Jump to content

Importing MIDI and Tracks that don't appear [help]


Recommended Posts

First of all, hello my name is Viny deWonderful. You can call me Viny.

I've been composing and doing re-imagination of game music and whatnot, as you'd expect of someone in a O.C. Remix forum.

I have been encountering a problem that I can't seem to find a fix online. Maybe someone that better understand the workings of MIDI files can help me out. I'd appreciate it very much.

Here is the problem:

I have some MIDI files that on Windows Media player play the drums, but when I import them to one of the twos DAWs I use (which are FL Studio and Cubase) they only import the other tracks, not the percussion.

When I import them to MidiSheetMusic 2.4 it also only show the other tracks, but in this program I'm able to select an option to show the percussion. So I want to know if there is a way to import the complete MIDI notation to the DAWs I use or if there is a handy program out there that I might use to edit and save the MIDI file in a way that I can proper import it with my preferred programs.

Thank you so much for reading my post! I really appreciate any help and comments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is the problem:

I have some MIDI files that on Windows Media player play the drums, but when I import them to one of the twos DAWs I use (which are FL Studio and Cubase) they only import the other tracks, not the percussion.

When I import them to MidiSheetMusic 2.4 it also only show the other tracks, but in this program I'm able to select an option to show the percussion. So I want to know if there is a way to import the complete MIDI notation to the DAWs I use or if there is a handy program out there that I might use to edit and save the MIDI file in a way that I can proper import it with my preferred programs.

Thank you so much for reading my post! I really appreciate any help and comments.

Did you try loading up the piano roll in a new, unused instrument channel and going to the upper-left arrow? It was Ctrl+M to import a MIDI, I believe. Should be under the first menu option from the arrow. Then you can select which track to import. Hopefully it's under there. If not, I dunno at the moment, I'm just typing this from memory :-P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you try loading up the piano roll in a new, unused instrument channel and going to the upper-left arrow? It was Ctrl+M to import a MIDI, I believe. Should be under the first menu option from the arrow. Then you can select which track to import. Hopefully it's under there. If not, I dunno at the moment, I'm just typing this from memory

You mean in Cubase or FL Studio? I couldn't find anything like you described in either of them.

Here is a printscreen from the MidiSheetMusic I told you about. It's the only program I have I can load this track.

20141015072701.jpg?1413325643

Thank you both for the replies. I'm new here at OCremix, and it's splendid to see that the community is active and welcoming.

Edited by Viny deWonderful
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You mean in Cubase or FL Studio? I couldn't find anything like you described in either of them.

I was referring to this:

https://www.image-line.com/support/FLHelp/html/pianoroll_menu.htm

So yes, it was where I was thinking, it seems. Upper-left arrow in the piano roll, first option (File), or just Ctrl+M once the piano roll is opened (F7). And then it should give a window that asks you which tracks to import once you choose the MIDI file. Does that work?

If not, then it seems like you may have managed to get the percussion to import into MidiSheetMusic. Is it possible for you to export just the percussion off of there, and import, in the same way as above within FL's piano roll, the percussion track separately from the other tracks? I don't see an Export function in the MidiSheetMusic program.

Edited by timaeus222
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I found it now! unfortunately...

I have tried importing a different Midi file and it shows that I can import: 'All Tracks' or "track 01', 'track 02' etc... Just as you have suggested. But with this elusive Midi file I'm trying to work with the FL Studio only shows 'All Tracks' or 'Track 0' (Both give the same result). I think that the rather weird behavior coming from these files are given to the fact that they are .vgm files converted into .mid. Still I wish I understood why some programs don't recognize it as they would a normal midi file.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I found it now! unfortunately...

I have tried importing a different Midi file and it shows that I can import: 'All Tracks' or "track 01', 'track 02' etc... Just as you have suggested. But with this elusive Midi file I'm trying to work with the FL Studio only shows 'All Tracks' or 'Track 0' (Both give the same result). I think that the rather weird behavior coming from these files are given to the fact that they are .vgm files converted into .mid. Still I wish I understood why some programs don't recognize it as they would a normal midi file.

when I import them to one of the twos DAWs I use (which are FL Studio and Cubase) they only import the other tracks, not the percussion.

