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Topic: realistic instrument sounds HeLp! (Read 2961 times) previous topic - next topic

realistic instrument sounds HeLp!

Hi everyone!

Does anyone know how I can use the realistic instrument sounds on my keyboard when recording Midi rather than the ones that im already using at the moment? The piano sound is not bad, but the drum sounds are cr*p, especially the crash cymbal which sound like the wind blowing rather than a cymbal!! I know it is possible to use realistic sounds somehow, because my mate does it (he uses Cakewalk) and the keyboard and computer at school does it as well! (that uses Cubase) any info would be greatly appreciated!

-Chris

Re: realistic instrument sounds HeLp!

Reply #1 –
Well, Chris, looks like we've come full circle. :) Now that you have your external keyboard working for recording, it shouldn't be too hard to set it up for playback. Set your playback device (in Control Panel --> Multimedia --> Midi tab) to the "MPU-401 midi OUT" port, keeping NWC set to the midi mapper. Your midi output should now be rerouted through the external keyboard (presuming you have the cables properly plugged in) ;-)

Now, to record that sound, you have to connect the AUDIO output from the external synth to the LINE IN on your soundcard. You might have to play around with the recording settings in the volume control applet, but assuming that your soundcard is "full duplex" (most of them are nowadays) you should be able to record the midi playback using any decent wav recorder application.

Have fun!

Fred

Re: realistic instrument sounds HeLp!

Reply #2 –
Hi Fred! Ok your instructions are for recording the keyboard to a .WAV file? this would be helpful, but what I originally meant, because I dont think I explained it well (as usual!) is:

I have a program called Evolution Midi. Its the sort where you record a track say, of a piano melody, then on the second track put some bass, and on the third put drums, etc until you have your song. The thing is, when I choose an instrument for each track, i record the track for say drums, but the drum sound is really cr*p, so I was wondering how to record the tracks with the cool sounding instruments off my keyboard, rather than the cr*p sounding ones that are on the computer. I hope you know what I mean!!

thanx for your help,

-Chris

Re: realistic instrument sounds HeLp!

Reply #3 –
No Chris,
What Fred was suggesting is what you need to do.
Basically, if you can send midi signals from the keyboard to the computer, then all you need to do is configure the computer to send midi signals back to the keyboard (where the funky sounds are).

If you can use the computer to drive your midi keyboard, then you'll get the sounds you want.

Fred went on to suggest how you could get those sounds back through your computer speakers, but that may sound worse than playing it through your keyboard.

1) Make sure the MIDI connections (out of computer and into keyboard) are available and working
2) Make sure your keyboard will respond to midi coming in to it thru a cable.
3) Set up the midi playback device in NWC to be MIDI OUT (ie the cable).
4) Hit Play.
5) Scratch head to work out what you did wrong
6) Fix it
7) Hiw Play again
8) Shout "woohoo".

HTH
Andrew

Re: realistic instrument sounds HeLp!

Reply #4 –
ok guys I can sorta see where your coming from, but im at tad confused now... (sorry!)

can you please explain again, step-by-step sorta thing? I am totally new to this MIDI thing :-S In Noteworthy, and the other program, I set the output device as Roland MPU-401, which is the MIDI input device I use. But when I play my recordings, I dont hear any sound!! :-(
What do I have to do to check whether my keyboard is recieving data?
I bought a foot switch/sustain pedal for my keyboard today.. once ive got the groovy sounds sorted, will I be able to use the sustain when recording Midi?

Thanx for all your help guys I really appreciate it :-) I just cant wait until I get this sorted!

-Chris