Jump to content
HAPPY NEW YEAR, TO ALL OUR HARMONY CENTRAL FORUMITES AND GUESTS!! ×

software to make decent backing tracks from midi files


Recommended Posts

  • Members
Posted

anyone know what program can be used ?

basically it's just to change the way the different instruments sound, kinda like the rse thing on guitar pro, but better, maybe add your own drums

 

i don't know how to word this properly :rolleyes:

  • Members
Posted

You need 2 things: a VST (or DXi) host application and software samplers.

 

VST host application can be any of the main recording software, like Cubase, Sonar, etc etc. You just need to check in features if it has a VST sign somewhere. This is where You import midi's and run software samplers. You also mix the final track to .wav file here.

 

Software samplers are responsible for sounds You want to have in Your mix. They are virtual instruments, which will replace Your big band. You need about 1 software sampler for each kind of instrument You want to have in Your backing track (piano, drums etc.). Example of software sampler may be EastWest Stormdrum for drums and NI's Akostik Piano for piano (actually here's a good place to start http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=producer). I suggest You don't believe in all-in-one samplers like NI's Bandstand (I tried it and it's nowhere near 'solo' samplers).

 

Instructions. Once You install both recording software and software samplers:

(Export MIDI track of composition You want to sample from Guitar Pro) -> Import MIDI track to Your recording software -> Insert Software Samplers You need in Your recording software -> Set MIDI tracks' output to input of corresponding software sampler. Then You need to run each sampler in Your recording software and load the banks You need. You might need to fine tune some parameters like volume, pan, reverb time etc.

 

Then, just apply any additional plugins You want to the tracks (once they're sampled You can treat them as usual waves, or recorded instruments), such as additional reverb, delay, compression... then mix down the track and You have it.

 

Let me tell You, I did that a couple of times for my band (we had 2 guitars and bass so for a standard rock set-up we just needed sampled drums), and in about an hour I could make a new backing track of composition I had midi track for (or Guitar Pro file essentially).

 

What instruments to sample? I suggest avoiding more expressive instruments and only sample instruments which can sound reasonably good without a lot of MIDI treatment (spending hours on changing velocity of individual hits to add realism) like drums or piano. Don't misunderstand me, every 30 minutes You spend on adding realism to Your midi track WILL make it sound better, as long as You have some idea how real instrumentalist would play it.

 

One more thing You need to know. If You import midi tracks to Your software instead of creating them inside, the notes midi track plays and sampler reads probably won't match. So, don't get scared if after running Your favorite drum sampler and importing the midi file Your brand new virtual drum-player goes crazy.

 

How to fix this? Import the same MIDI file to Guitar Pro (if You just exported MIDI from GP You don't need to do this, just keep Your .gp file opened) and listen to section where most drum parts are present. Open MIDI file editor in Your recording software and try to connect the horizontal lines of boxes with drum kit parts (like hi-hat, toms, kick etc.). Once You know which is which, You need to select ALL blocks in one horizontal line (in Sonar You can do it by clicking on note name on the left) and carefully move it in vertical axis to position of where the sampler's kick (or whatever) is. You need to be careful to not move it horizontally at all, otherwise the timing will be all messed up. Once again, You need to be careful.

 

Usually there's several different brands of every part of kick, so You will want to know which sample is the one You'd like for this particular track. To know it, just open the sampler window, load the bank You need and click on the piano keyboard there listening to every sample. Once You know it, You can keep the sampler window open, and move the MIDI blocks to match that note (You will see the keys pressing on keyboard while moving blocks).

 

You need to repeat this for every part of the drum kit present in Your track. Seek for some tom fills as sometimes they're used rarely, same with different cymbals.

 

You will also need to transfer the tempo and tempo changes, as Your software might not read them (Sonar doesn't).

 

Whew, it's got too long. I'm sorry, but I'm leaving You alone with user manual for any terms or activities You don't understand. I can still help but next time more specific questions please.

 

Here's a sample of what I was able to produce just doing what I told You before: http://effect.ovh.org/Mellowship.Slinky.in.B.Major.excerpt.mp3 (1.2 MB). I did no MIDI treatment in this track, just replaced the instruments and mixed down. I think I either used Stormdrum or EZDrummer, I've no idea now.

 

Tip: Instead of the backing track starting immediately once You run it, add like 15 seconds of just hi-hat quarter notes so that You can pick up Your instrument, tune up ( :) ) and lock in tempo.

 

Wish You luck, it took me some time to develop this little 'technique',

Michal

  • Members
Posted

mikepl12 gave some excellent advice. The only thing I would add is to look for software that does all of the standard instruments unless you want to get into a lot of detailed recording work. Something like Cakewalk Dimension Pro or East West Colossus will sound good with most MIDI files with minimum amounts of tweaking.

  • Members
Posted

thanks mikepl for taking the time to write that out !

no work tommorow so gonna have a go tonight, will maybe post the results if they turn out half decent :D

  • Members
Posted

mikepl12 gave some excellent advice. The only thing I would add is to look for software that does all of the standard instruments unless you want to get into a lot of detailed recording work. Something like Cakewalk Dimension Pro or East West Colossus will sound good with most MIDI files with minimum amounts of tweaking.

 

cool, didnt see this before, gonna try out these :cool:

  • Members
Posted

cool, didnt see this before, gonna try out these
:cool:

 

I haven't tried Colossus, but Dimension Pro did OK job. It did sound just OK when I first run it, and it just kept sounding OK until the final mix. No fireworks, IMO no matter what You do with THOSE samples You won't believe it's a real band. This is possible with separate, high-quality samplers though.

 

Good luck,

Michal

  • Members
Posted

Give Reaper a try. I was just making some backing tracks off of some free midis off the internet. Reaper is quick and easy, and once you get a workflow you like, you can save track templates and reuse them for instruments like bass and drums to make them sound more realistic. For example, I use my own soundfont inside sfz VSTi. If you need to remap notes from a standard GM keymap to your own map, you can set this up simply as an inserted effect in Reaper very easy, and it will be automatic from that point on, pretty nice if you ask me. It would be a pain to go selecting all of the notes in a piano roll and swapping them vertically as suggested, I tried. Then realized how much easier it could be.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...