Midi files and Revo Drums

[Drsun19]

Hi. I hope you're fine.

I've noticed that several midifiles that i have, If i try to change the 10th track (drums) I.e. Standard drum kit for a Revodrum voice it immediately goes to standard drum kit..That happens on most of my midifiles, i have others where this can be possible and sound better. What i started doing is to move the data from 10th track to 9th and then choose a revo drum voice there..That can be done like that. But not in the channel 10...any help? Thank you.

Luis.

[rodrigo.b]

Hi. I hope you're fine.

I've noticed that several midifiles that i have, If i try to change the 10th track (drums) I.e. Standard drum kit for a Revodrum voice it immediately goes to standard drum kit..That happens on most of my midifiles, i have others where this can be possible and sound better. What i started doing is to move the data from 10th track to 9th and then choose a revo drum voice there..That can be done like that. But not in the channel 10...any help? Thank you.

Luis.

I have the same problem on my CVP 809 

[keynote]

I need to revise my previous comment which I deleted to avoid any confusion. To use the Revo Drums with any midi file the process is simpler than I previously stated. You don't need to make any modifications to the midi file if you don't want to. If a midi file reverts back to the Standard Kit when trying to use a Revo kit all you need to do is push the Menu button (one of 6 lighted buttons at the right of the LCD screen) then Menu2 at the top of the LCD screen/Song Recording/MIDI/Multi Recording, then simply press Setup at the top of the LCD screen/Execute, at the bottom right of the LCD screen and save the midi file to the default location or another location if you want. Once that is completed open the Mixer/Song, and on channel 10, which is the usual channel for Drums, you will now be able to use a Revo Drum Kit for the midi file in question. To save the midi file with a Revo Drum kit you need to go back into the Menu/Menu2/Song Recording/MIDI/Multi Recording/Menu (top right of the LCD screen)/Mixer/, then make sure you choose the Revo Kit you want on channel 10, then press the Exit button once, then Setup/Execute, then save the midi file. Once that is complete each time you open the midi file it will play with the Revo kit that you selected.

All the best,
Mike

[pjd]

Hi --

Depending upon the source of the MIDI file, there may be more than one set of bank change/program change messages in a track. That is, the program change at the beginning of the MIDI file may be overridden by a program change later in the track. This is especially true of MIDI files from the Web where the author wasn't concerned about conventions!

So, the program change at the very beginning of the MIDI file may select the Revo drum kit, but a later program change is setting it back to Standard Kit.

In order to troubleshoot this situation, one needs to load the MIDI file into a DAW and then look for additional bank change and program change messages in the drum track. You can do this in the Genos step editor, but it's much easier to accomplish with a DAW like Sonar or Cubase.

Hope this helps -- pj

[pjd]

Hi Francesco --

Program change is applied as each program change is encountered in the track from start to finish. Thus, one can change program at any time. The program change message at the beginning of a track is not an macro setting that overrides all other program changes. All MIDI sequencers operate that way as this behavior is the SMF play-back standard.

I've gotten burned by MIDI files from the Web with many embedded program change messages.

Hope this info helps -- pj

[keynote]

PJ is correct. Program changes in a midi file will be affected if you edit the midi file so it's important to make sure the channel that is being edited (changed in any way) doesn't affect any of the program changes that are contained in the original midi file (before editing). What I do is I select a midi file using the Song *B* selection for MIDI then I go into the Mixer/Song section. There are a total of 16 channels in the Genos Sequencer. Song 1-8 < > pressing the > arrow you get to channels 9-16. I usually start on Song 1-8 and I press the Song B *Next* button (hold it down) and simply scroll through the midi file from beginning to end. As you watch the LCD screen in the Mixer/Song 1-8 and scroll through the midi file notice if there are any program changes. It could be switching to a different 'voice' or an adjustment to the Pan or Volume, etc. Then go through Song 9-16 to see if there are any changes there. Channel 10 could switch to a different Drum Kit during playback but I've found most midi files usually keep the same Kit. Something to be aware of though. If you change something on any of the (up to) 16 channels make sure there are no program changes on that channel. If you decide you want to edit a channel that DOES HAVE program changes your mileage may vary. Most of the time I leave those channel(s) alone unless the edit actually makes sense in that it potentially makes the midi file sound better or fits a specific need. Hope this helps.

All the best,
Mike

[Lee Batchelor]

Agreed with PJD.

Since the older days of MIDI, users have embedded the Program changes into the track information. With the drums, if you like the Revo drums for most of the track you leave the Revo drum Program alone. In the rare case when a special drum sound is only available from a legacy kit, you can insert a Program change for that kit, play that note, and then revert to the Revo kit by inserting another Program change message.