Cubase LE4 & Midi

[essem58]

I am trying to record a drum track from an Alesis SR16 drum machine onto Cubase LE4 I have the Alesis connected to a Saffire interface midi in to midi out & vice versa but when I create a midi track & start the drum machine, I dont hear anything either via headphones or monitors. I know I can do this as an audio track from the drum machine but have several midi instruments and have never learned or understood how to use midi rather than audio. The bottom line is I would like to make drum & keyboard backing to my guitar and have them all start & run together but at the moment the music has become lost in the technology is it really that simple??? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[brandondrury]

It's usually a pain to combine external hardware with software unless you start out in the computer to begin with.

I'm curious why you want to transfer the MIDI data to your computer from the drum machine. Do you still intend to use the the Alesis SR16 as the drum sound on your recording? Is so you'll need to read this: Using Hardware Synths In Softsynth World

I know I can do this as an audio track from the drum machine but have several midi instruments and have never learned or understood how to use midi rather than audio.

I cover this is heavy detail in my upcoming home recording book, but you should check out both of these guides.

Getting Started With Midi Sequencing

MIDI Troubleshooting 101

is it really that simple???

It can be that simple. My rig is setup so that I can hop in, start programming drums or use my edrum kit to come up with drums, toss on guitars, synths, bass, vocals, etc and call it a day. It's important to combine elements that are meant to work together. Your main problem is it appears you are using two sequencers and are trying to interface between the two. I'd use the Cubase sequencer and then go from there. I don't use external drum machines as I've been very pleased with computer based synths and samplers.

Brandon