MIDI file has no audio

[chuckm]

I have T6 and Win 10.
I imported a MIDI file that plays fine outside of T6. In T6 I can see all the tracks. When I hit Play there is no audio.
In Settings/Audio Devices I am using ASIO driver.
In Settings/MIDI Devices I have Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth enabled for Output (it is the only Midi device in the list)
I have tried inserting the Tracktion Sampler plugin....still no audio.
Can anyone help me out here?
Thanks, chuck

[dRowAudio]

It's probably because MIDI clips in Tracktion have a specified channel and all notes/messages are getting assigned to this rather than what was in the original MIDI file?

[chuckm]

OK...is there a way I can sort this out?

By the way...each track has a triangle yellow error icon with the message: "This track contains MIDI generating clips which may be inaudible as it doesn't output to a MIDI device or a plugin synthesizer. To change a track's destination, select the track and use it's destination list"

[zzz00m]

It is better to insert a virtual instrument plugin on the track to play your MIDI file.

In order to use the Microsoft GS synth you will have select the track and then change the track destination from the default audio output to that Microsoft device, as if you were using an external instrument. That Microsoft GS synth is old and basically worthless for real audio use, so is not recommended.

But there are a lot of better free instrument plugins available on the web to download. Anything in VST2 or VST3 format should work fine. Take your pick from this list! https://www.kvraudio.com/plugins/window ... st-popular

For recording MIDI or connecting to an instrument in Tracktion, here is a tutorial based on an older version of Tracktion, but the concept is the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJPB-Z81W30

[terrynoakes]

Once you get a General Midi sound module vst.
It's a good idea to load 16 tracks with it, and make an edit template.
Then all you have to do is use that everytime you want to open a new midi file.
I tend to start a project like that then swap out instruments for better sounding vst's

[zzz00m]

Once you get a General Midi sound module vst.

While in theory that's a great idea, a quick net search will show very few current options for that, and most discussions on the topic are over 10 years old. Doesn't seem to be enough demand out there to support development of a modern GM VST.

Native Instruments discontinued Bandstand many years ago. IK Multimedia had Omnisynth 2 GM among their XpansionTank 2 packages, but has been discontinued.

If you have Cakewalk, you can use the included (ancient) TTS-1 GM synth, but since it is DXi plugin format, the only other DAW that I am aware of that will run it is Reaper.

If you have Cubase, the bundled HALion Sonic SE should support GM, and the same with the Studio One bundled Presence sampler (although it is not multitimbral).

Band in a Box, Overture, and MuseScore have access to sound fonts to play back GM sounds, but they are not the greatest.

Any useful suggestions are welcome!

[terrynoakes]

Once you get a General Midi sound module vst.

While in theory that's a great idea, a quick net search will show very few current options for that, and most discussions on the topic are over 10 years old. Doesn't seem to be enough demand out there to support development of a modern GM VST.

Native Instruments discontinued Bandstand many years ago. IK Multimedia had Omnisynth 2 GM among their XpansionTank 2 packages, but has been discontinued.

If you have Cakewalk, you can use the included (ancient) TTS-1 GM synth, but since it is DXi plugin format, the only other DAW that I am aware of that will run it is Reaper.

If you have Cubase, the bundled HALion Sonic SE should support GM, and the same with the Studio One bundled Presence sampler (although it is not multitimbral).

Band in a Box, Overture, and MuseScore have access to sound fonts to play back GM sounds, but they are not the greatest.

Any useful suggestions are welcome!

Absolutely right re lack of GM vst's, after a lot of searching I found one that was also available in 64bit as well as 32bit and free. though I think there are paid versions too.
I tend to use VSTSynthfont64 as a starting point, then swap out for better sound modules where I can
http://www.synthfont.com/VSTSF_news.html
http://www.synthfont.com/Downloads.html

[zzz00m]

Absolutely right re lack of GM vst's, after a lot of searching I found one that was also available in 64bit as well as 32bit and free. though I think there are paid versions too.
I tend to use VSTSynthfont64 as a starting point, then swap out for better sound modules where I can
http://www.synthfont.com/VSTSF_news.html
http://www.synthfont.com/Downloads.html

That Synthfont looks like a good option if you don't have one yet, but I haven't tried it. The OP probably needs something like that since Tracktion itself does not provide a GM option.

If I need to open a multi-track GM MIDI file, I tend to use Cakewalk or Overture as a starting point, which will assign the GM sounds correctly to the tracks. Then I replace the initial sounds with better VST instruments. If I use something like SampleTank 3 for the replacement sounds, I can save the setup for that song as a SampleTank multi preset (up to 16 channels). Then I can open the same GM file in Tracktion (or really any DAW) and recall the saved SampleTank 3 multi. Usually at that point I just need to deal with the MIDI track routing details in the host (routing tracks to a single instance of ST3), but the sounds are all ready to go for that GM file! No more GM patch changes required at that point.

So for me opening a GM file in Tracktion is not a very good starting point, but I have found a good workaround that suits me fine!