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When selecting RT in the picker, there is an option to "Force this track to MIDI"...
2 questions for seasoned users please.

1) If RT is already selected in mixer is there a simple way to disable RT replacing it with MIDI chart of that track (without going to picker again and re-selecting track)?

2) If #1 is possible, is there a way to toggle between RT / MIDI without going into picker?

Thank you in advance!

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Following. I don’t know.

I remember having a difficult time quite a few years ago changing a track from RealTrack to MIDI. Since the addition of Utility Tracks, I haven’t needed to do that.


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Originally Posted By: Rustyspoon#
When selecting RT in the picker, there is an option to "Force this track to MIDI"...
2 questions for seasoned users please.

1) If RT is already selected in mixer is there a simple way to disable RT replacing it with MIDI chart of that track (without going to picker again and re-selecting track)?

2) If #1 is possible, is there a way to toggle between RT / MIDI without going into picker?

Thank you in advance!


Not to my knowledge for both.

Changing from RT to MIDI has always been a PITA and a gamble. Sometimes I get a different patch name than what is playing. I just had organ named in the track name and being played while in the patch name was nylon string guitar!

I try to avoid going from RT to MIDI. YMMV

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Last edited by MarioD; 08/21/23 09:01 AM.

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Matt, Mario,
Thank you!

At times I just don't like the tone/sound of RT but like the "played" part of it, and to re-voice it with 3rd party synth is a bit of a hustle. Doable, but clunky. If RT has MIDI counterpart, it is always exports it when project's MIDI file is saved. There should be an easy way to kill existing RT, leaving just MIDI while inside of BIAB. Better be able to toggle between the two. I guess wishlist request.

P.S. Mario out of all people here, I thought you would be the one to actually use the most "Force this track to MIDI" smile

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Select all notes and convert to playable,
zoom out and create a mute section at the start then drag it all the way over all notes, it needs an auto horizontal scroll to draw the green mute section.
You can cut/paste the green mute note to play audio or midi.
Or just copy the midi to another track.
It needs a better way to do this, there needs to be an option in the drop down list to mute audio and play all midi notes.

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Musocity, thanks.
Yes, the "copy the midi to another track." that is what I been tinkering with, and I agree on "It needs a better way".

P.S. Muting audio is not the best option, as it will silently redraw RT each change/regen. Some sort of one click combination Freeze+Mute audio should solve it. Toggling back, could regenerate RT to accept all new changes on next playback.

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I know this isn’t what you want but if I need MIDI notation from RealTracks, I export the song as Music XML, load that into my notation program, and then use the rest of the BIAB backing as an audio file I can load into my notation program.


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Originally Posted By: Rustyspoon#
When selecting RT in the picker, there is an option to "Force this track to MIDI"...
2 questions for seasoned users please.

1) If RT is already selected in mixer is there a simple way to disable RT replacing it with MIDI chart of that track (without going to picker again and re-selecting track)?

2) If #1 is possible, is there a way to toggle between RT / MIDI without going into picker?

Thank you in advance!



1) Yes, if I'm understanding your question correctly. You can disable (erase) the RealTrack on a mixer track and retain the underlying midi data.
The track will default to a midi instrument and the notation remains the same.

2 ) Yes.

EDIT: Dropbox link to example

Erase RT and retain Midi data

Last edited by Charlie Fogle; 08/21/23 11:39 AM.

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Charlie,
That's it! THANK YOU!
------------

Since you have the video, maybe post it in Tips & Tricks. With some pretty advanced synths out there people might want to take advantage of this maneuver.

For example, when I do a sketch in BIAB, I want to hear parts that I will use later in DAW together with tracks from BIAB, including constant changes when creating arrangement. Not jumping from BIAB to DAW back and forth. So I use 3rd party synths in BIAB to find the sound I am after and save it in VST preset and later open that preset in DAW.
---------------------

Now that we know it is possible, I think it's a good idea to request simplification of the process smile

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Tips and Tricks Forum - absolutely. Thanks!


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2) If #1 is possible, is there a way to toggle between RT / MIDI without going into picker?

I though you wanted to keep the Audio and just toggle between them ?

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"I though you wanted to keep the Audio and just toggle between them "

Ideally yes. But that might require deep re-programming logic. Unless the data in midi has info to fully reconstruct RT from scratch. Your idea of muting RT and replacing with MIDI is interesting, but again, I think it will require deep code & logic change as RT tracks would need a place holder for custom and/or default synth when switched to MIDI and wise versa.

What Charlie showed works for me as alternative, I just think these functions could be better integrated. Simple toggle at Track Settings or such, without extra menus/pop up questions.

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The easiest thing is just copy the midi on that track to another track rather than erasing the audio, unless you have run out of tracks.

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Tracks are limited and would require RT freezing to keep it from generating. MIDI data is already present. Following the path of least resistance, as advanced workflow would likely not be considered for this specific item by PG team, I believe requesting a simple (simpler) togle switch to replace scattered menus is reasonable.

P.S. I do use a lot of tracks when making tunes in BIAB.

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This is what makes me so frustrated with BiaB. If you don't go to the notation screen first and select that delete option it will delete the entire RT track, including the MIDI. Why not have one delete option with save or delete the MIDI?

{edit} I forgot to thank Charlie so thanx Charlie.

Last edited by MarioD; 08/22/23 03:29 AM.

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Originally Posted By: musocity
2) If #1 is possible, is there a way to toggle between RT / MIDI without going into picker?

I though you wanted to keep the Audio and just toggle between them ?


The midi data will be retained by freezing the track you generated. To toggle between RealTrack and midi instrument, the midi is still there so reverting back to the RealTrack from the midi instrument the original notation is retained. This results in the user being able to toggle between the RealTrack and the midi instruments and each will play the same notation.

The user can decide whether to keep the same notation for all instruments, RealTrack or midi or not freeze the track and get new notation (midi data). Changing to another RealTrack plays the original RT sound. Midi patches can be changed.

This is how it works for me if I'm understanding what you're wanting. I can do a quick video if necessary but freezing the track with whatever midi the user wants retains whatever that midi data is at the time the track is frozen.

I'm glad this is working for some of you. I appreciate your thanks.





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Here's a better way of doing things rather than having both on the same track.







or if want as many tracks as you like

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