[RWP] introduction and a question?

Sat Mar 17 14:41:35 EDT 2012

win32 only I think, at least the version I have.
it's the yamaha xg synth.
and it's only a midi soft synth, it has nothing to do with rendering or 
converting or anything.

regards
Colin
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gianluca Apollaro" <gianluca.apollaro88 at gmail.com>
To: "Reapers Without Peepers" <rwp at reaaccess.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2012 12:05 PM
Subject: Re: [RWP] introduction and a question?

> Hi Colin,
> does it work on a win 7 64 bit system? And how do I go for render the midi 
> to audio using your synth?
> Thanks a lot,
> best regards,
> Gianluca
> SkypeID: gianluca8815
>
> Il 17/03/2012 18:51, colin McDonald ha scritto:
>> as far as midi stuff goes, I've been using a yamaha midi synth that 
>> sounds pretty good compared to the MS wavetable garbage.
>> I don't use any external midi stuff here yet, IE synths or keyboards 
>> etc...but when I want to listen to or edit existing Midi's I find the 
>> yamaha synth is good.
>> I can send it somewhere if anyone wants to try it as an alternative to 
>> wavetable.
>>
>> Regards
>> Colin
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "indigo" <33indigo at charter.net>
>> To: "Reapers Without Peepers" <rwp at reaaccess.com>
>> Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2012 7:22 AM
>> Subject: Re: [RWP] introduction and a question?
>>
>>
>>> Hi Gianluca,
>>> I can help with download links to freeware VST synths and effects.
>>> There are many good ones that you can at least access presets on, 
>>> providing very good sounds for any kind of music.
>>> A while back I tried to find a multitembral 16 channel GM synth, and 
>>> couldn't find any that sound much better than setting sends from your 
>>> midi tracks to the Microsoft WaveTable Synth, or your onboard RealTech 
>>> synth.
>>> Sonar's TTS synth runs in Reaper, but you need to have Sonar to get it, 
>>> and it doesn't sound much better than the onboard computer synths.
>>> If you want better sound from midi tracks, you need to insert a track 
>>> with a VST synth; then; in Reaper's IO dialog; create a send from each 
>>> midi track pointed to its own VST synth's track.
>>> With a reasonably powerful computer you can insert the same VST synth 
>>> many times, or different VST synths; 1 instance per midi file and midi 
>>> channel.
>>> I'm also inserting an empty track, so I can get an audio file recorded 
>>> from all synths that are being driven from midi files.
>>> You get your audio file immediately, no need to convert midi to audio in 
>>> an extra step.
>>> You just select the empty track, press I for the IO dialog; then set 
>>> returns from all VST synth tracks pointed to that empty audio track.
>>> You also set a send from that audio track to your soundcard.
>>> Then exit IO Dialog with escape.
>>> In track view select the audio track, then  tab to midi channel and set 
>>> it to all, record mode and set it to input, and turn record armed on; 
>>> and set midi output none.
>>> Press enter to save those settings.
>>> Then, here's a step I found works for me, maybe you don't need it.
>>> Press ctrl+up arrow; then press the Applications key to get a more 
>>> complete track properties menu.
>>> Arrow down and record mode input will be checked, but continue arrowing 
>>> down and press enter on Input Stereo.
>>> Otherwise, I ended up with  a mono recording on my audio track.
>>> The midi tracks are feeding the VST synths, the VST synths are feeding 
>>> that single audio track; and that audio track is feeding your sound 
>>> card.
>>> When you press R everythings ends up recorded on 1 audio track, and you 
>>> just save that track, no rendering required if you set your project 
>>> settings to record mp3, wav, flack, whatever you want your audio file to 
>>> be when saved.
>>> Indigo L
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 3/17/2012 4:32 AM, Gianluca Apollaro wrote:
>>>> Hi Indigo and list,
>>>> I always render files as flac via the regular render dialog accessed
>>>> using alt+ctrl+r and never had problems with them, and all the mp3 I
>>>> created played just fine. I work mostly with audio though, because with
>>>> midi I can't manage to convert them to audio cause I don't have any 
>>>> good
>>>> sounding vst and as far as I know you can't convert midi to audio using
>>>> the midi output thing. Btw if anybody wants to add me, my skype id is
>>>> gianluca8815.
>>>> Best regards,
>>>> Gianluca from Italy
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Il 17/03/2012 03:28, indigo ha scritto:
>>>>> Scott, please don't switch to any of my work flows, which don't flow
>>>>> very well yet!
>>>>> I'm just a beginner, discovering as I go, no users guide yet for
>>>>> Reaper with ReaAccess.
>>>>> I keep notes on whatever I find, and on whatever anyone else says, and
>>>>> I'm hoping for a Wikki style users guide, so others can do edits and
>>>>> simplify my over complicated methods. smile.
