Reaper, Korg and VSTis

[Deborah Young]

I am recording existing tracks from my Korg 01/WFD synth sequencer to Reaper. I have successfully recorded each track into Reaper. However, I have only recorded the audio from the existing tracks. Now I want to replace the Korg sounds on some of the individual tracks with the sounds of IK Multimedia's Sonik Synth 2 VSTis. I keep inserting a virtual instrument on new track, selecting the desired instrument in the VSTi and then recording (MIDI: All Channels). I then try to route the MIDI to a blank track and then record audio onto the blank track. But the recorded sound still turns out to be the Korg sound that I started with. I've ruled out a connection issue, because I can play the VSTi from my Korg when I use Sonik Synth (Miroslav, etc.) as a standalone. And when I insert the VSTi into Reaper I can use the mouse to play Sonik Synth's virtual keyboard (in Reaper). Here's the equipment I'm working with: Windows XP (Service Pack 2, 1GB RAM) M-Audio Delta sound card Reaper 3.22 USB Uno Midi input (which is what the VSTis are using) I would appreciate your help.

[Deborah Young]

Thanks again, Ray. I've come up with a game plan now. I'm going to keep the Korg tracks that work and record those tracks for all four of the finished songs. Then I'm going to plug in the M-Audio controller and add the virtual instruments by replaying the tracks using the MIDI controller.

I turn 50 on June 30 of this year and want to have something finished by then (as well as new compositions ready to be produced). When I get discouraged I just remember that a year or so ago I didn't even totally understand the concept of MIDI and how it could be used to create audio. So I've come a long way, and I'm very inspired by the progress and successes of others here on the Forum.

[Deborah Young]

I've made progress, but still not "there" yet. As you can see from the attachments, I recorded MIDI from Channel 10 of the Korg. Then I put the Sonik Synth instrument on the MIDI track and recorded Track 2. As you can see, I have a MIDI recording and an audio recording, but I can't hear anything while monitoring input, and on playback I can't hear output. I'm listening through headphones only at this point.

Please review the screenshots to see if they reveal something wrong in my setup.

Also, I had so much trouble earlier because I didn't understand that if I want to record the MIDI from individual Korg tracks I need to select only the channel I wish to record into Reaper.


Ray Kemp said:

You've recorded audio tracks from your Korg into Reaper.
These tracks do not include any midi information. They can not be used to trigger sounds from any other instrument.
Can the sequencer tracks that played the sounds on the Korg be converted into a midi file which you can then transfer to reaper. From that midi file you can set up other instruments to be triggered by the notes and controllers.

[Deborah Young]

I have one more image file.

Ray Kemp said:

You've recorded audio tracks from your Korg into Reaper.
These tracks do not include any midi information. They can not be used to trigger sounds from any other instrument.
Can the sequencer tracks that played the sounds on the Korg be converted into a midi file which you can then transfer to reaper. From that midi file you can set up other instruments to be triggered by the notes and controllers.

[Michael J Lawrence]

Deborah,

Are you assigning a specific MIDI track to your instruments? i.e. - when you produce a MIDI event either with a keyboard or the piano roll in your sequence, is it configured to go out on a specific MIDI channel?

It also sounds like you're trying to record MIDI to MIDI, kind of like bouncing audio tracks. If that's the case, you don't need to do that, you just need to tell the MIDI output which channel to go out on and then assign that channel to the input of the insturment of choice (VST, keyboard, whatever.)

Also, is your squencer and VST software on the same machine? This may have something to do with why MIDI routing may or may not be working with your USB MIDI port.

I may be all wet here, but let me know if I'm anywhere close to on track with your problem here. I'm just looking for a foothold to start from.

-MJL

-MJL

[Lucas Freund]

That might help with the problem you have on letting the vsti respond...

You recorded the Midi over Channel 10, right?
Some plugins just take signals from channel 1-8 or you have to set the channel of midi on which the plugin should respond.

Try this:
double click the midi file in reaper which will open the editor
1: mark all notes ( ctrl+a , or draw a frame with rightclick )
2: rightclick on one of those marked notes. some context menu pops out, and there should be something which lets you assign the midi channel of the notes to all channels....

Sorry if this did not help, and sorry for my "german" english.... ;)

Greetz,
Lucas

[Deborah Young]

Michael:

Thanks for your response. Here are answers to your questions:

1) Right now I'm trying to record MIDI channel 10.

2) Yes, I did record MIDI from my Korg into a MIDI track in Reaper. I then routed the Reaper MIDI track to an audio track.

3) The Reaper DAW and the VSTi are on the same computer.



