Can't figure out how to use MIDI instruments in burning a CD

[Buzz Mando]

Hi,

I just can't figure out how to use MIDI instruments in burning a CD. If anyone knows the answer, in explaining things to me, assume I know nothing. I don't remember having to do anything special in previous versions of DP, but it's been years since I've recorded and I'm just getting in the swing of things again, so be patient with me.

Here's what might be the applicable info. The source is a SMF from Band-in-a-Box. I am assigning all the Biab MIDI tracks to Apple Software Synth tracks, then I'm recording my own instruments over that.

During playback, everything sounds fine (well, at least as fine as Biab w/ Apple software instruments can sound, anyhow). I'm just making scratch tracks for songwriting, so, at this stage it doesn't matter. But I would like the drums, and occasionally some of the other instruments from Biab on the CD, but all I'm getting is the instruments I record directly.

In the future, when I get a new firewire drive, I will start using MachFive, but I'm planning on learning that later, and just need some quick-and-dirty stereo tracks on a CD for a friend to use to write some songs.

Hate to be so clueless - I've been using Performer since v.2 something, on a Mac 400, or SE 30, and still don't understand what a 'chunk' is. As you can figure out, I'm hardly a "power user". The manual has become so huge and hard to use it's ridiculous - I tried to spend some time finding the answer in the manual (5.12), but it's a 1,000 + page manual with only a sparse 20 page index.

I also looked on this web-site. This topic is probably covered, but I can't find it. I hear about "Freezing" which is grayed-out, and making a Mix track. I can't find out how to do that either. I think they're assuming the use of an external or software synth.

I tried to use DP help viewer. No help there. Bouncing, and several other topics I explored didn't lead to an answer.

It said that to bounce you have to assign the outputs to the same thing, and I can only set my audio tracks to my MOTU 828's analog tracks 1 & 2. The MIDI tracks only have the option of Apple Software Synth (1-16) and DP Output (1-16). I don't know what DP output is, however.

I just can't figure this one out. For now I just need to get about 5 MIDI tracks converted to audio tracks, and add them to the audio tracks I've created. If I can get all the outputs to read "analog 1 & 2" I know I can take it from there.

Thanks for your help!

Buzz

[Dwetmaster]

instead of using the software synth, open one instance of Apple DLS instrument on an instrument track. then freeze your MIDI tracks or bus the DLS to an audio track and record it.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Which version of DP? Have you checked the manual under "Bounce"?

[Buzz Mando]

Hi - Thanks for trying. But I am still where I was before I posted, with the possible exception of introducing some new terms that could cause me to spend a couple hours looking through the DP manual for something that I may or may not be able to find.

MIDI Life Crisis - Which version of DP? Have you checked the manual under "Bounce"?

As I mentioned 5.12 - Info in manual under bounce doesn't cover my situation. It is the same as the info contained on the DP Help Viewer. Neither answer the question. I still don't know how to turn the MIDI track into useable Audio info that I can assign to the same outputs as the regular audio tracks.

Dwetmaster - instead of using the software synth, open one instance of Apple DLS instrument on an instrument track. then freeze your MIDI tracks or bus the DLS to an audio track and record it.

Again, I find no mention of "Apple DLS Instrument" anywhere. You're the first person I heard bring up the term. In the index of this dismal (tragically unsearchable manual) the word "Apple" is mentioned only 3 times, DLS not at all. As I said in my post, "If anyone knows the answer, in explaining things to me, assume I know nothing." You would have to explain every term or give me a page # to look it up in the manual.

Thanks - Buzz

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Pages 908 and 909.

[Dwetmaster]

Ok it's XMas so let me be helpful.
Go to the Project Menu/Add track SubMenu/Intrument Track SubMenu/Apple DLS Instrument.
It will create an instrument tracki with the Apple DLS instrument which is loaded by default with the the quicktime MIDI instrument.
Then you assign all your tracks to it and VOILA

You have an instrument track ready to be frozen or bused back to an audio track to be recorded as audio.

