How to change sound on imported midi

n-Track Studio Discussion Forum
2

Hi
I’ve never done any midi stuff before. A friend has sent me a midi track for me to convert to a wav file and burn to cd. He also asked if I can make it sound better. It’s just piano but he says it’s a bit tinny. Can I actually make it a different piano sound or should I just eq it?

Thanks
Steve

3

Steve,

The thing to realise is that MIDI isn’t anyting to do with the sounds that you hear. MIDI is just a set of instructions to an instrument to play certain notes. Sort of like a robot musician if you like. The MIDI file, like the robot musician, needs an instrument to make the noise. Therefore, the sounds that you hear are dependent on what instrument you use to play the MIDI file.

I would guess that at the moment you are most likely using the default engine built into your soundcard, or maybe the Microsoft one in XP/Vista, to play your MIDI file. These are really designed to give Mario a bit background music while he does his thing. As you’ve noted, they are not always the best for the kind of thing we do.

You need to find a “better” MIDI instrument to play your track.

So - good news though - you can make your MIDI piano track play any MIDI instrument (it doesn’t even have to be a piano!); the “bad” news is that now you have about a gazzillion choices in front of you…

You could play the MIDI out to a hardware module, or keyboard that can make sounds, you could use a “soundfont” player to play a soundfont of a piano, or the one that probably most folks find easiest, is to use a VSTi - a virtual instrument plugin. (Google VSTi or look at KVRaudio.com). Loads to chose from; many free. Make a new instrument track in n-track, load up your MIDI track, “point it” at the instrument track and away you go… and then repeat with a gazzillion other instruments until you end up back at the one you started with :slight_smile:


I hope I haven’t mis-interpreted your question. Come back to us if I got it wrong or if you need more assistance.

4

Thanks Mark for all your detail, it was very helpful. Can you describe to me how I (to quote you) "“point it” at the instrument track."

Thanks heaps

Steve (in Australia)

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Quote: (Jemmie @ Mar. 24 2008, 2:42 PM)

Thanks Mark for all your detail, it was very helpful. Can you describe to me how I (to quote you) ""point it" at the instrument track."

Thanks heaps

Steve (in Australia)

Sure....


Assuming n-Track V5....

1. Click the MIDI track's name in the mixer to bring up the track's properties

2. Click in the black "output" box and select the VSTi track of choice (if you've already added it), or select New Instrument-->.....

Of course, you'll need to have found a few VSTi plugins and installed them first although you can get proof of concept using the DaHornet plug that comes with n-Track.

You may also need to get familiar with a few MIDI concepts such as Channel & Bank.

Hope this helps
6

Hi Mark

I’ve only got version 4 but I got there with your advice. Thank you, much appreciated.

Steve

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Quote: (Jemmie @ Mar. 24 2008, 11:02 PM)

Hi Mark

I've only got version 4 but I got there with your advice. Thank you, much appreciated.

Steve

Cool. Glad you got it sorted. Have fun in MIDI land.