>>>>> I did try rendering into several formats; like I thought I'd reduce
>>>>> the 80 meg .wav file by half by rendering to flack, but Reaper has
>>>>> some peculiar ways of doing things, as you know.
>>>>> To get a .flack file and not just a .flk.rpp file, which won't play in
>>>>> anyone's Winamp, I had to choose render custom, instead of render
>>>>> entire project.
>>>>> But, the end time for the custom setting seems to stop at a loop point
>>>>> in the midi file I was using, so my flack render suddenly cut off
>>>>> before the actual end of project.
>>>>> I had measures, beats selected in my project settings, but in the
>>>>> render dialog I only got the project length displayed in minutes 
>>>>> seconds.
>>>>> So, I'd need to look at the minutes/seconds end time of the rendering
>>>>> of the entire project, jot down that figure;then render custom and
>>>>> type in the project lentth in minutes/seconds; then I assume I would
>>>>> have got the whole track into flack
>>>>> I'm hoping there easier ways to do these things I haven't discovered 
>>>>> yet.
>>>>> I don't really understand why ; if I set my Project settings to
>>>>> measures, beats,why isn't that setting reflected in all Reaper 
>>>>> dialogs?
>>>>> Also, other peculiar things, when I tried to render to MP3, Reaper
>>>>> went through the process, and produced a .mp3 file, which wouldn't
>>>>> play in Winamp.
>>>>> I tried again, and Reaper announced that it needed to download lame 
>>>>> mp3.
>>>>>
>>>>> Since My daw is off line, so I can't download anything from the web.
>>>>> I copied Winamp's mp3plug into Reaper's program files/plugs folder,
>>>>> hoping those would suffice; but Reaper still said it needed to
>>>>> download that lame mp3.
>>>>> While I was in the program file/plugs folder in Reaper, I noticed
>>>>> there's already a plug in there named Reaper Mp3.
>>>>> Well, Reaper refused to recognize Winamp's mp3 plug, so today I
>>>>> downloaded the latest lame MP3, with this computer; hoping I can stick
>>>>> into a Reaper folder somewhere and it'll be happy; and will do renders
>>>>> to mp3 that actually play.
>>>>> The .ogg files play fine in Winamp, but when I did a recording in the
>>>>> compressed lossless .wv foremat, Winamp couldn't play it.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for any clues,
>>>>> Indigo L
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 3/16/2012 8:33 PM, Scott Chesworth wrote:
>>>>>> Wow, how weird that those two versions would sound different. I
>>>>>> would've thought that they'd both be shoved through the same OGG
>>>>>> encoder with both methods, and that that'd be the stage where the 
>>>>>> most
>>>>>> butchering gets done. Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to know the
>>>>>> answer as to why it sounds different and I certainly won't be the guy
>>>>>> to question your ability to hear the difference, just musing on the
>>>>>> strange and interesting times we live in.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If you get a chance and you're half as curious as I am about this,
>>>>>> maybe try recording that audio version of the MIDI file down in 24bit
>>>>>> wav, then try rendering a version with the exact same settings and 
>>>>>> see
>>>>>> if you can hear the difference. If you can, even when it's not set to
>>>>>> spit out a file in a lossy format and no dithering is taking place,
>>>>>> I'll definitely be switching to your workflow.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Scott
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 3/17/12, indigo<33indigo at charter.net> wrote:
>>>>>>> Well, Scott, I'm sure it's not easier or quicker, but I was told 
>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>> there are losses during rendering down, while there are no losses if
>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>> simply record in the format that you want to begin with.
>>>>>>> I'm just experimenting to learn what works best.
>>>>>>> I'm fairly sure that there are unavoidable math compromises made 
>>>>>>> during
>>>>>>> rendering down to a lower bit rate format.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I recorded an audio track from midi files at 24 bits 44.1K that 
>>>>>>> turned
>>>>>>> out 86 megs, I think it was, kind of large to post anywhere.
>>>>>>> I tried rendering it to 16 bit ogg, and other foremats, and I 
>>>>>>> certainly
>>>>>>> could hear the losses.
>>>>>>> So, instead, I just changed the Project recording format to 16 bit 
>>>>>>> ogg,
>>>>>>> recorded a new audio track, and saved it, no rendering, no dithering
>>>>>>> required, and it's 5 megs or so in .ogg, not as clear as the .wav
>>>>>>> version, but much clearer than when I rendered down from .wav to 
>>>>>>> .ogg.
>>>>>>> Indigo L
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 3/16/2012 5:38 PM, Scott Chesworth wrote:
>>>>>>>> Hi chaps,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Forgive me, but I don't see how this is any simpler/quicker than
>>>>>>>> rendering down to a file, particularly as rendering is done quicker
>>>>>>>> than in realtime. What am I missing?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Scott
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On 3/16/12, indigo<33indigo at charter.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Well, here's the way I'm working in Reaper right now.
>>>>>>>>> Instead of rendering, you can insert an empty track.
