Yo, fellow music enthusiasts! If you’re a MIDI recording and editing newbie, welcome to a world of endless possibilities in music production. But, it’s not always a walk in the park. Sometimes, glitches happen and leave you stuck with tracks that sound barely musical, and that’s not what we want. 😟 So, here are some common MIDI recording and editing issues and ways to fix them:

Issue 1: Latency Issues

Latency is a MEGA problem. Imagine tapping on your MIDI controller keyboard or drum pad, and the sound from your computer comes out a second later. Not cool, right? Here’s how to reduce latency:

  • Reduce the buffer size of your audio interface or sound card
  • Close other background applications that use up your computer’s memory
  • Use a low-latency monitoring plugin
  • Turn off your computer’s WiFi

A person holding their head in frustration

Issue 2: MIDI Notes Not Playing or Recording Properly

Nothing is more disappointing than playing a MIDI note, and the sound that comes out is off-tune or doesn’t play at all. Here’s how to fix it:

  • Make sure your MIDI controller is connected and powered on
  • Check if your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) is set to receive MIDI input
  • Check if the instrument/channel is on the correct MIDI channel
  • Double-check that your MIDI notes are not overlapping

A hand pressing down on a MIDI keyboard

Issue 3: Timing and Quantization

Timing is everything, and your song might start to fall apart if everything doesn’t fit together properly. That’s where quantization comes in, which aligns MIDI notes to a grid for tighter timing. Here are the common issues:

  • Wrong quantization settings (e.g., adjusting to the wrong note value)
  • Quantizing too much or too little
  • Quantizing entire sections instead of individual notes

A grid with notes that are not perfectly aligned

Issue 4: Pitch and Velocity

Pitch and velocity are essential in MIDI recording and editing, as they help produce a human-like quality in your tracks. However, issues arise when there are:

  • Pitch inaccuracies due to fluctuating vibrato or pitch bends
  • Too much or too little velocity—the volume of each note

A person adjusting the pitch and velocity of a MIDI note

Issue 5: Shortcuts and Hotkeys

Learning keyboard shortcuts is a time-saver when recording and editing MIDI tracks. But, when used incorrectly or not updated, these hotkeys can:

  • Mess up your tracks
  • Create unwanted changes
  • Be forgotten over time

A person looking at their computer keyboard with a confused expression

Conclusion

And there you have it, folks! Troubleshooting common MIDI recording and editing issues can be time-consuming, but it’s worth it when your tracks sound polished. If you experience other MIDI problems, don’t be afraid to experiment and try new solutions. Happy MIDI editing! 🎹🎧🎤

A person smiling and giving a thumbs up while using a MIDI controller