I'm stuck with MIDI

[DSL]

Cakewalk seems a really great programme but I'm getting nowhere fast! I write songs on a programme called Crescendo, and this allows the export of midi files. I would like to import these midi files into cakewalk and then record some vocals. However, I just can't seem to get this right. I've watched a bunch of videos but nobody is doing what I'm trying to do. I've managed to get some files to upload but they don't play anything. I realise I need to assign them to something but there just doesn't seem to be that option anywhere. Please can somebody help?

[Promidi]

19 minutes ago, DSL said:

Cakewalk seems a really great programme but I'm getting nowhere fast! I write songs on a programme called Crescendo, and this allows the export of midi files. I would like to import these midi files into cakewalk and then record some vocals. However, I just can't seem to get this right. I've watched a bunch of videos but nobody is doing what I'm trying to do. I've managed to get some files to upload but they don't play anything. I realise I need to assign them to something but there just doesn't seem to be that option anywhere. Please can somebody help?

As you probably know, MIDI is simply data that tells a synthesiser what notes notes to play and what not.

Cakewalk can simply open the MIDI files from File | Open.  Use this method as this contains tempo information that's in the MIDI file.  Importing the MIDI file does not.

If you do not have a MIDI port on your PC, Cakewalk should open the MIDI file with the MIDI tracks routed to TTS-1

If you do have a MIDI port on your PC, then your MIDI tracks will be routed to that port.

It appears that when you open your MIDI files, the MIDI tracks are not routed to anything, hence the silence when you play back.

What you need to do is make sure your MIDI tracks are routed to something that makes a sound, be it a hardware synth connected to a MIDI port on your PC, or a software synth (or VSTi)

I did a quick search on YouTube and I believe this video might get you started:
 

 

[DSL]

Thankyou that helped some. What I really want to do is use some internal sounds (eg drums) and some external from a synth. I can't see how to do that. I know that I must sound like a complete idiot. I understand MIDI well enough, I just don't understand Cakewalk yet. I tried to route the midi from track 3 to my synth, which worked after a fashion, but when I tried to record an audio track of the synth (using the midi from Cakewalk) it just got stuck. I must be sending conflicting midi data within Cakewalk but I can't for the life of me see how. There is no midi out connected from the synth, only midi in to the synth. Also the synth was playing out of time with the rest, which doesn't seem possible! My head hurts from trying to figure this out! Thankyou for replying, and if you can see what I'm doing wrong please give me a shout. 

[treesha]

You can record the output of the synth triggered by the midi file by routing the synth track output setting to new aux track, then hit record on the aux track. There may be other ways but this is how i do it. 

[John Vere]

Try my video on using midi tracks in Cakewalk let me know if it helps. My goal is to make these tutorials for people just like you and any feedback is welcome. 

This is #12  of a whole series so you might benefit from watching them all if your new to Cakewalk.  

 

 

[Promidi]

3 hours ago, treesha said:

You can record the output of the synth triggered by the midi file by routing the synth track output setting to new aux track, then hit record on the aux track. There may be other ways but this is how i do it. 

Or you can freeze the SIT (that has MIDI data in it ) and then drag the resultant audio to an audio track.

[DSL]

Thankyou all, I got there in the end!