Tips & Tricks

Record MIDI in Pro Tools

Setup

Add four tracks to your session:

• 1 MIDI


• 1 Aux (mono/stereo)


• 1 Audio (mono/stereo)


• 1 Master Fader (stereo)

Whether you select mono or stereo for your Aux track depends on the insert you want to use. Set the Audio track to match the Aux track.

Label each track using the instrument name and a unique suffix. For example:

• Drums M (M for MIDI)


• Drums X (X for Aux)


• Drums A (A for Audio)

Configuration

Since the Aux track is where the plug-in is selected, start by configuring the Aux track.

• Aux Track




1. Select a plug-in from the drop-down menu at the top of the Aux strip in the Mix window.


2. Insert > Plug-in (mono or stereo) > Instrument > Reason (or Sample Tank or BFD)


3. Set the input to None.


4. Set the output to Bus 1-2. If there are multiple MIDI instruments, assign each to a separate bus.


5. Configure the plug-in by selecting the instrument you want to play and the desired effects.





• MIDI Track:





1. Set the input to ALL. If there are multiple MIDI instruments, assign each to a separate channel.


2. Set the output to the sound module associated with the plug-in.





• Audio Track





1. Set the input to Bus 1-2. If there are multiple MIDI instruments, make sure that the input for the Audio track matches the output for the associated Aux track.


2. Set the output to Analog 1-2.





• Master Fader





1. There is no input for the Master Fader.


2. Set the output to Analog 1-2.

Recording

If you trigger notes on your MIDI controller, you will not hear any sound. You must Record Enable the MIDI track to allow this track to receive the incoming signal. You must also Record Enable the Audio track to hear any sound. You should hear the instrument you selected on the Aux track.

To actually record, you must record enable in the transport window. Then push play and start to record. With both the MIDI and Audio tracks Record Enabled, both tracks will be recorded.

If your recording is close, but you want to fine-tune it, you can delete the Audio track (be sure the delete the associated wave file if you want to conserve space on your hard drive) and edit the MIDI track. Then, create another Audio track and Record Enable it. Record Enable the transport window. Then push play and start to record. You don't have to play the notes on the MIDI controller... the MIDI track has already been recorded. You also could use this technique to have multiple instruments play the same notes using a single MIDI track. In this case, you would have to reconfigure (or duplicate) the Aux track for each additional instrument.

Finally, if you want to hear a MIDI track but not record an Audio track, you need a MIDI track (configured as described above) and an Aux track. An Audio track is not required. Configure the Aux track as described above with the exception of the output settings. Set the output to Analog 1-2, and you will hear the MIDI instrument you selected on the Aux track.