For more infos:

http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... hlight=dls
http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... hlight=dls
http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... =noize+dls

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Or read pages as mentioned above...

[HeadMaster]

Hi,

I just can't figure out how to use MIDI instruments in burning a CD. If anyone knows the answer, in explaining things to me, assume I know nothing. I don't remember having to do anything special in previous versions of DP, but it's been years since I've recorded and I'm just getting in the swing of things again, so be patient with me.

Here's what might be the applicable info. The source is a SMF from Band-in-a-Box. I am assigning all the Biab MIDI tracks to Apple Software Synth tracks, then I'm recording my own instruments over that.

During playback, everything sounds fine (well, at least as fine as Biab w/ Apple software instruments can sound, anyhow). I'm just making scratch tracks for songwriting, so, at this stage it doesn't matter. But I would like the drums, and occasionally some of the other instruments from Biab on the CD, but all I'm getting is the instruments I record directly.

In the future, when I get a new firewire drive, I will start using MachFive, but I'm planning on learning that later, and just need some quick-and-dirty stereo tracks on a CD for a friend to use to write some songs.

Hate to be so clueless - I've been using Performer since v.2 something, on a Mac 400, or SE 30, and still don't understand what a 'chunk' is. As you can figure out, I'm hardly a "power user". The manual has become so huge and hard to use it's ridiculous - I tried to spend some time finding the answer in the manual (5.12), but it's a 1,000 + page manual with only a sparse 20 page index.

I also looked on this web-site. This topic is probably covered, but I can't find it. I hear about "Freezing" which is grayed-out, and making a Mix track. I can't find out how to do that either. I think they're assuming the use of an external or software synth.

I tried to use DP help viewer. No help there. Bouncing, and several other topics I explored didn't lead to an answer.

It said that to bounce you have to assign the outputs to the same thing, and I can only set my audio tracks to my MOTU 828's analog tracks 1 & 2. The MIDI tracks only have the option of Apple Software Synth (1-16) and DP Output (1-16). I don't know what DP output is, however.

I just can't figure this one out. For now I just need to get about 5 MIDI tracks converted to audio tracks, and add them to the audio tracks I've created. If I can get all the outputs to read "analog 1 & 2" I know I can take it from there.

Thanks for your help!

Buzz

You need to freeze them to audio files first, DP can not bounce "MIDI" stuff.

Yeah, it's a pain if you are used to how the rest of the world works, PT, Logic etc. but this is the way it is, face it or forever run.



. . .
HM

[MIDI Life Crisis]

But you CAN freeze your MIDI tracks. Still real time (thanks Rockcity). Also, DP will stop at the end of the freeze (selection) time, so you don't have to babysit the process.

Hope that helps. It's a little tricky to get it set up exactly, but it does work.

...If you have your sound source routed into your DP session through an Aux input, you can select the MIDI track and the Aux input and freeze the track. Now, the process is real-time and pretty much the same as re-recording the source to a track, but DP will automatically bus the source to a track and record track in your session. Kind of handy, saves you from having to do the bussing on your own.

Bob

From the thread:

http://www.motunation.com/forum/posting ... e&p=109391

[Buzz Mando]

Hi,

I wanted to get back to you. Was able to find the DLS instruments. and was able to make some tracks that had Analog 1-2 outs. Then used the 'freeze' command. Then I listened to the frozen section, and something weird happened - really bad sound deterioration. Probably something else in my system to troubleshoot unrelated to DP.

Just wanted to keep you guys posted I'm not going to be able to do any more work on it tonight. I'm at GMT+7 in Thailand.

Thanks for the info - will let you know when I've had success - seems like you guys have put me on the right track... or is it channel?

Thanks - Buzz

[James Steele]

You can also do realtime mixdowns too. I've started doing more of this because I like to make lots of "intermediate" versions of songs to listen to in the car. It saves having to bounce drum VI's and such every time I make a change, etc.

**EDIT** Additionally, FWIW on my dual G5, in most of my projects I'd say it doesn't seem like BTD, is much faster than realtime anyway.