Hi browj2

Thank you for the response.... But I am still confused.... I have purchased MusicMaker 2014 (last night) and have installed it with no problems.  I have not hooked anything up yet.......When I go to the menu's on top, there are only two import options none which say "import a midi file".

Also allow me to ask you another question if I may..... Do I have to connect my keyboard ( for the sounds ) or can I play back a midi file and use the programs sounds ,then export to mp3 ?

My primary use is , to import a midi file , record the audio to a mp3......

Thanks for any help

Ron

Hi Ron,

Congratulations on your purchase. Did you get the regular or Premium version?

Make sure that you go to Help, Update program/Update functions, Download free synthesizer and sound packages. There is also a reminder and a button to do this when you start up the program. Download everything. This is usually the first step before doing anything, otherwise you probably have no instruments or soundpools.

You are looking at the wrong place for the files to put on the Arranger. Look at the bottom of the screen. There is a series of tabs, Soundpools, File Browswer, Instruments, etc. You want File Browser. Navigate to your midi file and drag it onto a track on the Arranger or double-click it. You can also use Windows Explorer to drag and drop a file onto a track.

The menu at the top is basically for saving and loading projects, not the files that go into a project. MMM is a non-destructive program. It uses the source file without modifying it (usually), and it remembers where it came from. This information along with anything that you do in the project is stored in the project file with the extension MMM. The actual audio file is not stored in the project file, only the location.

Midi files often come with information for the instrument. You can select your instrument at the very left of the track. Click on the + and a long list will open. If there is hardly anything, then you did not download everything as I indicated above.

See the image below for the File Browser, midi file, and instrument location.

You do not need to have your keyboard connected unless you want to record or play the midi composition back through the keyboard (unlikely). You use one of the MMM instruments.

For recording midi from the keyboard, remember to turn on and set up your keyboard before opening MMM, or MMM will not be able to detect it.

See some of my other posts in this Discussion forum and click on Questions to see other ones in which I go through the entire creation process.

When you have your song all done up, you go to the top menu, File, Export and select the mp3 formant.

You should take a look at the first part of the manual which is basically a tutorial and gives you a good overview of the steps.

Enjoy!