Audio\MIDI noob issues

[pascal_prefontaine]

Hi :)

Im running EWQLSO Gold XP on Sonar 9 PE. Even thought my system is very good and I have a lot of memory, I still obviously have to split my work in many files to work on them because of the ginormous amount of instruments implied in the composition. So right now, im still at the very beginning of working on this.. so I have for now 5 midi files, 1st = 1st & 2nd violins, 2nd = Violas, 3rd = Cellos, 4th = Basses & 5th = Solo violin (which I expect Ill have to split again and again the more I add instruments to it).

My biggest problem right now is that when I record one file (in wav form) and try to import it in another midi file (ex.: bringing the 1st\2nd violins wav track in my violas midi file), I end up losing a bit of quality in the sound... I even noticed that my doublebasses ends up sounding completely different once recorded. Ive been trying to play with the audio setting (Ive tried most settings combinations) but it doesnt really change the fact that the instruments dont sound nothing like the midi samples which are amazing (the difference is not huge, but you can clearly notice that the instrument sounds more rough and more electronic than the original sample).

If anyone has any indications for me.. or maybe just let me know what the usual audio settings for recording wav tracks that are part of a midi project are.. Im applying for university in orchestral composition and the piece im working on will be my main demo for the application. Obviously I dont know too much about the non-musical side of this but Id really like to fix my problem and give them something professional that sounds good... before I miss the deadline in 2 weeks lol

Thanks in advance

[ewkarl7777]

Hi Pascal -

You say that you are a noob and I think that may explain why I cannot understand what you are doing.

1st of all, why are you dealing with MIDI files? If you are using Sonar, you should be creating .CWP (Cakewalk Project Files).

2nd, I don't understand what you are "dividing up", or why you need so many instances of EWQLSO. You are only using 5 instruments. Just put them in one instance of PLAY and set each to be a different channel. You can put 16 instruments in a single instance of Play. If you need lots of different articulations (pizz, arco, trem, etc.), pick the KS Master for each instrument. You can put 16 KS Masters in one instance of PLAY as well.

I use one instance per orchestral section (WW, BRS, etc.).

Also, please tell us your computer specs (OS, processor speed, RAM)

[DynamicK]

Sounds like you are exporting audio from your each of your Gold XP orchestra section Sonar Files? ( One for WW, one for Strings etc.)

What you should be doing is freezing each instrument. That way you do not have to import the audio you have just exported. Also your whole composition is in one Sonar file.

In Sonar 8 you can have unlimited audio and midi tracks, so you shouldn't have to split up your composition.

Maybe you should look in the Sonar manual for "Freeze"....I'm guessing you have the manual in French???

[sebs]

Hi Pascal,
If you really have to split your composition because all parts won't fit in a single play instance (memory or cpu limitation or more than 16 parts) then I advise that you group the midi and play vst tracks in a track folder. Thus you can record one audio track per folder and then mute all the midi tracks of this folder.
At the end you can export your project into a single audio file (in 16bits if you want to burn a cd or create a mp3) from all your audio tracks.
Seb ;)

[pascal_prefontaine]

Thanks for the answers.. I kinda expected my question to sound pretty stupid for whoever knows that stuff already... I always been more of a musician then a sound engineer so im barely starting to ask about it!

And I have to really thank you for the Freeze option which I had NO idea about... This actually fixes my problem entirely.. Ive played a bit with it and track folder and was able to fit everything in the same file and activate\desactivate instances of gold xp.. I cant believe I was complicating my life and how much time I wasted on transfering from one cwp file to another lol

Thanks a lot for the help, its really appreciated.