DAW that can export as midi file ???

Support & discussion regarding DAWs and MIDI sequencers.

Moderators: MattKingUSA, khz

Post Reply
User avatar
NomadJago
Established Member
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2020 9:52 pm
Location: Duluth, Minnesota USA

DAW that can export as midi file ???

Post by NomadJago »

What is a good linux DAW (other than Reaper) that can export midi tracks as midi?

I was excited to try composing in Linux, but latency in Reaper is horrible (however I am not using JACK), so I thought okay I will learn and use Ardour. But I can see no way in Ardour to export a project or midi instrument tracks as midi so I could then import the exported midi in Reaper in Windows 10 to fine tune and use expensive high quality sampled instruments.

I am hoping there is a good DAW for Linux that can export to midi?
spamatica
Established Member
Posts: 573
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 10:38 am
Has thanked: 80 times
Been thanked: 97 times

Re: DAW that can export as midi file ???

Post by spamatica »

NomadJago wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 4:29 pm What is a good linux DAW (other than Reaper) that can export midi tracks as midi?

I was excited to try composing in Linux, but latency in Reaper is horrible (however I am not using JACK), so I thought okay I will learn and use Ardour. But I can see no way in Ardour to export a project or midi instrument tracks as midi so I could then import the exported midi in Reaper in Windows 10 to fine tune and use expensive high quality sampled instruments.

I am hoping there is a good DAW for Linux that can export to midi?
MusE and Qtractor can, probably Ardour can do this somewhere too.
MusE DAW
tavasti
Established Member
Posts: 2047
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 6:56 am
Location: Kangasala, Finland
Has thanked: 369 times
Been thanked: 208 times
Contact:

Re: DAW that can export as midi file ???

Post by tavasti »

I think in Ardour, there is no midi export. However, you can get midi clips from ardour project directory. And if your midi work consists from many clips, connect your midi track to new midi track (for example called 'MidiExport'), record it to there, and then you will find it under YourSongName/interchange/YourSongName/midifiles/MidiExport-1.mid

Linux veteran & Novice musician

Latest track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycVrgGtrBmM

User avatar
NomadJago
Established Member
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2020 9:52 pm
Location: Duluth, Minnesota USA

Re: DAW that can export as midi file ???

Post by NomadJago »

tavasti wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 7:30 pm I think in Ardour, there is no midi export. However, you can get midi clips from ardour project directory. And if your midi work consists from many clips, connect your midi track to new midi track (for example called 'MidiExport'), record it to there, and then you will find it under YourSongName/interchange/YourSongName/midifiles/MidiExport-1.mid
Yeah I just learned of this a few minutes ago actually. Tracks in Ardour (I am using v5.12) actually are automagically saved as midi files in a subdirectory of an Ardour project's folder. I find it quite puzzling that this happens, and yet there is no option to save tracks manually as midi from the File Export menu. Obviously Ardour can and DOES save midi tracks as midi files, you just can not tell Ardour to this this. I have renewed interest in Ardour as I see version 6.5 is available as a demo trial or as a paid or subscription at the Ardour website.
folderol
Established Member
Posts: 2069
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 8:06 pm
Location: Here, of course!
Has thanked: 224 times
Been thanked: 400 times
Contact:

Re: DAW that can export as midi file ???

Post by folderol »

Not strictly a DAW but Rosegarden can export MIDI.
The Yoshimi guy {apparently now an 'elderly'}
User avatar
NomadJago
Established Member
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2020 9:52 pm
Location: Duluth, Minnesota USA

Re: DAW that can export as midi file ???

Post by NomadJago »

folderol wrote: Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:59 pm Not strictly a DAW but Rosegarden can export MIDI.
I can't do RoseGarden, I can't lol. I leased a furnished house recently that me and my friends nicknamed the Rose Lady House. Damn roses everywhere in the house-- rose patterns in the furniture, in all the curtains, in the wallpaper, roses in planters around the house, roses on the blankets of the beds, ahhhh arrrhhhh it was maddening! No more roses!
folderol
Established Member
Posts: 2069
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2015 8:06 pm
Location: Here, of course!
Has thanked: 224 times
Been thanked: 400 times
Contact:

Re: DAW that can export as midi file ???

Post by folderol »

Screen cleaner please!
Best laugh I've had for ages :lol:
The Yoshimi guy {apparently now an 'elderly'}
User avatar
Michael Willis
Established Member
Posts: 1451
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 3:27 pm
Location: Rocky Mountains, North America
Has thanked: 69 times
Been thanked: 163 times
Contact:

Re: DAW that can export as midi file ???

Post by Michael Willis »

In Ardour you can make a midi track and "bounce" multiple midi channels to that track, recording a single region that you can then find as a single midi file. It's not exactly a simple process and takes a lot of steps, but it can be done. I can give you more details if you want to try it.

Regarding midi in Ardour, you have to understand that Ardour was initially designed as only a mult-itrack audio DAW. It didn't even support midi tracks until v3. For whatever reasons, I actually like the midi features in Ardour, but I can understand why many people are frustrated by Ardour's midi support.
User avatar
NomadJago
Established Member
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2020 9:52 pm
Location: Duluth, Minnesota USA

Re: DAW that can export as midi file ???

Post by NomadJago »

Ardour may become moot, idk. Today I was able to get JACK and Reaper working well together and I use Reaper as my main DAW in Windows. So if I can get Reaper for Linux working nicely well then I am golden in Linux. Reaper works nice with midi, including a score editor besides of course the piano roll, and I was able to easily drag and drop a video file into Reaper for Linux, important as my main interest is film scoring besides non film composing.
Post Reply