Recording MIDI On Your DAW Software
This series is a continuation from the past post on guide to choosing your midi controller from the guide on Composing Music With MIDI.
This lesson, you’ll learn how to start writing & recording MIDI notes into your computer.
Make Sure Your DAW Know Where To Receive MIDI Data From
Most major DAWs will detect your MIDI controller automatically when you plug them in. In case your DAW does not detect or set your MIDI controller automatically for you, then you’ll have to set up your MIDI controller.
Make sure you have your MIDI controller connected to your computer and the drivers are installed before you launch your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). The image below shows the external devices option in Presonus Studio One. Just simply add a new device, give it a name and make sure to change the receive from to your connected MIDI controller.
Just make sure your software identifies your midi controller & select your MIDI controller in the ‘receive from’ option.
What If I Don’t Have A MIDI Controller?
Don’t have a MIDI controller but still want to do MIDI programming on your DAW? Perhaps you don’t have the budget to buy a MIDI controller yet or saving up for a better one. Well, it’s still possible to make music with MIDI without a MIDI controller.
DJs like Skrillex does not need any MIDI controller to compose music. Many electronic producers simply click notes into their DAW.
While the MIDI controller can be a great tool for playing & recording expressive music, the truth is it’s actually possible make music by simply clicking in your MIDI notes. This might take a longer time when compared to just rapidly playing a melody line on your controller, however many producers swear by manually clicking in MIDI notes one by one especially when it comes to programming drum tracks.
Read this list for the top 10 MIDI controllers you can buy
Click here looking for great controllers to use with Ableton Live
The Basics Of MIDI Recording
In the video below, I explain the little fundamentals and introduce you to recording MIDI in your DAW.
I’m using Cubase 7 in the video. Note that the workflow and layout of working with MIDI might be different in your DAW, but nevertheless, most DAWs do have everything you need to work with MIDI.
In A Nutshell
This is a short article but I hope I’ve been able to show you the very basics on recording MIDI in your DAW. The workflow might be a little different in your DAW, but the fundamentals of recording MIDI in your software will remain the same.
Let me know if you are able to catch up so far. And if you anything you’d like to ask, please simply write in the comment section below.
In the next section, I’ll introduce you to some commonly used functions when working with MIDI.