how do you include midi tracks in final mix - cubase sx

[mancalledaerodynamics]

I recorded drum tracks with my midi controller and Battery, a vst plugin. I recorded synth tracks with the controller and the built in a1 synth in SX. I'm ready to start automating tracks for mixdown, but I have to create audio tracks for these midi tracks, and I don't think the manual really explains this. How can I route the output of the midi tracks to an open audio track to record? If I change the output of the midi drum track off of Battery, it wont trigger the sounds! Besides there is no output choice for the audio track. Please help, feel confused and dumb. These midi drums from battery are great, better than my old drum machine, but apparently their virtual nature make it hard to just mix it all down with my audio tracks. I read a post that said I have to route them out of the sound card, into a mixer, and back in again. Please tell me it aint so. Sounds like a nightmare. Cant just "convert to wav?

 

[Bigus Dickus]

You're right, the manual is pretty vague here, and since I haven't played with the MIDI section yet I'm not much help.

My impression when reading the manual was that the process would be something like: take a MIDI track, connect to a VST, route the output (in software, that mixer thing sounds extremely bogus) into an audio track in Cubase by setting that track's input as the VST, enable record on that track, and then play the MIDI/VST track and let it record the audio to the audio track.

I assumed that process wouldn't be so difficult, but after reading your post I can say I'm not really looking forward to finding out.

 

[Bass Master "K"]

Sorry I havn't been around much...been in the process of trying to buy a home, but hopefully after today I will have a new residence from which I can give you useless advice.

If the MIDI instrument is a physical instrument, then you need to re-rout the signal by plugging the audio out's from your midi device into your mixer/in's on your soundcard and rerecord the signal as audio.

As I understand it, with VSTi's you just need to make sure that when you export your mixdown you have a box checked that says something to the effect of "include VSTi's and VST plug-in's" (I'm not at my workstation so I don't have the exact wording) and that should automatically do it. Please keep in mind I have NOT done this yet, but I have read about it many times. If for some reason this doesn't work PLEASE respond back here and I will dig around for the answer. While I havn't used this function yet, I will be using it in the near future so I definately want to know if I have the info wrong.....but it shouldn't be wrong

 

[klytus]

Just done a test and...

...I can conclude that VSTi's are automatically recorded at mixdown.

I use a controller keyboard and a Steinberg Midex3 MIDI interface to control VSTis like A1 and Battery. I made a quick track using only VSTi's (i.e. a bunch of Midi tracks), selected a loop range, hit Export Audio mixdown, gave it a filename, selected sample rate and bit depth, selected stereo interleaved, left the boxes for include automation and effects checked, and VOILA, a perfect stereo wav file of my 'virtual' music.

There is no extra routing necessary for mixdown with VSTi's under SX. All you have to do is make sure your midi tracks are routed to the correct VSTi's when you start the project, or you won't hear anything at all.

Klytus

 

[mancalledaerodynamics]

Thank you all! I'm now a little less dumb than I was yesterday! I really appreciate your patience and kindness in dealing with an obvious novice to digital recording. Thanks again.