Making a multi-layer recording in Hauptwerk

This tutorial is for those who want to make an audio or MIDI recording using Hauptwerk where they record different portions of the piece at different times.

For instance, you may want to record all the right and left hands now but go back and record the pedals later.

1) Make sure Hauptwerk outputs your recordings in a stereo file. Go to General Settings > Audio Outputs. If you plan to upload this .wav file to www.contrebombarde.com, make sure that the recording format is set to 16-bit.

2) Set or locate the folder that Hauptwerk saves recordings in. Make sure you know how to find that folder later. 

3) Load the organ you want to record with

4) Record the first part of your piece (we call this a "track" or a "layer") as a MIDI file specifying a file name. 

Get ready. Because as soon as you name your file and press "OK", Hauptwerk is starting to record everything you're doing into a MIDI file.

5) OK. Now Hauptwerk is recording.

6) Once you finish your first track or layer, you want to stop the recording.

7) Now you want to be able to hear what you have already played so that you can play over top of it. So, you need to load that file back into Hauptwerk. 

If you just finished recording your first track, you can simply click "Play MIDI file" and it will play the last recorded MIDI file.

If it's been a while, or you have recorded other MIDI tracks since the track you're looking for, you'll have to find it using "Load recent MIDI file" and then click on "Play MIDI file".

8) If you're happy with what you have recorded so far, then click "Play MIDI file" again but click on "Start MIDI recording specifying a file name" immediately after pressing play. Name the second file as version 2 (i.e  something like "My Performance pt 2")of the first one. Then play the second part over top while the first track plays.

9) Once you've finished playing over your first track. Click on "Stop audio/MIDI recording/playback" again.

Congratulations! The second track you recorded contains both what you played in track 1 as well as what you played over top of it. 

Now you have some options:

• You can play it back and listen to it any time you like by loading this file into Hauptwerk and playing it.
• You can re-record it if you don't like what you played the second time by repeating steps 7-9
• You can make an audio recording of this performance that you can burn onto a CD or listen to in your media player.

 Note:  All of this can be done using the large, floating control panel. 

You can make this control panel appear on screen by going to View > Large floating control panels > Recorder/player