Bouncing midi to audio

[lasagne]

Hi

I'm really new to this, so don't know if that's even the right term. I recorded my piano via midi into cubase. I can hear it, and it's lovely ! I know that I need to record the midi track to an audio track in order to export it to wav (and then to mp3). I followed the instructions in the manual (armed an audio track to record, then play the midi tracks), but nothing records.

Any ideas anyone ?

 

[AlChuck]

The best term is probably something like render the MIDI track to audio, or record it to audio, certainly not bounce it to audio.

You do realize, I hope, that you did not record your piano to MIDI, but recorded its MIDI messages, and that you are listening to either the onboard synth on the soundcard or a plug-in software synth hosted by Cubase responding to these MIDI messages.

Arming the track and pressing record won't get you anything if the sound card's MIDI synth is not being routed into the recording input but only straight to the sound card out. What kind of card do you have? For generic soundcards there's the Windows Volume control, which has checkboxes for enabling or disabling the various ports and pathways on the card. Better soundcards have there own utilities that override this one.

 

[Hawk Studio]

I generally have a synth hooked up to the midi port. Once Im satisfied with the midi, I have Sonar play my synth while I record the audio coming back through the mixer to another channel. Works like a charm. I then archive the midi track and go to work on the audio for final eq etc.
By the way Im using Sonar 4 prod Ed.

 

[lasagne]

I'm afraid I don't have an external mixer, or any of the shed loads of groovy equipment that I see lots of other people have on this site. I simply have an Edirol UA 20 soundcard, and am trying to record with Cubase. Since posting, I've realised that I can't record one audio track to another either - in other words, I can record audio (and play it back OK), and record midi (and also play it back OK). What I can't do is record one track onto another within Cubase. I think I know the procedure for doing it in Cubase, but I can't get it to work. Presumably it is to do with the way my sound card is set up, but I've tried every combination I can think of, but nothing seems to work.

If anyone has any ideas I'd really appreciate it. I can see myself really getting into this, and buying some proper gear, but I'm getting a bit frustrated before I even start.

Bah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[scrubs]

I'm afraid I don't have an external mixer, or any of the shed loads of groovy equipment that I see lots of other people have on this site. I simply have an Edirol UA 20 soundcard, and am trying to record with Cubase. Since posting, I've realised that I can't record one audio track to another either - in other words, I can record audio (and play it back OK), and record midi (and also play it back OK). What I can't do is record one track onto another within Cubase. I think I know the procedure for doing it in Cubase, but I can't get it to work. Presumably it is to do with the way my sound card is set up, but I've tried every combination I can think of, but nothing seems to work.

If anyone has any ideas I'd really appreciate it. I can see myself really getting into this, and buying some proper gear, but I'm getting a bit frustrated before I even start.

Bah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you want to use a VST instrument sound for the midi track, the procedure is simple. Make sure you have the desired VSTi as the output device for the midi track. Make sure your left and right locators are positioned properly at the beginning and end of the track, respectively. Solo the midi track. Select Export-->Audio Mixdown. In the popup window, there should be a box that says something to the effect of "reimport to audio track." Check that. Make sure the File type, sample, and bit rates are correct for your project (ex. Stereo Interleaved, 24-bit, 44.1kHz, wav file). Then export it. The rendered audio file should show up at the bottom of your project as a new track.

If you want to use the sound from your hardware keyboard, you'll have to route the output in cubase to the midi out on your soundcard (which will be connected to the midi in on your keyboard). Then take an audio line-out (or headphone out, or use a microphone to record your keyboard) from your keyboard back into you soundcard, routed to an open channel/track in cubase. Again, solo the midi track, but also make sure open audio track is not muted, and is record-enabled. Hit record, and the midi file should play back through your keyboard and be recorded as an audio file onto the open track in cubase. You'll probably have to adjust the file a little to account for the latency of going out and back into the compter.

 

[lasagne]

Thanks very much Mr Scrubs !! Your response didn't quite work (because I've clearly not set the card up correctly) but the information you gave me was enough to find a working compromise.

I exported an audio track, and checked the import box as you suggested. The file was reimported onto a track at the bottom, as you said, but when I played it, there was no sound. When I listened to the wav file that was created (outside Cubase) there was sound. So I simply imported this wav file and hey presto !! It worked.

Sadly, this method didn't work when I tried it for a midi track. I did the same procedure, but although there appears to be something on the file (you can see the up and down wave forms), no sound plays. However - I've just plugged a lead from the headphone socket of my piano into the line in on my sound card, and it records perfectly, so I'm not bothered. At this stage I'm not after professional studio quality recording - I just want to get a few ideas down.

So again - thanks for your help. You'll get a credit on my debut album, provisionally entitled "F*** Me, There's More To This Recording Lark Than Meets The Eye". Catchy I think.