I searched the site and did not find much on this topic.

Thanks a lot and this is one great site!

[Blue Bear Sound]

I'm not sure we're talking the same language here.... MIDI information is not audio - there is no sound information in there, it is simply a set of commands that direct HOW to playback a sound.... so unless you can be more clear about what you're trying to acheive, the answer to your question is NO - MIDI files cannot be thought of as musical instruments 'cos they contain no "sound"!

Bruce

[six]

hey mr. bruce, although english isn't my mother tongue I really do think larrye's question can be easily understood... have you been working too hard lately? ;-)


larrye: band-in-a-box is a software, isn't it? so the midi-sounds are produced by your soundcard I guess. you import the midi-files into n-track (as I do - execpt for the guitar) and then record the sound that's produced by your card.
i don't know anything of your soundcard, but if it's a wavetable-card it depends on the samples used if you can improve your mix by effects & eq.
I have a soundblaster live and I searched for soundfonts with quite dry samples.
So mixing, I add some reverb to the drums for example. I only do low-cuts on instruments like piano - otherwise it gets too boomy with the bass-guitar...
but all this really depends a lot on the samples used.

just try a bit - the samples of your card aren't perfect for every mix... if the bass-sound doesn't please you; eq it!

[larrye]

Hey Six, thanks for you help, and in fairness to Bruce, I probably could have phrased my question better.
Band-in-a-box is a software program. I am using Roland VSC-88 for my MIDI. Bass guitar seems too muddy and hides the bass drum. Low cut seemed to thin it a little allowing the bass drum to stand out better. Does this make any sense? I have never any cut on piano, but I will try anything as my piano sound sucks. How and why do you do it?
Has anybody tried to record the MIDI tracks one at a time from the monitor speakers with a mic?
It is probably obvious I don't know much about MIDI, so tell me is Roland VSC-88 any good? Suggestions?

Thanks,
Larry