I'm trying to load midi files generated by BIAB to use in Reaper, but, having issues. They are not playing at all. I guess I need to know how BIAB handles MIDI files. I am guessing it is using multi channels for each instrument. When I drop the midi into Reaper, it asks to load as multi tracks and I thought I was saving just one track from Real Band.

I suppose it would help to explain the work flow.. lol.. I create a song in BIAB, then load that into Real Band, convert all tracks to normal tracks, then save out the tracks I want as midi. But, it isn't just that one track, it is all the tracks from the song.

Is there a better way, and what do I need to know about how BIAB and Real Band treat midi?

Just Drag the midi track out of RealBand into Reaper.
So drag the midi track number to DROP MID then green into Reaper.
You can Route the midi out or to a VSTi.
You can add midi Outputs in Options > Prefs > Midi Devices.

Full Screen

I have some questions about your workflow. I understand you create your song in Band-in-a-Box.
Do you save the song in the native Band-in-a-Box file format of SGU?

Then you load "that" (the SGU file?) into RealBand. Do you save the file as a RealBand SEQ file before proceeding?

The next step has me very confused. What do you mean when you stated you "convert all the tracks to normal tracks"?

I'm still confused when you stated you "save out the tracks you wanted as midi". Didn't the tracks contain midi data to begin with?

Then you stated "it isn't just one track but all the tracks from the song".

If you start a song with all tracks as midi tracks in Band-in-a-Box I'm not sure why you would even need to use RealBand. Use the command: File > Save Special ... > Save Song as MIDI File ... and save the song. The same command will save RealTracks as a midi file as long as the RealTracks have midi embedded for transcription purposes.

Music-AMG,

What version of BIAB do you use?

Also, if you have a version with Realtracks, do you use those Realtracks in creating songs or do you work entirely in midi?

Regards,
Noel

I think he means this (if it helps);

Yea, thanks all for the response. For starters, I was needing a bass track to work with a 64 bit vst in Reaper, kind of left that out.. sorry..

@Pipeline I totally forgot about trying that, thanks.. probably the best way.

@Jim Yes, I create the song in BIAB, then load the SGU into RB.. I was thinking that was the best way to save the track out as a single .mid file (the bass track). But, it seems that ALL the midi is in one file. RB just knows how to separate each track, and so does Reaper. The problem is, in Reaper, the midi assigned to a different channel, i.e, I am working in channel one, but, the actual data is routed through channel 49, in the case of the bass track. (why I wasn't hearing it)

I suppose the confusion is that, I didn't want to render out as an audio file, but, as a midi file. I wasn't seeing that as an option in RB, or missed it, but then found it.. Render -> Save all tracks to Individual .wav/.mid file

If you have Reaper, try it. Save out midi tracks in RB as separate tracks, then pick any single .mid file and load it. Reaper will ask you if you want to create multiple tracks for each midi item. (Even though it was saved as a single item..)

@Noel96 I am using BIAB 2016 and RB 2016, working mostly with midi. I use BIAB to create chord sheets and what I want to do now is use the midi bass lines it generates.

@rharv Yup exactly what I meant..

sorry guys, I have a bad habit of not being clear about the issues.

Music-AMG,

Thank you for not getting angry with all my questions. Many times I will THINK I know what somebody means and answer a question only to find I misunderstood.

I would hate to mess up someone's song project because I misunderstood a question and provide bad information.

I'm glad you received answers to your questions.

This might also be useful...

In BIAB 2017, a single track can be save to a midi file by using the "Edit | Track" menu option (see image below). I am not certain but I suspect that 2016 will have a similar save option.

Also, just to clarify.... midi files are always just a single file but they usually contain information on multiple midi channels since the standard midi format is 16 channels. BIAB and RB are the same as most other midi software in that when they save the midi file, they save this channel information. BIAB does this because each of BIAB tracks has its own midi channel. When any midi file that contains information for multiple channels is opened in Reaper, Reaper asks if you want the information for each channel on separate tracks. This is often much easier when it comes to arranging and using soft synths.

@Jim Fogle Yea, I can understand guy.. lol, I was hoping you guys didn't get angry with me.. lol.. but thanks..

