MIDI Export for Pro Tools Gives Multiple Regions

[JumpingInFire]

I recorded an electronic kit via MIDI then quantized and edited the MIDI all in Logic. I merged all regions for the track then exported the region as a MIDI file. When I import the file in Pro Tools LE 8 I get two different regions w/ different parts of the MIDI data. The quantization is intact but things such as velocity changes performed in Logic are missing in Pro Tools. Any ideas?

[David Nahmani]

If by "velocity change" you mean the offsets in the region parameter box, you have to normalize those (from the MIDI menu in the Arrange area) before you export the MIDI regions. Those offsets are project based, non-destructive, meaning they don't actually affect the MIDI events themselves until you normalize.

[JumpingInFire]

Actually I meant changing velocities in the piano roll. I assume that as well is project specific and does not translate to the exported MIDI file. But what about the separate regions? The finder shows one MIDI file and Quicktime plays it as such but PT treats it as if I have two regions that need to be merged.

[ski]

My first question is: "what's in that second region?"

 

That aside, here's a checklist...

 

• normalize your regions first (as David said)

• merge all of your regions to form one contiguous region

• ensure that the region starts exactly on bar 1 1 1 1 (stretch it to the left if necessary) and then, if you don't have a downbeat note on 1 1 1 1, add a dummy note to ensure alignment in PT

• at this point, check your MIDI region to be sure that it contains only a single MIDI channels' worth of data. If it contains more than one channel then you're going to get two regions when you import it into PT

 

Finally...

 

• import that into PT. You should have just one region. But... in the event you end up with two regions, what's in the second region? Having a look-see will determine if it's anything you need to worry about.

[David Nahmani]

Actually I meant changing velocities in the piano roll. I assume that as well is project specific and does not translate to the exported MIDI file.

 

No, when changing the note velocity in a MIDI editor (Piano Roll etc..), you're actually changing the notes themselves, so in that case there's nothing to normalize before exporting (as far as velocity is concerned that is). So I'm not sure why you'd get that behavior. Do all your notes have the same velocity in PT? If not, what kind of velocity is used for the notes? The velocities they were recorded at?

[JumpingInFire]

Ski,

I have one contiguous region in Logic beginning at 1 1 1 1. Everything aligns perfectly in PT, that is not an issue. Now the second region will contain some of the notes assigned to hi hats or ride, but not all and I seem to be losing some notes as well.

 

David,

The velocities in PT seem to be what was initially recorded but again some are even missing.

 

I appreciate both of your help!

[ski]

By chance are those notes in the 2nd region on a different MIDI channel from those in the main region?

 

Also, what MIDI File Format are you exporting? "0" or "1"?

 

-=sKi=-

[JumpingInFire]

All notes on all regions are on channel 1. I also tried exporting as both 0 and 1 with the same results.

[ski]

OK... I think it would help now to try and pin down the culprit. It's either some kind of problem with Logic's ability to export MIDI files correctly (not outside the realm of possibility), PT's inability to read the file correctly, or, some kind of as-yet-unseen problem with the data you're trying to export. So to begin with...

 

Curious to know what happens when you try and open the MID file itself in Logic. Close out your current Logic song and try two things:

 

1) Open the file in Logic (using the normal Open function). How many regions do you see?

 

Close that out, and then...

 

2) Create a new song from the Explore/Empty template. Then use the Open function to open the MIDI file. How many regions do you see?

 

Additionally... if you want, reply to this thread and attach a copy of your .MID file. I'll have a look at it and see if I see anything weird.