Topic by larrycalame

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  • larrycalame
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Topic: midi recorder/player issue

I intermittently encounter what I think is a bug. I am using version 8, but the behavior predates the current version.

In stand alone mode, I record (or just let Pianoteq record) a piece. At the end of the piece I lift my hands from the keys but  keep the (continuous) sustain pedal down until the final notes decay to my liking, then let it up. Upon playback, it sometimes truncates the ending notes, and the depiction of the pedal on the UI shows it moving all the way up, even though I had not done that until a later point in time. If I replay the same recording it behaves the same way. But if I re-record it in the same fashion, the new recording might work just fine. I suspect that, given that my sustain pedal is sending continuous data, the difference might be a slight (unintentional) letting up of the pedal on my part, but that should not cause the resulting midi to interpret that as a value of zero. My workaround, when the issue occurs, is to edit the midi file such as to remove the last controller 64 event in the file.

Reply by Qexl

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Re: midi recorder/player issue

A feature request..

@Julien - have also noticed, when using 'record' button, still the MIDI does not end at intended length (as per larry's ideal).. perhaps making intentional recorded MIDI have a 'hard end' time (not based on factors from auto-record) would be good.

I don't think those behaviours of auto-record are bad - but maybe a user setting to alter

"how many seconds before you wish auto-record to consider you have stopped playing"..

maybe also an

"Append inaudible MIDI marker at end of auto-recordings" (could be just a zero velo note?).

That way, users can accept "OK auto-record saved this performance" with a proper ending length - and choose whether to have a proper end time or not.

(I'd probably just wish for nothing special on auto-recorded MIDI, as truncated and small as poss.. - but an end marker on record button induced rec perhaps - when user intention is "OK I'm recording now".. larry's got a good point).



@larrycalame - good points - here are some suggestions re the MIDI feature..

If you export the MIDI file to an audio file, it will run-out the length of the decaying notes (still arbitrary as it listens for the note's final signal as they fade to decide the ending and can seem to be a very long fade, compared to how you may want it - but not as truncated as MIDI can be in the playback).

So playing back for example an MP3 of your performance 'may' have a finale quite similar to the length you intend.

If requiring something more exacting/precise, recording or handling of MIDI and audio in a DAW is the eternal solution.

Pianoteq's MIDI (esp. auto-recording) is wonderful - and you can save your MIDI to a normal MIDI file and load that into a DAW project to edit/extend (all have ways of controlling/marking start and finish points and of course more).

In Pianoteq, depending on how long your endings may be, adding a further intentional pedal motion or extremely gentle note after decay may 'keep the auto-recording' process going and 'mark' an exact ending after length is adequate.

The down-side is, on some performances you may overshoot (auto-record may stop, sending 'user has stopped playing' after a certain number of seconds) and begin recording a new auto-record track.

Good thinking and thanks for mentioning larrycalame! - the MIDI player now having select region and looping is wonderful - and bit by bit it gains some useful features. I'd suggest it's not intended to be a full featured MIDI editor.. but it's incredibly useful - and maybe one day it could have many more features.

Pianoteq Studio Bundle (Pro plus all instruments)  - Kawai MP11 digital piano - Yamaha HS8 monitors

Reply by larrycalame

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Re: midi recorder/player issue

Qexl wrote:

A feature request..

@Julien - have also noticed, when using 'record' button, still the MIDI does not end at intended length (as per larry's ideal).. perhaps making intentional recorded MIDI have a 'hard end' time (not based on factors from auto-record) would be good.

I don't think those behaviours of auto-record are bad - but maybe a user setting to alter

"how many seconds before you wish auto-record to consider you have stopped playing"..

maybe also an

"Append inaudible MIDI marker at end of auto-recordings" (could be just a zero velo note?).

That way, users can accept "OK auto-record saved this performance" with a proper ending length - and choose whether to have a proper end time or not.

(I'd probably just wish for nothing special on auto-recorded MIDI, as truncated and small as poss.. - but an end marker on record button induced rec perhaps - when user intention is "OK I'm recording now".. larry's got a good point).



@larrycalame - good points - here are some suggestions re the MIDI feature..

If you export the MIDI file to an audio file, it will run-out the length of the decaying notes (still arbitrary as it listens for the note's final signal as they fade to decide the ending and can seem to be a very long fade, compared to how you may want it - but not as truncated as MIDI can be in the playback).

So playing back for example an MP3 of your performance 'may' have a finale quite similar to the length you intend.

If requiring something more exacting/precise, recording or handling of MIDI and audio in a DAW is the eternal solution.

Pianoteq's MIDI (esp. auto-recording) is wonderful - and you can save your MIDI to a normal MIDI file and load that into a DAW project to edit/extend (all have ways of controlling/marking start and finish points and of course more).

In Pianoteq, depending on how long your endings may be, adding a further intentional pedal motion or extremely gentle note after decay may 'keep the auto-recording' process going and 'mark' an exact ending after length is adequate.

The down-side is, on some performances you may overshoot (auto-record may stop, sending 'user has stopped playing' after a certain number of seconds) and begin recording a new auto-record track.

Good thinking and thanks for mentioning larrycalame! - the MIDI player now having select region and looping is wonderful - and bit by bit it gains some useful features. I'd suggest it's not intended to be a full featured MIDI editor.. but it's incredibly useful - and maybe one day it could have many more features.

Thanks for the quick reply. I thought I recall the issue happening even when I used the record button, but I just did a test in both "auto record" and "manual record" modes, wherein the issue that I described happened in the former but not the latter. Unless I experience it occurring in "manual record" mode, I'll consider it resolved - just a lack of understanding of how the "auto record" feature determines the end of a recording.