I was trying to export a SGU song with lots of part markers to a MIDI file in BIAB 2016 for Mac. As I used Logic Pro X to open, the part markers did not show up even I checked the option to write part markers to meta. Can anyone help?
There's no place in the Standard MIDI File format for chords or part markers. When that box is checked, it includes chords and part markers as manufacturer-specific metadata that will be recognized by PG Music programs, but there's no way Logic would recognize that data, sorry.
Thanks Kent, But, the MIDI file generated by my friend's PC version has al the part markers included and can be read by Logic X Pro though. That's why I was trying. I would have posted the screen capture but didn't know how.
Would it be some settings in PC version that I overlooked in the Mac version?
I see what you mean, and can explain. These are different features.
In the Mac version, the checkbox is worded "Write Chords, Part Markers Meta Event", and like I mentioned, these meta events only read by PG Music programs. This is explained on page 347 of the PDF manual. If I check that box and save a MIDI file in BIAB to Mac, I'll see the part markers and chords in the chord sheet if I open that MIDI file in PowerTracks or RealBand, but not a third-party program like Logic.
In the Windows version, the checkbox is worded differently: "Include Part Marker text markers". These text markers are part of the General MIDI specification, so would be read by other programs. They won't show up like the Part Markers you're seeing in Band-in-a-Box, it's a note that reads like "3 A Chorus1", or "35 A Chorus2".
I couldn't believe that the Mac version wouldn't write the part markers to the midi file as markers, so I tried it and yea it don't ! I use that all the time on the Win version.
I import Biab chords into Reaper via musicxml export from Biab. Then get the part markers via midi export. I know it's easy to insert markers in Reaper press M at the cursor, you can even create action to place a part marker A or B every so many bars. Not sure if this would help: https://www.soundsinsync.com/products/edimarker
EDIT: Also you can upload any SGU MGU and I or someone else with BBWin will save it to midi with part markers. If you want chords in the midi file I can do that also or you can get Reaper and it's free to try n try n try.. and it will write your BB chords to midi markers.
Thanks Pipeline, It is kind of frustrating to see Mac version does not have this cross-platform feature. It is not difficult to make markers in Logic Pro X, either, but it won't be as streamlined as working in Windows environment.
Guess that reaper won't read the part markers info from the MIDI file's meta data? If there is something that can extract the meta data and convert them in to MIDI standard marker text, that would do, too.
Guess that reaper won't read the part markers info from the MIDI file's meta data? If there is something that can extract the meta data and convert them in to MIDI standard marker text, that would do, too.
Yea went through all that trying to find some way to read it, no luck.
Yes, a PG programmer to sit down and just do it already !!
I asked RapidComposer and MusicLab to Export Chord names as MIDI Markers and they said "That's a good idea" and they both put it in the next update.
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