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Questions about mixing audio filess?
I've been reading through all the threads on here regularly in order to learn as much as possible about production.
So as being relatively new, I have a questions about using audio files. I've noticed a lot of you talk about preferring to use audio files over MIDI because it gives you more flexibility with the sound?
I find this odd, as I thought MIDI gave you more options for altering the sound?
Can you explain how you alter audio files? I must be missing something....
Thanks!
audio and MIDI are really two completely different monsters. MIDI is just instructions and the use of MIDI is not always related to audio output. Audio on the other hand is a pure digital file with actual sound in it.
As for programs to manipulate it there are tons. It all depends what you're trying to do. Melodyne is probably the most versatile non-sequencer out there. A lot prefer Ableton when it comes to DAW's and audio because of it's warping but I find Ableton's warping hideous. Many use external programs like acid pro, sound forge, audacity, etc. to do all of their editing. Everything is so situational and personal taste though. You really gotta figure out what works best for you by personally experimenting.
When it comes to editing audio (or pretty much anything) your mind is really the limit. This is where the artist inside you comes out.
MIDI, MIDI, MIDI
I very rarely mix-down any of my VSTis. All most all of my plug-ins stay in MIDI land without ever becoming actual audio until the final mix-down for mastering.
The only time I'll use actual audio files is for samples, or other one-shot effects. Recording vocals or real instruments (obviously digital audio).
You are right that MIDI is the most flexible in the sense it is not COMMITTED to audio. You can modify the patch of your synth, adjust the performance, etc etc.
However eventually bouncing out your instrument to actual audio may be a good idea. For chopping, reversing effects. W/E... or you could just put dblue Glitch on your VSTi and use MIDI to automate those effects!
---Adam
Ok yeah, I'm using Logic and I'm familiar with the new Flex Time feature (time stretching) and as well as reversing and that stuff. I just thought that I must be missing something else?
Another way to look at it is if you only ever have projects as MIDI you'll never REALLY mix them and finish them.
Bounce a project to audio and all of a sudden you'll find yourself mastering a track and moving onto the next one 
Ot is that just me?
| quote: |
| Originally posted by tehlord Another way to look at it is if you only ever have projects as MIDI you'll never REALLY mix them and finish them. Bounce a project to audio and all of a sudden you'll find yourself mastering a track and moving onto the next one Ot is that just me? |
im gonna make it worse for you. midi is control signals to an instrument. that instrument can be a synth but also a sampler using audiofiles. in that case the midi in your sequencer launch a sample, like if the sampler is a drummachine it can load for example eight separate audiofiles routed to each of their own midinote. example the midinote C0 = kickdrum, D0 = snare, E0 = hihat etc (0 being the lowest octave on the piano. Another way is to use a sampler which can only use one sample at the time, so whatever midinote (key on piano) your using your launching the same sample but at different pitch. Like if u play C1 the sample sounds like its original state, but if u play C2 (one octave up on the keyboard) it plays twice the pitch aka double speed. This can be very handy if ur playing with loops to make them fit the BPM of your track. Your third option is to paste the audiofile (loop, vocal, drumsound whatever) directly into the sequencer. I never do that but i can see the benefit with vocals on this as you can see the actual waveform of the sound and split it, stretch it, reverse it etc. I havent done that myself yet as i never work with vocals. BTW theres hidden midi behind that too, u just dont see it ,its C1 launching samples pasted directly into sequencer if im not wrong. probably doesnt help anything.
Some wierd posts in here. Don't know what half of you are talking about
@ the OP, I'd just say that you should just keep producing and reading, eventually it'll make sense. Most of your tracks will be midi, in what context did you hear about audio being easier? Generally, keeping your tracks as midi allows you more flexibility, although perhaps too much flexibility as mentioned above...
By the time you're actually mixing, you'll be mixing audio not midi obviously. Essentially, midi is just a set of control signals that tell a synth/sampler/lighting rig to do "something". So obviously, if you have note data then keeping it as midi will be more flexible.
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