Import MIDI files

BeatBuddy Help, Questions and Bugs
1

MIDI files of a great many songs are downloadable from the net. I have grabbed some, deleted everything except the drums in Logic Pro and resaved as a MIDI file.

How do I now import these standard MIDI files into BBManager using the General Midi drums on Channel 10?

2

Here’s the general steps to take:

  • edit your drum instruments in Logic Pro X to make sure that they’ll match the drum instruments available in the BBM e.g.,
    • move 35 (B0) to 36 (C1); check 40 and 41 and move to 43 and 45
  • Export the edited drums track from Logic Pro X as a midi file.
  • Create a new song in BBM.
  • Click on the Main Drum Loop section in the BBM and navigate to where you saved your midi file; press Open.

When you’re ready for more, there are a couple of tutorials on the forum for creating beats with bass; this one’s from Guitar Stu and there’s another one from aashideacon
http://forum.mybeatbuddy.com//index.php?threads/create-your-own-songs-for-dummies-with-bass.4901/

1 Like
3

Thank you, very helpful.

4

I have a MIDI file of Black Magic Woman. In Logic Pro, I am using the Quicktime General MIDI sounds and it plays just fine on drums and all other instruments. I have deleted everything that is not drums and saved a new file. When I export that MIDI file to BBManager, there doesn’t seem to be a drum kit that is mapped to all the drums and percussion that are being used. It plays just a few (wrong) drums. Is there a General MIDI drum kit that I can download somewhere that will handle this or do I have to do something else? Please be gentle with me as I am new to all this and not very technical saavy.

5

One of the ways to learn which drum instruments are and are not supported in the BB is to use the BBM Midi Editor to examine what’s supported in a beat you just imported. When you open a section in the Midi Editor, you’ll be given an option to quantize or not. I usually select No. Once you open the file, it should look similar to the screen shot. You can use this to identify what instruments are available for that particular kit. I opened an OPB song (one-press bass) to give you an expanded idea. Kits that offers a larger number of drum instruments are the premium library kits as well as NP SuperBassG (which I recommend you download and install and then check in Midi Editor to see what it has to offer. Also, there are several files here on the forum that users have come up with as a mapping aids to show exactly what you might be looking for.
[ATTACH]4793[/ATTACH]
If you’d like to attach the MIDI file of Black Magic Woman, we might be able to further help you.

6

Here is the MIDI file in question. The drums are obviously in the GM kit as they sound fine in Logic/Quicktime.

7

Thanks. I opened your file in the BBM Midi Editor to illustrate the point that the BBM (and especially the kits with bass) don’t entirely follow the GM mapping standard for drums. The first two screen shots show your midi file with the SuperBassG kit; the 3d one shows your file with the Standard 1.1 kit. What are your takeaways? That several GM-mapped notes don’t map the same in the BBM (47/B1 and 60-66, & 69) and that you have to remap them in LPX before you export the file to midi.
[ATTACH]4795[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]4796[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]4797[/ATTACH]
I’ve included a couple of mapping aids. Let me know if you need more help. Of the two pdf’s, I find the second one to be the most helpful. YMMV . . . .

8

I have installed the Standard Pro set and I’m getting ‘something’ now. I will need some time to modify.

9

Let me know if you’d like me to remap your midi file so it will play to the available drum instruments in the BBM. It might (or not) help shorten your learning curve.

10

Here’s some before and after screen shots from LPX so you can see what I’ve done.
[ATTACH]4803[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]4802[/ATTACH]
In a nutshell, I clicked on

  • B1 and lowered 2 semi-tones (option down-arrow 2x)
  • shift-click A3 through C3 and lowered by 50 semi-tones (cmd option down-arrow 4x and then option down-arrow 2x); hint, you should see 1,588 notes selected after you’ve shift-clicked A3 through C3
    Screen shots for what it should look like in the BBM Midi Editor
    [ATTACH]4804[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]4805[/ATTACH]
    And here’s your transcribed midi file.
11

Thank you kindly, Persist. Let me try to do it myself and if I get stuck, I’ll shout.

12

Thanks for doing this, Persist. What drum kit should I be using?

13

Sounds good with Latin kit!

14

Sorry. Should have mentioned that I did it with the Standard Pro.