Why aren't my audio & midi tracks rendered to a wav file

[.jon]

Arkansas,

MIDI (as in Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is nothing but a standardised code language, that tells a MIDI-compatible instrument what to play. It's only information on note values, velocities, lenghts and controller values etc. You need some device to play back these instructions before Tracktion (or any other host) can render that devices output to an audio file.

If you are able to hear the sounds from the MIDI file you've imported to Tracktion, and you have not inserted a filter (Tracktion word for a plug-in) on the corresponding track(s), it's the Windows' built-in Microsoft General MIDI Wavetable synth that's making the sound. In that case the sound is not coming through Tracktion, but directly through your soundcard's output.

If you wish to get this sound recorded to a wav file, you need to route the audio signal back to Tracktion. you should be able to do this with a loop-back program (Hupi's loopback device is one, but there might be others as well).

However, as there might be some latency issues that will mess up the timing, and the sound quality of the MS wavetable synth is not very good, I suggest that you use your hardware keyboard or some VST instruments to play back the file.

You can learn more about MIDI here.

[Arkansas]

If you are able to hear the sounds from the MIDI file you've imported to Tracktion, and you have not inserted a filter (Tracktion word for a plug-in) on the corresponding track(s), it's the Windows' built-in Microsoft General MIDI Wavetable synth that's making the sound. In that case the sound is not coming through Tracktion, but directly through your soundcard's output.

I think we are getting closer to my problem and part of it is obviously that I'm new at this. Thanks for your explanation.
I don't have a filter on the midi tracks that I hear and the 'Destination Output' for those tracks is 'Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth'.

... I suggest that you use your hardware keyboard or some VST instruments to play back the file.

By this do you mean to route the midi sound out of my soundcard, through my midi keyboard and back into Tracktion?
thanks

[Lunch Money]

By checking your devices, you've eliminated the possibility that it's your keyboard, so you don't have to worry about that.

As for the Microsoft Wavetable Synth, to be honest with you I don't know why it wouldn't render properly, but I'm sure someone else will be along with an explanation. In the meantime, select "default audio device" and drag a filter to the track, even if it's not something with the sound you're after. If you put the JX-10 into the track, the same place you would normally put an effect, you at least hear SOMETHING.

That'll be proof enough that what you're trying to do is quite possible, while you're waiting for someone to get you some help with your General MIDI sounds.



This will be likely a lot for a newcomer to digest, but the best solution will PROBABLY end up being downloading a VST called "sfz" (look in the drop-down menu up and to the right that's labeled 'instruments' and scroll down to sfz to have a look), coupled with a General MIDI soundfont that are freely available throughout the web.

Greg

[.jon]

By this do you mean to route the midi (sound=)signal out of my soundcard, through my midi keyboard and back into Tracktion? thanks

1. Yes- in Tracktion, set your MIDI tracks destination output to "Delta AP MIDI". Then plug a MIDI cable to the "MIDI OUT" of the Audiophile and into your synth's "MIDI IN".

If you press play now in Tracktion, you should be able to hear your synth playing the melody. (If not... go to part 2!)

Then you route the audio signal from your synth's stereo out into Audiophile's "Stereo IN". In Tracktion you should see an arrow on the left side of screen reading "Analog IN 1", point it to an empty track and press record in Tracktion. It should now record the synth's output as an audio part on the track, and you can render the whole thing.

2. Another way to do this is to follow Lunch Money's tip on the RGC Audio's free "sfz"-plugin. It's a rather nice soundfont player, I recommend getting it anyway. Soundfonts are great little ready-to-go samples, and there are masses of them freely available on the web. Install it, find a GM-soundfont and place the sfz as a filter on your MIDI track, and load the GM soundfont in sfz... now you should be able to render the outcome.

Hope this makes some sense

[Arkansas]

As for the Microsoft Wavetable Synth, to be honest with you I don't know why it wouldn't render properly, but I'm sure someone else will be along with an explanation.

Thanks Greg, I will try those things you mentioned and I will definitely look at the VST called sfz.

[Arkansas]

Then you route the audio signal from your synth's stereo out into Audiophile's "Stereo IN". In Tracktion you should see an arrow on the left side of screen reading "Analog IN 1", point it to an empty track and press record in Tracktion. It should now record the synth's output as an audio part on the track, and you can render the whole thing.

....Hope this makes some sense

It does make some sense. I will play around with it tonight. I have the midi cable but will pick up a 1/4" cable for the output/headphone jack of my keyboard to go to my mixer.
In Tracktion, I have an arrow on the left labled Mixer. My mixer output goes to my Audiophile soundcard inputs.

Thanks for your time and help.