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Posted By: eddie1261 MIDI and output levels - 02/25/21 11:22 PM
I am still trying to understand why tracks created with midi, with all the output levels set to 127 play back SO MUCH QUIETER than RB generated audio tracks. People have been telling me over and over that the midi control panel has a trim pot on it. I am aware. When you turn that anything past straight up 12 it overdrives terribly. So I have to convert that track to audio, boost it 18db, and then I can mix it. That is, how do you say, crazy!! Once you convert that MIDI data track to audio, the fact that the audio generated by the conversion is so quiet makes me wonder who's hands this particular blood is on. The software or something the stupid user (me) has set up wrong? WHY are those MIDI tracks so quiet?

Remember, the trim knob is not the answer. I don't need overdriven distortion. And since this is MIDI, I am just recording data, and data has no volume. SO I don't know what to do to make the MIDI playback be at useable levels.
Posted By: MountainSide Re: MIDI and output levels - 02/26/21 09:08 AM
I had this problem for a long time too...constantly tweaking everything to get the volume up.

Then I discovered something, you have to set the master volume in RB at 100%. At least for me, what I've come to understand is that if you have the master volume in RB set at a comfortable level...say 50% and then you adjust each track at say 50% (midi 64 on volume), the actual output from that track is 50% of 50%...even if running your midi gear output at 100%.

I know this sounds a bit weird, it certainly did for me, but play around a little with it and you'll see it makes some sense.

Unfortunately, I discovered this late and now have over 500 midi songs that I need to change.

Give it a try and see if this helps.

Jeff
Posted By: eddie1261 Re: MIDI and output levels - 02/26/21 12:20 PM
I had no idea. So I need to set the master at 100%, then adjust the tracks so the 100% master doesn't make me deaf. That is great info. Thanks.
Posted By: rharv Re: MIDI and output levels - 02/26/21 08:15 PM
ALWAYS do this in RB/PT (or any DAW really), and set the mixer slider that resides between the Mixer and the AUX/Subgroup section in RB/PT to 100% too.

Then you get a much truer representation of your actual output; even when rendering. Your rendered files in RB/PT will be louder too. Plus your noise floor gets lower in theory.
Posted By: MarioD Re: MIDI and output levels - 02/27/21 11:10 AM
Thanx Jeff and rhave, I didn't know this.

See you can teach and old dog new tricks!
Posted By: Bob Calver Re: MIDI and output levels - 02/28/21 10:17 AM
what needs to be set to 100%? my hypercanvas is set to maximum output and the RB 'all' fade is full up. what am i missing?
Posted By: MountainSide Re: MIDI and output levels - 02/28/21 11:13 AM
Bob, set the Master Volume in the lower right hand corner of RB to 100%. Control the volume of each track with the volume sliders on those tracks.

Rharv takes this one step even further, but he's much deeper into this than me. I believe his comment regards the "ALL" volume setting on the Mixer window but as far as I know this is the same as moving the lower right hand Master Volume setting to 100%. But, I could be wrong about that, as I don't use "send" functions like he does.

Jeff
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