freezing and mixing MIDI tracks advice

[kealle]

I'm fishing for some best tips and practices advice for mixing when working with a fairly large number of MIDI tracks.

I am finishing up editing the MIDI today and am starting to think about what might be the most logical and efficient way to proceed. There are 20+ tracks of strings, winds, brass and percussion.

I was thinking about soloing each instrument section, get a good balance, and then freeze each section into its own audio track. Then mix the section as a whole. Is this a good way to go?

One reason for doing this is to avoid having to freeze so many tracks individually, which isn't a big deal, but it is a pretty tedious process. And unless I'm missing something and there's some magic key where I can freeze all the tracks at the same time to separate audio tracks.

I guess I'm wondering how others handle this kind of situation. It seems pretty clear that mixing the actual MIDI tracks has too many limitations.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

If you are coming into DP from the MIDI devices via discrete inputs for each device/instrument sound, you could simply multi-record. As long as your audio device(s) doesn't have any "leaks" you should get the discrete tracks all at once. If you're coming out of a simple stereo input and want to have discrete tracks, then you'll have to do each one separately.

Depending on the project and the next phase, discrete tracks are almost always essential before final mixing for obvious reasons. You may also want to disable any plugs (reverbs, etc) as once you print them they are pretty much set in stone.

One small note since we tend to be very specific around here: please don't refer to it as "the MIDI." There is MIDI data, there are MIDI devices, there are MIDI controllers, and there are MIDI tracks. There is no "MIDI" in and of itself just one does not do, or go to, "the Google."

[FMiguelez]

I'm fishing for some best tips and practices advice for mixing when working with a fairly large number of MIDI tracks.

I am finishing up editing the MIDI today and am starting to think about what might be the most logical and efficient way to proceed. There are 20+ tracks of strings, winds, brass and percussion.

I was thinking about soloing each instrument section, get a good balance, and then freeze each section into its own audio track. Then mix the section as a whole. Is this a good way to go?

One reason for doing this is to avoid having to freeze so many tracks individually, which isn't a big deal, but it is a pretty tedious process. And unless I'm missing something and there's some magic key where I can freeze all the tracks at the same time to separate audio tracks.

I guess I'm wondering how others handle this kind of situation. It seems pretty clear that mixing the actual MIDI tracks has too many limitations.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

I always try to get a good "MIDI mix", as a starting point. Get it sounding as close as possible as you want it.

I always record EACH individual instrument into audio, so I have maximum flexibility when I do the final mix.

Come on, admit it. If you just freeze sections of instruments (as opposed to individual freezes) you will ALWAYS want to change something afterwards anyway... maybe the flutes are too loud and the clarinets too soft. When this happens, you will have to go back to the MIDI tracks and refreeze everything again, so I really see no reason to not freeze each instrument individually.

With my setup I can record (not freeze) a full orchestra in 4 or 5 passes, but I use an external mixer.

If you select ALL your MIDI tracks, you should be able to freeze them all in just one step (much depends on how they are routed in your VIs).

But I definitely recommend having a decent "MIDI mix" before. This will give you a great starting point for the real mix (in audio).

[FMiguelez]

There is no "MIDI" in and of itself just one does not do, or go to, "the Google."

The other day a friend of mine told me: "I don't care about the pitch. You can always go to THE PROTOOL and fix it there"

THE ProTool!!!

[kealle]

If you are coming into DP from the MIDI devices via discrete inputs for each device/instrument sound, you could simply multi-record. As long as your audio device(s) doesn't have any "leaks" you should get the discrete tracks all at once. If you're coming out of a simple stereo input and want to have discrete tracks, then you'll have to do each one separately.

I'm using Kontakt as the MIDI device, so it's all virtual. I probably should have made that a little more clear. I have a different instance of Kontakt open for each of the instrument sections, each loaded with the (all).nki file. If I understand what your saying here, then I would need to create an aux track to accompany each MIDI track, then I could multi-record. I wonder if your advice is directed at an external MIDI device, which I didn't clarify earlier, but that it should work the same?

Depending on the project and the next phase, discrete tracks are almost always essential before final mixing for obvious reasons. You may also want to disable any plugs (reverbs, etc) as once you print them they are pretty much set in stone.

Duly noted. I do usually put a little something-something on the master track, but will remember to mute.

One small note since we tend to be very specific around here: please don't refer to it as "the MIDI." There is MIDI data, there are MIDI devices, there are MIDI controllers, and there are MIDI tracks. There is no "MIDI" in and of itself just one does not do, or go to, "the Google."

Got it. In order to get the right response I need to use the right terms.

Thanks.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Can't fully resond at the moment as I am in a theate waiting for Avatar to start. But you could probably bus the VI outs to seperate tracks and multirecord in real time. Would be faster than each track separately. Check out Shooshie's tip sheet as he has probably covered this.

[kealle]

Come on, admit it. If you just freeze sections of instruments (as opposed to individual freezes) you will ALWAYS want to change something afterwards anyway... maybe the flutes are too loud and the clarinets too soft. When this happens, you will have to go back to the MIDI tracks and refreeze everything again, so I really see no reason to not freeze each instrument individually.

Ok, Ok. I'll admit it. It makes more sense. I guess I was looking for someone to tell me that DP could just mix itself.

If you select ALL your MIDI tracks, you should be able to freeze them all in just one step (much depends on how they are routed in your VIs).

I think in the future I'll try to set it up to do it this way. The process of freezing tracks seems to me to create a few steps that I'd like to avoid if I can, which I guess is the real topic of my initial post.

But I definitely recommend having a decent "MIDI mix" before. This will give you a great starting point for the real mix (in audio).

thanks for the reply.