How to change the time signature of a bar in an existing midi files in logic

[dawn68]

Hi Made a midi file in genos 2 with step edit - Song sung blue, in bar 15 I need to change the length of the bar to 2/4 instead of 4/4, I have imported it into logic but do not know how to do this, I then want to export it & play it on genos with correct timing. Please can anyone explain how to do this or tell me which video to watch on YouTube Thankyou in advance

[overover]

Hi dawn68,

This can be done in the "Signature List". Please see the Logic Pro Mac User Guide under "Logic Pro Basics > Logic Pro Interface Overview > List Editors > Signature List Interface". See also the attached screenshot.

By the way, please note that changing the time signature does not affect MIDI playback. After inserting a 2/4 time signature event at the desired position and then 4/4 event again at the desired position, you may need to shorten the existing note events in that 2/4 bar and/or delete certain note events in that range to get it to sound the way you want it to.


Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Chris

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[dawn68]

Hi Chris Many thanks for this info will try this in the next 24hrs & post my progress, Cheers, Muriel

[dawn68]

Hi Chris Found all you told me & changed all the bars that needed changed then saved but when I played it back in the genos it hasn't recognised these bars, must be doing something wrong, am going to do quite a bit of reading & try again, Cheers, Muriel

[overover]

Hi Muriel,

As already mentioned, just changing the Time Signature doesn't change playback. You will definitely need to adjust the recorded notes as well. You may need to cut out a half bar or move the notes after the 2/4 bar altogether to get it to play back as desired.

By the way, if it's not about the correct notation, you don't actually have to change the time signature in the MIDI file, but it would be enough to cut out the above-mentioned, unnecessary half bar or to change all the notes after this "2/4 bar" 2 beats towards the beginning of the song (in Logic).

[dawn68]

Still struggling Chris, how do I cut out a half bar please ?

[mikf]

Dawn68, ......taking a different tack, how important is this absolute accuracy in music at our level? Yes there are shortened bars here and there in classical music, or, very occasionally, in arrangements of popular music, but do you really have to exactly copy this?
As a long time pro player, I can tell you that most pro players ignore this when playing live in small bands etc, and just stretch the shortened bar to 4 beats,......lengthen a couple of notes, add a small improv, leave a quiet spot.... . I have NEVER known anyone in an audience notice this. For me, it's going to a lot of trouble for a virtual non-issue. In fact, sometimes the stretched bar actually fits more naturally than the shortened bar.
When a cover band plays Memory from Cats, do you think people notice whether the band gets those shortened bars correct, ......or that the vocalist is not as good as Elaine Paige?
Mike

[dawn68]

Hi Mike I think it's not a bad thing to want to do it properly but I understand what it is your saying, for now I'll keep on trying though

[overover]

Still struggling Chris, how do I cut out a half bar please ?

Hi Muriel,

I'm not currently working with a Mac and don't know Apple Logic Pro in detail. I've recorded a screen video for you of how I cut two beats out of a 4/4 bar in "emagic Logic 5.30" (the last Logic version that runs on Windows 10). Then I move the rest forward by these two beats, glue all the tracks back together and export everything again as a MIDI file. The basic procedure should be similar in Apple Logic Pro.
>>> Logic_Cut Out a Half Bar.mp4

I wish you the best of luck!


P.S.
Of course there are many different ways and programs to do something like this. In many cases I only use the (Windows) program "Midifile Optimizer 12" by the German company Midiland to edit MIDI files for my Yamaha keyboards (currently Genos2, Genos1 and Tyros5). This allows you to do what I've described with one click. However, the "Optimizer" is a paid program and not everyone wants to spend 200 euros. (But the program is worth every cent.)


Best regards,
Chris

[dawn68]

Hi Chris Thankyou for this info, the midifile optimiser sounds interesting & what's more rather simpler than logic will have to read about it but for now will battle on with Logic, many thanks again, Muriel.

[dawn68]

Had to tell you Chris I've done it, first trial on Song sung blue-four 2/4 bars -the first two were spot on the second two although they'll pass the bass changed a little, have done another today This is the moment which has two 2/4 bars & this one is spot on, am so pleased I persevered & want to thank you for your help, the video you posted must be a newer version of logic but it certainly helped, Thankyou again.

[overover]

Thanks for your detailed feedback, Dawn. I'm glad you persevered and made it.

By the way, in my video, as mentioned, I used a very old version of Logic (the penultimate version that was available for Windows and the last version that also runs on Windows 10).


Best regards,
Chris