Hello,

When I import a MIDI file into the melody, it tries to put the starting notes into the lead-in measure
(measure 0?). I asked it to move it over one measure, but it ignores that number.

So I tried to remedy that with a "copy to-from" but when I copy measures 1-32 into measure 2-33, it DESTROYS everything from measure 1 onward. As far as I can tell, you don't have a "move measures" command. The copy command would work if it copied starting from the last measure and working backward, but apparently it's doing something different.

So, other than going back to the input file and sticking in an extra measure, is there a way around this?

Try Edit|Insert Bar(s)

R

I tried that - maybe I was doing it wrong, but it told me it would put them at the end. Where do you specify after (or before) which measure?

Actually that would be incorrect, since I want to move ONLY the melody over, and keep the chords where they are.

I could try "insert beats in melody" though.

Why does it say "you may attach a file to this post while editing," but does not give you a way to do that? Is there some special trick?

Ok. Melody|Edit Melody Track|Insert Beat(s) in Melody. Choose Bar 0 as your Insert point.

R

>>> When I import a MIDI file into the melody, it tries to put the starting notes into the lead-in measure
(measure 0?). I asked it to move it over one measure, but it ignores that number.

Use the setting in the MIDI File import dialog "#blank bars to insert at beginning". If you put 10 bars, then the MIDI file will insert to the Melody track starting at bar 11/

So, other than going back to the input file and sticking in an extra measure, is there a way around this?

Yes, you can just move the Melody around by Melody- Timeshift Melody in ticks (120 per beat). 480 would move it 4 beats ahead, -480 the other way.

Actually, when I did that, it inserted the melody starting at bar 8.

So, I guess I have to add two to the bar I really want (?)

Is it counting the lead-in bars?

You hafta mess with that offset box # in order to get it to start correctly. If it is starting at bar 8, and should be starting at bar 5, you need to use a negative number in the offset box -3 to line it up.

Or, open the midi file in a sequencer and delete the bars prior to the melody tack, then move the melody to bar 1 and save it. Then try importing it into the melody channel in Biab.

Once you get it imported correctly, no need to cut and paste etc, if you have the song laid out correctly like the midi file.

It is trial and error, but works a treat.

Trax

Thanks for your post since I learned from it's replies. I have had to import and delete a bunch of times in the past to get it right, but it's not that difficult or time consuming. I just hit "undo", go back to the melody drop down menu, and import again--changing the bars in the dialogue box until I get it right.

stan

Bill,

I notice that you've been a member of these forums for around 10 years. What version of BIAB are you using?

Regards,
Noel

Bill,
I do this all the time with midi files I have created from another software program, Music Time Deluxe. I always insert the song (MTD) with a two bar offset to account for the BB two bar lead in measures. Try this, if it doesn't work, then we probably need to look at your midi file and determine how it was created. All in all, the midi file measures need to line up with an exact replica of the measures you outlined or inputed into BB. That includes time signature changes and etc. Therefore you will want to offset the midi file so that measure one of the midi file lines up with measure one of the BB song. Hope this helps and I also hope I'm not being redundant.

OK, I can just add the two bars.

One request: just specify the START measure where you want the melody to
be imported. I guess bar ZERO would be the pickup measure, at least that's the
way it's numbered on my big band charts.

Hi Noel;

I have the 2010 version.

To expound upon David Walker's comments, if the MIDI file's measures properly line up, then the two bar offset should work every time (at least it has for me), as David indicated. If the song starts with an anacrusis (pick-up notes), then you may have to play with the offset as well, depending upon how it was implemented in the MIDI file.

Sometimes, you might get MIDI files from the web that either were recorded in real time (without a click track) or actually had it's timing scrambled intentionally (to preclude folks from using it as their own). It plays fine, but it doesn't line up properly. You may also have problems if there are time signature changes within the MIDI file that aren't actually implemented as such (one 3/4 measure in the middle of the song can throw a 4/4 song off by one beat very easily).

But, if the MIDI file starts on beat 1, bar 1, then using a 2 bar offset to compensate for tBIAB's two bar lead-in should work.

I've had trouble when the pickup notes are not a full bar--i.e. 3 eighth notes in a 4 beat bar. My simplistic workaround is just to use a full bar and fill in rests before the pickup notes.

"I've had trouble when the pickup notes are not a full bar--i.e. 3 eighth notes in a 4 beat bar. My simplistic workaround is just to use a full bar and fill in rests before the pickup notes"

Or, you can import the midi, disregarding the pick up notes, and use the first measure of the midi file as measure one, and then, add the pick-up notes to the 2nd lead in measure (i.e. 1/2 Rest + 1/8 Rest + (3) 1/8 notes), through the BB music edit program so that your song starts on measure 1 and you still hear the pick-up notes.

The upshot, of course, is that regardless of the method you use, you still have to know how the MIDI file was laid out and make the appropriate offset adjustments so everything lines up.

That helped here in 2018 (lol) , thanks Mr. Gannon(

You have to hit the Reply button instead of simply begin writing in the blank box at the bottom of the last post in a thread. Hitting Reply opens a window with a bunch of icons across the top plus it has an active link at the bottom called File Manager. Each icon across the top allows you to do different things like insert a web link, that is the icon second from the left. If you click on File Manager it opens a window that explains how to attach a file to your post.

Also, Biab 2010 is very old now, if you can afford it you should seriously consider upgrading to 2018, you won't believe the changes and improvements.

Bob