Subject:Piano Roll, Midi Loops, etc.

Posted by: Om_Audio

Date:6/9/2004 12:08:09 PM

Hello,

Acid Pro user here- been using Acid for a long time- there are some issues that I can't solve I want to ask about.
1. I record a midi track at 104bpm- but list editor shows it as 120bpm
2. When I trim the midi in the piano roll editor and make a nice loop it does not reflect in the main arrangement window- the loop has empty space at the en- even after i set bpm in list editor to match project tempo.

The rest are requests:
- Metronome option during record
- Ability to set default record folder- I get sick of setting it every time
- Ability to play entire project when playing info in the piano roll editor

Subject:RE: Piano Roll, Midi Loops, etc.

Reply by: Spirit

Date:6/9/2004 5:41:04 PM

Maybe others have a different opinion, but I think MIDI in AcidPro is entirely forgettable. It's like training a donkey for the Kentucky Derby - doesn't matter what you do, it isn't going to win.

Wait a couple of months for AP5 :-)

Subject:RE: Piano Roll, Midi Loops, etc.

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:6/10/2004 10:26:55 AM

I use ACID Pro for recording MIDI and I must admit, it is very awkward at times. I don’t think it was really meant as a MIDI recording application although it does have some level of functionality. The lack of basic functions like a metronome or pre-roll was the first clue for me that MIDI recording was not a key feature for ACID Pro 4. Still, that’s why I bought it. The idea of composing with MIDI loops was intriguing to me.

> 1. I record a midi track at 104bpm- but list editor shows it as 120bpm

Because ACID always uses the project tempo, it ignores any tempo data in the MIDI file. I think it’s odd that it doesn’t at least capture the tempo that you are recorded at correctly so you can use these files outside of ACID, but it doesn’t. You need to manually change it in the list editor if you need this to be accurate.

> 2. When I trim the midi in the piano roll editor and make a nice loop it does not reflect in the main arrangement window- the loop has empty space at the en- even after i set bpm in list editor to match project tempo.

I don’t think there is any easy way to trim MIDI. What I do is select the good part in the Chopper and then use Chop to New Track to make the final loop. I don’t think there is any way around this. Any MIDI that I record results in two files. The one I record, and the one I actually use after trimming. I outline my workflow for recording MIDI in the ACID Tips section of my web site.

Let’s hope ACID 5 addresses some of these.

~jr

Subject:RE: Piano Roll, Midi Loops, etc.

Reply by: herrdue

Date:6/10/2004 12:13:22 PM

I've got the same gripe about your second point. I encountered that last night in fact. My workaround is to just paint the relevant portion of the midi into track, stopping shy of when the loop begins to repeat. Then I Ctrl+Drag that painted clip (right terminology?) numerous times, as many times as I need it looped. That's a big hassle, and not efficient should you ever decide to modify the midi's content length which then, obviously, would require lots of changes to the painted clips to reveal or hide more of the clip.

Subject:RE: Piano Roll, Midi Loops, etc.

Reply by: piotrk

Date:6/11/2004 7:31:29 AM

I've been using Acid for some time but have just started learning and using the midi pianoroll editor. I seem to be having the same basic problems as above. Let me ask in simple terms?
Are you stuck with the loop length that you can record in, because i can't seem to shorten loop size or make it longer.
This means that I cannot record a "one shot" track - say a 1 min. long. or a long drum break.
Is this correct or am I missing a "determine loop size" feature ?

Subject:RE: Piano Roll, Midi Loops, etc.

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:6/11/2004 9:34:57 AM

> ...am I missing a "determine loop size" feature ?

I believe the loop size for MIDI is always on a measure boundary. So if you add just one note, it will loop for 4 beats or one measure of 4/4. It doesn’t matter what you set the time signature to. If you add more notes after the first measure (1.1-2.1) it will extend the loop to the next measure boundary (3.1). You should be able to add as many notes as you want and it will lengthen the loop accordingly.

Try this: Go into the piano roll editor and add a note at 1.1 and exit the editor. Your loop should be one measure long. Now go back into the editor and add a second note at 2.1. Your loop should now be two measures long.

~jr