Ableton Forum

I have a composition that has some general midi sounds used rather than ableton instruments. I want to export the whole thing to .wav but it will only export the audio clips and the midi clips that can be output to audio (i.e. ableton sounds/instruments only).

Anyone know how to convert a mixture of audio and general midi-type midi clips into .wav?

Thanks,
E

you have to record the midi into audio in arrange view, then render to wav from there.

In the arrangement view, it still doesn't give me an option to convert to audio, and the manual says:

"If a MIDI track has no instrument (and no audio effects), then the track’s output is a plain
MIDI signal, which has to be sent somewhere else to be converted into audio. In this case,
the track’s mix and Send controls disappear from the mixer."

Where is this elusive "somewhere else"???

Thanks,

ok I think I'm getting closer...I've changed the "midi" to "external instrument" to interact with my Oxygen 8, so now it at least says that it has an audio output rather than midi, which is progress, ya?

BUT...when I render to a .wav file (in arrangement) it still only captures the other (audio and midi-attached-to-ableton-instruments) channels....I know it's just a freaking bird and a distorted accordian sound but I like it and I want it, what am I supposed to do?

sincerely,
desparately seeking sound

so where are these two sounds? in your keyboard, or ??

sinktheship wrote:In the arrangement view, it still doesn't give me an option to convert to audio, and the manual says:

"If a MIDI track has no instrument (and no audio effects), then the track’s output is a plain
MIDI signal, which has to be sent somewhere else to be converted into audio. In this case,
the track’s mix and Send controls disappear from the mixer."

Where is this elusive "somewhere else"???

The elusive "somewhere else" is an instrument, which is usually a tone generator, a sound module, a synthesiszer, a keyboard with internal sounds, etc.

A MIDI track only contains note and controller information that tells an instrument what to play and how to play it. A MIDI track does not contain any sound/audio data, and therefore, cannot be converted to a .wav file. Instead, you use a MIDI track to tell an external instrument what to play, and then you record the audio from the instrument into Live using an audio interface to your computer. Here's a rough diagram:

Midi Track (Live) --> Computer (MIDI Out) --> Instrument (MIDI In) --> Instrument (Audio Out) --> Computer (Audio In) --> Audio Track (Live)

To keep things simple, the "External Instrument" in Live combines the MIDI track and the audio track together.

The text editor was giving me fits on my previous post. Anyway, continuing...

Furthermore, an instrument could be native to Live (e.g. Operator, Analoge, Sampler, etc.), or it could be a VST instrument loaded into Live. The MIDI clip on the instrument track would then trigger the sounds of one of these instruments. Here's how that works:

MIDI Clip on Instrument Track --> Live Inst. or VST Inst. --> Audio out of Instrument Track

When you're dealing with internal instruments, you create your MIDI clip on an Audio track that has the Instrument. This way you don't have to have one track for your MIDI and one track for your audio instrument. Although, you could do this if you wanted to.

HTH.

OK, so I have an Oxygen8 that I am plugging directly into the laptop with USB cable. I can't figure out how to get "audio out" of the O8 and into the sequencer. My only choices in preferences for audio in are from my USB condenser mic or the laptop mic, but recording the track with a mic will make it noisy and lose all the sound quality.

You mentioned audio interface, I was afraid that might be the case. So do I really have to go and buy an audio interface in order to get audio from my keyboard? I'm travelling overseas and really don't want to purchase more than I have to until I get back to Canada - any way around this? Or ideas on a recommended small and inexpensive one? On the bright side, it will probably help reduce the delay on my vocal mic as well.

Thanks so much for your help,

sinktheship wrote:OK, so I have an Oxygen8 that I am plugging directly into the laptop with USB cable. I can't figure out how to get "audio out" of the O8 and into the sequencer.

there is no audio from an oxygen 8

longjohns wrote:

sinktheship wrote:OK, so I have an Oxygen8 that I am plugging directly into the laptop with USB cable. I can't figure out how to get "audio out" of the O8 and into the sequencer.

there is no audio from an oxygen 8

So would an audio interface convert to audio or is this just a lost cause? There must be a way to take a sound from the O8 and convert to audio, I can't believe that this doesn't exist.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_In ... _Interface

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface, pronounced /?m?di/) is an industry-standard protocol defined in 1982[1] that enables electronic musical instruments such as keyboard controllers, computers, and other electronic equipment to communicate, control, and synchronize with each other. MIDI allows computers, synthesizers, MIDI controllers, sound cards, samplers and drum machines to control one another, and to exchange system data. MIDI does not transmit an audio signal or media — it transmits "event messages" such as the pitch and intensity of musical notes to play, control signals for parameters such as volume, vibrato and panning, cues, and clock signals to set the tempo. As an electronic protocol, it is notable for its widespread adoption throughout the industry.

sinktheship wrote:

longjohns wrote:

sinktheship wrote:OK, so I have an Oxygen8 that I am plugging directly into the laptop with USB cable. I can't figure out how to get "audio out" of the O8 and into the sequencer.

there is no audio from an oxygen 8

So would an audio interface convert to audio or is this just a lost cause? There must be a way to take a sound from the O8 and convert to audio, I can't believe that this doesn't exist.

the Oxygen 8 has no sounds, it is a midi controller only, to control virtual instruments like the Ableton ones or third party plugins or external sound modules, what are these general midi sounds you talk of and what is producing them?

general midi is the 128 generic sounds made when they first "invented" midi sounds - they are pretty much compatible through any midi instrument or sequencers.

in a midi track that has no instrument assigned to it, you can double click on a clip (whether or not there is a clip in there yet) and at the bottom window in the notes section you can select "program" and enter the general midi sound you want to listen to...for details check out http://www.tweakheadz.com/gm_sound_map.htm

using this, you will not have access to the sequencer's mixer so you have to use the envelope window at the bottom to adjust volume and such or if you've programmed a midi instrument's control knobs I believe you can control it that way too.

so, it all sounds and behaves pretty much the same as if you had selected an internal instrument, only there is no "instrument" assigned (though I tried setting the keyboard as an external instrument and it LOOKS like it should work but it still isn't working).

So THAT'S why it doesn't convert to a .wav file even though it looks like it should....

anyone got experience using general midi for recording???

You must be using the microsoft GS software synth in windows ( I assume you are on PC)to produce these sounds, to convert to audio you have to route the audio out from your soundcard to an audio track in Ableton and record as audio.

if on mac... load Apples "DLS music device" as an Audio Unit Instrument.