How to turn existing midi tracks to virtual instruments?

[Jonathan Sasor]

25 minutes ago, scook said:

I wish this were the case. Unfortunately CbB does not discriminate between actual hardware and virtual MIDI cables in MIDI output preferences. This is why I asked about adding a switch in preferences to always open MIDI files with TTS-1.

I mean, the idea behind having it add the TTS-1 when no MIDI ports are present was geared more towards people who aren't super familiar with MIDI and don't understand why they can't hear anything. Back in the day when I was taking Tech Support phone calls, I answered that question... more than once. 

Having virtual MIDI ports installed is a little more of an outlier for the original use case as obviously you know how MIDI works. ?

But I hear your point on having that as a global option.

[John Vere]

There is always more than one or two or three ways to do anything in Cakewalk. We each have our own workflows that work for us. No one way is correct but as scook say's some are redundant and I agree with him that instrument tracks are just that. Each to his own. 

My tutorials are very clear on how to do what the OP is after using a very basic standard workflow.  This includes OPENING a midi file and using TTS-1 to get a start. Then I continue with explaining 1 of the many ways you can exchange the TTS-1 for better VST instruments. 

 

[TVR PRODUCTIONS]

On 4/30/2020 at 10:35 PM, John Vere said:

My tutorials cover this exact topic. 

https://sites.google.com/view/cactus-studios/home

I’m gonna take a look at these. Just a heads up, your link to MIDI  tutorial part 1 points to part 3.

 

[John Vere]

Note for the future the link in above post is dead this is the list where it will be kept up to date for as long as I’m still here  the tutorial in question is # 105 

 

Edited May 15, 2022 by John Vere
Update links

[TVR PRODUCTIONS]

Thanks. Looking forward to watching. I didn't want to start in the middle.

[John Vere]

 

Funny tread, the OP has not answered 

Edited May 15, 2022 by John Vere

[BOUCHER]

On 5/1/2020 at 4:35 AM, John Vere said:

My tutorials cover this exact topic. 

https://sites.google.com/view/cactus-studios/home

 

Hi guys,
I must admit I'm processing using Guitar Pro to get my song as a Midi file.
I've tried several methods to "convert" a midi track to instrument track, but I've no signal on the  instrumental track, after re-routing the midi O -> SI Drum.

Anyone know this problem ?
Thx

[John Vere]

On 2/13/2021 at 3:10 PM, BOUCHER said:

Hi guys,
I must admit I'm processing using Guitar Pro to get my song as a Midi file.
I've tried several methods to "convert" a midi track to instrument track, but I've no signal on the  instrumental track, after re-routing the midi O -> SI Drum.

Anyone know this problem ?
Thx

Please start your own thread. It's confusing and people have to read 2 pages of junk to find your question. This was a totally dead thread were the OP never even answered. 
 

Updated note link in above post is now dead use this

 

Edited May 15, 2022 by John Vere

[Mark Mitchell]

It has been a decade since I tried to import a midi file - at least. Today I had a midi file that I needed to import to see a sample setup of some Kontakt Plugins.

I first double clicked the file - got all the Midi only tracks - was not successful at figuring how to get the plugin set.

So then I tried my template for the Kontakt on Channel 1 - then I dragged and dropped the Midi file on the project and got all the midi

Then I just had to locate the plugin instrument selection - Put the Kontakt device as the output and the Kontakt Midi Channel - (midi file had 12 channels to assign).

That worked - and I could then play the midi file through the sounds I had purchased. ProjectSAM Symphobia series. 

Hopefully that helps someone later.

[Torbjörn Lundberg]

I've read all this and do not quite understand it.

I made a arrengment in musescore and wanted better sounds than MS could present. Therefore I exported to midi and open it in CW. CW assigns TTS-1 to play the midi. But how can I after inserted a soft synthetic, in this case am instance of Kontakt, route the midi to that instrument? Why isn't it possible to in the output use the Kontakt synth?

I want better trumpet sound than musescore or TTS-1 got.

That means that you can't afterwords can't change instrument/sound on a midi channel this way?

How to assign a midi chanel a new sound/instrument/vst synth the right way?

[msmcleod]

@Torbjörn Lundberg - there are a lot of different ways to do this, as detailed in this thread - but I admit the explanations are a bit daunting for new users.

For new users, I'd recommend doing the following:

1. Create a new Kontakt instrument track for the track you want to change, then move that track so it's underneath the old MIDI track.
2. Select everything in the old MIDI track by clicking on the track number, then hold down SHIFT and drag the MIDI clip selection to your new Kontakt track (holding down SHIFT stops the MIDI clips moving left/right in time when you're dragging).
3. Delete the old MIDI track.

I appreciate there'll be a bunch of users who think "Why, when you could just do X,Y, Z.....",  but this method is simple and easy to understand for new users.

There are definitely more efficient ways of doing this, especially if you're going to be changing all of your tracks to share a single Kontakt instance, but this should at least get you up and running.
 

[Torbjörn Lundberg]

1 hour ago, msmcleod said:

@Torbjörn Lundberg - there are a lot of different ways to do this, as detailed in this thread - but I admit the explanations are a bit daunting for new users.

For new users, I'd recommend doing the following:

1. Create a new Kontakt instrument track for the track you want to change, then move that track so it's underneath the old MIDI track.
2. Select everything in the old MIDI track by clicking on the track number, then hold down SHIFT and drag the MIDI clip selection to your new Kontakt track (holding down SHIFT stops the MIDI clips moving left/right in time when you're dragging).
3. Delete the old MIDI track.

I appreciate there'll be a bunch of users who think "Why, when you could just do X,Y, Z.....",  but this method is simple and easy to understand for new users.

