Replacing MIDI drums. PLZ HALP!

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Moirarchos

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I wasn't sure whether this was a "recording" or "mixing" question, and I'm a total noob so I am just asking it here and if a Mod wants me to post in a different section I will.


I am trying to export my MIDI drums from Guitar Pro, and replace them using a VST (Superior Drummer, Drumcore, etc). However I am having a lot of issues with zero progress.

I have Reaper 4, but am not married to it since this is the first thing I have tried and it's already not working. If there is a more noob-friendly DAW with VST support for this process I will happily switch.

If anyone can help I would be eternally grateful.
 
Welcome dood.

You should be able to export the MIDI file.

I don't know Reaper myself but that is how it works in Cubase.

Cubase is not as inexpensive as Reaper but I am sure you can export the MIDI file. Google it and check the forums.


Keep me posted and let me know if there is anything I can do to help.


Wait, I misread... What is 'Guitar Pro'?
 
What does "not working" mean? What you're trying to do is perfectly "doable" in Reaper, you're just doing it wrong. So what, exactly, are you doing?

A new DAW won't help you, understanding the one you have will.
 
What does "not working" mean? What you're trying to do is perfectly "doable" in Reaper, you're just doing it wrong. So what, exactly, are you doing?

A new DAW won't help you, understanding the one you have will.


I think that is what I misread as well. He is trying to export MIDI from Guitar Pro to Reaper it seems. I don't even know what that is.
 
Once you have exported a MIDI file from GuitarPro, all you need to do is create a new track in Reaper, press Insert on your keyboard (or click Insert->Media File...) and hunt down the MIDI file that you exported from Guitar Pro. To insert a virtual instrument, click on the FX button on your track. Find Superior Drummer or whatever VSTi you want to use in that list and double click on it.
 
Thanks for all of the responses guys, I really appreciate it!


Welcome dood.

You should be able to export the MIDI file.

I don't know Reaper myself but that is how it works in Cubase.

Cubase is not as inexpensive as Reaper but I am sure you can export the MIDI file. Google it and check the forums.


Keep me posted and let me know if there is anything I can do to help.


Wait, I misread... What is 'Guitar Pro'?

1) Guitar Pro is a program I use to compose music. You can create tracks for multiple instruments that can then playback using your MIDI sequencer so that you can hear what everything will sound like together. It is very similar to a DAW in its design in that you can mix the levels, tones, etc. The difference being that you have to compose the tablature rather than editing audio files.

2) Yes, you can export the MIDI from Guitar Pro and import it into your DAW. I have already done so.

What does "not working" mean? What you're trying to do is perfectly "doable" in Reaper, you're just doing it wrong. So what, exactly, are you doing?

A new DAW won't help you, understanding the one you have will.


Here is what I am doing.

1) I import the MIDI file into the Reaper project.

2) I arm the track, click the "fx" button and add the VST to the "effect chain list". In the YouTube videos I have seen, that seems to be the end of their process.

3) I click the drums on the UI and no sound ever comes out of them. If I open ToontrackSolo and use Superior Drummer all of the sounds work. If I play the project, the MIDI drums play but are still MIDI drums instead of the Superior Drummer kit.

EDIT: When in Reaper it is silent even though I see the levels move. I have the AISO setup, MIDI output hardware is set on all the tracks. Everything seems to be set up the same way as any of the forums or Youtube tutorials.
 
Once you have exported a MIDI file from GuitarPro, all you need to do is create a new track in Reaper, press Insert on your keyboard (or click Insert->Media File...) and hunt down the MIDI file that you exported from Guitar Pro. To insert a virtual instrument, click on the FX button on your track. Find Superior Drummer or whatever VSTi you want to use in that list and double click on it.

This is EXACTLY what I do, but when I get the VSTi added to the track, no sound comes out when I click the drums, and the track plays back as the normal MIDI sounds.
 
You may need to record-arm the track and/or turn on the monitoring for that track as well. I don't think that I need to do this to listen to the recorded MIDI, but I definitely do need to do this to hear SD while I click or play from a MIDI controller or e-drums.
 
This is EXACTLY what I do, but when I get the VSTi added to the track, no sound comes out when I click the drums, and the track plays back as the normal MIDI sounds.

Oh wait, you're hearing Guitar Pro's MIDI sounds when this file plays back in Reaper? This would indicate that you exported audio from Guitar Pro and not MIDI. Check your export options in Guitar Pro and make sure that you're exporting the track as a MIDI file and not as a rendered audio track. This may or may not be possible in Guitar Pro.
 
Try it this way:

Track / Insert VSTi on new track (or whatever it is... I'm not near it at the moment)

That should get your drums up as a VSTi. Click some drums on the interface to make sure you have actual drums sounding. If you don't then adding a MIDI file won't work, and you need to work out what this problem is first. You said "I click on the UI and no sound ever comes out..." It should.

Once you know you've got drums working then Import the MIDI file onto that track. Don't assume the mapping will be identical, incidentally... the VSTis tend to use custom maps. So your snare could end up as a hihat etc - or nothing at all... maybe it's that?

This is the order Tadpui suggested, but it's not the order you're doing it in. The order you're doing it in doesn't allow you to pinpoint exactly where the problem is.
 
Not sure how, but all the sudden it works.

I walked away for a couple hours, came back to post here and it works. Could the samples have simply taken a super long time to load?
 
Not sure how, but all the sudden it works.

I walked away for a couple hours, came back to post here and it works. Could the samples have simply taken a super long time to load?

I'm just gonna go with 'Yep'. :)

Glad you got it sorted. :D
 
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