CAKEWALK, ALESIS 7.1, AARDVARK SOUNDCARD, MIDI to AUDIO??? HEEELLLPPP!!!

[mshea]

Hello all. Before i begin. Much thanks to Dragon out there who's info helped me to set this stuff up. SO. Now that i've got 15 projects rip roaring and ready to go. I think. NO PROBLEM! Save, convert to MP3 burn to CD. WOO HOO! I'm on the road to becoming a SUPERSTAR!!!

Except i seem to be driving with the parking break ON!!! I read the info and the Cakewalke HELP concerning converting the MIDI to AUDIO and am confused. I tried to playback the stuff as a MIDI file and found all of my songs sounding like video game music, so i guess I HAVE TO CONVERT TO AUDIO. I am USING all of the sounds from my Alesis QS7.1. So, I guess this is where my overpriced Aardvark soundcard comes in...right? OK. If that's the case. HOW THE HELL DOES it work? I'm so confused. Do i REALLY have to start messing with cords and cables again, or can i do this within Cakewalk, their seemed to be a disagreement concerning that. If ANYONE OUT THERE CAN HELP! I'd really be appreciative. I'm so close i can TASTE it and NOW!!! ANOTHER ROADBLOCK!!! UG!!!!

 

[mshea]

Gosh darnnit, gotta go to guitar center

OK. I hear what you're saying. I need MORE CORDS! So i'll be making a trip to guitar center. But before i do that i now need to know. If i am standing in FRONT of my keyboard does that mean i need to get chords to go from the left main/right main hookups and run into the line inputs of my Aardvark break out box? And if so, what the hell kind of cords are those?

As far as my sound hook up. I am MASSIVELY jimmy rigged as far as sound goes. I have a cord going from the microphone plug on the Alesis and heading into my stereo (still assembling funds for quality powered monitors). I do my first "rough" tracks without headphones, cuz i'm just trying to get the overall feel. I've got my Keyboard connected to my Aardvark through the MIDI ins and Outs, however, have yet to figure out WHY THE HECK it doesn't register when you pop the panel up. I figured it was due to my massive 'get by' connection fix up and will be solved when the monitors are added. Who knows. I just can't wait till i can get this crap done.

And the reason i don't use .wav files and burn directly to cd is because i'm an idiot and HAVE NO IDEA how to do it. I'm a composer and writer and singer first and foremost. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT the HELL i was getting myself into when i begun my journey into recording from home. Now quite a bit of $$$ later and a whole bunch of learning, i'm getting there. However, does that mean i could save the cakewalk project as a .wav file and ALL the sounds will come out right? Or did i just vear off of a cliff again. Let me know, cuz if that's the case. I'm happy as a LARK!

 

[schwa]

I've been there...

There's a lot to keep track of isn't there. Let's see if I can help clear things up.

You are definitely wrestling with one of the first concepts of computer recording, and that's MIDI vs audio. Remember that MIDI is information that describes WHAT to plat (what notes, what sounds, etc.) and audio is the sound itself. I suspect that you are getting nintendo sounds because you don't have the audio from your synth plugged into the Aark card.

Looking at the Aark breakout box, you should have the (2) MIDI cables hooked into your synth. It sounds like you have this covered. The information carried by these cables are the notes you play while recording, and the notes Cakewalk tells the synth to play when you hit the "play" button in cake.

Now we want to get those synth sounds into cake. There are 4 outs on your synth, but just use the main ones for now until you learn how to route sounds through the aux output. You need two "instrument cords" which are 1/4" on both ends. If you want to keep montioring through the stero, there are some jacks on the back of the Aark breakout box, uncluding two RCA connectors which will work fine for your stereo.

Now you have to go into cake and make sure everything is going to the right ports on the Aark. For example, to record a MIDI track to audio, you need two tracks defined, one MIDI, one audio. In the properties screen for the MIDI track make sure that the port selected is the Aark, NOT your internal sound card (which is where the "nintendo" sounds are coming from). Then, in the audio track, arm it for recording (red "r" button) and make sure that the input is set to the stereo 1,2 input on the aark card. When you press the record button, it should then record the midi track to the audio track.

Well, that's a mouthfull, take a look at it and see if it makes sense. Good luck.

 

[mshea]

Thanks all. I'm heading to guitar center. Buying the 1/4 cords. Checking out the Aardvark stuff, but now looking at the breakout box. Just to verify. I'm plugging the left main/right main in the back of the Alesis into the FRONT panel of the Aardvark breakout box? The LINE INPUTS...right? OK. Here goes. Wish me luck. I Don't know what i would;ve done without stumbling across this site. The knowledgeable users have helped me with EVERYTHING. From product questions, then assembly and now look....i'm RECORDING....kind of. But it sounds GREAT! Hopefully you'll catch me on an album SOON! If my Father resigns with A&M....I'm IN! Please cross your fingers for me.