Midi Newbie Using Pro Tools Free, Midi is a good thing, right? Options

[cydonia]

Hello.

Well i've been using pro tools free for audio recording, G4 450 448 MB Ram, OS 9.2. Kind of getting the hang of it.

I'm using a my old 4 track cassette recorder, apparently for its "pre-amp" capabilities. I also have an imic.

Most of the music i do is synth, techno, with some vocals.

I've been recording audio using my synth, but i recently bought a midiman midisport 2X2. I want to use midi, i've figured out how to record a track, but i can only play the sound through my keyboard. If i create an auxillary track, i can hear it through my computer speakers, but once i'm done recording and turn off the keyboard, i can't get any sound from the computer. I know there's a difference between midi files and audio, but i'm having a really hard time getting my head around this stuff. I'm reading the manuals, it just isn't clicking. It's too technical.

I'm used to plugging my synth into the 4-track, hitting record and that's it. Is this possible with midi? Can you offer some advice?

Thanx!

[bjkiwi]

as kaboombahchuck said midi is basically a set of instructions that 'tells' the instrument (your keyboard) what 2 play. It was originally designed as a communications protocol for keyboards to 'talk' with each other. Once u have a midi track u can edit it, cut copy and paste it and assign it 2 any sound u want, limited only by the 'midi receivables' u have (i.e. drum machines, keyboards, modules, virtual instruments like vst instruments etc...). The beauty about midi tracks is u can take time 2 put together a great track even if u are not a good player and then when you've 'assembled' your masterpiece u can assign it to any sound in your pallete. At any time u can go in and modify it.
Midi tracks take up far less hard drive space than audio tracks so yes u can record more of them but u'r limited as 2 how many u can hear at once by how instruments ('midi receivables') u have to read and play the instructions. You can only apply audio fx e.g. compression, eq and reverb to audio tracks and sources but not midi tracks. good luck and have fun...