Freezing/Unfreezing MIDI Tracks: A Few Questions

[Mike Freze]

I have a question about freezing tracks that I've been reading about in some of my manuals.

If freezing tracks "renders" them to audio tracks (to save on CPU resources and to allow more usages of Plug ins/virtual instruments), then why not freeze every MIDI track you record to avoid any strain on your system?

Is freezing a track the same thing as recording a MIDI instrument (say, my Yamaha electric keyboard) as an audio track to begin with in real time via my interface without bothering to use my MIDI cables, save it as a MIDI data track, etc?

Finally, if freezing a MIDI track temporarily renders it as an audio track, do you need to "unfreeze" each track for your final mix to convert all MIDI tracks to audio for the final bounce, or can you leave the frozen tracks as is when you bounce? Seems like rendering them as audio has already converted them as audio tracks. Am I wrong?

Mike Freze

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

why not freeze every MIDI track you record to avoid any strain on your system?

I have been preaching this gospel for years now. BTW, it's not just for MIDI, but for temporarily rendering standard audio (WAV) tracks with plug-in modifications as well. I usually start out with all tracks frozen/locked, and just unfreeze/unlock the tracks I am curently working on, re-freezing them again when I'm done. Not only does it save CPU resources, but it's a great way to avoid accidentally wasting time editing the wrong track .

Is freezing a track the same thing as recording a MIDI instrument (say, my Yamaha electric keyboard) as an audio track to begin with in real time via my interface without bothering to use my MIDI cables, save it as a MIDI data track, etc?

The difference is, once you record it as audio yourself, your stuck with whatever instrument patch you've chosen. A frozen MIDI track can always be unfrozen and changed in the future if you wish.

Finally, if freezing a MIDI track temporarily renders it as an audio track, do you need to "unfreeze" each track for your final mix to convert all MIDI tracks to audio for the final bounce, or can you leave the frozen tracks as is when you bounce? Seems like rendering them as audio has already converted them as audio tracks. Am I wrong?

You are right.

G.

 

[TimOBrien]

If freezing tracks "renders" them to audio tracks (to save on CPU resources and to allow more usages of Plug ins/virtual instruments), then why not freeze every MIDI track you record to avoid any strain on your system?

We've been doing that for a very very long time.

It was almost necessary back when we had much slower computers just a half-dozen years ago or more....
(remember that midi was invented on 8mhz computers. of course we didnt have the luxury of multi-gigabytes of samples then as the computers wouldn't run anything that big!!)

 

[Guitargodgt]

I have a question about freezing tracks that I've been reading about in some of my manuals.

If freezing tracks "renders" them to audio tracks (to save on CPU resources and to allow more usages of Plug ins/virtual instruments), then why not freeze every MIDI track you record to avoid any strain on your system?

Meh, because it takes 2-3 mins depending on what software instrument it is (superior 2 for example takes longer to freeze than analog factory). While it does take the strain off the system it makes it so you can't tweak the instrument any more (at least with cubase's freeze function) with out un freezing, tweaking and then re freezing. If your committed to sound then by all means...

And finally why bother? If your machine doesn't need the extra headroom CPU wise then what's the point? I hate waiting for tracks to freeze. :lol: IME YMV of course

Is freezing a track the same thing as recording a MIDI instrument (say, my Yamaha electric keyboard) as an audio track to begin with in real time via my interface without bothering to use my MIDI cables, save it as a MIDI data track, etc?

No. Again I'm referencing how cubase does it (since pro tools has no freeze) but when you freeze a track it takes the software instrument and makes a temporary render of the track while bypassing and taking the software instrument out so it no longer is hitting up your CPU.

The above senario isn't freezable because your talking hardware... and why would we want to freeze hardware? The hardware doesn't "ask" for CPU power it just runs on it's own and midi has nothing to do with audio it's just a data track so there is (virtually) no cpu taken up for midi tracks.

Finally, if freezing a MIDI track temporarily renders it as an audio track, do you need to "unfreeze" each track for your final mix to convert all MIDI tracks to audio for the final bounce, or can you leave the frozen tracks as is when you bounce? Seems like rendering them as audio has already converted them as audio tracks. Am I wrong?

Mike Freze

Yeah you don't need to unfreeze when bouncing down to stereo. But your wording is wrong... your not freezing the midi track (the only reason you can't edit midi anymore is because it's been changed to audio so your changes can't be heard unless the software instrument is active), your freezing and rendering the instrument performance controlled by the midi track and taking the software instrument temporarily (since unfreezing will recall all your settings) in case you want to unfreeze and edit the midi. In cubase there are 2 kinds of freeze for instruments:

Freeze the instrument (just takes the instrument out of action) and freeze the instrument and track (this takes both the instrument and the insert effects on the instrument track takes them out of action).