How to record MIDI, part 3: Recording with Red Dot Forever
February 24th, 2008If everything is set up, you will need to get a program to record MIDI. There are many available, commercial and free, but I prefer to use Red Dot Forever.
This is my favorite program because:
- it is very simple to use
- it is free
- and I wrote it myself
Click here to download the latest version of Red Dot Forever (1.04)
This is what it looks like:
First, click the OPTIONS button to get the Options screen:
Here you choose which MIDI Input to use (for recording) and which MIDI Output (for playback). These fields show the MIDI hardware that is currently attached to your computer. If your instrument shows up here, everything is ready to go!
Choose your instrument’s MIDI devices for both Input and Output and click Close to return to the main screen.
Make sure your piano or keyboard is on and that the cables are connected, and press REC. Play some funky stuff. Press STOP to stop recording, and then PLAY to hear your piano (or the computer) play back what you just recorded. If you are not happy with your recording, press REC again.
If you are satisfied with your recording, press SAVE to write the recording as a MIDI file (also called “SMF file” or Standard MIDI File) to your computer.
NOTE: If your piano stops making sound when recording, you may have to enable “Local Control” on your instrument. On some instruments an active MIDI connection will turn off the sound, but Local Control will turn it back on again. There may be a switch at the back of your instrument or it may be an option somewhere. See your manual for details.
You can also enable Echo input while recording in the Options menu. This will send the notes you just played back to the device chosen for MIDI Output, but they may have a small delay, depending on your computer.
In its current form, Red Dot Forever cannot be used to edit your recordings. If you need to make changes to your MIDI files, I recommend the free Anvil Studio.
Most keyboards will let you configure MIDI output and input into the tiniest of details. If something doesn’t work like it should, check out the MIDI section of your manual.
Red Dot Forever is open source software. That means the source code is available for anyone to download and extend. Visit the SourceForge Project Page or download the source code.
If you enjoy using Red Dot Forever, you are welcome to make a donation to help us continue to develop and support this fine program. Thank you!
September 26th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
The RED DOT FOREVER it´s fantastic……………..
I would like to know if some exists version of RED DOT FOREVER with edition. do she exist, which would the cost of that program be?
I await an answer. . . Thank you. . .
walves8@itelefonica.com.br Wilson
October 12th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Hi, sorry for the slow answer.
There is currently no version of Red Dot Forever that allows you to edit your recordings. For a free MIDI editing program you can use Anvil Studio or REAPER.
December 17th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Hi,
I have a Yamaha SR290 and an M-Audio USB cable. When sending from the keyboard to Red Dot, only an occasional note is received. I’ve been able to send MIDI to the keyboard with the cable, but not the other way around. Do you think the problem is with Red Dot or the hardware?
Thanks.
December 17th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Try recording with another MIDI program such as Anvil Studio and see if that works. If that doesn’t work either, then it’s either a problem with the hardware or with the software drivers. Also make sure your cables are plugged in the right way (MIDI IN to MIDI OUT, MIDI OUT to MIDI IN).
http://www.anvilstudio.com/
March 5th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Great and simple soft! Thanks a lot!
Any plans ’bout multi-tracking?
The only 2 things needed to be included for ideal soft 4 many people:
1) tuneable metronome with accented beats (every 4, 3 etc. beats)
1.1) possible optional aligning the recorded notes’ starts to the tempo greed
2) background midi play with\without mixing to output midi file. (VERY useful!)
And that’s all. Your application will turn to an professional tool rather than “one voice toy”.
P.S.: editor would be fine too =) =)
March 10th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
this website is great! i learned many things since im new in recording,
but can someone tell me please how to avoid delay,cz it sucks, everytime i try to record,the sound lags,and some notes are played with a higher volume!:S what should i do?or what soundcard should i have?
March 21st, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Absolutely terrific, having been trying to aquire a program to record using MIDI. The moment i record and played back it was very satisfying, I’ll be sure to use this program when recording now.
Well done =)
April 13th, 2009 at 5:45 am
Thanks so much! Finally a clear, helpful teacher to walk me through creating a basic set-up for recording music.
Excellent, SIMPLE software and information.
You rock.
June 8th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Hi,
i have problem…i have yamaha keyboard and red dot records what i am playing on the keyboard, but nothing else from keyboard, which has about hundred of midi files ???
June 8th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
It looks like your keyboard does not send its built-in files out over MIDI when you play them back. That appears to be a common thing, by the way.
October 11th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
When I try to record my keyboard, Red Dot Forever says ‘Could not open MIDI input for recording’.
My keyboard (Roland RO-150) is connected to my soundcard’s gameport, the MIDI In cable is connected to MIDI Out on the keyboard and MIDI out to MIDI in… any idea what I’m doing wrong?
