Mixdown - Midi To Audio......need expert advice!

[ScottFB]

Hi,
I've recently completed tracking (Midi) on an 11 song orchestral Christmas CD project (my first all Midi 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 mixdown, I'm wondering what would be the best approach to take without sacrificing too much fidelity.


Should I............

-Set the volume levels & automation, etc. while tracks still exist as Midi tracks and then record them as individual audio tracks? Or should I group the tracks from each keyboard and then record them as one stereo audio track (1 from each keyboard)
This would seem to be a quicker approach as I could then record each keyboard's mixed audio (L-R) output as a stereo audio track and then bounce those 2 stereo tracks to disc. For example, I may have 8 midi channels of instruments coming from the 2500 and 8 coming from the PC1X. I run the stereo audio outputs from the PC1X to line inputs 1 & 2 on the 002R. I do the same procedure with the audio outputs from the 2500 and run them into line inputs 3 & 4 on the 002R. This approach would be assuming that it would be best for me to utilize the onboard instrument patches (including effects) as they are.

-Or-

-Should I record each individual Midi track on it's own audio track? Mono? Stereo? Dry? Or using the patches as they already exist (with effects)? Recording them "dry" would obiously give me more flexibility during the mixdown if I wanted to add effetcs after the fact but t 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 mostly excellent sampled orchestral patches.


Is there a quicker way that I'm not even seeing here?

BTW, while the tracks still exist as Midi tracks, my keyboard's stereo outputs are running into an external mixer and I monitor them that way, not with auxiliary input tracks within ProTools.

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


Thanks,
-Scott

--------------------
ScottFB

G5 dual 1.8 (10.3.6)
PTLE 6.4
002R
PreSonus Digimax LT

[Digitalkidd]

I have the same dilema you have...I don't know what's best.

I have over 30 audio channels of midi that sound solid but don't know the best approach for recording te audio.

I've recorded each midi track as an audio (stereo/mono), but it takes for ever..you're right, the pay off is greater flexibility, but the creative juices suffer......I've actually just started to record a straight two track (stereo) of all my midi tracks and the sound is really good, but I know I'm not maximizing the sonic quality of the recording. Oh yea...I EQ in the box on each track to fatten things up.


I've often thought of using Cubase, Sonar, Logic, as they seem to be better geared for midi.

I think my next project I'll do all the drum tracks seperate and the lead synth seperate, but dump everything else together...not quite sure.

I'm very interested to see what other people doing.

DK

[Stig Eliassen]

Hi.

You seem to be on top of things. Do separate transfers for tracks or sub-mixes you plan to process further, and can't achieve what you need within your keyboard/synth/module/whatever. I also prefer to transfer tracks with volume automation off in PT. Just to avoid noise on fade-outs and very soft parts. Make a plan for your midi-to-audio transfers, and keep all of your midi tracks in case you mess it up.