MIDI problems

[hal333rlee]

Hopefully this is a simple question as I am still new to home recording. Right now I have:
Cakewalk Pro Audio 9
Tascam US122
And I have 2 questions.

Without the Tascam plugged in, in Cakewalk, I was able to make a simple drum track using the midi function. With all the settings correct I could hear the midi track, and record new tracks (vocals, guitar, etc.). But when mixing down to wave and burn on CD, the midi drum track is gone. Can it be done?

When I reboot the computer with the Tascam plugged in, for the life of me I cant get the midi file to play. Do I need a midi cable running from the computer to the Tascam, or are my soundcard settings incorrect? I’m pretty sure I tried every possible setting.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[DonF]

The first thing you need to understand is this: MIDI is not audio.

Second: When you mix down and burn to CD, you're mixing and recording audio.

So, what you need is something to take the MIDI data and turn it into audio, right? That "something" is called a sound generator. So why do you hear drum sounds when the US122 isn't plugged in? Because your MIDI data is being routed either to your internal sound card, which is using its onboard synth as a sound generator, or to the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth. When you boot up with the US122 connected, the system uses that as your default MIDI device, apparently. As far as I know, the US122 doesn't have an onboard sound generator.

So, route the MIDI data to some kind of sound generator, and then capture the audio from the sound generator into a stereo track (or a stereo pair of mono tracks -- I forget how CWPA9 handles this) in Cakewalk. Then, when you mix down, all will be well.

I've seen the US122 bundled with GigaStudio. If you have that, it might make a good choice for a sound generator.

Have fun!

 

[hal333rlee]

Thanks DonF,
I am begining to understand now. Thanks for the quick reply.