How to convert to Audio a MIDI recording routed to E-Drum module in Cubase 11

Question

Well, I'm kind of confused here and I don't know what else to do.

Let me explain because I think is kind of particular.

I have an EF-Note 5x, whose module allows you to record MIDI and audio directly from USB. The audio tracks exported are pretty good (but not good enough), but there MIDI ones are exactly what I hear when I play from my kit.

In order to do this, I had to create a MIDI track (not Instrument one) and route the output to the module as you can see on the following image.

What I need, is a way to convert what I hear when I hit play to an audio track so I can edit better the final result and the waveform.

A few disclaimers:

• Since I really like the sound that comes from the module itself, I don't want to create an Instrument track using a VST like Superior Drummer, EZ Drummer, etc. I want to get an audio track of what I hear coming from the module but as it is when I'm using the MIDI option, because as I said, the 8-ch audio recording is good, but not enough at least based on what I hear.
• The option for render in place doesn't work for MIDI tracks but for Instrument Tracks. There is a way to get the module sound on a instrument track otherwise?
• I tried to export the MIDI track as Audio Mixdown but I only get a flat audio file with no sound on it.

Probably I'm confusing concepts here, but there must be a way to convert your MIDI recording as it sounds when the module is plugged and routed. Can you help me on this? It will be really appreciated because is what I need to record my E-Drum as I want.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I'm going to take a wild swing at this, based on guesswork.

I think the root of your issue is that your kit is sampled in stereo, yet only has 4 stereo output buses, switchable to 8 mono. You are splitting your individual sounds into 8 mono recordings, in effect, whereas what I think you want are 8 stereo.

You can't render in place for 'pure' Midi. Midi contains no sound, only note data. As you don't wish to route this to a VST, then you just can't use your Midi track this way.

If you record your performance in Midi, which also gives you the opportunity to 'fix' things, timing, velocities etc, then you need to route that midi back out to the drum unit & re-record the result.
Once you have your routing set up to achieve this, then you can make your recording in two passes.

Set kick, snare, hats, ride each to a stereo bus 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8 [with the others to the Main bus] Record only the separate buses. Then switch all the outputs over - your remaining instruments to the stereo buses & the ones you already recorded to the Main. Again, record just the separate buses.

I'm basing this on images from the Note 5 page, showing the bus setup…

That will give you 8 stereo tracks.
Actually, looking again at the bus setup picture, maybe you can do the cymbals separately if you need to. As a precaution, check what comes over the Main bus if all instruments are routed to individual channels - just on the off-chance that the device sends ambience separately, which you'd also need to capture [or replace with plugin ambience/verb.

Anecdotally, this reminds me of how we used to record drum samples back in the days we could only play one sample at a time [early 80s] ;)