Midi doesn't come out!!!

[mazah]

I got a steinberg VSL 2020 soundcard a while back and i've been having trouble with midi since. When using N-track, midi just doesn't come out. The vu-meters on every single track is pumping like it's supposed to but the output vu-meter doesn't do anything and no sound comes out. I don't understand, please help!

 

[Teej]

Boy Mazah, i'm not sure i can help you. MIDI isn't my strong suit. Perhaps you should post this question at AudioMinds or the n-Track forums. There are people at both places that know MIDI better than i.

But let's check the obvious stuff first. I trust you've selected your new card correctly within N's Properties (Ctrl-P). Look at MIDI devices on the MIDI tab.


tj

 

[bubbagump]

You need to be sure that in the options, you have the proper MIDI output device selected. You will do this in two places. In options under the MIDI tab be sure your soundcard is seleted as a MIDI device. Then, on each MIDI track, right click and select 'Output to' them choose your soundcard.

 

[TimOBrien]

Not familiar with the Steinberg card, but does it have a MIDI synth???

If not then it will not "make" sound, only transmit and receive MIDI data.

You have to have a card with a MIDI synth built in, have a hardware MIDI synth connected, or run a software MIDI synth in order to generate sound from the MIDI data.

 

[mazah]

Thank you everybody, you've been very helpful and i think i have this figured out. One more question. Is there a software synth that works like general midi?

 

[bubbagump]

You could use something like sfz http://www.rgcaudio.com/sfz.htm with a GM SoundFont. There is also a GM VSTi from Edirol that is decent. http://www.edirol.com/products/info/hyperCanvas.html

 

[Teej]

You rock, Bubba. Nice to have ya here, bud.


tj

 

[bubbagump]

The Bubba is everywhere. I stumbled onto this when the N board went down the other week. Seems nice enough over here.

 

[Teej]

Yup. Not a lot of traffic, but i try to check in once a day.


tj

 

[mazah]

You could use something like sfz http://www.rgcaudio.com/sfz.htm with a GM SoundFont.

So how does this work? I can use my GM bank trough this?

 

[bubbagump]

YOUR GM bank? How do you mean? With SFZ you would load a GM SoundFont like Fluid http://www.fluidfonts.com or any of the other zillion GM banks out there.

 

[mazah]

I'm not totally shure... : ) I'm just looking for a way to have a metronome, guitar and maybe some keyboards and bass as a midi backing track when i'm recording drums.

 

[bubbagump]

The sfz and Fluid should work fine for you. Just load up sfz with Fluid and then import your MIDI file to N. Output the MIDI tracks to SFZ and you should be good.

 

[mazah]

Thanks! I'll try this.

 

[mazah]

So, how does this Fluid thing work then..? Are the files supposed to be in this .sfArk format? Sfz doesn't even recognize this.

FAQ says this:
"
Q: "How do I get this Megafont deal to work?"

A: I will have an Online Pictorial setup for Megafont. Check back at the main page: http://www.jazzybee.com/fluid or http://www.powermage.com/fluid"

and neither of those sites work...

 

[bubbagump]

Ignore MegaFont, you don't need it with sfz. To save space, Fluid comes in an SFark format. SFArk is like WinZip for SoundFonts. You will want to "unzip" the SFArk file using SFArk. Get SFArk here: http://melodymachine.com/sfark.htm

Once you unpack the SFark file, the actual SoundFont will have a *.sf2 file extension on it. This file you will load into sfz.

 

[mazah]

Ok, now it's working. Thanks for your help (and patience...)!

 

[bubbagump]

Check out the N-track forum at http://www.ntrack.com for lots more folks to help you out.