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by Fullofkittens 12/19/2018, 8:19pm PST |
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It's tempting to think of MIDI as a sound file format especially because back in the 90s soundcards treated them that way. But they're really just a dumb standard text file format, like a json file. They contain a bunch of serialized events that your DAW has to deserialize into what it can play back as "music" (though MIDI files are also used for things like controlling stage lights and Xmas light displays). So when Ableton and Reaper don't play a MIDI file by default it's because they're like, ok, we can read this file but we don't know what you want to do with it. We know you want to play...notes...at...times...but using what?
Back in the day there was a concept called General MIDI which was an attempt to improve the MIDI standard by standardizing patch positions so that you could predict that Patch 1 was a piano and Patch 41 was a violin. (Soundblaster cards subscribed to General MIDI and could "play MIDI files.") That standard has been abandoned and Live explicitly does not support it. So if you import a MIDI file into Live you're going to see a track that has note and timing information but no sound assigned to it. Live has a concept called Instruments which you can click and drag from the Library and those will play whatever is on that MIDI track. Live comes bundled with some Instruments of its own and if you buy and install third-party VSTs those will also show up as instruments. The ones that come with the free version of Live sound cheap; you can buy Packs from their website or upgrade to Ableton Live Suite to make them sound better, or as I said before NI Komplete will sound pretty good.
So for Ableton, open your MIDI file and it will deserialize it into one or more Tracks with midi clips on them. Open the Instrument Library and drag sounds from those onto those MIDI tracks and then hit play on the clips, and you should hear sounds from your computer.
You can also make Live control your synth controller but as I said before that is a bunch of cabling and configuration; it's not very complicated but you will have to understand the fundamentals of the MIDI standard and how Live implements it, plus hook up both audio and MIDI cables. |
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Any of you ever pay for a new musical work to be made? by Mysterio 11/05/2018, 8:02am PST 
How many hours do you think it will take to make this song? NT by $200 for a days work ain't bad 11/06/2018, 6:36am PST
It depends. by Fullofkittens 11/07/2018, 8:42am PST
FoK, are you up on synthesizers at all? by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/06/2018, 12:20pm PST
I am retracting this question until I learn more. I just realized everything I d by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/07/2018, 10:25am PST
Arturia CS-80V (software) 150 bucks, free demo by Entropy Stew 12/07/2018, 11:43am PST
Re: Arturia CS-80V (software) 150 bucks, free demo by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/07/2018, 12:40pm PST
Is your intent to have physical synths? by Entropy Stew 12/07/2018, 1:20pm PST
Also: dealing with outboard euipment is a lot more complicated and $$$ NT by Entropy Stew 12/07/2018, 1:22pm PST
Re: Is your intent to have physical synths? by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/08/2018, 9:37am PST
Pro Tools Free is out by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/08/2018, 1:32pm PST
Abelton Live 10 is in by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/08/2018, 4:00pm PST
Pro Tools was always more about recording mic'd up instruments than anything by Entropy Stew 12/08/2018, 3:56pm PST
Fuck Pro Tools and anything owned by Avid. (DAW recommendations!) by Fullofkittens 12/09/2018, 9:35am PST
Oh and I forgot about Reason by Fullofkittens 12/09/2018, 10:21am PST
Re: Fuck Pro Tools and anything owned by Avid. (DAW recommendations!) by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/10/2018, 8:36am PST
Re: Fuck Pro Tools and anything owned by Avid. (DAW recommendations!) by Fullofkittens 12/10/2018, 12:55pm PST
P.S. maybe I should have read the upthread conversation NT by Fullofkittens 12/10/2018, 7:38pm PST
Re: Fuck Pro Tools and anything owned by Avid. (DAW recommendations!) by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/19/2018, 5:19am PST
Status so far by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/19/2018, 6:33pm PST
You have to click the "play" button on each track, below where you think you are by Ice Cream Jonsey 12/19/2018, 7:22pm PST
Think of MIDI like a programmer. by Fullofkittens 12/19/2018, 8:19pm PST
Re: Fuck Pro Tools and anything owned by Avid. (DAW recommendations!) by Fullofkittens 12/19/2018, 8:31pm PST
Would u guys get a Behringer Nitro or Behringer Model D all things being equal? NT by Jack Bauer 12/09/2018, 10:08pm PST
I assume you mean Model D or Neutron? Probably Neutron. by Fullofkittens 12/10/2018, 2:33pm PST
I got a Model D! I have questions. by Ice Cream Jonsey 01/04/2019, 11:07pm PST
Gonna need more details by Fullofkittens 01/05/2019, 6:18am PST
First part: by Ice Cream Jonsey 01/05/2019, 9:17am PST
Re: First part: by Fullofkittens 01/05/2019, 9:48am PST
FoK: sko greatest poster in forum history? by Ice Cream Jonsey 01/05/2019, 11:41am PST
My pleasure, I learned this stuff initially from forum people as well. by Fullofkittens 01/05/2019, 1:16pm PST
Fuck, now I want a Neutron by Entropy Stew 01/11/2019, 8:11pm PST
Fuck, I bought a Minilogue NT by Entropy Stew 01/12/2019, 3:38pm PST
That looks neat. I wish I could justify another synth. by Fullofkittens 01/12/2019, 7:25pm PST
First patch by Entropy Stew 01/13/2019, 2:04pm PST
rad, reminds me of Carpenter Brut (which is rad) NT by Fullofkittens 01/14/2019, 4:47am PST
Found a Blade Runner cover on a minilogue by Entropy Stew 01/14/2019, 8:26am PST
Outstanding purchase. Now sell me your guitar. NT by Motherhead 01/14/2019, 1:27pm PST
FUCK, THEY JUST CAME OUT WITH A BETTER ONE by Entropy Stew 01/16/2019, 5:10am PST
Upon listening to the video, might be more of a side-grade than an upgrade by Entropy Stew 01/16/2019, 5:25am PST
Korg SP280BK ? by Ice Cream Jonsey 05/18/2019, 8:59pm PDT
USB == you can plug it straight into your computer w/o owning anything else. by Fullofkittens 05/20/2019, 5:13pm PDT
Thanks again! by Ice Cream Jonsey 05/21/2019, 10:55am PDT
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