Hi - I am going to record my son's piano playing into Cubase 6.05 next weekend, audio and MIDI simultaneously from a Yamaha Motif. I'm doing the MIDI so that if there is something like an error ghost note, or a not too complicated "flub", I can make an easy edit. After those edits, I think I'd just render to audio, and distribute CDs or post on soundcloud or something for family and friends.

[The audio recording ... no real need to have it, I know, since I'm virtually certain I'll be making a few MIDI tweaks. I just figured it would be "nice to have", of sentimental value, and since there is no disadvantage to recording it live with the MIDI, I might as well do so. It might be something locked away in a vault so nobody but me knows how many MIDI tweaks (erasing ghost notes, etc.) were made to get the final product!]

Finally, as background, I know I don't have horrible MIDI timing recording problems of the worst sort described in various threads on the steinberg.net forum. If I do have MIDI timing recording problems, they aren't so bad that I have noticed them. The intended audience of these recordings won't be any better than I am at detecting potential problems of that nature.

I think I have basically two questions I'd be grateful for any advice on:

1) Assuming the piano pieces are played pretty well, but could benefit from some minor MIDI editing as described above - would people recommend setting the Audio Priority to "Low" in the Preference dialogue? Does that setting then put "MIDI Priority" to high? (I'm not at my DAW currently, so I can't describe its exact location in Preferences).

2) Do all the steinberg.net forum threads about problems with MIDI recording timing describe only problems getting MIDI recorded properly? In other words ... once the MIDI is recorded, can I assume "what I see/hear is what I get" with regard to accurate rendering to Audio? If not, what might be recommended at that stage?

Are there any other tweaks that might be recommended to muscle up the best possible MIDI timing? Just to emphasize, I've already gone through all the "Use System Timestamp", emulated ports, etc. - just looking for any final changes I might be able to make.

I should mention - I might just get one take per song ... he's not exactly enamored with this project ... parental mandate this! So, in essence, it's like recording a "live" show.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

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Alexis -Cubase 6.5.0/SX3.1.1.944, XP SP2, 4GB RAM (1GB not accessible, but used just to balance the computer so it doesn't tip over); Delta 66 in Omni i/O Studio; Motif8; UAD-1

I've never known the Audio Priority switch make the slightest difference. But, in any case, leave all settings exactly as they have been for the last half-dozen sessions you've worked on Cubase. NEVER change anything or try anything new just before the "big" recording!

If you've got a system with unstable MIDI timing, it can show up on both recording and playback. Let's hope you don't. Anyway, you've got a week in which to make lots of test recordings. Use the time well!

Set up the way you always set up. Start recording before he sits at the keyboard, don't press Stop until he's completely finished, got up and left the room. If he makes a false start, just keep rolling. Your computer has room for LOTS of MIDI and audio data, you can trim later.

Enjoy!

Thanks, Exalted. Very sensible advice indeed, re: not making big changes just before.

Interesting that the "Audio Priority" settings don't make a dif for you. I've not noticed it for me either, but I have a) a low power system which I could easily imagine be the main factor in what I hear, b) low #s of tracks, VSTs, and FX, and c) Auricularis Stannumus disease (it may be terminal ).



Regards,

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Alexis -Cubase 6.5.0/SX3.1.1.944, XP SP2, 4GB RAM (1GB not accessible, but used just to balance the computer so it doesn't tip over); Delta 66 in Omni i/O Studio; Motif8; UAD-1

I would recommend leaving everything as is, assuming you have a working rig already. I would specifically stay away from lowering the audio priority in Cubase for the simple reason that, in real-world terms, it is the audio that has priority (literally), and if a few MIDI notes get recorded a couple of milliseconds early or late, it's easy to pull them into line with the recorded audio afterwards; so in other words, the audio recording should be your reference.

The two things I would say about recording MIDI in realtime with Cubase is, test your interface with MIDITest first and make sure you have quantisation turned off!

Other than that, I have to admit I'm a little taken aback that you feel there's "no real need" to have the audio recording.

Edited by John Reid (26/02/12 12:32 AM)

Thank you, John. The only thing I meant by the audio not being of much help is that all my editing will be done to the MIDI tracks, not the audio. But, I will treasure the audio for sentimental reasons.

I went to the MIDI test site, thanks. I think it requires MIDI cable connections, and since I use USB MIDI I won't be able to take advantage of it. But I do have a "working" system, so ... off we go!

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Alexis -Cubase 6.5.0/SX3.1.1.944, XP SP2, 4GB RAM (1GB not accessible, but used just to balance the computer so it doesn't tip over); Delta 66 in Omni i/O Studio; Motif8; UAD-1

Quote John Reid:

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Other than that, I have to admit I'm a little taken aback that you feel there's "no real need" to have the audio recording.

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There's no need, because it's a MIDI keyboard and the audio can be completely re-created after the session by playing the MIDI track back into it!