Thanks
October 11th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Does Red Dot Forever show anything in the MIDI Input box on the Options screen? If not, you may have to install a driver for the MIDI on your soundcard.
October 11th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
It says ‘MPU 401′… I think that’s something wrong with either the cable or the keyboard, but I’m not sure. The weird thing with the cable is that it has two gameport outputs, one male and one female, but only the male one fits in the slot, there is no slot for the female output…
Thanks for helping
October 13th, 2009 at 2:13 am
I connected my Roland r8 drum machine to the computer with the midi connected as you said and the triggers for recording, stopping and playing show that they are working, but no sound plays on my computer. Please help so that my $10.42 were not for nothing.
October 13th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
When you record MIDI, you don’t actually record sound. Instead, you record messages that say which notes should be played. If you actually want to hear sound, then you should send the recorded MIDI to a device that can turn MIDI messages into sound. For example, you can send the MIDI back to your Roland R8 and it will play the sounds you recorded.
If you want to record the actual sound into the computer, then you’ll have to hook up the R8’s audio outputs to the computer. There are some other articles on this site that tell you how to do that. You cannot use MIDI for that.
October 24th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Can you give a link to those articles please?
October 24th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Nevermind, I already found it.
November 1st, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Hi,
Ik have the following problem. When I record something I’m playing on my keyboard (MIDI -> USB connection), only the first note is recorded. This note sustains until it’s gone, and then the note which I was playing at the time (so not the second note, but whatever note I’m playing when the sustain ends)is recorded and sustains until gone.
I’ve tried my best googling the answer but can’t seem to find it. I hope you can help.
Regards,
April 24th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
I just found you, and I want to say instructions and your Red Dot Forever are the coolest things I’ve run across in a long time!! Wow! Absolutely cool. I just recorded my first .mp3 and can now send out some of my writings to friends. Previously, I’d had to use a camcorder to record myself, and the files were so huge I had to learn from my son to use Dropbox.
Do you have a name? Could you write me back?
Anyway, thanks a million!!!!!
May 10th, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Great stuff! Thanks.
I wanted to send an e-mail, but I hope you read this!
July 6th, 2010 at 11:18 am
Hey, im having trouble
i’ve connected my roland fp-4 to my computer through a direct cable connection. but the thing is, red dot forever is unable to detect my piano, hence, unable to record.
i tried installing the drivers and etc.. but it still doesnt work
any ideas? :O
July 7th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
I have the same problem as Tim. ^
I have tried to connected my Medeli Stage Piano to my computer but it won’t connect. I have used a midi cable. Do I need to both plug in “IN” and “OUT”? I have got only one cable so I have only plugged in “OUT” at the moment. Could that be why it isn’t working?
Thanks in advance!
July 7th, 2010 at 5:09 pm
Hey.. i am having trouble with this.. I connected my midi connecter and everything seemed fine but when I play a note on my yamaha piano no sound comes out neither do I hear anything when I playback what I recorded.. help soon plz
July 7th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Did you use a MIDI cable or an audio cable? Red Dot Forever only records MIDI, not audio.
Do any other programs see your Piano? (Such as Anvil Studio?)
July 7th, 2010 at 6:45 pm
To record you just need the OUT on your piano, and you connect it to the IN on your computer. Install the software drivers, and if Red Dot Forever doesn’t see your piano, try it with Anvil Studio.
July 7th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Go into the settings of your Yamaha and set “Local Control” to off. It may be called slightly differently on your piano, but it will have a setting like that. If it’s on, your piano won’t make any sound (so you can use it to control another sound module).
July 8th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Thanks very much I followed instructions and I was able to record finally.. another question I have is how to do it the other way around.. meaning how to transfer midi songs from pc to piano and where to save them as my keyboard doesn’t contain a slot for a flash drive or usb
and if I managed to save the songs on the system, then how do I go about mixing my recording with the song..
I am very new to this but I play well.. Is there a way that i could get only the background of a song that I want to play (music without the actual piano playing) so I could play using that? isnt that what midi files are all about? sorry if I sounded like a complete newbie but I really am and any help would enrich my knowledge of midi immensely.. thx
July 8th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Hey just recorded something for the first time and when I played it back the song was completely out of tune it sounded nothing like the original song
I will try it with anvil studio and see if there s any improvement ..
July 8th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Anvil studio didnt work either the song was completely messed up i dont know what to do anymore I thought after long days of online searching that I’ve come to the right software but now that I am completely out of softwares as I’ve tried audacity magix this one and many more you name it, I am starting to think of returning my ux16 yamaha and go back to recording songs using my camera :((