Recording Midi To Audio - Need Expert Advice

[ScottFB]

Hi,
I've recently completed tracking (Midi) for an 11 song Christmas CD project. The majority of these songs involve AT LEAST 16 tracks of orchestral patches from a Kurzweil 2500 and a Kurzweil PC1X. Now that I'm at the stage of mixing, I'm wondering what would be the best approach to take.

Should I:

-Set levels & automation, etc. while tracks are still Midi tracks and then record them as audio tracks?
This would seem to be a quicker approach as I could then record each keyboard's mix output as a stereo audio track and then bounce those tracks to disc. For example, I may have 8 instruments coming from the 2500 and 8 coming from the PC1X. This is assuming that it would be best for me to utilize the onboard instrument patches (including effects).

-Or-

-Should I record each individual Midi track on it's own audio track? Mono? Stereo? Dry? Or using the patches as they are already exist (with effects)? Recording them "dry" would obiously give me more flexibility during the mixdown but It would certainly take a lot more time. And I wonder just how much difference it would really make. As many of you know Kurzweil has some excellent sampled orchestral patches.

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated..............quickly!!!


Thanks,
-Scott

[Seeee]

why not just run em into an Aux input? that gets includesd with bounces and that way you dont have to commit to submixes.

[ScottFB]

Hi,
Thanks for reponding to my post so quickly!
But........could you be a little bit more specific on your approach? I've never worked with aux tracks when using Midi. I always thought they were used primarily for monitoring purposes within the ProTools environment. I always monitor my Midi tracks with an external mixer that my Midi devices are connected to
If you have time, please explain how I'd use aux tracks to accomplish what my initial post was referring to. Any suggestions to speed up the process without sacrificing fidelity would be most welcome!

Thanks,
Scott

[albee1952]

I would record each sound as a mono or stereo audio track(i.e. a flute sound could be mono but a string section would be better in stereo). That way, 3 years from now when these keyboards are long gone, you still have all the sounds (in case your new stuff just doesn't cut it). I just like having the audio all safe and sound. As long as you have the midi tracks, you can always change it later. The only way I leave it to aux inputs is if I have used all 32 available audio tracks. Just MTCW.