Can someone please try to duplicate this problem that PG has been unable to solve for me.

Please note
1) You have to be using an external synth for midi. I have tried two different synths and they behave the same, Switching to a software synth solves the problem.
2) It only happens using an ASIO driver (I use a Focusrite sound module). Switching to WAS or MME for audio solves the problem.
3) It never happened before 2021 and I think it started with 814. It still happens with 818 so please use 818 if you are going to try to duplicate.
4) I am using a fast I7/Win10 laptop

Here is the problem.

1) Load any existing “midi only” song or if it has RealDrums then switch the drums to midi by right clicking on the drum track and select “force drum track to midi drums”
2) Now try to play the song – I cannot get the song to start to play - nothing happens at all, no matter what I do.
3) Switch back to Real Drums by de-selecting “force midi drums” or load any RealTrack you like into an empty track – yes any Realtrack you like!!
4) Bingo – the song plays again normally.

To summarize - no song will start to play unless I have at least one track that is RT or RD i.e. not midi. This problem is NOT specific to any one song file.

I have been using BIAB for over 20 years and have never experienced anything like this until 2021.
You may discount someone using “midi only” but I have dozens of songs including Norton styles that I saved years ago and it is very irritating to have these suddenly not playing.


Thanks
Tony

Very clear problem statement Tony. I will try this as soon as I get to my computer later.

Many people work just with MIDI and your report is valuable.

Tony,

Unfortunately I don't use an external synth so I cannot help. What I wanted to double check though is that you downloaded the latest version of #818 that was released a couple of days ago. This has had extra tweaks than the version released for pre-release testing.

Regards,
Noel

Hi Tony

I wasn't able to reproduce your issue (sort of)
I started with a new song, 4 bars long and selected ZZLATADJ as the style
Output was set to ASIO with ASIO Audio Driver set to Focusrite USB 2.0
Output MIDI hardware is a Ketron SD2.

I generated the song, and only the count-in played, then nothing. There are only two instruments for this style (Drums and Bass, both MIDI). There was no activity on the VU meters after the count-in.

I then selected different styles, including Z3BOSSA and BOSANY and each time I generated, everything played OK.

I switched Audio Drivers to ASIO4ALL and the song still played OK.

All instruments are MIDI for all the styles I selected. I forced to MIDI if RealDrums showed in the selected style before generating.

(No doubt you would have performed a RTFS by now?)

Can I just discount one possibility? You said:

Load any existing “midi only” song or ...

This problem is NOT specific to any one song file

so does this mean if you create a new song (as VideoTrack did) with only MIDI tracks, it might work for you?

And is it possible that the songs you tested were downloaded from the Internet? In other words, do we know this happens with PG Music-supplied songs?

Thanks. Just trying to get the facts to diagnose.

It happens with a fresh install to a new folder, and using the default zzjazz.sty on a new song.

Andrew, thanks a million for stepping in. So from the above, does this mean that the cause has been identified, or just the conditions?

Neither, I was just answering Matt's question since I know that Tony has tried that.

Oh, OK. Thanks Andrew for clarifying. I misinterpreted.

And Tony, Return To factory Settings and start again also hasn't helped?

Thanks for the responses and to answer the questions above......

I have tried a return to factory settings.
I have tried version 818 but not 819 however from Andrew's comments he hasn't done anything to 819 to effect my problem.
I did try another computer and 818 was no better but 814 worked perfectly so this may have started after 814.
The problem is the same with either an existings song or a new song, or any midi style, the main thing is that it only happens where every track is midi. Add just one RT and the problem vanishes.
I don't have any songs downloaded from the internet.

You should also know that Andrew has already got me to try several other things.....
He suggested I run in "Safe Mode" and it made no difference.
He gave me a special test version of BIAB 2021 and it made no difference.
He gave me a special test version of BIAB 2020 and it worked perfectly so again it seems to be a 2021 issue.

Tony

Tony

I wonder could you attach one or two files that are giving you this issue (MIDI only files) and I'll try to see if I can replicate with them instead.

Tony, I downloaded all of your songs. All 3 of the MIDI files had playback problems until I changed to Drum track to a drum patch on my Yamaha Motif XS synth. The last file, with teh Norton file, played back perfect.

Keep in mind, although I'm using multiple external hard synths, my external synths are non-GM compliant so I have to reassign each part. But in your cases, all I had to do was to reassign the MIDI drum track to a MIDI drum track on my externals and the song played fine.

Perhaps, I'm misunderstanding the problem, if you let me know and I will work on it further.

Jeff

Tony,

I downloaded the files and was unable to replicate your issue. The first three played fine. The Notes Norton suggested it couldn't locate #8BTROK2.STY and substituted ZZJAZZ.STY (as expected). I had to change the Drums on this song to MIDI Drums. It too played fine using all MIDI tracks.

To prove it was definitely using external MIDI, I even powered off the Ketron SD2 while the song was playing and all sound stopped, and started again after powering the unit on again.

I notice that Jeff can reproduce your issue, so I hope that's good (in some sort of way?)

Could this be related in some way to the initialization of certain external devices, e.g. non GM MIDI compliant equipment?

I tried two songs without difficulty, All I Want and It Might as Well

I used build 819 and my Roland Integra-7 with its ASIO driver.

Thanks to those who tried to help, including Andrew from PG.

I have solved my problem – sort of.

After loading an all-midi song that won’t play I simply add any RT to a spare track – yes any old RT will do into any spare track.. Now the song will play as normal.
Then I mute the RT track using F5 so that it doesn’t screw up my song and bingo – the song still plays normally!!! I then re-save the song with this ghost muted RT.

I have finally learned my lesson. I have every type of style or RT that I could possibly use so 2012 is the last time I will ever purchase a new version – I hesitate to call them upgrades. I haven’t changed my equipment or configuration and nothing like this has happened in the last 20 years. Did you know that build 819 is on the way with 19 more ‘fixes’

Tony

Thanks for the workaround fix, Tony.

The addition of all the new requested tracks, then honoring requests to improve their function after release, has caused a few difficult problems like yours. I’m happy so many fixes are being issued, and I certainly would not give up what’s been gained while bugs are discovered and fixed. Your call.