Changing piano sounds on a midi file in Cubase6

Hi,
I am a new-be at this. I am trying to change the sounds of the cheesy midi piano on the midi file that I have loaded into Cubase6 already. How do I do this? I got as far as auditioning some different sounds but it keeps going back to the original “bright acoustic piano.” Also, is it possible to assign two or more piano sounds to the same midi track and mix them together?
The song I am working on is Be Good To Yourself by Journey just for a reference for the keyboard sound that I am trying to get. Any advice on which mix of pianos to use would be very helpful too.
Thanks,
Norm

Load up Halion Sonic SE, then route the MIDI track to one of the pianos therein. Sorry, I don’t know the specific sound in that song, but at least this will get you a decent piano sound to start editing (the S90 is a pretty good basic piano sound, and there are others).

Thanks for the quick reply! How do I get it to stop going back to the old piano sound every time it starts?

Once you have the piano sound (and any other sounds) set up the way you like it save the project as a template. Then use that template when you create a new project.

Also if you want the same midi data to play two different instruments, duplicate the midi (or instrument) track with the midi data and assign a new instrument to to this copy.

OK, I was able to duplicate the piano track and after finding the right piano sounds, I tried to save it as a template. But as soon as it plays through again, both of the piano tracks still go right back to the original “bright acoustic piano” sound.

If this is on a pre-existing midi track, the midi data itself could be changing the instrument. Use the midi list editor to see if there are any program change commands in the midi data that are setting the instrument. If so, delete those. Lot’s of midi tracks you find on the net will set the track to play a specific GM instrument so that playback is somewhat consistent on different computers.

If that doesn’t work, you should post a detailed description of exactly what you are doing since the behavior you are describing typically doesn’t occur.

Most of the time you wouldn’t include a midi sequence as part of a template. Typically templates are used as a blank starting point with a set of instruments and audio tracks you like along with other configuration stuff you want (things like reverbs or other plugs you want to be initially available when creating a new project). Think of it as configuring a word processor with the type and size of font you want to use.

Had the same going on today, working on prefabricated midifiles. Load up new halion sonic and link the miditrack to that one, programs won’t change again.
Other than that you would have to change or erase every CC in the file.

All you do is open the List Editor and delete the PC at the beginning. :unamused:

I was just following the directions given on one of earlier answers as far as the template was concerned. Was that advice incorrect?

Thanks for the help…Is that an upgrade that I need to get somewhere on the internet?

Thanks to all for the Program Change information. I am working on trying to get that off of the files now until I find out about the new halion sonic.

I gave you that advice and it was based on not understanding that your project had a track with midi data already loaded. The problem it sounded like you were having is that you were creating a brand new project and then changing the piano to what you liked. But then the next time you created another new project it had the old piano you didn’t like and not the new one you did like. To solve that problem you use templates. Then whenever you create a brand new project using that template it will use the piano you like by default.

But the problem you seem to have is different since you have midi data already in the project.

You might want to check out a book from the library about midi basics to give you some grounding on how it works.

By the way in the list editor you can use the filters to just show program change data (or any other data types) which can make finding and deleting it easier.

I haven’t seen it mentioned anywhere… are you saving the project? saving as a template will cause the new project that is started with that template to start with that piano sound. if you want that original project to load with the new piano sound every time you have to save the project (just a regular save not save as a template).
J.L.

I gave you that advice and it was based on not understanding that your project had a track with midi data already loaded. The problem it sounded like you were having is that you were creating a brand new project and then changing the piano to what you liked. But then the next time you created another new project it had the old piano you didn’t like and not the new one you did like. To solve that problem you use templates. Then whenever you create a brand new project using that template it will use the piano you like by default.

But the problem you seem to have is different since you have midi data already in the project.

You might want to check out a book from the library about midi basics to give you some grounding on how it works.

By the way in the list editor you can use the filters to just show program change data (or any other data types) which can make finding and deleting it easier.[/quote]
OK, thanks!

I have been saving the project but that didn’t stop it from reloading the old piano sound. I just downloaded the updates for Cubase AND the VST samples so maybe between all of these things I can get it to work.

Journey Keys - do you know about the List Editor? It’s got a list of all the commands for that track sequentially in time. Somewhere in there there might be a command, a Program Change, that is set to tell it to choose the sound you don’t want. You could replace it or delete it, and see if that works.

I don’t go in there much, but if you can’t identify which line is the Program Change command, if you then posted or linked to your List Editor file maybe someone could point it out.

Also, if you’re going to do that, may be helpful to also post a picture of your inspector with the track highlighted.

People should read before posting. :unamused: :unamused: :unamused: