Floating Pitch problem in midi file

[charlie]

I downloaded the Whispers "And the beat goes on" midi file yersterday and was playing it last night when I was horrified to hear the bass part drift in and out of tune...and eventually end up in a key that was semitones away from the original key - not modulated to another key--just somewhere in between keys. Needless to say....I tried everything I could to correct the bass part...but to no avail. Can somebody tell me what's going on with that bass part? Will I have to re-write the bass part? Help!!!!

[gibbo]

Hey Charlie, It was just a pitchbend problem, someone had reduced the resolution of the file so it wasn't zero'ing at the end of the pitch bends (but rather bending after the zero = the out of tune effect).
I've fixed it and will upload it to the board right now.
I think the link should be something like:

And The Beat Goes On by The Whisperers

but I may have that wrong, hopefully Pat will sort it if I've messed up.
Cheers, Dave

[EDIT] = No you got the link correct, I have now re-uploaded the file to the main site. Thank you Dave for sorting this track. But as we state, MidiMart does not alter any file sent in to us. They are sequenced by a/another person and if we alter any sequenced file - Do they then belong to MidiMart or the original sequencer...? So we leave them as is...!!

I have also credited you with the edit on this file on the main site.

[charlie]

Hey Gibbo,

Thanks for correcting the midi file. It plays fine now...


Charlie

[frankie]

www.midimart.net/pages/midi/files2/sltw-ps.zip Not sure if this link will work but the file is Shes like the wind Patrick Swayze. something funny going on with it ,if you could have a listen,Thanks Franky

[Steptoe]

Seems to be the same problen as Gibbo described, the melody line & Bass weren't returning to the correct pitch.

I've edited it and re uploaded it here:


www.midimart.net/uploads/ShensLikeTheWind-PatrickSwayze.mid



[EDIT] = You make life hard for me steptoe.... ;D UPLOADS - UPLOADS.... lol

[gibbo]

Yes, just for the info of members; these problems occur most commonly when you (or someone else) reduce the resolution of the midi ie: it was originally made at something like 480 ticks per quarter note and when you reduce the resolution to something else, say 120 or 96, all the events get crammed together. The pitchbend 0 might be sitting on the same tick as +128 or something. When you play it back your player just gets all these events crammed together and you get random selection of which one it actually recognises last.
Cakewalk and sequence-program users should check in the midi options section to make sure that their program isn't set to automatically format midis to lower resolutions, just have it set to recognise whatever the original resolution is. (For pitch bends to sound natural higher is better.)
I hope this makes sense to you, I'm happy to answer any questions.

[charlie]

HEY THANKS GIBBO,

It makes sense to me...I'm just not sure how to see that info regarding resolution. Currently trying to use Power Tracks 9.0 (the one with the guitar player as the opening icon). Not really sure if I have the name correct as I am at work..and not at home where that software is located. If I experience similar problems with floating pitch in other sequences...can I open up the "ticks per quarter" to allow the sequence to "breathe" or do like you say..have the software recognize whatever the real resolution is.

Thanks!

[gibbo]

Hey Charlie, You're welcome. Yes, I use PowerTracks (version 11) and am very familiar with PT9 and of course, Cakewalk. Yes, you can open the resolution up, there's a topic in the Help file of PT about this. I always use 480 for my own sequences but I've seen more than a few of them re-posted elsewhere on the web at 120 or even 96.
The problem is; if someone else has already "crammed it", you have to re-adjust the pitch events manually. If you try to do an automatic "stretch" it's just pot-luck as to whether or not they end up in the right order. The idea I posted about making sure you don't have a low resolution value is just to ensure that you're not the one "cramming" 'em. Usually 480 ticks/quarter works for me.
The answer to "how to" in PowerTracks is: go to Preferences, click on the File tab (should be #3) and you'll see the check box for PPQ. (PPQ = Pulses per quarter-note; the usual measure of a sequencer's clock resolution, also called "ticks" in some programs). In PowerTracks it's actually a "convert loaded files to ___ ppq" check box. This is where you'll have a problem if it's checked to some low value like 48, 96 or something. I usually leave it unchecked which means there's no resolution change from PT but you can safely set it to 480/960 if you want. The advantage of having it checked is that every file now has the same PPQ for editing purposes.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

[charlie]

Hey....wow...thanks gibbo! I must admit I'm much more a live midi performer than a recording midi pro. Usually, the sequence can be edited in ShowPlay (GM software) to my liking...and I move on. On occassion, however, there are problems that are inherent in the midi file that ShowPlay doesnt address. I have limited experience with Power Tracks Pro Audio, but I'm learning as I go. Thanks for the valuable info. You know, this is one of the very few websites out there where someone can actually find credible advice and genuine concern. Thanks again!