Michael J Lawrence said:

Deborah,

Are you assigning a specific MIDI track to your instruments? i.e. - when you produce a MIDI event either with a keyboard or the piano roll in your sequence, is it configured to go out on a specific MIDI channel?

It also sounds like you're trying to record MIDI to MIDI, kind of like bouncing audio tracks. If that's the case, you don't need to do that, you just need to tell the MIDI output which channel to go out on and then assign that channel to the input of the insturment of choice (VST, keyboard, whatever.)

Also, is your squencer and VST software on the same machine? This may have something to do with why MIDI routing may or may not be working with your USB MIDI port.

I may be all wet here, but let me know if I'm anywhere close to on track with your problem here. I'm just looking for a foothold to start from.

-MJL

-MJL

[Deborah Young]

Lucas: When I went into the midi editor and did as you suggested, the channel was already set to 10 for all notes, the midi info was in there, and I could play the sound I had selected on the little midi keyboard. I've gathered several sets of instructions from different places and will try them all again. I'll be writing and mixing up a storm if I can just figure this out!!!! :~)

Also, your English is fine, and BTW, I took German in high school many years ago. Don't remember much now though.

Lucas Freund said:

That might help with the problem you have on letting the vsti respond...

You recorded the Midi over Channel 10, right?
Some plugins just take signals from channel 1-8 or you have to set the channel of midi on which the plugin should respond.

Try this:
double click the midi file in reaper which will open the editor
1: mark all notes ( ctrl+a , or draw a frame with rightclick )
2: rightclick on one of those marked notes. some context menu pops out, and there should be something which lets you assign the midi channel of the notes to all channels....

Sorry if this did not help, and sorry for my "german" english.... ;)

Greetz,
Lucas

[Michael J Lawrence]

OK, when you say you're routing MIDI to an audio track, I'm not sure exactly what you mean. Are you routing it to some kind of virtual instrument or an actual audio track?

Deborah Young said:

Michael:

Thanks for your response. Here are answers to your questions:

1) Right now I'm trying to record MIDI channel 10.

2) Yes, I did record MIDI from my Korg into a MIDI track in Reaper. I then routed the Reaper MIDI track to an audio track.

3) The Reaper DAW and the VSTi are on the same computer.



Michael J Lawrence said:

Deborah,

Are you assigning a specific MIDI track to your instruments? i.e. - when you produce a MIDI event either with a keyboard or the piano roll in your sequence, is it configured to go out on a specific MIDI channel?

It also sounds like you're trying to record MIDI to MIDI, kind of like bouncing audio tracks. If that's the case, you don't need to do that, you just need to tell the MIDI output which channel to go out on and then assign that channel to the input of the insturment of choice (VST, keyboard, whatever.)

Also, is your squencer and VST software on the same machine? This may have something to do with why MIDI routing may or may not be working with your USB MIDI port.

I may be all wet here, but let me know if I'm anywhere close to on track with your problem here. I'm just looking for a foothold to start from.

-MJL

-MJL

[Deborah Young]

Hi Michael: I finally got it to work. I recorded a MIDI track from my Korg keyboard to a virtual instrument in Reaper. Then I routed the track with the VSTi to an empty audio track.

I just have one problem now: When I'm recording the midi onto the VSTi I can't hear anything (the sound card control panel is set to monitor input). This isn't a major problem at the moment because I'm working with the existing Korg tracks, but it will be later.

Thanks for your previous responses. I'd appreciate any additional assistance.

Michael J Lawrence said:

OK, when you say you're routing MIDI to an audio track, I'm not sure exactly what you mean. Are you routing it to some kind of virtual instrument or an actual audio track?

Deborah Young said:

Michael:

Thanks for your response. Here are answers to your questions:

1) Right now I'm trying to record MIDI channel 10.

2) Yes, I did record MIDI from my Korg into a MIDI track in Reaper. I then routed the Reaper MIDI track to an audio track.

3) The Reaper DAW and the VSTi are on the same computer.



Michael J Lawrence said:

Deborah,

Are you assigning a specific MIDI track to your instruments? i.e. - when you produce a MIDI event either with a keyboard or the piano roll in your sequence, is it configured to go out on a specific MIDI channel?

It also sounds like you're trying to record MIDI to MIDI, kind of like bouncing audio tracks. If that's the case, you don't need to do that, you just need to tell the MIDI output which channel to go out on and then assign that channel to the input of the insturment of choice (VST, keyboard, whatever.)

Also, is your squencer and VST software on the same machine? This may have something to do with why MIDI routing may or may not be working with your USB MIDI port.

I may be all wet here, but let me know if I'm anywhere close to on track with your problem here. I'm just looking for a foothold to start from.

-MJL

-MJL