Christopher Robert Morgan, Ph.D. Audio for Video
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Converting a Cubase MIDI Sequence to Digital Audio

This document will take you through the steps necessary to convert a MIDI sequence into a digital audio file.
When you finished, you will have exported a digital audio file that is ready to be burned onto an audio CD.

  1. Add a track by double-clicking in the Tracks window.
  2. In the "C" column, change the track from MIDI to Digital Audio.
  3. Make sure the audio voice/channel number is odd.  It needs to be odd for the track to be stereo.
  4. Open the Inspector.  Click on Enable and Stereo.
  5. From the Panels Menu, choose VST Channel Mixer.
  6. Push the Mute/Alt 3-4 button on the Mackie Mixer for your synthesizer to send the audio signal to the computer.
  7. Push Record in Cubase.  You should see levels in the VST Channel Mixer.  If not, make sure that RCA In is the input source.
  8. If the levels clip, Undo the recording, turn down the gain and redo the recording. 
    If you don't see any levels, the yellow monitoring button may have accidentally turned off.  Just turn it on again.
  9. When finished, set the Left and Right indicators to the beginning and end of your audio track.
  10. Turn off the Inspector's Enable and Monitoring buttons.  Leave the stereo button on.
  11. From the File Menu, choose Export - Export Audio.  Deselect "Import to Pool" etc.
  12. Name the file and be sure to check that it worked by looking at it in a program like SoundEdit-16.
With this framework, you should be able to use any MIDI/Digital Audio program to convert MIDI sequences to digital audio.
Other programs that have this capability are Digital Performer, Studio Vision and Protools. Good Luck!


Christopher R. Morgan
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