Recording MIDI

[laj35]

Hey,

I am relatively new to the MIDI world and am finally jumping aboard. I'm going to soon own and Evolution 249C controller in conjuction with the Novation A Station. As of right now I own a couple of software synths, using the Pro-52 primarilly, all controlled by the Korg Triton. My question, is there any way to record a MIDI controlled soft synth or rack as an audio track/wave? If not, then how do I record a say filter sweep on some sound w/in the Pro-52? Does your MIDI interface have anything to do with it? As I'm sure is evident by the nature of my question I am quite new to all this (I haven't but played with the sounds, no MIDI recording done yet). So I guess the point is while I understand the basics of MIDI, I have yet to really grasp how it is recorded, I mean I know you put down the basic pattern and go in and set the volume, velocity, pan, etc. and can scrub it up and what not, I just don't get how I'm going to be able tweak sounds. BTW I'm a Cubase 5.1 user and use an Audiophile 2496 sound card, if any of that matters...

Hey thanks a lot for any information, drop a link if you don't feel like explaining it all as I know it can be annoying to go over something I'm sure has been covered a ton of times, it is extremely appreciated though!



Laj

 

[Chriss]

midi is all just bits of data.. each data type is called an even and can consist of tons of different things. Note data, Continous Controller data, NRPN data (sysex) and shit like that.

the note data of course the notes them selves. They've got a start point and length. They contain pitch, velocity and aftertouch, but note that velocity and aftertouch are actually Controller datas, which leads us to:

Continous Controllers:
Say you want a filter sweep on the A-Station: You plug yo' midi cord into the pc, hit record in cubase on a midi track and you mess with the filter.
Now you can go into list view, or simply into the midi track and view controller 105.. that's the filter data right there. It records the position of the cutoff knob in 128 point resolution.
A Continous Controller have a "serial number" and a value.
Like the data of the filter on the A-Station is Controller number 105 and it can have between 0 and 127 in value. The resonanse is nr 106.
it's that easy.. or difficult..

NRPN is a bit different.. i'm not going to explain anything else but this: to assign a NRPN controller you need to first set a data bit for the particular NRPN bank and then you need a specific NRPN controller with a "serial number" and a value next..

if you want to tweak sounds manually i suggest you use the knobs on the A-Station, that's what they're there for. But in the list view in cubase you can also set controller data, which comes very handy for stuff like setting the cutoff frequency for a bassline before every track. Volume and pan are also Continous Controller data.. Volume is nr. 7 and Pan is nr 10...

 

[laj35]

So with Continuos controllers I could theoretically just record filter data seperately from recording the actual sound? Obviously I'd lay down a pattern first, but then I can go in and do the tweaking, while recording, letting the sequencer "play" the notes, or is it required to do both simultaneously (not that that's a huge issue)? How bout recording it as an audio file, not possible? I've heard about software that will be able to convert any old MIDI file into wav format but I'm sure that's a ways away. Are those serial numbers universal or seperate for each module/synth? BTW Chriss I'll definitely be usin the knobs on the A Station, also loking at picking up a "Knobby," forget who the manufacturer is but 120 something possible parameters of knobs, much needed for those soft synths o' mine. Got any other suggestions of MIDI controllers that are more-or-less just assingable knobs?

Thanks Chriss, you're always mad helpful, and as always it's extremely appreciated!!!



Laj

 

[Chriss]

jeezzz.. ok.. listen. Midi has got absolutely no sound in any way.. so you can't convert midi to wav.. you can on the other hand use midi to control a device that spits out sound..

you aren't recording the filter.. you are simply recording midi controller 105, which the A-Station uses to control the filters cutoff point. depending on your computer power you can record all the tweaking of any controller you like.
Each event is totally independant from the other, so you don't need any note data to record a filter movement. Of course you can record the sound of the filter moving but that kinda ruins the idea of having a dynamic synth like the A-Station..
All you gotta do is plug the thing into the computer, put cubase on record (looped or unlooped, doesn't matter) and do some filter tweaking.. the next time you play the sequence, cubase will play back controller 105, which then will control the filter on the A-Station exactely like you tweaked it...

There are about 120 "free" controllers, rest 8 is usually the famous dedicated (universal as you said) ones like Volume, Velocity, Pan and Aftertouch, then theres a potential 128*128 NRPN controllers.. all are independant from one another..

you should be getting a doepfer controller instead of the knobby.. much better and cheaper.. http://www.doepfer.de/prod_e.htm
there is a Pocket Slider, a Pocket Control and one called a Pocket Dial... all sends all possible controller data
the Pocket Dial got endless dials so you have jump free changes, but it has to be connected both to the input and output of your pcs midi device..
the Pocket Control is a regular controller with potentiometers that can work just by connecting it to the midi in..
The Pocket Slider is like a little midi mixer with 16 sliders that can be assigned to any controller.. usefull for live stuff..
of course there's also the Drehbank with 64 knobs for your tweaking pleasure...

and i will say again.. you cannot record midi in any way as an audio file.. midi is only used to control stuff, not to make any sound in any way.. the devices you control by midi will make the sound. midi is like the strings on a puppet in a puppeteer show. They don't do shit while not connected to the puppet, but once done, it's friggin' dancing..

 

[laj35]

Thanks man, yeah, guess that about sums it up, you definitely cleared up some issues that mixed me up a bit. Am checkin those links now, much appreciated, thanks again.


Laj