Help needed - Miditrack to audio track...how to?

[luffe]

I've imported a midifile into ProTools. Now I would like to convert these 16 tracks to audio tracks, but can't quite figure out how to do it. From the Method One DVD I realized, that I should record the tracks into new audio tracks. However, I can't get this to work. Is it possible and if so, could the 16 tracks be recorded at the same time. Otherwise it would be fairly timeconsuming.

I hope someone has the answer for this....

Best regards,

luffe

[timebandit]

something needs to play those MIDI tracks - like a sampler or other instrument. So put your instrument of choice into the session. Assign the MIDI tracks to different channels on the instrument - and whatever sounds you want them to be. Then send the output of that instrument to an audio track which you then record. You can do the parts individually but if your instrument allows multiple outputs then route each voice to a different track and you can record them all simultaneously.

make sense?


Tom

[luffe]

Hi Tom and thanks for your answer.

Yeah, that makes sense. My keyboard has a Right and Left out, but this will only send one track at a time. And moreover if I record 16 tracks one by one, they will probably not be in sync in Protools, will they?

What I'm after is to get Protools to record each of the 16 miditracks to separate audio tracks and at the same time. I saw this demonstrated on the Method One DVD, but it was done with Instrument tracks. As I said I can't quite figure out if this can be done with midi tracks as well...I hope so?

Best regards,

luffe

[timebandit]

You would need to use an instrument track - and more importantly a software instrument on it - to do them simultaneously. But you are then stuck with the sounds from that instrument.

It sounds like you want to record a hardware synth playing the parts. In that case you have no choice but to do them two tracks at a time - based on the output limitations of your synth. As long as the midi tracks are in sync the audio tracks will be too.

Tom

[luffe]

Hi again Tom.

You would need to use an instrument track - and more importantly a software instrument on it - to do them simultaneously. But you are then stuck with the sounds from that instrument.

It sounds like you want to record a hardware synth playing the parts. In that case you have no choice but to do them two tracks at a time - based on the output limitations of your synth. As long as the midi tracks are in sync the audio tracks will be too.

Tom

Well, I forgot to tell, that the scenario in fact is a bit different. First I play the 16 tracks onto the sequencer that's onboard my keyboard. Then I import the midfile into ProTools. But still I am probably not able to get all the tracks recorded to audio tracks at the same time, or.....???

Best regards,

luffe

[timebandit]

If you want the sounds from your keyboard to be the sounds you record as audio then you have to do it one stereo track at a time. Assuming your song is not an hour long it won't take that long - and certainly would be done by now if you had just started it when you first posted. Just route the audio out from your keyboard into your PT audio input. The audio files will line up.

If you want to or can use other sounds you might be better off just skipping the onboard sequencer. Just load a software synth onto an instrument track. For each part make a new MIDI track and assign it to one of the voices of the soft synth. Then record your parts, using your existing keyboard as a controller. If you want to make audio tracks then assign different outputs for each voice of the synth. Bus these outputs to audio tracks and record.


Does that make sense?


Tom

[luffe]

If you want the sounds from your keyboard to be the sounds you record as audio then you have to do it one stereo track at a time. Assuming your song is not an hour long it won't take that long - and certainly would be done by now if you had just started it when you first posted.

.......hehehe.....heeeeeeh? You are a fox, Tom . But I've feared it has to be done that way.....

If you want to or can use other sounds you might be better off just skipping the onboard sequencer. Just load a software synth onto an instrument track. For each part make a new MIDI track and assign it to one of the voices of the soft synth. Then record your parts, using your existing keyboard as a controller. If you want to make audio tracks then assign different outputs for each voice of the synth. Bus these outputs to audio tracks and record.

That's the way they did in the Method One DVD from Digi, but the voices from the soft synths don't even come close to the ones from my keyboard in quality. Obviously, I'll have to live with the pain doing the tracks one by one then.....

Anyway Tom, thanks a lot for taking the time to answer. Real nice of you.

Best regards,

luffe

[timebandit]

sure, no problem. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful! In the future you could just use the PT sequencer and then record each part as audio when they're finished. But that doesn't help for stuff you've already sequenced. Now get to work! haha

Tom

[luffe]

Tom, you're right about that. I might choose to use Protools direct, but you know, sometimes it is a lot easier to just sit down at the keyboard and do a quick recording....

I hope maybe Digi comes up with a new smart feature soon

Best regards,

luffe