what formats?

[Abi]

HI there,
Im an indivudual composer with keyboard and sequencers. Currently using cakwalk home studio 5 & Flstudio 4. But the problem is not the softwares but the formats. I know midi is the most common for demos. But as im using Flstudio not all instruments in the softwares are midi. The original tracks I imported from cakewalk are midi, while there are flstudio's inbuilt instruments which are not midi. I need the other tracks so that the instruments give some colours and can use various plugins. So which format in the end do I save in the flstudio? Definetly not midi rite? Because the others instruments and plugin effects won't exist in midi. But if i save as flp which is fruityloops format.. do some studio use flstudio? And if save as mp3 or wav how do the studio engineer my tracks? So wat kinda support does nowadays studio provide for our home softwares? Any one knows? Thanks.

 

[teraslasch]

Er just for your info, if u wana let someone arrange ur midi. Then just save it in midi and let him edit, after that , pass it back to u and reload it with ur plugins/samples. But i believe the engineer should have even better sounds than urs LOL...

U can save as wav and import it as an audio track..

 

[soft]

hi Abi

are you thinking of mixing your music in another studio?

if that is the case, you should find the studio and ask them what is their recommendation. usually the suggestion is to help you save studio hours.

 

[Abi]

re:format

hi soft,
thks for your kind reply.. hmm well mixing with other studio.. well I would say yes but. The fact is what kinda softwares to studio usually use? Will the studio be able to edit all my midi, flstudio plugins and etc? Because I know definately midi is available everywhere. But I don't wanna save as midi but maybe as wav, mp3 or mixtures tracks of mp3, wav and midi as flp(flstudio format). What is the standard for studio accepting demos to edit or etc besides Midi? Thanks...

 

[teraslasch]

Re: re:format

I think MIDI and WAV is the most standard. Most of the proffesional studios have pro tools and they do not accept flp format.

 

[Cheez]

Unless the studio uses exactly the same software, plug-ins and external equipment as you, using the raw format (be it midi or flp) will usually result in a different sound as what you sequenced. What do you use to generate your sounds? Plug-ins and/or external modules/keyboards?

Even with VSTis for example, you would have different settings for each instruments. Same goes for external modules and keyboards - you may have different settings and modified the instruments/sounds. So to sound exactly the same, each of these settings must be the same, that is if the studio has exactly the same setup as you.

So I would still use wav format. If everything you have is on a notebook (ie plug-ins, VSTis), then you can bring your notebook to the studio and can edit on the spot.

Another thing about midi - some people are generally quite generous about sharing midi files. But for some, midi files contain "trade secrets" of how sequencing is done and may be unwilling to share with others. Sharing the final product is one thing - showing how they actually get to the sound is another. Midi is more than just notes - lots of cc changes and other controls going on at the same time. I would not be too quick to share my midi files although I'm quite willing to let others listen to my mp3. I definitely would not share my wav files with others, unless at the studio.

 

[teraslasch]

totally agreed :lol:

 

[Cheez]

One more thing - unless you really want some unusual FX that you have in your collection of plug-ins, I would stay clear of too much mix-down in terms of reverb and EQ. The studio probably has better reverb units (and more expensive ones) than you - leave it to them to tweak it. Of course, you'll need to communicate with them the results you want and work together on it. So, try to make it as dry as possible. Easier to add than to subtract.