@Noel96, yes, BIAB 2016 has the same menu item as that..

I understand that part and that it all routes to different channels.. I do that with other VSTs in Reaper as well, it saves memory having just one instance of the VST running.

I figured out the simplest way to ask my question!

How can I get that imported midi to play using Sample Tank? Using @Piplines method gets the midi from RB to Reaper, but, he is also using a hardware synth or MS Wave Table. (I don't use either options)

This may be turning into Reaper question as I write this.. I am now thinking I have to find out how to change the channel information in Reaper to get the output routed through Sample Tank.

Music-AMG,

The link below might be useful for you. It's about Reaper, midi and multichannels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CzL_7NPysk

All the best,
Noel

• my latest song : This Road

Hey Noel.. Thanks, but, I know all of that.. Anyways, I got it working.. It seems I was over complicating the problem. To see it work, I just dropped Sample tank on the track and just watched for a midi signal.. found the channels, etc.. thanks.. problem solved..


One last thing to note, as it turns out BIAB or RB separates the part played across several channels. This is why I was getting confused too. I soon realized that after Reaper asked me to create individual tracks for each channel, that it was for ALL that one bass part. Some notes are played on one channel, and others on another channel.. Collectively when played back, it WAS the bass track I wanted. Reaper created 4 tracks for that one instrument.. Hence the confusion.. I was thinking that the bass was all on one channel and it was just throwing the rest of the song into the midi as well.

FWIW there is a check box in RB under Prefs on the File tab (I believe) that allows the option to rechannel all the MIDI data on a given track to be on the same MIDI channel.

You have to be careful though and make sure the track only contains data from the instrument you want.
The reason this happens is because it is possible to 'force' MIDI data to play on a given channel in RB even though the raw data may be on multiple channels.
The image below shows how that can happen. I am forcing this track to MIDI channel 4. By selecting zero (0) it leaves the data unchanged during playback.

yea, I see that one too.. problem is, it doesn't affect it when it gets exported.. It will still be a multi channel track just as when it was created. That only tells RB how to handle it. What has to happen is, in Reaper, the four tracks need to be merged back into one, aka, a bounce. There is a handy little JS plugin that will work for this too. I'd have to look for it, before I could explain it..

*EDIT*

All you do is import the RB track into reaper as multi track (if has any multi track information). Reaper will create the necessary tracks. Create a new track and route all the imported tracks to this track. In the routing on the receive track, receive ALL MIDI and set the "arrow" pointer to what ever channel you want the incoming midi to go to, i.e., channel 1. (example: incoming midi might be on channel 14 now going to Midi channel 1)

right click record arm button and set to record MIDI "all MIDI". Set record output to ALL MIDI. Hit the record button and it will record the new track with all the midi tracks merged into one track. You could, as I did to verify it was working, put a virtual instrument on the track and the matching channel you want it to go too. However, you would still see midi data in the meters anyway.. just remember to mute the original tracks on playback..

*last edit*

OK, now, it is solved.. this should also work in any DAW, so long as you understand how to route the signal chain..

cheers

RB also has something called MIDI Monitor where you can see the MIDI data flowing thru.

OK, so, as it turns out I have Type 1 midi files in BIAB set as the default. I also did not know the difference between type 1 and type 0 midi files. So, now I do. lol

I was just confused why when I dropped the midi into Reaper, it became multi track. It made no sense to me that I would need multiple copies of the same VST to play the performance of one instrument. (But, apparently, the best use of MIDI type 1 would be for drums.)

Silently following this thread so it shows up in My Posts.

I'm going to try type one on a midi drum track. Attempt to make quick velocity and program changes, essentially creating my own drum kit, then merge them back to one or two channels.
Has anyone exported a mono piano track as type one? How many tracks does it split it up to? My desire would be 1 for left hand and one for right hand. This way I could assign the left hand hand track to a different bass instrument and the right hand track to a synth lead in order to create an unusual character in certain sections of the song.

You can split in in RB then Drag in Reaper, you will get two tracks and the pedal.
If you split channels to tracks then save as type 0 it will still give you a choice to split to 3 tracks in Reaper.

Full Screen



In Cubase it splits automatically so you need to un-check Dissolve if you don't want it to.