MIDI Tracks into Audio Tracks (Cubasis)

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rebelberg

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I've heard people mentioning turning their MIDI tracks into Audio tracks in order to mix them in the song. How is this done? How do you convert the MIDI tracks into audio tracks? I currently use Cubasis. If anyone could give me some tips on this subject I would appreciate it.
 
Maybe...

Maybe you can connect your mixer´s output to your soundcard´s input to record the totally of MIDI tracks all mixed in an only audio track....

I´ve never tried it, but maybe it´s possible..

Good Luck!
 
Me too!

The Cubasis documentation seems to imply that MIDI tracks can be converted to audio tracks. I tried this once by using the "Export Audio File" function, and choosing the option to have the resulting Wave file included in the song I was working on. The wave file was rendered, after the MIDI file was played at an extremely accelerated speed, but - alas - the wave file was completely blank.

If there is a way to do this, it would be a real bonus. There is no other way I am aware of to EQ individual MIDI tracks, or apply effects to them.

Thanks,
Scott
 
Heres how you guys :)

Ok you guys, heres how.. i dont use cubase "yet" and ive never even tracked on a computer yet. But heres how you do it. Make sure your Mixer is connected to all of your midi gear and going into your computer as input to be monitored. Lock up your hardware seqencer to MTC or Midi Clock to Cubase. If you sequnece in cubase then dont worry about locking up. Once you have your midi sequence down packed, sync your sequencer to cubase, then mute all other midi tracks except the one you want to record to audio. Record the entire track from beggining to end.. Erase all of the blank audio parts in the track to save HD space. Repeat this for all other midi tracks you want in audio form. *****NOTE****** Once youve got each midi track into Cubase as audio, either erase the original Midi track or leave it muted while the audio version in cubase is running...

Try that fellas and feel free to ask anymore questions on this matter :)
 
Is there another way?

Thanks for the feedback!

I was wondering if there is a way that Cubasis can do this, internally. In other words, can Cubasis "render" a MIDI track as a wave file, then connect it appropriately within the song?

I know that Cubasis can export a Wave file with an option to include it as part of the current mix, but I would like to know if this can be done with a single MIDI track.

I could, for example, simply output a MIDI track(s) as a wave file, but then I do not believe I could properly import it back into the mix.

Perhaps this is not possible, but I would simply like to turn a complete MIDI file mix with x number of instruments/tracks in it to a mix full of only Wave files. At that point, I could EQ and add effects to each track, hopefully improving the realism of the MIDI illusion.

?

(PS: I do not use any MIDI hardware sequencers or anything like that - just a notation program - Sibelius.)
 
I am by no means an expert ... However

TO begin with, a MIDI track is nothing but a bunch of instructions to be sent out to the MIDI device it is connected to. There is no audio what so ever.

The best way to handle this is to route the audio out of your MIDI device to an audio track in Cubase.

The MIDI track will send the instructions to the MIDI device. The MIDI device will take that information and process it. The results will then be passed to the audio out on the MIDI device.

I hope this at least gives you some insight as to why you can't just convert MIDI to audio.

Peace
Joe
 
That´s what I tried to say!

(...but I did a very bad explanation)

:-)
 
Believe it or not

Actually, I did undetstand what you were saying. Considering I know very little about MIDI (pretty scary, TE HE). Anyway, it appeared that our friend here did not, so I thought I would just try to help too.

Peace to you over in Spain.

Joe
 
Come on lmao

Hello PPl... was my post too hard to understand ? hehe.. MIDI is not "Real" audio.. it's just a computer interface. just follow my first post. Thats how it's done :) Just make sure all of your midi instruments are hooked up to your mixer and your mixers master out is connected to your soundcard's master In.
 
More...

All:

Actually, I fully understand the concept of MIDI as a set of digital instructions. My intent was to see if Cubasis could somehow automate or internally accomplish the processing necessary to "render" a wave file. Logically, this seems possible to me, though the functionality may not yet be available.

Thanks anyway,
Scott
 
Hate to contridict you WS, but the MIDI data being instruction (numbers), and not musical notes (audio) does not make sense.

My guess would be that IF you could convert it to a wave file, it would probably sound like you modem when it connects up to your ISP.

NUFF SAID
 
So, as JC says, it´s the best way to add a touch of industrial noise to any music style... :D
 
Processing

The idea is to "process" it, as you would when making MIDI music. Think of it like routing the signal into a wave file - directly - rather than into the speakers.

Instead of:

MIDI -> Processing (either in sound card or via MIDI-synth software) -> Audio

MIDI -> Processing (either in sound card or via MIDI-synth software) -> Wave file


It looks like something along these lines might be done with the "non real-time" processing software found here:

http://planeta.clix.pt/acesteves/MidiSyn/MSynTech.htm


Assuming the logic of this application is applicable to the suggested functionality, and taking into account that Cubasis is bundled with its own software synthesis, the whole idea seems plausible.
 
