Hi all! Lots of questions

[gofster]

Hi Eveyone,

Like most newbs to this forum, I'm here to learn while having fun creating music.

I just recently upgraded from a cruddy little Casio I've had the last 8 years to a Yamaha MO6 production synth, bundled with Cubase LE. While my Casio has Midi capabilities, I never messed with that end of it,but now that I have a real synth, I figured now is the time to take the plunge and start learning this stuff!

I understand the basics behind midi, a GREAT analogy told to me by one of the Yamaha techs was to think of midi like a spool on a player piano telling it what notes to play. And if you moved that spool into a mandolin, let's say, it would play the same thing, except now it would sound like a mandolin. So on and so forth for watever insturment you moved the spool to.

That analogy went a long way in clarifying the concept of midi to me, and I wanted to post it for other newbs that may be having a hard time with the concept too.

So far, I've been getting the grasp of recording in Cubase LE, but am still confused about a lot of things. I've been reading through a LOT of posts trying to find the answers to some of my questions, some of which has helped, but being new to the terminology as well, I'm still not qute getting it.

My biggest question, which I've seen a few post on, but didn't clearly understand some of the answers, is how to convert midi songs recorded in Cubase LE, using the voices from my Yamaha MO6 into MP3 or Wav file formats that I can play on my computer or burn to CD?

To clarify a couple things:

• I want to be able to use the voices from my Yamaha MO6 in the recordings, not the virtual insturments within CuBase LE.
• From what I understand, I have to convert the MIDI tracks and voices to audio format before I can export them to MP3 or WAV formats. I've seen mention of using an Audio Interface to turn the midi data and synth voices into an audio file, which can THEN be exported as MP3 and WAV files. Is this correct? Can some please clearly explain an audio interface and how and why it's used? Do I need one for what I want to do? Are there other methods of converting the midi data and my synth voices to audio format?
• In turning the midi data into an audio file, I've seen mention of looping from CuBase, through the synth, and through the audio interface, and back into Cubase as an audio file.... or something totally confusing like that. What is a step-by-step process for converting the midi data to audio format?
• What the heck is an Audio Interface, and its purpose? Is an audio interface and sound card the same thing? Is that what I need to convert my midi files into MP3's or WAV files?
• I also have a program called Mixcraft 4 that I was using with my Casio. It allows you to create fades on the midi tracks. From what I can tell Cubase doesn't let you do that, or does it and I just haven't found it? Or can you only create fades and other mixing effects after you've converted the midi tracks into audio tracks?
  
  
  Sorry, I know that's a lot of detailed questions that will most likely require detailed answers. I'm reading all I can in the forum so I can ask the right questions, and learn the correct terminology of things, but it's still pretty confusing.
  
  If, in your answers, you could dumb it down as much as possible, I would appreciate it.... at least until I can get a better grasp of some of the terminology and concepts involved in the whole process.

Thanks in advance for your help! I look forward to posting here and learning from all of you.

[sparqee]

A sound card is an audio interface but when people use the term "audio interface" they are usually referring to a card or external device which is a bit more "high end" than the standard computer sound card. A typical sound card will offer stereo output and perhaps a stereo input though it may only have a mono mic input where as most audio interfaces give you multiple high qualith inputs and outputs. The latency of most sound cards is an issue for music recording (i.e. latency is high which creates a time lag between what the computer is playing back and what you actually hear coming out of the sound card) this can make it tough to overdub in sync to previously recorded tracks. A good audio interface will have low latency and therefore not introduce any noticeable lag time to your audio. I highly recommend getting an audio interface intended for use with music recording. You can get them for as little as $100 or so. Many have an integrated midi interface as well.

In order to turn your midi tracks into a wave file you need to record the audio output of your keyboard into your computer and onto an audio track in Cubase. Once you have your synth recorded as an audio track(s) you can then "export to audio mix down" to create your wav file. I don't believe Cubase LE supports exporting to an MP3 format.

[gofster]

Hi Sparqee,

Thanks for the great explanation of a audio interface, that makes much more sense now.

