001- Midi Guru Info needed

[jbird]

I'm am interested in buying a digi 001 system, I have used it before and really like what I see. But I'm a bit concerned about how the midi ties into the 24 audio tracks. The people I know with 001 have hardly touched the MIDI end of the system and I'm a keyboard player!
I believe I would need to create a stereo AUX track, but what If I am using 2 drum machines along with 4 keyboards ( 2 with 4 stereo outputs)and a few other midi bells and whistles. Is all of the audio generated from all the sound modules recorded onto this AUX track or is the AUX track used as a placemat if you will. I certainly DONT want to send a stereo AUDIO mix of all my midi gear into a stereo AUX track! I am concerned with final mixdown as well as overdubing...

Thanks

jbird

[mfym]

Each midi device will have its own aux fader for monitoring. Most people record each midi channel separately to audio, instead of recording all the midi data to audio from the aux fader. You can't really do much with midi until it's recorded to audio if you want to use any plug-ins.

The biggest problem I can see you having is with so many midi devices and only one midi in/out port in the 001 is midi latency. You might think about getting a midi interface.

BTW: The newest software for PTLE has 32 tracks.

Hope this helps. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Kev]

Many ways to go about this.

A simple way to get started is to use the Stereo Aux input from your keyboard mixer and just run midi live.

The reverse angle is to record every keyboard part as a pass of audio.

I think there is a balance to the two extremes and breaking the midi into groups is a good start. Drum group, Pads group and a Lead group or groups. Some passes might be mono and some stereo. In a sea of stereo Keys there is nothing like a flitered mono part that sits rock stead right where you place it.

Remember there is no need to throw any midi parts away as they take up very little space. They are always there if you feel the need for a remix of a certain group. Think of them as virtual musicians.

Before you invest much time into writing complex songs you need to get to know the system and it's limitations. You must do some tech testing and look for midi timming issues and find solutions or be aware they exist.

If this makes sense and interests you we can continue. There are enough of us here using the midi in PT successfully and I'm sure you will too.

[Kev]

Originally posted by mfym:
You can't really do much with midi until it's recorded to audio if you want to use any plug-ins.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You can use an RTAS plug on an Aux input and you can automate everything in both midi and on the PT desk.

Yes a midi interface will be needed.

One of my systems,
Digi001 - I use 6 analog inputs on the rear.
AI3 - provides another 8 analog audio inputs.
Midi I/O - 10 midi in and outs.
.... plus 32 tracks of recorded audio.
more than enough to get into trouble with.

Others systems do use a Keyboard Mixer.

As I said, many ways to set up a 001 system.

[mfym]

Unlike VST, there is no way a PTLE midi track accepts plug-ins. I hope Digidesign is looking into this because plug-ins on a midi track would open up midi in PTLE in a way that is sorely needed. Putting the plug-ins on the aux fader applies them to all the midi and not individual tracks, thus my statement about "you can't really do much with midi" except put plug-ins on the aux fader which is a poor poor substitution for VST.

[Kev]

Originally posted by mfym:
Putting the plug-ins on the aux fader applies them to all the midi and not individual tracks, thus my statement about "you can't really do much with midi" except put plug-ins on the aux fader which is a poor poor substitution for VST.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">If you have an aux input for each midi module then you can have plugs for each module.

Sure if you have multi voice modules and try to use many sounds out of each module then you have thing about how you use the grouping of sounds and plugs.

A stereo aux from one module might have all your strings and an EQ and comp plug may suit. But if you mix strings and drums into the one group then it may be difficult to use plugs to suit both.

[jbird]

Some other questions
what are/is :

RTAS plug
PTLE midi track

[jbird]

I appologize for my late return, I have been on the road for a few days. The top reply was supposed to be AFTERF this one... I'm new to the site....

This is all Great info, and I am trying to soak it all in, but I have some more questions
1. if I have 12 midi tracks, do they all EVENTUALLY have to be recorded into digitally recorded tracks which means all midi tracks will become audio tracks prior to mixdown.
2. OR do I have the capability to combine the total available ( 24 or 32) recorded tracks with midi tracks.

Even though the newer system is 32 tracks, I cant have say 32 tracks of recorded audio and 16 tracks of midi at the same time?

[accession]

Originally posted by jbird:
Even though the newer system is 32 tracks, I cant have say 32 tracks of recorded audio and 16 tracks of midi at the same time?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Sure you can! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

In fact, you can have up to 128 (or is that now 256?) MIDI tracks running alongside the full quota of audio tracks, that may all be bounced to disk together to produce your stereo final mix.

For tight playback and effects processing (particularly EQ and compression) on my synthesizer parts, I record them separately to audio tracks prior to even thinking about the final mixdown.

However there's nothing stopping you bringing your MIDI synths into the session at any time via however many Aux Tracks you have hardware audio inputs with synths hooked up to.

Does that make sense?

Basically, it goes like this:

Audio Tracks - audio that is recorded/replayed to/from the computer hard drive.

MIDI Tracks - controls MIDI devices (eg. synths, effects units etc.)

Aux Tracks - virtual mixer channels that may be used for routing external sounds into your session, RTAS plug-in effects returns, and audio track sub-mixes. You set the inputs/outputs for each Aux Track to suit.

Hope that helps.

Phil