If you open a midi file in BIAB you get all the midi information with as many midi tracks as there are (up to 16) each on a different channel, but all on one BIAB track (I think the melody track.)

But if you want separate midi tracks you can do this by a different method. From your windows browser, drag the midi file onto the chord sheet, and follow the dialog to assign each midi track/channel to whatever BIAB track you want them on. You can put each midi track on a separate BIAB track, or have some combined and some not.

BUT - and it is a big BUTT! - although you can load midi tracks into utility tracks, you will find that on first load they play the midi instrument patch correctly. But if you save the song and reload, the utility tracks cannot correctly read or play the patch information. They just play using a piano or something like that. You can change the patch information in BIAB (go to piano roll, or easier go to music notes and click the # symbol) and set a new midi patch number, but this will not play correctly after saving and reloading.

Therefore - as far as I can tell - the utility tracks are not yet ready for prime-time when it comes to storing and playing midi tracks, even though they can actually store the information. I am sure they will fix this, or perhaps someone here knows how to get the utility tracks to retain and play back midi patch information (which I can't.) I wonder if there is some setting in preferences that can change the way utility tracks store and playback midi patch information, that I may have missed, because I do not understand why they can store the patch information (visible in the piano roll) but won't play them. The utility tracks are great for realtracks generating new players parts, but still not able to handle midi tracks properly.

At the moment there are three good tracks you can assign separate midi tracks and retain patch information: Melody, Soloist and Audio. These work fine if you drag midi tracks on to them, and they playback correctly. So three tracks is all you can get, but if the midi file has more than this you can assign one to the Melody, another to the Soloist and all the rest to the Audio, or any combination like that.


Last edited by ThomasS; 12/23/22 04:06 AM.