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Old 01-07-2009, 07:35 AM   #1
tomrivers
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Default Midi playback in reaper? help?

I'm new to the reaper forum, so hi.

I'm trying to create some drum and synth tracks in REAPER. I don't have any external hardware, just trying to use the built-in sequencer ReaSynth is it? anyway. i can click the little squares on the lines and stuff. i understand that, but when i hit play. no sound. ive tryed exporting the file, hoping sound would crop up when i export it as WAV or MP3, but nothing. I dont know what teh problem is. do i lack some plugins or MIDI drivers?

stuff about my PC if it helps.

a modified dell somthing or other. Windows XP. 2GB ram. Will play .mid files no problem, usually through windows media player. midi also works in power tab and guitar pro 5. so why am i haveing this problem in reaper?!!

ANY suggestions greatly appreciated.

all the best

"Tom Rivers"
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Old 01-07-2009, 08:20 AM   #2
DarkStar
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hello tomrivers and welcome to these forums. You'll find many helpful people here and a lot of useful information. Make sure you purchase Nicholas's excellent User Guide and ReaMix docs too. Worth their weight in gold.

Distribution:
http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=27999

User Guide:
http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=6107

ReaMix:
http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=21309

===========================================
ReaSynth should generate the audio when it receives the MIDI Notes and no you're not missing any plugins or MIDI drivers - but plugins are good to have

Try loading this trivial project file and see how you get on:
-- click the link and save the Zip file
-- unzip the file and place the .rpp file in your Reaper pojects folder (or drag it into Reaper)

HTH
Attached Files
File Type: zip DS_R254_starter.zip (1.7 KB, 790 views)
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Old 01-07-2009, 08:49 AM   #3
nigel73
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Hi tomrivers, Resynth is quite basic but is a good starting point but there are loads of free synths out there, just depends what type of sounds your after. For drums try http://www.meldaproduction.com/mdrummer/downloads.php its there free version and is quite easy to use. Main thing is have fun
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Old 01-07-2009, 01:52 PM   #4
tomrivers
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sorry i dunno if its reasynth or anything. just the midi sequencer built into reaper. im gonna try that program u recommended, thanks. its downloading now. but i still dont understand why i cant hear midi in reaper? even if i import a midi file into reaper and hit play - nothing. whats the problem here?
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Old 01-07-2009, 02:48 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tomrivers View Post
i still dont understand why i cant hear midi in reaper? even if i import a midi file into reaper and hit play - nothing. whats the problem here?
Tom,
MIDI files do not "sound", they are digital data that make other components like synthesizers generate sound. You need to have an internal (VST) synth or an external MIDI device to get sound. More here http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=29154 Not all of it is directly relevant, but it's the same question.

If you search teh forum you will find lots of relevant Q&As.
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Old 01-07-2009, 03:02 PM   #6
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To hear the MIDI you need to have a synthesiser somewhere - this will receive the MIDI and generate the audio. You can think of MIDI just as instructions to the synthesiser - "play a note at this pitch, at this volume, at this point in time. for this amonut of time"

When you load MIDI into those other programs you mentioned it is used by them to generate some audio - so you hear the sound.

I thought you were using ReaSynth to do that, but on reading your seocnd post I now think you were referring just to the MIDI Editor - that's the place where you can insert and move the MIDI notes.

If you load the little project I posted and double-click on the MIDI Clip you should see this:
[IMG]http://img149.**************/img149/6711/dsr254starterzx5.th.png[/IMG]
Big pic (right-click and open or Save this pic):
http://img149.**************/img149/6...starterzx5.png

-- I have put a MIDI Clip on track 4,
-- I double-clicked the MIDI Clip to open the MIDI Editor so you can see the MIDI notes,
-- I have added the ReaSynth synthesiser to track 4 by clicking the Fx button then double-clicking ReaSynth in the list in the pop-up window,
-- in the Transport controls, I enabled Repeat (the last button) then clicked Play (the second button) to hear the clip,

Simply put:
-- as the tracks are played, the MIDI on track 4 is sent to ReaSynth,
-- Reasynth generates some audio,
-- the audio level appears on the track 4 meter in the Mixer at the bottom of the screen,
-- the audio goes from track 4 to the Master channel and its level is shown there,
-- from the Master the audio goes to your (on-board?) sound card then to your speakers.

HTH
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Old 01-08-2009, 12:10 PM   #7
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aah i feel like such a fool. seems so obvious now. right ive been playing. i see at the bottom of the midi editor it says bank. and theres a dropdown list with numbers 0 - 119 and velocity and stuff. whats all this about. aaand how do i program drum sounds?

oh and one more. whats the difference between ReaSynth and ReaSynthDR (4 cockos)? and is there any better alternative to these plug-ins?

thanks. ill stop bothering u all when i get the hang of midi.

cheers.
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