Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files (Read 27969 times) previous topic - next topic

Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

I am not new to composing, but I am new to creating music using NWC and working with MIDI files. So for all you techno expert/composers, what hardware/software would I need to record/convert my NWC or MIDI files directly to a compact disk so that my music can be heard through a home stereo system with CD player? I have a MIDI keyboard/controller. But would this require some kind of digital to analog process, like putting a mike up to my PC speakers as my PC plays the music back, or is there a purely digital way to do this?

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #1 –
Not sure why you would want to put your files onto CD if all you want to do is to play back through your home stereo system.

What about a lead from the sound card to the aux socket ?
Richard

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #2 –
This topic has been covered quite extensively on this forum in the past, I'd suggest downloading the "offline" version of the Forum, then use the Search facility to find the applicable threads (there have been several). Briefly, yes it's quite possible to do; involves recording the .nwc or .mid as a wave file, then burning to CD.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #3 –
Since I have actually done this, and made an audio CD from my NWC files, a few pointers...
Any decent soundcard will let you record MIDI through the soundcard.. (no dumb mic needed) First I'll assume that you are recording MIDI directly off your MIDI soundcard. You can set the recording volume via the microsoft mixer (play control--the little speaker icon in the taskbar, double click it). In there, you can select "options", then under "properties", select "recording options". This will let you select MIDI to be recorded and also the volume.

Then you need a decent recording program. I suggest Cool Edit, its cheap, easy to use, and lets you record up to 1gb .wav files (more than you'd ever need). After you record the sucker, the software that comes with your CD-R or CD-RW should take care of the Audio CD process.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #4 –
Just an addendum, since you're using a MIDI keyboard (not midi card as I first thought).. all you need is some decent audio cables. Plug the cables from the Line out jack on your keyboard into the line in jack on your sound card. You might need to mess around to get the proper size cables, any radio shack should have the right cables available though.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #6 –
Thanks to Richard, Fred, Shane, and Peter for your responses. I want to "burn" CDs with my music for the same reason Shane has - to give to friends who don't have any other means than a standard audio CD player for hearing my NWC files. I understand the following basic steps are necessary to do this from my PC (please correct me if I'm wrong):

1. Convert .NWC file to .MID file using NWC
2. Convert .MID to .WAV file using a program like "Wavmaker" per Msg #928, Reply #21
3. Burn the .WAV file onto an audio CD-RW using a CD recorder (hardware) and a program like "CD Spin Doctor" per Msg #928, Reply #20
4. Put the "burned" CD in a CD player and voilà!

Assuming the software referred to in steps 3 and 4 is necessary, does anyone have any other recommendations based on what you have actually used?

Thanks Again!

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #7 –
OK, the software I used was:
-Cool Edit for the .wav recording, noise filters, etc..
-Easy CD creator to make the actual audio CD.. it came with my cd-rw drive and it let me make audio cd's, data cds, or enhanced cds (mix of audio/data. It looks a lot like windows explorer, just drag and drop the .wav files you want on your audio CD.
-Of course you might already know this, but just in case you don't, only cd-r discs can play in an audio cd player, but this doesn't matter since cd-rw drives can write cd-r discs anyway.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #8 –
Just another vote for CoolEdit... it's what I use, and is an excellent proggie for the price. That being said, you can even use the Sound Recorder that comes packaged with Windows for creating the .wav file, albeit with no post-processing filters. (Although come to think of it, I'm not sure if this is available in Win9x, maybe it's another 3.11 program they dropped?)

As Shane pointed out, your CD-R/RW hardware should have come with suitable software for transferring the .wav file to CD.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #9 –
You can play the NWC version while recording with the Creative wave recorder with AWE32/64/SBLive. The windows wave recorder does come with 95/98 but did not please me as much.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #10 –
Shane, I am indeed unclear about your last point. Are you saying that all CD-RW recorders will also make CD-R recordings, and that my friends and I don’t have to upgrade to a CD player that is designed to the “Multiread” specification? (The Philips web site seems to suggest that I need a to get a CD-R recorder to play CDs I record on older CD players, such as my 10 year old Pioneer.) Also, will I be able to play back my CD-R or CD-RW recordings on my type 14/32X EIDE CD-ROM? Gee, am I getting there you think? And it sounds like CoolEdit is the one to get for .MID to .WAV conversion, editing, etc., huh? Got a web site I can find it on?

