KVR Audio

AudioBabble · Post by **AudioBabble** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 4:15 pm

Hey folks...

Been using Toontrack's Superior Drummer a lot lately...

I was just thinking to myself... wow, it's really useful to be able audition as well as drag n drop midi parts from an organized library that's keyword searchable...

Hey - wouldn't it be great if I could do this with all my midi samples??

Imagine my delight when I heard about Toontrack's Midi Player Pro...

Imagine my dismay when I found out it was discontinued!!

WHY??

and... are there any alternatives?

AudioBabble · Post by **AudioBabble** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 5:35 pm

..mind you, now that I've read a bit more about it, it seems geared towards drums/percussion.

I'd be more interested in something that does the same but for synths/sample instruments/pianos

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 5:43 pm

Are you on Mac or PC? There are several Mac-only options (e.g., MIDIPlayer X, Sweet MIDI Player, MIDI Opener) for previewing MIDI files, not sure about PC.

AudioBabble · Post by **AudioBabble** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 6:25 pm

cryophonik wrote: Mon Dec 27, 2021 5:43 pm Are you on Mac or PC? There are several Mac-only options (e.g., MIDIPlayer X, Sweet MIDI Player, MIDI Opener) for previewing MIDI files, not sure about PC.

PC, win 10 64bit...

funny, I was just emailing a friend who's new to mac - and telling him how I don't often wish I had a mac... now this!!

AudioBabble · Post by **AudioBabble** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 6:28 pm

before anyone suggests it... yes Ive tried the built-in midi previewer in my DAW (reaper)... and it's OK but not as nicely integrated as what I'm getting in Superior Drummer... it's really rather useful the way it previews the midi loop in time and in sync with the bar

Examigan · Post by **Examigan** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 6:42 pm

AudioBabble wrote: Mon Dec 27, 2021 6:25 pm
cryophonik wrote: Mon Dec 27, 2021 5:43 pm Are you on Mac or PC? There are several Mac-only options (e.g., MIDIPlayer X, Sweet MIDI Player, MIDI Opener) for previewing MIDI files, not sure about PC.
PC, win 10 64bit...

funny, I was just emailing a friend who's new to mac - and telling him how I don't often wish I had a mac... now this!!

Nothing fancy, but Windows Media Player will play them back. Also, while one is already playing, you can drag-and-drop a different MIDI file on to it and it will start playing from that new one.

It's just not a VST of course.

JiggSaw · Post by **JiggSaw** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 8:16 pm

AudioBabble wrote: Mon Dec 27, 2021 6:28 pm before anyone suggests it... yes Ive tried the built-in midi previewer in my DAW (reaper)... and it's OK but not as nicely integrated as what I'm getting in Superior Drummer... it's really rather useful the way it previews the midi loop in time and in sync with the bar

Since you like the way Superior Drummer works with midi files, EZkeys is similar. However, I do think the GUI and workflow is a little better in SD3. Ezkeys could use an update imo. You can also midi out to another VST if you're not a fan of the internal sounds.

AudioBabble · Post by **AudioBabble** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 8:36 pm

JiggSaw wrote: Mon Dec 27, 2021 8:16 pm
AudioBabble wrote: Mon Dec 27, 2021 6:28 pm before anyone suggests it... yes Ive tried the built-in midi previewer in my DAW (reaper)... and it's OK but not as nicely integrated as what I'm getting in Superior Drummer... it's really rather useful the way it previews the midi loop in time and in sync with the bar
Since you like the way Superior Drummer works with midi files, EZkeys is similar. However, I do think the GUI and workflow is a little better in SD3. Ezkeys could use an update imo. You can also midi out to another VST if you're not a fan of the internal sounds.

Ah yes... I did wonder if EZ keys might be the answer --- and I suppose yes I can route it's midi to another track.

hmm... yes EZ keys does look rather enticing

willstuder · Post by **willstuder** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 8:55 pm

What DAW do you use?

Cubase can preview MIDI files directly through any instrument track. Via MediaBay you can do extensive management including tags.

Reaper can preview MIDI files directly through the selected instrument track as well. The Media Explorer allows you to manage MIDI files or search for them specifically.

Studio One can preview MIDI files directly through the selected instrument track as well. The management is not quite as extensive, but you can use Studio One's file browser for sorting and searching.

Bitwig and Live can preview MIDI files with at least with a generic synth sound.

AudioBabble · Post by **AudioBabble** » Mon Dec 27, 2021 9:40 pm

Yup.. Reaper is what I'm using mostly at the mo... and I have indeed played around with the MIDI previewer. It's very capable too, just not quite as good on-the-fly. What I tend to be doing is I'll have a section of my track looping then I like to be able to audition MIDI loops in time and in sync with the track - Reaper does all of this, it's just a bit clunky in its operation... Superior drummer does it in a very slick way, it's always in the right part of the bar, no mater where I begin auditioning the loop.

tonedef71 · Post by **tonedef71** » Tue Dec 28, 2021 5:45 am

For simple previewing of MIDI files on Windows, I like to use the free FalcoSoft MIDI Player:

There is also the excellent free Image-Line MiniHost Modular application. It has a piano roll module that will load up (and create) MIDI files which you can audition by playing a key on its virtual keyboard (it transposes the playback across the keyboard):

You can program automation with it, too!

yellowmix · Post by **yellowmix** » Tue Dec 28, 2021 12:24 pm

AudioBabble wrote: Mon Dec 27, 2021 6:28 pm before anyone suggests it... yes Ive tried the built-in midi previewer in my DAW (reaper)... and it's OK but not as nicely integrated as what I'm getting in Superior Drummer... it's really rather useful the way it previews the midi loop in time and in sync with the bar

Set "Tempo match on" and check mark next to "Start on bar". Turn on repeat if you want it to loop.

AudioBabble · Post by **AudioBabble** » Tue Dec 28, 2021 2:32 pm

yellowmix wrote: Tue Dec 28, 2021 12:24 pm
AudioBabble wrote: Mon Dec 27, 2021 6:28 pm before anyone suggests it... yes Ive tried the built-in midi previewer in my DAW (reaper)... and it's OK but not as nicely integrated as what I'm getting in Superior Drummer... it's really rather useful the way it previews the midi loop in time and in sync with the bar
Set "Tempo match on" and check mark next to "Start on bar". Turn on repeat if you want it to loop.

Thanks for that... in fact I was playing around with it last night and noticed these things... it's working pretty well now.

Looks like I'll be using a hybrid approach between the midi previewer in reaper for my non-toontrack midi library, then using toontrack's in-built browser for their libraries since they're embedded in the program. I could always drag them out and re-save them, which I might do for certain favorites, but it's a bit of mammoth task to do the lot!

AudioBabble · Post by **AudioBabble** » Tue Dec 28, 2021 2:34 pm

Thanks @tonedeaf71 - looks like a groovy little program

AudioBabble · Post by **AudioBabble** » Tue Dec 28, 2021 10:42 pm

tonedef71 wrote: Tue Dec 28, 2021 5:45 am There is also the excellent free Image-Line MiniHost Modular application.

Quite the run-around getting the download link though! They don't exactly make a big song-and-dance about it - I found the links in the tag cloud by manually searching the page with Firefox. You need a forum sign-in, which is probably OK if you've already downloaded FL studio and created an account. Other than that I couldn't seem to find anywhere on their site to create an account.

So I found the link via search engine: https://support.image-line.com/action/r ... ion/signup

Things seem to be going smoothly after that

MIDI file previewer / organizer VST