Hey Scott,

Regardless of whether you are using an external synth or a soft synth, the process is the same as I explained earlier. The midi file sends the data to the synth when it is played, the synth reads these instructions and plays the requested sounds. These sounds are seny out to an audio signal, the audio signal is recorded on an audio track.

End of story

Peace Joe
 
Original Question revisited

Joe,

I haven't seen anyone in this thread post anything contrary to the process you have outlined.

What you might want to consider is whether or not "sounds" actually have to be created in order for a wave file to be created. (I am referring to the actual processing of a signal that would be used to drive speakers or headphones.) The software I referenced earlier seems to indicate that this is, in fact, not a requirement.

Given the fact that Cubasis does unquestionably allow the "exportation" of a wave file back into the mix from which it was taken (in sync rhythmically, etc), it then seems logical that the type of process used in the "non real time" Midi to Wave software could be used internally in Cubase to effectively render a Wave File, and then insert it into the mix of a song.

The advantage of this would be that an entire MIDI song mix could then be processed with all the benefits that are exclusive to Wave Files: EQ, Effects, Etc.

I think it has been demonstrated in this thread how the same result could be achieved with the necessary MIDI hardware, but that was never my question. I do not have any MIDI hardware to speak of (just a MIDI capable sound card), so I wanted to know if this MIDI to Wave rendering process could be accomplished within the Cubasis software.

Let me illustrate my point yet another way:

Let's say I have a MIDI track with Bass, Guitar, and Drums. I can surely play each of these MIDI tracks separately if I want separate Wave files for each of them - but then how would they be placed in-sync in order to mix them in a song? Perhaps there is a way (I am a brand new Cubasis user), but I do not know it.

However, if Cubasis could render these files (i.e. process them as if they were going to be played, but then create a wave file instead and import it back into the song), then I could have separate Wave tracks for each of the MIDI tracks. This would be great.
 
Hey Scott,

I would first like to appologize if I came across as being gruff. That was not my intention.

As far as what your original question is, I have tried to explain to the best of my ability. I think (hope) someone else can jump in here and offer you some help.

I know that when I am able, I want to get into using a computer as a DAW instead of my VS-880. Because I am a one-man-band per se, I have to rely on a drum machine. The way I envision being able to take control of the eq for each drum, would be to use a midi track for each drum and then record an audio track off of each midi track. Once they are in an audio track, I can then do my tweeking.

I hope that someone here will be able to help you accomplish what you need to do.

Peace
Joe
 
Thanks for the feedback

Joe,


Thanks for the kind words! I, too, want to get into the whole digital audio recording thing (i.e. DAW). This is all very new to me, however.

My recording background is limited to a small but very functional 16-track recorder. I forget the manufacturer name (Tascam?), but I recorded maybe 100 songs on it over about a 5-year period. This unit belonged to a friend, who had a home studio consisting of a few signal processors, a bass, a keyboard (which I never used), a number of mics, and an Alesis drum machine.

I figure that with a reasonable investment (maybe $1,500?) I can get a decent digital studio going. But this is all new to me, and Cubasis is my very first step.

Next - I think I need a faster processor (only 350MHz right now), and a 7200 RPM hard drive. After this, a serious sound card (made for our purposes), and a good, affordable, all-around mic (maybe an SM58?).

With this basic equipment - along with my guitar and a good amp - I hope to be able to make some high-quality recordings, step-by-step (first drums, then bass, then guitars, then vocals, etc.).

I realize there is a lot to learn, but I hope my general aspirations are not too unreasonable.

Thanks again for the feedback, and please feel free to pass along any tips!

-Scott
 
SM58 is really nice to work with. I´ve always used it, and makes me feel very comfortable. Good choice, and not expensive.
 
Hi guy's, this can be done in two ways,

1. connect the soundcards output to it's input, mute any audio tracks that are part of your song, enable an audio track to record and press play, your midi tracks will be recorded onto the audio track.

2.you can achieve the same result internally, go to your soundcards mixer page and set the record section to "all" or something similar [it depends on the soundcard, for example as far as i can remember you use the "what u hear" setting on the sb live] again enable an audio track and you should find that your midi is recorded as audio.

The first of the above will work for any soundcard, the second you'll have to experiment with. I have used the above with Cubase 3.7, Cubasis is basically the same.

Let me know how you get on.....Thor.
 
Same Problems! But With Questions

I can't get midi tracks to convert to audio tracks after recording in either Cubase LE or my Cakewalk Home Studio, either. Yet they both say you can do this.

Is it better to record your midi instruments (say, an external electronic keyboard or a drum machine) directly into your audio plug-in jack on your interface rather than worrying about using the midi cables to just record a midi track on you program? That way, it would be an audio track without having to worry about "converting" a midi track to audio later on. Does this make sense?

What about just micing an external midi device (say, a keyboard) through an amp or P.A. speaker and sending that as an audio sound to record as an audio file? No midi tracks to worry about then, right?

Is this a solution to recording a project with part audio tracks and part midi tracks? Seems this would be a way to make them all audio tracks and then it would be easy to export them down to a single wav file like you can do if you were only recording audio instruments to begin with.

Mike Freze
 
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