Help with saving midi files with instruments info

[Lelik]

Maybe it's really easy, but I'm not used to save midi files...
Please could you help me with some suggestions about how to save a midi files so that it can be used in any other software or player with the correct assignment of instruments?
I mean: I put together a song with different midi trucks (including one drum track).
If I just "save as midi file", then when I load again this multichannel midi files I don't have the correct instruments in each channel.
I understand that maybe I can't pretend that midi recognizes every type of piano or so, but I'd like a drum tone for the drum track instead of a piano!
Thanks for any help!

PS: the attached image is my "song" with different instruments that I'd like to save as muktitrack midi file

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

Which virtual instrument are you using for the drum track? What program are you loading the MIDI file into?

It's up to the program that plays the MIDI file to correctly interpret it.

Greg

[Anorax]

MIDI has protocols for changing the patches of a program. These are the Program Change, Bank Select (CC 0) and Bank Select (Fine) (CC 32). Unfortunately, Mixcraft does not really make programming these patch changes easy. This is something I've been looking at closely recently, and I think that some of the MIDI Program Change problems will be fixed in Mixcraft 8.

In theory, if you put in the right CC data then export, then it should play just fine.

However, I've noticed that when you import MIDI into Mixcraft, it will load the MIDI file with the correct instruments, without leaving the correct patch change and bank change data in place. It essentially scrubs that from the file. That, or I have a misunderstanding about how MIDI files work. It's probably a misunderstanding on how MIDI files work.

[Lelik]

I just would like to send the midi file to the other band mates to listen to it, probably with other software.
It's not important if the instruments are not exactly the same or virtual ones.
Just standard midi instruments will be perfectly ok.
I only need that the drum track is not a piano or something like that, like it happens to me (and the bass guitar too).
For now I was just testing my midi file with Mixcraft itself, just opening it and I see this problem that I can't understand how to solve...
And I suppose that also the other people receiving my midi file will find that instruments are not correct at all.

[Acoustica Greg]

However, I've noticed that when you import MIDI into Mixcraft, it will load the MIDI file with the correct instruments, without leaving the correct patch change and bank change data in place. It essentially scrubs that from the file. That, or I have a misunderstanding about how MIDI files work. It's probably a misunderstanding on how MIDI files work.

Hi,

Mixcraft has an option to strip Program Change commands. You can turn that on and off in MIDI preferences. By default, Mixcraft removes them, because people were getting too many unwanted results.

Greg

[Acoustica Greg]

I just would like to send the midi file to the other band mates to listen to it, probably with other software.
It's not important if the instruments are not exactly the same or virtual ones.
Just standard midi instruments will be perfectly ok.
I only need that the drum track is not a piano or something like that, like it happens to me (and the bass guitar too).
For now I was just testing my midi file with Mixcraft itself, just opening it and I see this problem that I can't understand how to solve...
And I suppose that also the other people receiving my midi file will find that instruments are not correct at all.

Hi,

Which virtual instrument are you using on the drum track? Which program are you using to play the MIDI file? It's entirely possible that one program will play drums for that track while another would play piano, especially if the program is Windows Media player.

Greg

[Mark Bliss]

I just would like to send the midi file to the other band mates to listen to it

I would think that the best solution then would be to render the files to audio and share, thereby bypassing the entire conundrum.
I've found that the reality is that the MIDI "standard" isn't as standardized as one might expect..... Nor up to date. I've also found its often best not to spend too much time trying to do things the hard way.......

[Lelik]

I just would like to send the midi file to the other band mates to listen to it

I would think that the best solution then would be to render the files to audio and share, thereby bypassing the entire conundrum.
I've found that the reality is that the MIDI "standard" isn't as standardized as one might expect..... Nor up to date. I've also found its often best not to spend too much time trying to do things the hard way.......

Well, I see... but there must be some standard on the contrary. Because 90% of the midi files I find on the web (of famous songs) have - more or less - the correct instruments already assigned when I open the file in Mixcraft. I just would like to do that. And to be able to pass the midi files (unlike rendered wave files), so everybody can see and study the score.
I will check the other suggestions.

Thanks to all!

[Lelik]

Which virtual instrument are you using on the drum track? Which program are you using to play the MIDI file? It's entirely possible that one program will play drums for that track while another would play piano, especially if the program is Windows Media player.
Greg

In my drum track there is "Acustica Studio Drums 0:13 Metal kit". Should I select another instrument to have more chance of correct midi interpretation?
To play the midi file I simply tried to open the saved midi file into Mixcraft again. And I found for example that the drum track was using a piano.

[Acoustica Greg]

In my drum track there is "Acustica Studio Drums 0:13 Metal kit". Should I select another instrument to have more chance of correct midi interpretation?
To play the midi file I simply tried to open the saved midi file into Mixcraft again. And I found for example that the drum track was using a piano.

Hi,

Try choosing a preset like "Standard Kit 1" or "Power Kit" or others that use Acoustica Instruments. Those seem to provide general MIDI drums.

Greg

[GovernmentMule]

I just would like to send the midi file to the other band mates to listen to it, probably with other software.
It's not important if the instruments are not exactly the same or virtual ones.
Just standard midi instruments will be perfectly ok.
I only need that the drum track is not a piano or something like that, like it happens to me (and the bass guitar too).
For now I was just testing my midi file with Mixcraft itself, just opening it and I see this problem that I can't understand how to solve...
And I suppose that also the other people receiving my midi file will find that instruments are not correct at all.

The only way to to do what you are trying is to name the actual midi clips to what instrument it is . For instance, if you sent me track five in your picture above,I would not know what instrument to put on the track so it defaults to piano, because look at the name of the clips. The name of the track does not go on there. So when you send it to your bandmates for them to know what instrument to assign to the track the midi clip needs to be named Drums or Bass etc.. If you open a five track midi file you download from the net, it will open five tracks but the only for sure way to tell what instrument it is, is if it is named or you have to figure it out. Name the midi clips themselves. I believe this is what you are trying to accomplish. Or you could send them five seperate midi files and name the files, instead of sending a multitrack midi file.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

My suggestion works. Try it!

Greg

[GovernmentMule]

Hi,

My suggestion works. Try it!

Greg

If he sends the file to his bandmates and they are using a different DAW, that Daw will not know what instrument to assign right? I'm think I'm getting confused on what he is trying to do now!!!

[Acoustica Greg]

If he sends the file to his bandmates and they are using a different DAW, that Daw will not know what instrument to assign right? I'm think I'm getting confused on what he is trying to do now!!!

Hi,

But the drum track will be general MIDI drums. When I tried it, even Windows Media Player got it right.

Select Standard Kit 1, Standard Kit 2, Power Kit, or any of the Acoustica Instrument drum kits.

Greg

[GovernmentMule]

If he sends the file to his bandmates and they are using a different DAW, that Daw will not know what instrument to assign right? I'm think I'm getting confused on what he is trying to do now!!!

Hi,

But the drum track will be general MIDI drums. When I tried it, even Windows Media Player got it right.

Select Standard Kit 1, Standard Kit 2, Power Kit, or any of the Acoustica Instrument drum kits.

Greg

Does it automatically assign it to midi channel 10?