Originally Posted by sparqee

In order to turn your midi tracks into a wave file you need to record the audio output of your keyboard into your computer and onto an audio track in Cubase. Once you have your synth recorded as an audio track(s) you can then "export to audio mix down" to create your wav file. I don't believe Cubase LE supports exporting to an MP3 format.

So does that mean I need the audio interface to record the audio output from my keyboard into CuBase? Is that all I need to be able turn my midi tracks into audio tracks? Is there anything else I should know?

What would the physical connection look like if it were on a diagram? Would it be from my digital out (or my L/R Outputs) of my keyboard ->audio interface/ soundcard - > to computer/ Cubase? Or would it be a different connection?

Sorry for the elementary type questions, it's hard to get the answers your looking for when you don't even know if you're asking the right questions.

BTW, I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but it looks like the only audio inputs I have on my laptop are a Mic In, and Headphones jack. I do have firewire and 3 USB ports though.

I certainly do appreciate your help, thanks!

[sparqee]

Wow! I was just reading up on the MO6's DAW integration and it sounds pretty darned cool. The keyboard has USB ports plus a S/P DIF digital output so I would definitely look into getting an audio interface that supports S/P DIF. According to the Yamaha site once you've linked up with USB & S/P DIF the keyboard integrates into Cubase just like a VST plugin. Sounds very cool.

With this arrangement you might not even have to record an audio track. You might just be able to drive the MO6 with the midi track and then use Cubase's File > Export > Audio mixdown menu option to generate your wav file.

Check out Motifator.com - Official website for the Yamaha Motif Family. It's a website dedicated to the use of the Yamaha Motif line. I learned a lot there when I go my old S90.

[gofster]

Thanks Sparqee, that makes me hopeful that this won't be as difficult a setup as I've been anticipating.

I found this Audio Interface, at least I think that's what it is, on Amazon... and I found it in the Home Recording Sound Wizard, so I must be on the right track. Do you think this would work for my setup? Amazon.com: Tascam US144 USB 2.0 Audio and MIDI Interface with digital Connection - Macintosh and Windows: Musical Instruments

Any suggestions that you think would work better for my setup?

[sparqee]

Yeah, that should do the trick. It has a S/P DIF port so you should be able to run the sound of your keyboard straight into your DAW without any A/D conversion. I have the little brother version of this interface (US-122L) and it's a good little box. As long as you don't need more than two simultaneous mic inputs (for recording vocals, acoustic instruments, etc.) the US144 should do you fine.

[MetalDave]

For the most part, sparqee is right about what an audio interface is. If you look at some interfaces even the companies that makes them call them sound cards. The Terratec EWS88MT is a sound card it can be run in tandem to record up to 32 anologe tracks simultaniously. It also has near zero latency. It has 8 anologe ins and 8 outs. Another good card is...
Buy M-Audio Audiophile 2496 PCI Digital Audio Card online at Musician's Friend
I have a MOTU 24i interface that uses a 324 or 424 Card. Cards can be called interfaces in most cases but you usually won't ever call an interface a card. If that makes any sense. A card usually goes into a PCI or PCIe or PCIX or even an ISA slot. Usually a true interface doesn't go into any slot. If you want to find a multi track sound card, you would look under audio interfaces.

[gofster]

Thanks Sparqee and MetalDave, very helpful advice. I'll check out those other audio interfaces/ sound cards too, but I think the Tascam one will fit my needs and budget. The wife is unhappy enough with the cost of the MO6, and I still need to buy some speakers, so the last thing I need to do is spend more money on "toys"!

I could see where this could become a very expensive hobby! D'oh!

[MetalDave]

Tell your wife that 20 years ago a 24 track digital studio cost about 1 million dollars. The they had to purchase mics and other gear. It is about 10,000 times less expensive to acomplish the same thing today. Also the cost of everything in Recording is still going down. Anything else I can think about in the whole world right now is costing more every day.

[gofster]

Haha! Good point Dave! I'll use that argument if she gets upset at me for buying any new gear. "But honey, think of all the money we're saving compared to 20 years ago!" ; )