Studio One MIDI Explained
Join veteran Groove3 instructor Gary Hiebner for a comprehensive Studio One video course on using MIDI. If you've never used MIDI in Studio One before, this is the course to start with. Not only will you learn how to set up your MIDI devices (keyboards, pads, etc.) and get them working properly in Studio One, but you'll also learn tons of useful tips on recording and editing MIDI data, helpful S1 features like the Chord Track, using drum maps and patterns, adding MIDI automation, and much more! These Studio One videos are designed for Studio One users that are new to the subject of MIDI.
Videos
• Setting Up Your MIDI Devices & Creating Instruments (04:01) - We start off this video series by showing you how to set up your MIDI devices connected to your system in the External Devices page in Studio One. You'll also see how to create instruments and assign MIDI controller devices to them.
• Your MIDI Editing Tools (06:16) - Here, you'll see how to create MIDI parts, input MIDI note data, and use the different MIDI tools to edit your MIDI performances.
• Editing & Randomizing Velocities (06:12) - Explore how to edit your MIDI velocities to control the dynamics of your instruments. You'll also see how you can use some MIDI actions to randomize your velocities.
• Advanced Quantize Options (05:27) - Watch how to use quantize to improve the timing of your MIDI performances. We explain how to set the different quantize values and add swing or set different quantize types, such as straight or triplet quantization.
• Changing Note Lengths (05:25) - Learn how to change the length of your MIDI notes with the options in the Musical Functions window. Plus, you see how you can use the Legato and Overlap correction options.
• Double, Half Time & Stretching Notes (04:33) - Next, we take a look at how to double and half time the MIDI note data. Gary also demonstrates how to use the time stretching tool to either expand or compress a MIDI part and the contained MIDI note data in the part.
• Pitching Your MIDI (05:28) - This video shows various shortcuts, including the Macros view, to shift the pitch of your MIDI notes. You can either transpose the notes by different intervals, shift them up or down to different octaves, or use the Double feature to create chords from single notes.
• Step Recording (04:00) - Here we look at how to use the Step Recording feature to record your MIDI notes in non-realtime. You can input notes and set up the note lengths and velocity amounts one by one if necessary.
• Snapping MIDI to Scale (05:36) - Here, we explore the Snap to Scale feature, see how to enable it, and learn how you can use it to make sure your notes are snapping to a specific scale or mode. You'll also see how the Pitch Visibility function works and how you can view notes within the scale or mode.
• Piano, Drum & Score Views (04:25) - Examine the differences between the Piano, Drum, and Score views and see why you would want to use each one.
• Using the Chord Track (05:30) - Learn how to use the Chord Track to detect chords in your MIDI parts and use the Chord Track Chord Selector to change up and/or enhance your chord progressions.
• Using Drum Maps (04:57) - Here, you'll see how handy the Drum Maps are and how you can use them to know the exact drum hit for each MIDI pitch. You'll also see how you can create your own drum maps for your third-party drum instruments.
• Filtering MIDI Notes (02:42) - With the MIDI Filtering functions, you can filter out specific notes from your MIDI performances. This works really well when you're working with drums and need to filter out some of the performance.
• Using Patterns (06:59) - Learn how to use Patterns over MIDI parts and how you work with these step sequencer-style patterns. You can fill in the steps with the shortcut functionality and add velocity changes, gating, and accents to your steps in the MIDI pattern.
• Setting Up a Multi-Output Instrument (04:38) - In this video, we see how to set up and work with instruments using multiple outputs, such as a drum kit. This allows you to process each part of the kit separately if necessary.
• Setting Up a Multi-Layered Instrument (03:49) - Here, we see how to create a multi-layered instrument by packing the instrument tracks into a folder. This way, you only need to record arm the folder track to play back all the instruments layered within.
• Using Keyswitch Sound Variations for Better Articulation Changes with Instruments (04:34) - Studio One has the built-in Sound Variations feature that allows you to switch the articulations on an instrument instead of using key switching. In this video, you'll see how to use the feature and how well it works with articulation changes.
• Creating Your Own Sound Variations for Third-Party Instruments (05:34) - In the last video, you saw how to work with the sound variations on stock instruments in Studio One. Now you'll see how to create and save your own sound variations for third-party instruments to help you more smoothly switch articulations on them.
• Creating Interest with Other Automation Data (04:42) - Many people are familiar with using the velocity automation lane. But here, we'll explore how we can use some of the other automation lanes, like Modulation and Pitch Bend, to create extra interest with our instruments.
• Converting Audio to MIDI (05:25) - In this video, you'll see how to use the included Melodyne plug-in in Studio One to analyze an audio part to detect the pitch information. You can then create a MIDI part from this detected Melodyne pitch data. This is a great way to take your audio parts, convert them to MIDI, and then add these MIDI parts to any virtual instrument.
• Using Note FX (07:30) - Now we explore the Note FX and see how you can use these to manipulate your MIDI note data. There are 4 effects: Arpeggiator, Chorder, Repeater, and the Input Filter. You'll also see how you can gate and add swing with the Note FX to further enhance the altered MIDI data.
• Writing Your Own Drums & Bass (07:17) - In this video, you'll see a step-by-step demonstration of how we can write our own drums and bass using the techniques we've learned thus far. I use the Drum Editor to build up the drum pattern and use extra MIDI tracks to create extra drum hits for the drums. We finish off the video creating a bass part with the Mai Tai synth.
• Adding Chords & Melody (16:04) - To finish off the series, Gary shows how you can create your own chords and melodies that can go over the drums and bass created in the previous video. We find the scale and mode and build up the chord progression, adding complexity with the Chord Selector. Then we create an arpeggiated melody with Note FX (using Sound Variations with a strings instrument) and finally finish off with a melody created using the Step Record feature.