Mixing down MIDI or audio?

[tehlord]

Do you guys render all your MIDI tracks to audio before starting a mixdown?

I'm starting to think I might start doing that so I stop bloody fiddling with mixes.

[terminal3]

Originally Posted by tehlord

Do you guys render all your MIDI tracks to audio before starting a mixdown?

I'm starting to think I might start doing that so I stop bloody fiddling with mixes.

Yes, because it's also much easier on your computer... dealing with an audio track is way simpler than dealing with a sampler instrument of sorts. More CPU cycles for plug-ins etc!

[I_Am_Bic_Pentameter]

Absolutely.

[sureno]

interesting thread iv always just mixed "as is" but if you mix as you go along should you simply bypass all process before the bounce?

[tehlord]

Originally Posted by sureno

interesting thread iv always just mixed "as is" but if you mix as you go along should you simply bypass all process before the bounce?

That's how I mix at the moment but I was chatting to a pal the other who has about the best mix sound I know of (to my ears at least) and he claimed that mixing with audio renders not only frees his CPU up but to his ears he gets better results from his mastering plugs too. I can understand the CPU thing completely but i'm not sure if the sound would be any different?

He reckoned he could hear the mix being 'smoother' when working with audio only.

Anyway, just for the CPU hit alone I'll render the current mix to audio before I mix/master it.


Ta

[Khazul]

Just as some plugins apply slight variation of algorhythms with different sample rates, or behave better with higher sampling rates etc, so they may also apply a higher quality algorhythms (for eg by oversampling) when offline rendering for bouncing/freezing etc.

So yes, it *could* be possible with certain plugins and certain DAWs to benefit from non-real time bouncing - entirely down to the DAW/plugin combination.

If you tend to bounce in real time at the project sample rate, then no you wont get any benefit (if there is one to be had).

[tehlord]

Well tbh I've never even looked into what sample rate i'm bouncing at except when I render the stereo out (which is usually 16/44)

Would it helped if I bounced each track as a 24bit file and mixed from those I wonder?

[Khazul]

TBH - I dont really worry about it

I just work at 44.1/24 bit all the time and leave it at that...

I do recall a few years ago playing around with reason 2.5 or 3 at 96K and noticing that the high end seemed a tiny bit smoother, but thats about it.

Given a choice between having room to breath CPU wise and so run a useful number of tracks at 44.1K and struggling with just a few tracks at 96K - the choice seems fairly clear

[I_Am_Bic_Pentameter]

Originally Posted by Khazul

I just work at 44.1/24 bit all the time and leave it at that.

Me too.....

[tehlord]

Ok I think i'll make sure i'm rendering at 24 bit but keep it to 44.1khz. At the moment i'm pretty sure everything i'm doing is in 16 bit.

[sureno]

Originally Posted by tehlord

Ok I think i'll make sure i'm rendering at 24 bit but keep it to 44.1khz. At the moment i'm pretty sure everything i'm doing is in 16 bit.

mix it in fruity loops 12 bit 92khz mp3

[tehlord]

Originally Posted by sureno

mix it in fruity loops 12 bit 92khz mp3

Too pro for meh.


Do youz liek knowz where I can getz some of dat beatz loopz liek but liek Pr0 onez only?

[sureno]

Originally Posted by tehlord

Too pro for meh.


Do youz liek knowz where I can getz some of dat beatz loopz liek but liek Pr0 onez only?

yeah from my mate Trev, he like top engineer ya get me

[tehlord]

Originally Posted by sureno

yeah from my mate Trev, he like top engineer ya get me

You'll be in trouble now.

Naughty step etc