Thanks again everbody,
Joe

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #11 –
The problem seems to be due to the reflectivity of CD-R and CD-RW discs compared to "factory" CD's. My newer Kenwood player has no trouble with CD-R (haven't tried CD-RW) but my 15-year-old Toshiba balks at them. Even older CD ROMs (such as an old 2X Creative unit I have) don't properly read CD-R's.

Re: CoolEdit -- go to

http://www.syntrillium.com

Unless you're looking for the "be-all-end-all" wave editor, don't bother with "CoolEdit Pro", the standard edition does everything I've ever needed... and then some.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #12 –
If you only want your friends to be able to hear your NWC files you could send them their own copy of NoteWorthy Player.
Since it's freeware you can send this to anyone - and it's cheaper than burning CDs.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #13 –
Moreover, as we recently learned, NWC files will sound better than midi since Tempo Variance (Fermata/Breath mark) are not exported.

And you can even be more famous since Info data is easily accessible ;-)

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #14 –
Not everyone I know has a Yamaha PSR-530 XG or an EMU 10K1 or SB AWE soundcard (or the soundfonts). At least, no one I know does.
Hence, the value of recording the works into a much more universal format (aka audio CD) which plays exactly the same on every soundcard (and CD player).
Also, I was able to make a portfolio out of my songs and place them on an audio CD which I submitted to college.
So there are many reasons why one might make an audio CD, it depends entirely on the needs (or wants) of the individual.
--About MIDI--There is no need to export to MIDI to record. I usually just recorded my songs directly while they played in Noteworthy. Unless it was necessary to export to add in chorus, reverb controllers that Noteworthy does not yet support.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #15 –
I have no solution for you but i am working on project and was woundering if you know anything about/wouldn't mind sending me some info about how much it would cost to produce and sell a cd? If you could i would really appreciate it!! Thanks!!
P.s. i am also very interested in music and am helping a friend compose a song for our school chourus, and am very interested in what you are doing

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #16 –
I've been making audio CDs from nwc files by playing [F5] while recording using FastEdit from Minnetonka Audio Software and my Soundblaster Live! audio card. The software is stable and I am happy with the quality and the sound of the instruments.

Of course, there is always room for improvement. Does anyone have suggestions for getting better sound fonts? What are the best choices in buying a new sound card?

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #17 –
tip on the midi2wav topic:

in Cubase VST a midi-track can be assigned a VST instrument (instead of a standard midi instrument) and than be directly converted (in cubase: "exported") into a wav file. Not an option for most of us because it's an expensive program. Besides maybe the instrument you want is not available in VST format. Anyway it's good to know that there ARE purely software solutions.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #18 –
Help!  I have a CLAVINOVA that I got worth almost $9000.  This is an digital organ with all plug ins.  Plus, my computer is the best from Circuit City at this time.

I was asked to submit a CD of my composed Piano songs to a publisher on a CD.  But, I don't know how.

AARGH!  My Clavinova will match my voice to the recording pitches so I should be good.

So, once I have the CD I will put it into my Clavinova and then be good to go!  HELP!

IF anyone wants to know how to build chords and the Whole Tone Blues chords I will forward the info to you.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #19 –
If you have a soundcard that will allow the music keyboard to be played into your computer, you should be able to record it as a wav file using the software that came with your soundcard.  Soundblaster Live! for instance came with Creative Wave Studio.

You may first have to capture the file as a midi file.  You will play it back as soon as you start the record functon in Wave Studio.  This will capture the file in WAV format, and you can burn that to a CD using your burner.

Hope this helps...

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #20 –
Make A CD!

1) go to SEARCH and download Sound Recorder (original)

2) go offline and look for Sound Recorder.

3) click on Sound Recorder and go into NoteWorthy and pick the song you want on a CD.

4)  Click Sound Recorder to minimize it.

