INART 258 Basics of Importing, Editing, and Recording MIDI in Logic Express

1. Import a MIDI file into Logic Express Download a MIDI file from a Web site by OPTION-CLICKing the link to it, just as you’ve done for audio files. Open the file in QuickTime and play it, just to be sure it’s an intact file. Launch Logic Express and open your MIDI file from within the program. Delete any extraneous tracks that are part of the file.

The tracks will be imported as MIDI Instrument Tracks, which are meant for controlling external devices (such as the W7 keyhboard). They are recognizable by the instrument icons to the left of the track number. To use this information with internal instruments (such as the QuickTime Music Synthesizer, the tracks must be converted to Audio Instrument Tracks. These are recognizable by the blue note-wave icon to the left of the Instrument number. To convert the tracks to Audio Instrument tracks, click and hold on the track name, and select Audio Instrument from the menus that appear:

Be sure that each track is assigned to a different instrument number.

Also assign each track to its own MIDI channel number; this should match the instrument number; be sure that Drums are on Channel 10.

Once the tracks are converted to Audio Instrument tracks, the file may be played with the QuickTime instruments. Go to the Track Mixer. Click and hold one of the I/O buttons. Select DLSMusicDevice. 2. Editing MIDI events Double-click a track in the Arrange window to bring up the Matrix Edit window. Here, note events appear as horizontal dashes, arranged vertically by pitch. Note event may be dragged in any direction. Place the mouse over the right edge to stretch or compress durations. To edit parameters such as volume and pan, go to the View window menu and select Hyper Draw:

To insert Program Changes: Highlight the track, go to the Windows menu and select Event List. Most files have a Program message at the top of the track. Select the Pencil Tool and click on this event. A duplicate Program Change message will appear below the one you clicked. Click in the Position field and change the measure number. Click in the Val field to change the Program number. Some files may not have any Program changes. If this is the case, an extra step is necessary. Go to the Hyper Edit window. Select the Pencil tool and click in the Program row to insert a Program Change event.

Now return to the Event List. The Program Change event will appear there. Copy and/or move this event as described in the previous step.

Program Change numbers may be seen from the Arrange Window if the tracks are tall enough. Click the Vertical Zoom on the upper right corner or hold down the CTRL key and click the UP ARROW to increase the height.

3. Recording MIDI Create a new Instrument track and click the RECORD button. Play material on the W7 keyboard and the events will be recorded onto the track.