Cubase LE Help with MIDI (for the kids)

[criss121]

Hello my name is Criss and I am new to this forum....

I record Students playing their insrtuments (guitar/bass) along with midi tracks of their favorite or original songs. This allows for the adjustment of tempo to their skill level.
This is done on a Macbook through a Presonus Inspire 1394 firewire 4 audio in 4 audio out. All of which fits nicely into a bookbag for portability. Imported MIDI tracks works nicely in Garage Band ( hearing Midi, entering Audio tracks, Mixdown MIDI and audio tracks to .Aiff or .MP3 formats).

I've now installed the CUBASE LE that was bundled with the Prosonus Fireware and need to know how to allow the MIDI outputs to sound through the Computers internal sound source. Importing the MIDI tracks works nicely. Hearing them is not the case (such as Garage band and other inexpensive programs do)

My question concerns the ability to hear MIDI Tracks in CUBASE LE
Version 1.0.10.110.. with in the computers audio output.

And the Ability to Mixdown Audio with the MIDI track into a Audio format..(does this make any sence??)

Or other opinions or options that don't include outboard gear. Welcome

Thanks
Criss121

macbook..Intel Core Duo
Personus Inspire 1394
and cables pugged into Kidz..

[Electriclight]

A quick answer on a Sunday night:

IN Cubase LE, you'll need to go into DEVICES > VST Instruments and choose a soft synth. There are many free ones available. Then go to your MIDI track and open the inspector. You will need to select your soft synth as your output. Now you will be able to hear your sounds. If you want to create an audio file , then you will need to mixdown your midi track. FILE > Audio Mixdown > IMport to POOL and Audio Track.

Check out Brandon's MIDI articles:
Home Recording

I'm sure you'll get more help here soon enough. Good Luck.

[criss121]

Thanks Electric Light,,,

Sounds like the answer that I'm seeking,

I'll drop you a note to tell you when I have it up and running....

Criss

[criss121]

Thanks, Electric...
Your advice was just what I needed... I brought the Steinberg Universal Sound Module to the front of the VST Instruments..And then used the inspector on each Midi track's VST input.. This allowed me to use the internal sound card of the computer for playback.

Being on a Macbook with 512 memory I had to turn to the Expert menu in the Device setup to lower the Audio Priority to Normal, instead of the default "high" setting. This stopped the Midi from clipping.

It's running like a charm.. I am also investigating the Free-ware Soft synths that you'd suggested. So far I've invested about an hour into Crystal VST from GreenOaks.com. It's an interesting Modular snyth.

Next is to Mix the Midi to Audio and use the Export/Import Menu to create finished Tracks

Thanks again
Criss