I got a dumb MIDI question

  • Thread starter Thread starter lakemonitor
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lakemonitor

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I have only a very basic understanding of MIDI, so please don't get insulted at my ignorance. I've just recently started using Cubase SX and want to experiment with MIDI instruments. I've used the key editor to place notes as I don't yet have a controller keyboard - what I want to know is how does one hear the MIDI track as audio? Is there some kind of rendering procedure which converts the MIDI information in a track into audio so that it can be heard along with the other tracks. Maybe I need a different output device to play the MIDI tracks?

My soundcard has MIDI IN/OUT. Do I need to connect a device to it which interprets the MIDI signals and outputs Audio?

Am I ridiculously far off the mark?
 
No, you are on the right track.
There are a few different ways to hear the output of a MIDI track.

a) via a hardware sound module connected to the MIDI out of the soundcard and that module's audio output
b) via internal hardware synthesis built into the soundcard (if so equipped)
c) via a soft synth such as MS wavetable (not recommended)
d) another form of soft synth such as one of the virtual instruments included with SX or any other virtual instrument (Read your SX manual on VST instruments)

Then it's just a matter of selecting the appropriate output for your MIDI tracks.

HTH
 
Thanks a million, that was very helpful. Just started to look at VST instruments, seems pretty cool - a lot of possibilities.
 
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