Pro Tools - Outputing sound for MIDI?
 

I am trying to do a MIDI based project and none of my MIDI tracks are outputing sound. The only output listed for each midi track is my USB MIDI interface (M-Audio Midisport 1x1). What can I do to edit midi in Pro-Tools?

thanks,
nonsensemusic

Re: Pro Tools - Outputing sound for MIDI?
 

Hi. Welcome to the forum.
MIDI is not sound. It's a system of signals to trigger sound modules or virtual instrument plugins.
I suggest you google "Getting started with MIDI" or "What is MIDI".

Re: Pro Tools - Outputing sound for MIDI?
 

As a quick semi-solution, create a stereo instrument track. Insert MiniGrand in the top slot(slot A). highlight one of the midi tracks you have and copy, then arrow up/down(with the p or ; key) to the instrument track and paste. Then hit PLAY. The SHOULD play piano sounds according to the midi info you just pasted. Then go to youtube and watch some tutorials on how to get started with midi in pro tools(because there is much to learn)

Re: Pro Tools - Outputing sound for MIDI?
 

Your screen grab was too fuzzy on my screen?? BUT
"Midi Tracks" in Pro tools do not output audio (sound)

You either have to set up an AUX INPUT track put the VI on that and choose that VI as the output for the Midi Track.

Or as albee mentioned just set up an Instrument Track (which is a combined midi and audio track) and put your desired VI on the that done

To edit midi simply double click on the midi notes in the midi or instrument track in the edit window and that will open the midi editor

Re: Pro Tools - Outputing sound for MIDI?
 

The instrument options I have showing are “Finale” which opens Finale but does not play in PT, and “Reaper” which opens Reaper but doesn’t play in PT. I have successfully opened MIDI files and selected an instrument in Reaper, so I know that the MIDI file is not the problem, it’s the lack of native PT instruments. Any ideas?

Incidentally, I have found a work around using Reaper, but since I paid for PT, I would like it function on any project I throw at it.

Re: Pro Tools - Outputing sound for MIDI?
 

Pro Tools doesn’t do anything automatically for you. Just because you opened a midi file in another program and it instantly made sound doesn’t mean that’s how it works in Pro Tools.

You have to import the midi data to a track and then route it internally or externally depending on if you want it to play a virtual instrument or a hardware instrument.

And to top that, Pro Tools isn’t compatible with general midi. So if you have a multichannel midi file, it gets imported with each channel on an individual track, and you have to manually pick the sounds you want played by each track.

Re: Pro Tools - Outputing sound for MIDI?
 

Ya my idea is , you are not putting the midi file on an instrument track with the VI on it, or routing the Midi tracks to output to an Aux track, and putting a VI on it ?
First how about you list your system details and maybe see if you get an in focus screen grab of your mixer window

Second If you have PT you should have Boom, Mini Grand , Vacuum , DB33 and XPand all of which will play a midi fine if set up correctly

Third you could either watch some video on youtube about midi in pro tools or even read the PT guide

Re: Pro Tools - Outputing sound for MIDI?
 

Most people who compose outside of PT just bounce the audio on another DAW and then import that to PT.

Re: Pro Tools - Outputing sound for MIDI?
 

See, this is what I'm talking about. All the youtube videos treat this as a given too and I read a comment complaining that the user did not have virtual instruments to begin working with MIDI. How do we set these up? I checked Avid Marketplace and nothing came up.

Re: Pro Tools - Outputing sound for MIDI?
 

Well, I'm still not seeing Boom, mini grand, etc., but I found another work around, Finale finally allowed me access to its MIDI instruments (see attached picture, Aria is Finale's VI). Maybe I just needed to have Finale open before I opened PT, but it just seems weird that users would not have access to any VI with PT except through another application.