5)  Play your song then instantly click up Sound Recorder and push the record buttom.  If you want to record 4 8 bars in 4/4 time then you will have to first lengthen Sound Recorder for about 75 seconds.

Sound Recorder is good for about 60 seconds and will do a 3/4 (4) 8 bars.

6) Click on File of Sound Recorder and then Save As.  Change the 8 bit to 16 bit stereo.  Change is located on the bottom of SAVE AS.

7)  Go back Into Save and Shade your song.  Then, click on make an audio CD.

8)  Go into that place to make your CD and DO IT.

Done!  You have just made your 1st CD. Easy!  Right ON!

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #21 –
For Cheri, You can lengthen the size of the sound file to whatever you like by inserting blank files 60 secs long and saving as a blank say of 300secs.Keep this file as say blank.wav and then before you record, open this file and insert your recording from nwc and then delete all after you stop(edit menu), and save your wave and burn it.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #22 –
To make Audio CDs first save as .mid and then try direct conversion to wav by JetAudio free download Cnet or Download Com . Not bad, then burn. (JetAudio will also burn)

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #23 –
How do I copy music, such as midi music, onto the CD-R?

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #24 –
Jetaudio takes a long time to download.  I recommend RIPVinyl, it only costs $ 5.00 for a downloaded version which takes two or three minutes. This program will turn anything going through your PC sound system, including a playing NWC file, into a .WAV file which it stores somewhere you choose on your hard drive. The standard CD creating programs such as EASYCD will then make an Audio CD from the .WAV file.  It is quite easy and it works for me, an incompetent old duffer!
The hardest part was navigating through Windows 98SE Start>Programs>Accessories>Entertainment>Volume Control>Options>Recording> to check "Mixed Output" in order to get the system workinh.

Tony

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #25 –
Download 1) Sound Recorder  2) Windows Media Player

Once you've finished composing save.  Save AS 16 bit STEREO.

Then, click on your sound recorder.  Next, tell NWC to play then immediately click on your sound recorder to record.

Then, go to the sound recorder files.  Right click on your song.  It will say WANT TO MAKE A CD or something like that.

Click on that.  Then, click on your music in the Windows Media Player and click on Copy to CD on the CD you put in your computer to save your song on.

Done.  That's it.

PS.
If you need more time on your sound record just record to that beginning point from record on your sound recorder.

The Sound Recorder has a new product ( I haven't tried it yet).  It makes WAV files and MP3 files.

Tonos.com is a good place to download your MP3 files for music industry.  Try it out. Sound Recoder can make MP3 files to email to friends and family.  It will put your songs in your documents.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #27 –
There are several ways:

Play the MIDI files and record them to the hard drive as WAVE files. Windows Media Player will convert WAVE to CDDA (Compact Disc).

Save the MIDI files as such and convert directly to CDDA using Windows Media Player.

The sound will only be as good as the MIDI outupt.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #28 –
Midi to wav.  I spent half a day trawling through the forum and decided to try the Modplug Tracker recommended freeware. Failed to do so from Modplug.com, but then did so at http://pweb.jps.net/~olivierl/  (in case of typos search for Olivier Lapicque's home page).  So far, I have burnt a CD of standard piano music from the wav. files produced and that is fine.

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #29 –
On my computer there's a program called Creative, it has songs on it and I need to burn them to a CD for my daughter's skating program. The file is called FANTASY.mid To open it I need to go to a file called MIDI. Everytime I go to download it onto a blank CD the computer says an error has occured and that the song is unrecordable... I was just wondering if there's a way around this. I've tried to download it from the internet but i can't find it. Please reply soon.
 

Re: Making an Audio CD of NWC Music Files

Reply #30 –
If you have Creative, which comes with a Soundblaster sound card, you likely have a program called Creative Wave Studio.

You just open CWS, create a new file, and click the red record dot.

Now, play back the song, either from NWC or from whatever media player you have.  CWS will capture the sound as a .wav file as it plays through the sound card.  Turn of the record feature when the song finishes, and save the file.  It can then be copied to a CD.

You might want to trim the unwanted silence at the beginning of the recording, and then save it again, before burning to the CD.