Trigger MIDI with Audio

[Princeton]

Is there a way within ProTools to trigger a MIDI voice with Audio. Example: I recorded some drums, and I'd like to enhance the Kick.

[Sixpence]

I don't believe there is. I may be wrong. Roland make a cheap trigger to MIDI box for expanding the VDrum but it can be used standalone

[Roy Howell]

Princeton,
You may well know this, but if your Midi is quantized, you can always paste a killer kick sample with each Midi kick note. It's easy to line them up, and with keyboard shortcuts, it's fast, too.
If you need a couple of good kick samples, I can post them for you.

~Roy

[Sixpence]

You know Roy... What'd be really cool would be a place to put stuff online.. I know dB's giving use of his server for stuff but nearly everyone has open directories rather than coded pages with descriptions...

A DUC sample page would be cool for example with mp3 playback of downloadable samples....

[Roy Howell]

Man, I had considered doing that a while back. I think it's a great idea. I know it would be useful. I have personally created some really nice things that I don't mind sharing. I'm doing mandolin stuff right now, and I've never heard such clear samples anywhere.

So, let me know if I can help.

~Roy

[QuikDraw]

Well, if there is a way to trigger MIDI with audio in PTLE I'd sure like to know about it!

I'm working on some sessions right now where the drummer's performance was killer, but the kick just didn't get recorded right. The recorded sound just flat out sucks! So I'm going through each session and zooming in real close in slip mode and penciling in a MIDI kick at the beginning of each audio transient that I recognize as a kick. When I have all the individual kicks penciled in I go into velocity mode and adjust the individual note velocities to approximate the amplitude of the individual waveforms. This gives me a totally human sounding MIDI performance and I can choose any kick sample I want. Once I'm happy with the sound I record it to audio. It's been taking me about 3 hours per 4 minute session. Lots of work, but the results are worth it.

I assume you could do just about the same thing using samples with an Audiosuite plug-in called Sound Replacer. But I can't afford it, so I have to do it the hard way.

[img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

Mike

[Roy Howell]

Mike,
I honestly don't see why one can't do it even without Sound Replacer. You just choose the Kick sample you want, copy it, and in Slip Mode, paste it at the same place you would pencil in a Midi note. I understand you're using the Velocity function as well in Midi to match how hard he hit the pedal. But, you also have a pretty good range using the Gain plugin to adjust the volume of a sample kick.
But, I KNOW that you know what you're doing.
I've just really gotten into some advanced sample editing like you wouldn't believe. I'm creating some things that I can't put in every song, but that are very, usable, very unique and cool things.
Uh oh....sounds like I'm bragging... better slap me, Mike... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[mix2much]

I've triggered midi with audio by using an alesis DM5 or any other in their DM series. Good for beefing up drum tracks but latency can be a problem if you need the triggers to replace the drums completely. I tend to prefer using drum sample libraries and lining them up or using sound replacer. You get more variety that way but it eats up tracks.

[QuikDraw]

Originally posted by Roy Howell:
Mike,
I honestly don't see why one can't do it even without Sound Replacer. You just choose the Kick sample you want, copy it, and in Slip Mode, paste it at the same place you would pencil in a Midi note. I understand you're using the Velocity function as well in Midi to match how hard he hit the pedal. But, you also have a pretty good range using the Gain plugin to adjust the volume of a sample kick.
But, I KNOW that you know what you're doing.
I've just really gotten into some advanced sample editing like you wouldn't believe. I'm creating some things that I can't put in every song, but that are very, usable, very unique and cool things.
Uh oh....sounds like I'm bragging... better slap me, Mike... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yeah Roy, I'm aware I could do the same thing with samples as you described. It's just easier with MIDI. If I later want to change to a different sample all I have to do is load another soundfont. If I had pasted audio samples then I'd have to do the whole thing all over again to use a different sample.

And my reference to using Sound Replacer is just for efficiency's sake. It takes me hours to replace samples one at a time. With Sound Replacer the whole process would take only minutes if not seconds once you've set your trigger levels and chosen your sample(s).

Mike

[Jorge442]

Originally posted by mix2much:
I've triggered midi with audio by using an alesis DM5 or any other in their DM series. Good for beefing up drum tracks but latency can be a problem if you need the triggers to replace the drums completely. I tend to prefer using drum sample libraries and lining them up or using sound replacer. You get more variety that way but it eats up tracks.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">sounds like this piece of hardware could save you lots of work hours.
I use the old D4 and works well....

jorge