>>>>>>>>> Arrow to the empty track to select it, hit the I key to go to IO
>>>>>>>>> routing, tab to add returns.
>>>>>>>>> Arrow down to the bottom selection, add returns from all tracks.
>>>>>>>>> This will cause all the tracks you've already recorded to send 
>>>>>>>>> their
>>>>>>>>> output to your blank track.
>>>>>>>>> I believe you will need to add a send from your empty audio track 
>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> your sound card, so you can hear it during recording and playback.
>>>>>>>>> There is no okay button in IO routing, just hit escape to return 
>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>> track view.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> With the empty track selected, tab through its track properties.
>>>>>>>>> Select all channels if your already recorded tracks are on several
>>>>>>>>> midi
>>>>>>>>> channels.
>>>>>>>>> Select record mode as input, record arm on.
>>>>>>>>> Hit enter to save your settings.
>>>>>>>>> Now here's something I found works to make sure you get a stereo
>>>>>>>>> recording, if your already recorded tracks are in stereo.
>>>>>>>>> Select the empty track.
>>>>>>>>> ctrl+up arrow, then press applications key.
>>>>>>>>> You will get another menu with more detailed properties for your
>>>>>>>>> empty
>>>>>>>>> track.
>>>>>>>>> Arrow down and you will find record mode input already checked.
>>>>>>>>> Arrow farther down and you'll find a selection called Input 
>>>>>>>>> Stereo.
>>>>>>>>> Hit enter on it, then hit enter on okay, and you'll be sure to
>>>>>>>>> record a
>>>>>>>>> stereo audio track in the empty track.
>>>>>>>>> You may not need this extra step, so, if you don't, ignore it, but 
>>>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>>>> ended up with a mono track without this step.
>>>>>>>>> Here's how to record your empty audio track in several different
>>>>>>>>> media
>>>>>>>>> formats, so you don't need to render in Reaper's file menu.
>>>>>>>>> Press alt+enter for Project settings.
>>>>>>>>> Get on the Audio settings tab.
>>>>>>>>> Arrow down to the format you intend to use for recording.
>>>>>>>>> Select whatever format you want your empty track to record in, 
>>>>>>>>> .wav,
>>>>>>>>> flack, whatever, though I found mp3 doesn't work until you go
>>>>>>>>> online to
>>>>>>>>> import lame MP3 into Reaper.
>>>>>>>>> Select your bit rate, etcetera, then hit okay; and you are
>>>>>>>>> returned to
>>>>>>>>> track view.
>>>>>>>>> Select your empty audio track, press W to go to beginning of 
>>>>>>>>> project,
>>>>>>>>> press R to begin recording.
>>>>>>>>> Hit spacebar, or press R again to stop recording.
>>>>>>>>> Press ctrl+up arrow.
>>>>>>>>> Press alt key and arrow down in the file menu to the selection: 
>>>>>>>>> Save
>>>>>>>>> Output to Disk Bounce.
>>>>>>>>> Press enter and you get a very complete menu for saving your audio
>>>>>>>>> track
>>>>>>>>> in its selected format.
>>>>>>>>> When you are sure your settings are correct; tab down to Start; 
>>>>>>>>> Press
>>>>>>>>> enter and saving begins.
>>>>>>>>> Now, I'm not saying you may not find easier ways, I hope you do; 
>>>>>>>>> but
>>>>>>>>> these steps are intuitive enough, and are working for me.
>>>>>>>>> As I understand Reaper better, I'm sure I'll find quicker methods,
>>>>>>>>> I'll
>>>>>>>>> probably eliminate steps that aren't actually required in all
>>>>>>>>> instances.
>>>>>>>>> Don't let Reaper's complexity spook you.
>>>>>>>>> You don't need all its thousands of selections to do simple
>>>>>>>>> recording,
>>>>>>>>> but they're waiting until you need them.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Indigo L
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On 3/16/2012 12:01 PM, Joe Paton wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> Hi,,
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Mine is beautiful right now, at least I can't hear any delay
>>>>>>>>>> working 2
>>>>>>>>>> guitar parts and 2 vocals four tracks. simple music, but still
>>>>>>>>>> timing
>>>>>>>>>> critical.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Great you guys, thanks indigo. I know i'll be back with more.
>>>>>>>>>> so here's more.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Here's a quickie, can I save the four recorded tracks to say 1
>>>>>>>>>> stereo
>>>>>>>>>> tracks, I know I can render the four down to a saved file, and I
>>>>>>>>>> guess I
>>>>>>>>>> could do a media file import to bring the song back to a stereo
>>>>>>>>>> track
>>>>>>>>>> but that seems round the houses a little bit. How do you use 
>>>>>>>>>> master
>>>>>>>>>> tracks?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> seems like a life times work this stuff, and I've had more than
>>>>>>>>>> I've got
>>>>>>>>>> left.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Joe
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>>>
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