There are definitely more efficient ways of doing this, especially if you're going to be changing all of your tracks to share a single Kontakt instance, but this should at least get you up and running.
 

Thank you @msmcleod

Actually I tested that. It works. 

I was used to Cubase. A few years ago since I did any of this with any software, so I might remember incorrectly. I think in Cubase you can/could assign/connect midi data at the output bus. Obviously this isn't working in CW even though there's a vst instrument able to handle the data.

Probably therefore (naturally for me) I tried this way.

Is there any plans to implement this feature? (As I was trying to do. Maybe it's a crazy idea?)

I might be completely way out walking in my own head, mixing up this. Was it possible in Cubase? I don't know. Been a few years, as said...

I'll guess it's just to get on trying out more with CW.

(Now if anyone could help me with my other issue I would be happy as ever)

 

Torbjörn 

[user 905133]

I was one of those who thought, "Why don't you just point the midi track to the soft synth?"  I am struggling to understand why that is not the first thing people think of.

[msmcleod]

18 minutes ago, User 905133 said:

I was one of those who thought, "Why don't you just point the midi track to the soft synth?"  I am struggling to understand why that is not the first thing people think of.

Yes, you can do that however:

1. It requires knowledge of how MIDI tracks / soft synths are routed, and
2. Most new users just want the track to be an single instrument track, rather than separate MIDI / synth tracks.

Having separate MIDI / synth tracks makes for a more complex project ( up to double the track count ), and can cause confusion for new users. 

For example, the gut instinct for adjusting the volume of, say a piano track, is to go to the track with all the piano MIDI data on it and changing the volume slider... except by doing this you're not changing the piano's synth's output volume, you're changing the MIDI volume ( CC #7) of that channel. Instead you have to go to the synth audio track to change the volume.  And then there's which track to use for FX, or MIDI vs VST automation. So you have to be constantly aware of what you're adjusting and how things are routed.

Simple Instrument / Per Output Instrument tracks take the complexity out of that.  You've still got complete control via the Track Inspector Midi/Audio tabs, but by default it's easy to work with.

The only limitation with using instrument tracks is the case where you've got several per-output instrument tracks fed to a single synth instance, and you need automation on the VST parameters.  In this case, you're limited to putting the VST parameter automation on the first track.  However, this can be usually worked around by mapping CC's to the parameters within the VST itself, then adding MIDI automation in each individual track.  Alternatively, you can create an additional MIDI track solely for adding VST automation.
 

[John Vere]

I updated my post to include the proper link to my tutorials. But because people reposted it a few times I can’t fix those. The tutorial I made that has clear instructions on one way ( the easiest) to do this. It is found in video # 105 Importing Midi. The title was on purposely wrong as it’s actually about Opening a midi file. 

I will no longer post direct links to my tutorials as I cannot control dead links when people repost. My thread in the Tutorial sub forum can be kept updated so this will be the best way to direct people needing help. That way they can also discover other tutorial options. 

Edited May 15, 2022 by John Vere
highlight info

[Torbjörn Lundberg]

1 hour ago, msmcleod said:

Yes, you can do that however:

1. It requires knowledge of how MIDI tracks / soft synths are routed, and
2. Most new users just want the track to be an single instrument track, rather than separate MIDI / synth tracks.

Having separate MIDI / synth tracks makes for a more complex project ( up to double the track count ), and can cause confusion for new users. 
 

I only wanted to play the existing MIDI track with an vst instrument.  As with the TTS-1 that is created when importing/opening a midi file.

The easiest way I thought was to change instrument via output.

In what way should that cause any more trouble than if using the TTS-1?

For me it feels natural to have an instrument and than just let the midi signals go via that sound.

Isn't that doable the way I find I natural?

[msmcleod]

3 minutes ago, Torbjörn Lundberg said:

I only wanted to play the existing MIDI track with an vst instrument.  As with the TTS-1 that is created when importing/opening a midi file.

The easiest way I thought was to change instrument via output.

In what way should that cause any more trouble than if using the TTS-1?

For me it feels natural to have an instrument and than just let the midi signals go via that sound.

Isn't that doable the way I find I natural?

Yes, you can do that.  Just insert a new synth, and change the output of the MIDI track to that synth.

[Torbjörn Lundberg]

1 hour ago, John Vere said:

I updated my post to include the proper link to my tutorials. But because people reposted it a few times I can’t fix those. The tutorial I made that has clear instructions on one way ( the easiest) to do this. It is found in video # 105 Importing Midi. The title was on purposely wrong as it’s actually about Opening a midi file. 

 

Hi

Which post shows mw how to do what I want to do? Let the loaded vst instrument play the midi information that I have?

Is it doable. 

Importing a few midi tracks in a midi file and let them play a vst instrument, set/changed directly in the output. As shown above.

It would be much easier than importing/opening a single vst instrument for each midi track and than copy the midi signals for every track.

Am I thinking in the wrong way here?

 

Torbjörn 

[Torbjörn Lundberg]

2 minutes ago, msmcleod said:

Yes, you can do that.  Just insert a new synth, and change the output of the MIDI track to that synth.

Aha! 

That have I tried as step one. Felt natural.

Didn't work.

Strange...

 

Torbjörn 

[Torbjörn Lundberg]

2 minutes ago, Torbjörn Lundberg said:

Hi

Which post shows mw how to do what I want to do? Let the loaded vst instrument play the midi information that I have?

Is it doable. 

Importing a few midi tracks in a midi file and let them play a vst instrument, set/changed directly in the output. As shown above.

It would be much easier than importing/opening a single vst instrument for each midi track and than copy the midi signals for every track.

Am I thinking in the wrong way here?

 

Torbjörn 

My fault.

Missed it 105! Thank you.

?