Converting MIDI file track names to text events (and item names) bug?

creal · 04-13-2023, 03:04 AM

Hello,

I don't understand why, in these two files, REAPER does not seem to recognize all of the MIDI track names. It misses one track name (resp. "drums" and "melody").

Please note that there is double track names (and tempo events) within the MIDI files, but it's not linked to the issue.

There is no problem when importing in Bitwig or Studio One.

Can someone confirm this bug or explain what it is wrong?

Thanks,

creal.

creal · 04-17-2023, 07:09 AM

I found the problem: REAPER seems to need a first MIDI track chunk at the beginning of the MIDI file type 1. It takes the MIDI tempo out of it but does not display that track (no REAPER track created). That way, it always keeps the very first track name of the MIDI file for the tempo information, which becomes a problem when you don't have a MIDI track chunk for the tempo information (eg: first MIDI track = drum track named "drums").

My workaround: move the tempo information into a specific MIDI track chunk, and place it at the beginning of the MIDI file.

I think it's a bug, though. Because every track name with MIDI events should be taken into account as a whole (except for a tempo map which does not require to expand into a new REAPER track), with renaming REAPER tracks accordingly. For the moment, REAPER expands these MIDI tracks but ALWAYS keeps the first track name for them. It should be the case ONLY if there is a "tempo MIDI track chunk" at the beginning of the file.

I don't know if this is very clear. Please let me know if it's not.

Can a dev confirm this, please?

schwa · 04-17-2023, 07:36 AM

I think the attached files are not entirely compliant, because type 1 MIDI files should begin with a tempo track, followed by musical tracks. REAPER already mostly handles this particular kind of non-compliant track, but not for certain messages like the track title. We may be able to add support for this, I'll have a look.

creal · 04-17-2023, 12:51 PM

Thanks for your message. Sure it should be nice if you add support for this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by schwa

I think the attached files are not entirely compliant, because type 1 MIDI files should begin with a tempo track, followed by musical tracks

I didn't know that. Where did you find that specification, please? The SMF 1.0 documentation (available on MIDI.org) does not mention that type 1 must contain a tempo track before musical tracks.