newm1ke
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Importing MIDI and playing on soft synths
Hi guys, I've been using sonar for a long time but i've come across a probem importing MIDI's. I downloaded some MIDI files to play on some synth VSTs in sonar.. if i do FILE>IMPORT into the track with some softsynths inserted ready for them -- only some will play.. its quite bizarre
For example I just imported a midi file with 6 midi tracks.. only 2 of those tracks will play.. and for one of soft synths that was working, I removed the midi notes that were there and drag/dropped one of the non-working ones to that synth's track -- but that still didnt play. only the one that was originally there played. That's confusing the hell of out of my coz those are just notes with velocity 100 so they should play regardless of what track they're on i'd have thought.
Hope that makes sense.. Any ideas?
Thanks guys :)
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Chappel
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Re:Importing MIDI and playing on soft synths
2011/05/22 14:06:06
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First, don't Import the Midi files. Open them just like a normal Sonar file. I don't know what soft synths you're using but I suggest starting out with the Cakewalk TTS-1, which is a General Midi soft synth.
After opening the Midi file, Insert the TTS-1 Soft Synth using the First Synth Audio Output Option. After inserting the TTS-1, select all the Midi tracks, Then in the top menu go to Tracks>Property>Outputs. In the Midi Outputs box select the TTS-1 synth.
If you do that, any SMF (standard midi file) you downloaded should play just fine. That is a good starting point.
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John6528
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Re:Importing MIDI and playing on soft synths
2011/05/22 15:25:30
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Chappel
First, don't Import the Midi files. Open them just like a normal Sonar file. I don't know what soft synths you're using but I suggest starting out with the Cakewalk TTS-1, which is a General Midi soft synth.
After opening the Midi file, Insert the TTS-1 Soft Synth using the First Synth Audio Output Option. After inserting the TTS-1, select all the Midi tracks, Then in the top menu go to Tracks>Property>Outputs. In the Midi Outputs box select the TTS-1 synth.
If you do that, any SMF (standard midi file) you downloaded should play just fine. That is a good starting point.
Might also check the channels on each track. John
Sonar 8.5 64, Win 7 64 Asrock X58 Extreme3, I7-950, 12G ram OCZ Vertx3 120, Vertex2 90, WDM 1T Focusrite Saffire Yamaha P-70 Keyboard M-Audio Midisport Uno Miroslav Philharmonik , Nanosynth
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Jeff Evans
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Re:Importing MIDI and playing on soft synths
2011/05/22 17:38:30
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After you have imported a midi file and expanded it out to all its separate tracks (unless you have done that already) you really need to go to the event list page and view all the info and stuff that is right at the start of the midi file. (All the NON note data)
People like to put a whole lot of data in there to select patches, alter volumes, effects send levels etc. There can be some other things in there in that list that can cause real grief to some plugins as well. I got caught on this with Session Drummer 3. It was freezing up and going silent because of some useless midi data at the start of the file. I found once the basic sounds were selected I had to clear all that data out then all was fine.
If you are going to use the midi file inside Sonar then you can reinsert volume levels, panning etc.. Also Sonar (8.5 anyway) had a quirkly little bug here too. When you first went to the event list, sometimes nothing showed up at the top, until you scrolled down and up again and then all the non note data suddenly appeared.
Specs i5-2500K 3.5 Ghz - 8 Gb RAM - Win 7 64 bit - ATI Radeon HD6900 Series - RME PCI HDSP9632 - Steinberg Midex 8 Midi interface - Faderport 8- Studio One V4 - iMac 2.5Ghz Core i5 - Sierra 10.12.6 - Focusrite Clarett thunderbolt interface Poor minds talk about people, average minds talk about events, great minds talk about ideas -Eleanor Roosevelt
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newm1ke
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Re:Importing MIDI and playing on soft synths
2011/05/23 15:18:15
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Hey guys thanks for the replies :) Got a step further... If insert Cakewalk TTS-1 the MIDI's play fine. Getting these to work on Soft Synths still isn't doing the trick though. I've only ever used soft synths so perhaps there's some Cakewalk functionality I'm unfamiliar with.
Jeff Evans
People like to put a whole lot of data in there to select patches, alter volumes, effects send levels etc. There can be some other things in there in that list that can cause real grief to some plugins as well. I got caught on this with Session Drummer 3. It was freezing up and going silent because of some useless midi data at the start of the file. I found once the basic sounds were selected I had to clear all that data out then all was fine.
Aaah ok, if it is the non-note data causing the problems, how do you go about removing this data? Thanks guys Mike kll
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Chappel
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Re:Importing MIDI and playing on soft synths
2011/05/23 16:15:19
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What other soft synths are you trying to use? The reason I say the TTS-1 is a good starting point for a downloaded Midi file is because it can respond to up to 16 Midi channels at one time. Not all soft synths can do this. The TTS-1 also uses the same patch change data the Midi file uses. Not all soft synths do that. A patch change number that plays a flute in the TTS-1 might play something completely different in a different soft synth. So you have to treat those Midi tracks on an individual basis. You can see, and delete/change, which events are inserted into the tracks by opening the Event List View.
post edited by Chappel - 2011/05/25 03:17:32
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Jeff Evans
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Re:Importing MIDI and playing on soft synths
2011/05/24 17:38:30
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Chappel is correct and I am sorry for not being clear here also. The TTS-1 is an excellent starting point for midi files. I always install it and use it to play a midi file first. The correct sounds (and often mix) comes up and any non midi data does not seem to throw it or influence it badly.
What I was referring to above re non note data applies to re routing your midi track to either external devices or internal VST plugins in order to replace the sounds coming from the TTS-1. Which I sometimes gat asked to do. Then the non note data can cause some grief.
Removing it is simply a matter of selecting it and hitting delete. (on the Event List) Keep a copy of the original file of course and resave this under a different name etc.. You can use the filter to only show the data you are interested in seeing on the Event page as well. Be careful to leave in control data such as volume changes etc that may be part of the song.
Specs i5-2500K 3.5 Ghz - 8 Gb RAM - Win 7 64 bit - ATI Radeon HD6900 Series - RME PCI HDSP9632 - Steinberg Midex 8 Midi interface - Faderport 8- Studio One V4 - iMac 2.5Ghz Core i5 - Sierra 10.12.6 - Focusrite Clarett thunderbolt interface Poor minds talk about people, average minds talk about events, great minds talk about ideas -Eleanor Roosevelt
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newm1ke
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Re:Importing MIDI and playing on soft synths
2011/06/04 20:11:10
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A-ha thats got it.. thanks a lot for your help guys its appreciated.. sorted now :)
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