Help: turning midi tracks into audio ones??

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mitya

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Hi all

I'm new to Cubase and I've got a big problem: How on earth do I export my music when I can only record in midi tracks? I have an electric piano and all my synths installed on my soundcard. I can record fine, but I can't export as it tells me I have to transform my midi tracks into audio recordings. What on earth does that mean, and how on earth do I do it?

If it helps, I'm using Cubase SX, a Soundblaster Audigy card and an electric piano via midi cable link.

Any help gratefully received.

Thanks.
p.s. my apologies for posting this in more than one forum, I wasn't sure where it was most relevant)
 
You need to record your synths as audio. Connect them to "Line In", create an audiotrack, and hit record.

If you're using soundfonts, read this. It's from a post from the Cakewalk Forum, but don't worry. Just exchange Cakewawalk with Steinberg and Sonar with Cubase, and you should be allright! ;)
 
Thanks Moskus. A few questions if I may:

Unfortunately, I really am a newbie to this, and I'm unsure as to what 'line-in' is. Is that a port on my soundcard or something? What is it you said needs to be connected to line-in?

At the moment I have my midi cable going from my keyboard to my MPU-401 port. Are you saying I need to change the set-up?

Thanks again, and I'll go read that article now.

Andy.
 
Don't confuse MIDI with Audio. Audio is the actual sound and is stored on the harddrive as a wave-file (using aprox. 10 MB diskspace pr minute for a stereo-recording). MIDI is signals, and they are sent between f.ex your sequenser and your synth. When you're recording your performance in Cubase, the signals from your synth is stored on the harddrive (using aprox. no diskspace at all ;)).

And yes, 'Line In' is a connection on the back of your soundcard and it's used to record Audio. The MPU-401 is used to record MIDI. :)
 
Thanks again Moskus. At the risk of trying your patience, could you advise on the set-up needed? What is it that needs to be plugged into the line-in socket on my soundcard? Is it a cable connecting the piano to the soundcard, and if so, what cable do I need to buy?

Once I know the set-up I can stop bugging you!

Thanks again.
 
No, that's allright...

But I need more info. What keyboard/synth/piano are you using? What type of connections is it on the unit?

To make a long story short. The keyboard needs to be connected to the PC with a audiocable. I'm betting that your "Line In" is a 1/8"-stereojack and that your keyboard has two 1/4"-jacks. So you need a cable that look like this, but with a smaller jack at the right end.
 
I'll provide you with the details as best I can:

1) My keyboard is a P200, quality Yamaha electric piano
2) It has midi in, out and thru, plus something called L/mono and R/mono input.
3) My midi cable is in my MPU-401 socket. The cable is your standard 5-pin/15pin midi cable. Normal midi cable.
4) My soundcard's a Soundblaster Audigy. It has a number of sockets on it, one of which I assume is a line-in one??

Sorry about all this, I'm a total newbie to all this jargon. It's ironic... I have the music, but until I understand all this there's nothing I can show for it.

Thanks for your continuing help.
 
Mitya,
You've come to the right web site, you are not the only beginner or non computer person around, I am a computer disaster but I've had more help from this web site than I ever have from the the manufacturers of the software.
Hang in there it comes eventually. I won't even attempt to give you any info but someone will always know the right answer.
 
Hi Clive

Glad to hear I'm not the only less-than-professional here. It's always a worry when you find a new forum lol.

It's ironic... I've cracked web design and PHP coding but this recording lark is a different world. There just seems to be so much that CAN go wrong and identifying it is even harded sometimes lol.

Anyway, here's to slowly advancing our knowledge.
 
The Line In is the blue connection on the Audigy, second one from the top. :)
 
plus something called L/mono and R/mono input
Click to expand...
That didnt make sense so I checked it out. Thats both input and output.
As Moscus said you can take the Keyboard out to the Computers soundcard line in. Not the best but it works. How it comes out sounding from the original keyboard sound is the story.
You can also at the same time use the midi ports from your keyboard to your soundcard midi ports, and Simultaneously record both Audio and midi. One track would be Midi data and the other audio. You could play Piano on the keyboard while at the same time the Midi could play a hammond organ using the soundcards GM sounds if need be. The source for the Audio would be the Soundcards line in. The source for the midi would be your soundcards Midi In.
Now you have 1 track of midi and 1 track of Audio and You want all audio . If you Have another Audio App like Soundforge,Cool Edit etc. You can (Should be able to in Cubase) Play it back (After Mixing) in Cubase and record to soundforge,Cool edit Etc. to a 2 track stereo wave file. If your going to burn a CD its all 2 track.

If you have another Sequencer App like Powertracks Etc. You can record straight to that, Then Play it back and record into Cubase as all audio, bypassing the soundcards line in if you didnt want to use it. The source for recording to Cubase in this manner would be your soundcards Midi out.
When using two programs like this have them open and ready to go. Hit the record on your recording App then go to your playback app and hit playback and it will record all audio.
Just another way of doing things in the Long dark Recording Tunnel. ;)
http://www.borg.com/~jglatt/tutr/whatmidi.htm
http://www.borg.com/~jglatt/tutr/miditutr.htm
 
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THanks Duck and Moskus... I know a lot more now than when I first arrived lol.

I've actually been able to convert from midi to audio now simply by changing the record settings in my 'surround mixer' that came with my soundcard and setting it ti Midi Synth. Is this an amateur way, i.e. is the quality not great? Or is this fine and totally recommendable for recording tracks that started out in midi format?

Also, what would I have done if my soundcard DIDN'T come with a surround mixer? Would this option of changing the record setting never have been available, or do all soundcards come with a similar bit of kit? Seems a bit lucky on my part.

Cheers all.
 
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