Midi Stupid

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Fret

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I am trying to figure out the MIDI thing. I have been able to record individual MIDI tracks but I am trying to figure out how to record multiple tracks with separate sounds using a single keyboard. Also I want to be able to control the sounds from within Sonar. Does anyone have a good suggestion on where to find some good information on MIDI basics?
 
Several of the music chains also carry books, Interstate Music has quite a few. I bought a book called "The Midi Book",(Hal Leonard Publishing) for I think around $15. It is a good basic guide to midi. As far as getting different sounds on different channels, when you are in Cakewalk in track view, click on the source box and make sure your instrument matches the instrument selection. You can do this by going to tools, and midi devices, and select your particular keyboard. then you can pick different banks and voices for the different channels when you are in the source box. Depending on what type of keyboard you have, you may need to go into midi receive mode, or multi mode to record to different voices - you should be able to find out about that in your keyboard's manual.

Good luck!!

mutt
 
Thanks for the reply. I will definitely be checking out the book. One thing you mentioned is the ability to select an instrument that matches my keyboard. I do not have that option. I am using Sonar and if I go to options instruments I have the choices for General Midi and a Roland a Yamaha and so forth. Should I also have an Alesis QS8? I am currently using General Midi and I can select a voice within track view but I can not select a specific bank (or any bank) or a specific patch from the keyboard.
 
about this MIDI stuff

I didn't pay enough attention to MIDI when it first came out and I'm paying the price now.

I also recommend getting LOTS of reading material on the subject.

I recommend The Midi Files by Robert Young. I'm reading this book (which comes with a floppy disk:D ) and finding it very easy to understand but not so basic as to be useless.

Good times.

;)
 
There are several good basic MIDI books by Craig Anderson. Look for them at your local music store.

There is also a good Cakewalk book called Cakewalk Power. You would find it at a larger bookstore like Borders.
 
A couple things...

Regarding the .ins file for the QS8, I think it's nested in the Alesis .ins file. Having the correct instrument file defined is a great help as it let's you access your patches (including the internal GM support) much more efficiently.

If you go to the instrument define dialog box and open the Alesis file, you'll find the QS8 definintion inside.

I also found the Cakewalk power book to be worth the money, its discussion of midi support was very usable, much more so than the cake manual. They're coming out with a SONAR Power book, but I don't think its out yet.
 
It took me a little while to find that but man did it help. This is starting to make a little more since. Thank you for all the help.
 
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