Import Midi File first and then audio tracks or vice versa?

[johnnyv]

Hi everyone,

I have a client that works in Digital Performer; when those files come into our building, they go into ProTools. So, he sends us a MIDI map with markers, tempo, etc. AND, he also sends us audio tracks.

Should we import MDI first, AND THEN the audio files?

Or vice versa?

Or does it matter?

Anyone know? The reason I ask is that when we then export as WAV files back to him, things aren't lining up perfectly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

John

[BScout]

Audio is more accurate than MIDI.
He/She should be sending you also a click track as an audio file (where you know the first audio click is bar 1/beat 1 or from wherever he/she started their MIDI export from)

1. Import audio first. Spot to time code.
2. Then import MIDI. Align MIDI to the audio click track using the red start marker on the bars/beat ruler (you'll drag it) in slip mode.
3. Flip to bars/beats grid mode and check your grid now aligns to the start of every click in the audio click track.(not the peak of the click but the beginning of the waveform from the zero crossing.) Some DAWs are bad at getting the first bar correctly as an audio click so make sure you check obvious points like tempo changes or at least bar 2.

You have to do all of that.

[albee1952]

Alternately, instead of sending files, have the DP system export as OMF or AAF and then import everything in one shot. Another option would be to have the DP user print their midi instruments to audio and send you all audio tracks

[BScout]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Alternately, instead of sending files, have the DP system export as OMF or AAF and then import everything in one shot. Another option would be to have the DP user print their midi instruments to audio and send you all audio tracks

This sounds like preparing a tracking session or a mix session for film/tv scoring.

OMF/AAF do not transfer tempo/meter/midi data. That's the important part.
And most likely the audio files are the printed midi instruments. But you still need the tempo/meter map. Which only comes from another DAW via MIDI.

This is also a bog standard process that we've been doing in the film/tv scoring world for over 20 years. Some DAWs are better than others (and even versions of DAWs have differences) because MIDI export isn't as standard as it should be. But there are ways (sometimes slow, manual ways) to correct.

[massivekerry]

Originally Posted by johnnyv

Hi everyone,

I have a client that works in Digital Performer; when those files come into our building, they go into ProTools. So, he sends us a MIDI map with markers, tempo, etc. AND, he also sends us audio tracks.

Should we import MDI first, AND THEN the audio files?

Or vice versa?

Or does it matter?

Anyone know? The reason I ask is that when we then export as WAV files back to him, things aren't lining up perfectly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

John

Whenever I do this, I ALWAYS import the MIDI first. For me, it's most important to get the markers, tempo changes, meter changes, etc in the correct positions, and then import the audio files to their correct (musical) position. That is, if this is a straight 1:1 session. If you're importing one cue from him into a multi-cue Pro Tools session, that can get messy fast. As for your exported audio files, make sure you're both using the same Sample Rate, and that he (and you) have it set correctly (in the Session AND the Hardware). Also check to make sure you're both working to the same Timecode rate. I had a few issues when the switch was going from NTSC 29.97 to 23.97 (and I still always have to check when I get a video in).

[BScout]

Audio precision is the most accurate choice always.
The audio files in any DAW print to where things were heard. MIDI data is very dependent on the sampler and how samples were cut (or for synths, the envelope).

To put it simply, a MIDI “note on” trigger tells something to start. But what is receiving that message could actually produce the audio sound at any point. And a composer is working to where they hear things. Not to when they hit “on”

[Top Jimmy]

By default, I would expect someone doing this process would be exporting everything from zero on the timeline. As long as that’s the case, then the import order doesn’t matter. I too would import the MIDI and all it entails first, and then bring the audio in.

[Eric Lambert]

If I'm importing separately, I'm going with the MIDI first in order to get the tempo map, then audio falls into place just fine. This also prevents any tick-based audio tracks from being tossed around the timeline erroneously.

In practice, I tend to grab one audio and one MIDI -- so that I can verify that they're playing nicely with each other -- then I go back and grab all the rest. This hasn't failed me yet.

Luckily, I tend to work with people who are very well organized and prepared, so issues aren't common. If I didn't know what I was getting into, yeah, I'd go with the process in the paragraph just above.