Well... you could always try recreating the MIDI I suppose, though that would defeat the purpose of trying to import it. =P You have everything except the drums, right? Can you write the drums by ear? (It's better than writing all the tracks by ear ;-))

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes in this case I think I can. : )

But Some musics I believe will be harder in the future, since all midis I have acquired by means of converting .vgm neglects the percussion line.

I'll continue to try some Midi editing programs and see which I can edit the file to work normally. Nonetheless, thank you ever so much Timaeus. I really appreciate your help!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I found it now! unfortunately...

I have tried importing a different Midi file and it shows that I can import: 'All Tracks' or "track 01', 'track 02' etc... Just as you have suggested. But with this elusive Midi file I'm trying to work with the FL Studio only shows 'All Tracks' or 'Track 0' (Both give the same result). I think that the rather weird behavior coming from these files are given to the fact that they are .vgm files converted into .mid. Still I wish I understood why some programs don't recognize it as they would a normal midi file.

It sounds like the MIDI file may be type 0, where everything is saved into a single track within the file rather than split into multiple tracks. Why this would affect importing the drums, though, I'm not sure. The file distinguishes internally between tracks by putting things on different channels within the same track, so make certain that when you're importing, you're importing all channels (especially channel 10, which is where the drums probably are).

Edited by Moseph
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Post the file here, we'll try it

There you go, friend:

http://www.4shared.com/music/oGjWYJDWce/Pit_Pot_-_02_-_Main_Theme.html?

It sounds like the MIDI file may be type 0, where everything is saved into a single track within the file rather than split into multiple tracks. Why this would affect importing the drums, though, I'm not sure. The file distinguishes internally between tracks by putting things on different channels within the same track, so make certain that when you're importing, you're importing all channels (especially channel 10, which is where the drums probably are).

These files are from the good old Sega Master System and I have converted to midi different files from various games. All of them have 4 tracks. However, the position of the percussion line changes from game to game when I look them up on MidiSheetMusic, but in all of them the percussion is ignored. I think you're right in presuming that the tracks are all jammed into one, but they ought to have some bit of information distinguishing them for when I import to Cubase and FL Studio I'm able to import the 3 lines in separated piano rolls.

Thank you guys again for responding!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You need to work with dropbox, your link is asking for a facebook like :-(

Oh yes. I think you need an account or a facebook like to download things from 4shared, I have absolutely forgotten that since I am most of the time logged into my account.

Here. I have made the dropbox you spoke of...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tmbrr191437ii11/Pit%20Pot%20-%2002%20-%20Main%20Theme.mid?dl=0

Thank you for the idea!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I import it to Finale, I get three tracks plus the percussion track (which is on track 10). When I import it to Sonar, I get four tracks plus the percussion track (still on track 10). The extra track, which is on channel 4 and thus is imported as track 4 consists of a bunch of notes on the same note as the percussion track with a velocity of 64 and a duration of 0 in a rhythm that resembles the percussion track but is not identical.

If I re-export the MIDI from Sonar, the mysterious track 4 then shows up when I import the new file to Finale.

I'm guessing it's a problem with whatever program did the conversion to MIDI. Anyway, I've uploaded both type 0 and type 1 exports of the file from Sonar -- see if one of these reads properly for you.

Sonar export - type 0

Sonar export - type 1

Edited by Moseph
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Both files you posted work perfectly as I once hoped they would in the first place. Thank you very very much! I will take a look in those softwares you mention to give the proper conversion to my files.

I'm guessing it's a problem with whatever program did the conversion to MIDI. Anyway, I've uploaded both type 0 and type 1 exports of the file from Sonar -- see if one of these reads properly for you.

This is the program that converted the files to midi:

http://www.benryves.com/products/vgm2midi

In the page above they do mention some abnormalities with the percussion channel derived from the difference between the two types of files...

"The 4th channel of the PSG (channel number 3) operates in two different modes - white noise (used for percussion) or periodic noise (sometimes used as bass). Because of this, anything that affects channel 3 will also affect the percussive effects."

Maybe some of you might make more sense of the programming that is explained on the page.

And again, I'm very grateful for the help, indeed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...