Getting 'Midi' audio into VS10+

roy wood · Post by **roy wood** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 2:25 am

Hi all, I have a number of audio 'Midi' files that I'd like to import into VS10+ but it doesn't recognise the file type so I need either to find the right 'Codec' or convert the 'Midis' to Wave, Mp3 or something it does.

These files play Ok in 'Media Player' so the right 'Codec' is on my PC somewhere so I guess it might be possible to locate that file and copy it into VS. If I new how to find it and where it should go.

I put one of these 'Midi' files into 'G-Spot' this is what came out :- Container (Mime Type audio/x-aiff).

Any help or suggestions in this process would be gratefully received. Thanks.

Post by **Ron P.** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 2:59 am

Try using Audacity to convert the file. It does support the aiff file format, and you can convert them to WAV.

roy wood · Post by **roy wood** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:19 pm

Hi Ron, tried 'Audacity' import Midi that failed with message 'File not recognised try Import as Raw Data' from that I did get a Data Track but it wouldn't play. To be frank I only have a very basic understanding or interest in audio and I find 'audacity' is far to complicated for me.

This is the link to the files I've downloaded which I want to use in VS
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipa ... 0019521033

jblank37 · Post by **jblank37** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:24 pm

Roy, do you by any chance have "Creative Sound" on your computer? My computer came with it. It does a wonderful job of converting a midi to a wave file. I am sure that all computers do not come with it on them, but just a thought.

roy wood · Post by **roy wood** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:54 pm

Hi John, as far as I know not I have XP home.

jblank37 · Post by **jblank37** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 2:11 pm

Roy, I have XP Home also. It was just a thought. It would show up under Start, All Programs. It is titled "Creative". Like I said, Just a chance that you might have it.

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 2:32 pm

Roy,
Midi files don't contain the SOUND. The midi file contains all the information such as Channel(s), instument, note_on, note_off and much more. The actual sound is generated by your soundcards hardware features(internal chips and wav synthesis banks). They are very complex in data. Midi files all don't play the same on every computer.
IF the midi files are playing correctly on your computer then open up your soundcard Mixer. Play the midi file and MUTE the WAV/PCM volume control or the Midi Volume Control. Every computer is different but you want to find what PORT the midi files audio is being used to playback on so you can later capture the audio.
When you mute or change the volume you'll find the correct port. Some sounds come directly from a midi port and other using wave synthesis from the wav port.

After you find the correct port then open up any audio recording app such as Audicity. Then open up your midi player.
Assign the correct port to record on in the audio app and playback the midi file. What you will have to do is playback the midi file on the computer and record the audio at the same time. Best format to record to is 16Bit-44.100khz wave Unless your using the audio for dvd then record it at 16Bit-48khz Stereo.
Figure about 10megs a minute of stereo audio in the wave format. You can convert that in the video editior to mpeg or dolby for smaller file sizes. But it's important to record the original file as wav (raw data) for the best quality.
You can do this on the same computer or use 2 computers.

If you have a program like Sonar you can do the whole thing in that one program. Sonar is professional and expensive though.

roy wood · Post by **roy wood** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 3:03 pm

Thanks for your time and effort everyone but "Lifes to short" for me to train as an Audio Engineer. All I need from audio is a bit of background music and the occasional sound effect. Had it not been for the fact that these sounds played in 'Media Player' I wouldn't have downloaded in the first place.
In future I'll check the file extension for something VS can handle.
Regards Roy.

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:40 am

Whilst there are conversion programs available I find it easiest to play the midi file and at the same time record it with either audacity or Messer

roy wood · Post by **roy wood** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:52 am

I find it easiest to play the midi file and at the same time record it with either audacity or Messer

These files are on the Hdd not a CD and according to 'Audacity' Midi files can only be imported and displayed but not recorded,played,edited or exported in a project, so yet another job for 'Recycle Bin'.

railroadguy · Post by **railroadguy** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:55 am

I use GoldWave and record midi files from the HD all the time.

roy wood · Post by **roy wood** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:08 am

I use GoldWave and record midi files from the HD all the time.

Thanks Dan I've downloaded the trial version to see how I get on.

roy wood · Post by **roy wood** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:06 am

aaaaa

railroadguy · Post by **railroadguy** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:21 am

OK, you misunderstood me. I said I can record midi files with GoldWave not play them.

Open GoldWave and select NEW. Click on CD as the option or 44100 sample rate. Use a length of 30 seconds for the test.

Now hit the record and then select your midi. You will now be recording the music and can save that file into an MP3 or WAV, most anything.

I just recorded Movie Adventures 2 right from the Website.

http://ribbonrail.com/Videos/miditest.mp3 is the MP3 I just made. All of this in less than a minute.

htchien · Post by **htchien** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:35 am

Maybe you could try TiMidity++:

http://timidity.sourceforge.net/

or MIDI2Wav:

http://www.midi2wav.com/

H.T.