The Steel Guitar Forum

When I render a file to my desktop as a midi, the audio within in BIAB stops working. I went to options and selected midi driver setup thinking I knew what I was doing. Wrong! I lost all audio on my computer! I ran a system restore which worked, but what the heck is going on?
gLg

Gary, I'd like to help if I can, but that scenario doesn't make sense to me. Possibly if you tell me what to did step by step, I could get a better picture of what transpired. Midi should have nothing to do with audio. When you say you lost all audio was that on the whole computer? or just in BIAB.

Why did you render to midi from BIAB to your desktop?

Did you try to play the rendered midi while BIAB was playing?

Too many unanswered questions at this point, sorry.

Why did you render to midi from BIAB to your desktop?

I don't make MIDI files, but I always render BIAB WAV files to my desktop, and they play file on the desktop in WINAMP (or whatever default audio player the computer has), independent of BIAB.

Robert,
I have some pals who requested sound tracks because they don't have BIAB. On previous requests, I loaded a WAV only to experience this same problem. For me, a desktop location is easy to find and attach to an email.

Here are the steps I took yesterday.
1) Clicked on File and selected make a standard midi file, destination desktop
2) Opened up the file to ensure it played in WMP, then closed up the player
3)Loaded new tune in BIAB, selected play, NO AUDIO

After my audio ceased to exist in BIAB, I selected options and then midi driver set up. The fact is, my minimal aptitude is no replacement for lacking experience in BIAB. I viewed on PG's support page, the midi driver video. Everything seemed to be set correctly but I could have missed something. I closed up the midi driver dialog box, still no audio, but this time, audio within all other applications stopped. This is when I executed system restore and all was fine.

You should use the render to wav function rather than MIDI. Then any media player will play them.

If you render to MIDI (which is what BIAB uses to play songs) then you will need a MIDI player or a media player that has MIDI capability to play them.

Jack, initially, I did just that but had the same loss of audio issue to deal with. So, I tried the midi render option since that file will play in WMP, and most folks have WMP.

Were you actually making a "wav" file or an MP3 file? (one of the options in BIAB). MP3 files are "something less than full fidelity" and you could lose something compared to a MIDI or wav file.

Gary.

It sounds as though another program be it WinAmp, or Windows Media is taking over as the default file player.

If you first open BIAB and play a .mgu or .sug file you hear everything ok? If so these file usually have no audio in them, they are normally all midi unless you have used RealTracks in the BIAB song.

If this is the case, once you render your .mgu or .sgu file from BIAB to a midi file or wav on your desk top and close BIAB you should then be able to play the file with another program. WinAmp, etc.

If you then try to open this SAME file in BIAB, it will not play is that correct? Have you tried playing a different BIAB file in BIAB?

I may be confused. When you say Audio, are you referring to actual audio files, or just that there is no sound coming thru your speakers?

Sorry if I'm confusing the issues, just trying to help.

Robert,
Thanks for you input here! When I say audio, nothing comes out of my speakers even when I restart the computer, no WindoZ jingle. I'll check out the file extensions, but I am not sure if I want to take a chance at losing my audio again. I feel so helpless.....When I bust a string, its an easy fix, much easier it would seem to find out what happened with my audio problem. I was hoping this issue had been experienced elsewhere with an easy fix....oh well, time to pick some steel

Sounds like the computer's audio settings. I don't know what system you're using, but on my PC I click Start/Control Panel/Sounds & Audio Devices/Audio, and then check off "Use only default devices". You can also specify which driver to use for MIDI music playback and sound playback. And you can test the speaker output in the Audio options section. It's a matter of trial and error, unfortunately. Also, do a Google search on MIDI playback settings for your system. I've solved a lot of computer problems with Google searches like "XP folders won't open"... etc.

Thanks Doug, that sounds like an easy task, I hope. Oh, I am on XP.
gLg

Yep, what Doug said. I wish you luck my friend, it can be frustrating until you figure it out on your system.

Without some PC spec's it's tough trying to troubleshoot (I do this on a daily basis on the Dell users forum). System Restore will get the audio back, but the fact that it's "bad" when Windows starts throws another kink in troubleshooting. My guess is that some media program is changing the sound parameters.

Does this happen ONLY after using BIAB, or does it happen at other times? Just trying to narrow it down a little.

If you have recently downloaded any player programs such as WinAmp, or Rhapsody or itunes or anything else. This may be controlling the sound system of your computer. You might try to Google trouble shooting for xp sound.