No sound from Pro Tools

[marcel2]

Hi,
I just installed the demo version, loaded an old MIDI-file but I don't get any sound. I've set up my Steinberg UR22 as input and output. The file shows all the tracks but when I hit play it starts running without any sound.
Also I don't see how to assign sound to a track. Any pointers where to start here?
Thanks
Marcel

[tope d]

Originally Posted by marcel2

Hi,
I just installed the demo version, loaded an old MIDI-file but I don't get any sound. I've set up my Steinberg UR22 as input and output. The file shows all the tracks but when I hit play it starts running without any sound.
Also I don't see how to assign sound to a track. Any pointers where to start here?
Thanks
Marcel

Hi.

Welcome to the duc!
First, you’ll need to be on an instrument track with the virtual plugin loaded. Can you post a screenshot of your session?

Thanks!

[marcel2]

I've tried to post a screenshot but I get this message:
Access Denied

You don't have permission to access "http://duc.avid.com/newreply.php?" on this server.


I am logged in though.

[Darryl Ramm]

That Access Denied error is a known long term bug with DUC caused by overaggressive/poorly setup up web content filtering. You can try to change text in the post, add text to the post, break longer posts up into separate posts etc. and remove anything that might be mistaken for UNIX shell commands.

DUC down samples images so badly that it is better to post them to a file or photo sharing web site and then post the link here (and that post might (I'm not sure) need to wait a little for moderator approval needed for new users posts of URLs).

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Before doing anything with MIDI, make sure your interface is actually selected as the playback engine, setup>Playback Engine. Actually check that as Pro Tools can change it on you when you least expect it (and will not show other things to clue you into the interface has changed, esp. don't rely on the names in the input and output IO selectors to mean the correct interface is selected). Then create a new session, drag and drop a known good stereo audio file onto the edit window to import that into Pro Tools. Allow Pro Tools to create a new track, now hit play... do you hear that track playing? If not you need to sort this out before worrying about MIDI.

---

You mention using an old MIDI file so maybe you are fully experienced at working with MIDI and DAWs, but just in case not: MIDI by itself makes no sound, it's just recording of key presses etc. to create sound from MIDI you need to send that MIDI data to say an external synth or play it though an virtual instrument aka VI in your DAW.

The most basic VI in Pro Tools is the AIR Mini Grand, and what folks will typically use to test stuff, but you need to run the AIR Virtual Instruments bundle installer (available in your Avid.com account under My Products) to have MiniGrand even installed. And then once it has been installed you insert MiniGrand on a Instrument (not Audio and not MIDI) track. If you have never done that before yous should find some tutorial video on You Tube showing how to use Virtual Instruments (and ideally MiniGrand) to follow along.

If you are familiar with all this then say exactly what is not working as expected and give your system info (see under "help us help you" up the top of every DUC web page for the type of info expected).

[marcel2]

I can try again, but I already tried to post the sreenshot as a web link.
http://www.sk600.de/files/Protools.jpg
I can also try to put some more text in this post if it helps getting through the filters.

[Darryl Ramm]

Unfortunately all that screen shot shows is you have MIDI notes on multiple Instrument tracks. You don't show the Inserts or Instrument panel so we can't see what is going on.

Do you have VIs inserted on those tracks?

But lets back up and work out if you even can get audio out of the system before worrying about MIDI.

If you need to post another screenshot about problems with VIs you can enable the Insert and Instrument panels. See the attached screen shot, you use the button circled in red... and on this screen shot it shows the Instrument and Inserts panels, with the Mini Grand VI inserted on an instrument track.

[marcel2]

Thanks for your answer. I've added an audio track and I can hear that. I don't see how to get to the settings page you've showed on your screen shot though.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by marcel2

Thanks for your answer. I've added an audio track and I can hear that. I don't see how to get to the settings page you've showed on your screen shot though.

Great.

In my screenshot I'm showing the main Pro Tools Edit window. Just click on the little button circled in Red. It's the track view control button. Then in the menu that pops down check Instrument and Insert A-E to show those. And then what you see for each track should look like what I show. And it's in the Insert section you click and add a VI insert.... but find a tutorial on getting started with VIs to follow or you are likely to go nuts trying to work all this out by yourself. And even if you get it working, you will miss other stuff that is likely to bite you in future. A good tutorial or few will get you going.

[marcel2]

Hi,
as you can see from my screenshot I don't have that button. I really don't know how to get there.
regards
Marcel.

[Darryl Ramm]

Yes you do. If you look more carefully. See attached.