MM MX: Vita objects exporting at wrong BPM

MovieMusicFan wrote on 6/18/2012, 4:35 AM

Here we go again with BPM......

I am using Music Maker MX (Standard). I'm trying to make my own sound objects and use them as a soundpool. I asked tech support and they told me that this was possible and to make sure that I take a BMP.ini file from anywhere else, modify the tempo to match what I want it to be, and include it in the folder I'm making a soundpool out of. My problem seems to be when I export the newly created VITA object as a WAV. (The tech guys told me that this was what I needed to do: Export the MIDI as a WAV.)

1/ I open up MM MX.    2/ I put an object in the grid so that the BPM changes from the default (120 BPM) to what I want it at (80 BPM).    3/  I click on VITA to start it up and it loads a sample piece into the grid.    4/ I check the BPM indicator and make sure that it is still on 80.    5/ I go into VITA's editor, clean out everything by going to File and choosing New (Delete all MIDI info).    6/ I change instruments, put in my notes, get it just how I want it to sound, and play it back (still in VITA) to make sure it sounds right.    7/ I go out of VITA by using the OK button, then play the MIDI in MM MX, and check that the BPM is still on 80.    9/ Then I go up to File, choose Export - save as WAV. (Settings: 14400 Hz, Stereo, Normalize, save only between start and end markers).    10/ Lastly, I give it the name I want and let it save to a folder of my choosing.

Everything works fine up to this point. If I shut down the program and put the wav object where it is supposed to go, then start MM MX up again, the object shows up when I use Add Styles to load the right folder. Instead of looking like a normal object, the bar (usually green) loads in tiny and says FX on it. There is no BMP info, even though I put the BMP.ini file where the tech guys told me to put it. Worst of all, when I place the new object into a new grid, it says it is 120 BMP. It sounds wrong, looks wrong (a third too long), everything goes wrong with it. Nothing I do changes this, including timeshift.

What am I doing wrong?

NOTE: I've tried several different methods of loading, saving, arranging, whatever I could think of. I always get the same result. If there was a way to permanently change the default 120 BPM to 80 BPM, that might work, but I can't find a way to do that. (Many programs allow you to set personal preferences, but this one doesn't seem to.)

I greatly appreciate any help anyone has to offer on this. I'm really stuck and can't compose anything in VITA without an answer to this problem.

 

Comments

MovieMusicFan wrote on 6/18/2012, 4:40 AM

Additional info:

I've tried using a copy of the sample object that VITA loads in when you start it up (Vita.MID), which doesn't work when I modify it, save it as WAV, then load it in.

I made one somewhat successful object by saving it as a "take" (.TAK) and modified it. Doesn't work when I save and load it, either.

 

nihon94 wrote on 6/18/2012, 7:34 AM

After reading your question I did some test and found as follows:

I followed steps same as yours used Vita then exported file with 80BPM and saved as"1test 80BPM. wav". When I Played the file BPM were same as I set, though when I drag and drop on the Music Maker arranger that wave files was showing 60BPM instead of 80 BPM. To confirm I checked the tempo which was correct as 80BPM.

In the screen shot  Track 1, showing Midi file (using MMM 16 Premium)

On Track 3 showing saved wave file with 60 BPM. But below that tempo can be confirmed as 80 BPM.

My saved file is fine with tempo, just the text it is showing is not correct. But the name I had give can let me find it if I want that is "1test 80BPM".

Another thing I would like to say, the ini (BPM) text file got nothing to do with the exporting process of midi as a wav with desired bpm. The ini text file is for soundpool items inside the folder which work with music maker. I have already shared that info in the tutorial

http://www.magix.info/us/understanding-soundpool.online-training.771235.html

 

MovieMusicFan wrote on 6/18/2012, 11:54 PM

I thought that I would add some pictures in case it made it a bit clearer.

MovieMusicFan wrote on 6/18/2012, 11:55 PM


MovieMusicFan wrote on 6/18/2012, 11:56 PM


nihon94 wrote on 6/19/2012, 4:16 AM

 


Try this one and see.

In the step one do not change BPM rather proceed to other steps as you have shown from No.2-5 before exporting set the BMP then export and see the outcome. Note this is for testing ok.

Your screen shots are great.

I hope may be someone will also guide you in the meantime.

***Did you notice even in my case the BPM were not as I had set it was 60 instead of 80. Howerver, the actual BPM were, 120 before settings.

MovieMusicFan wrote on 6/19/2012, 4:44 AM

nihon94: Thank you for the suggestion. Sadly, it didn't work. I followed your instruction carefully, but it still comes in at 120 BPM instead of 80. 

 

I still wonder if there is a way to change the default setting from 120 BPM to something else. Many programs have a user preference function wher you can make the program always set up exactly how you want it to. This one doesn't seem to do that. Program Settings is the closest, but there is nothing there to allow you to reset the BPM to something else, to have it start up with whatever you were last working on, change the font size, etc. 

 

Thank you again nihon94. I may have to call tech support on this one. If I do and they can tell me what I'm doing wrong, I will post it here for others to learn from.

MovieMusicFan wrote on 6/23/2012, 2:45 AM

Well, here's the newest info in the saga of my little problem.

I have tried starting with a New Object. It worked once, then won't work again. I tried it nearly twenty times, but it only worked the first time I started with a New Object. I've tried the method that I started out with, of course, which was to begin with the Vita sample piece and clean it out to make a brand new object from it. Obviously, that was wrong and didn't work.

I contacted tech support, but it doesn't look like they can help me at this time. They want a full diagnostic of my laptop and I can't give it to them. They wont help me without it, so I'm stuck.

If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd be very grateful. The problem seems to be linked directly to the program's default setting of 120 BPM. If anyone knows how to reset it so that my program will always start at a different BPM (in my case: 80), then please let me know.

Thanks!

nihon94 wrote on 6/24/2012, 4:55 AM

 

Well, here's the newest info in the saga of my little problem.

I have tried starting with a New Object. It worked once, then won't work again. I tried it nearly twenty times, but it only worked the first time I started with a New Object. I've tried the method that I started out with, of course, which was to begin with the Vita sample piece and clean it out to make a brand new object from it. Obviously, that was wrong and didn't work.

I contacted tech support, but it doesn't look like they can help me at this time. They want a full diagnostic of my laptop and I can't give it to them. They wont help me without it, so I'm stuck.

If anyone has any other suggestions, I'd be very grateful. The problem seems to be linked directly to the program's default setting of 120 BPM. If anyone knows how to reset it so that my program will always start at a different BPM (in my case: 80), then please let me know.

Thanks!

Thank you for sharing your experience.

In past me too ran the full diagnostic using Magix utitliy, then sent the report to them.

nihon94

MovieMusicFan wrote on 6/29/2012, 5:03 AM

Hi again - last comment on this, I promise.

I found the answer to my problem. It works every time as long as I use Make New MIDI Object - 8 Bars. Use anything less than 8 bars long and it completely fails. I don't even have to use the Remix Agent (as recommended by tech support).

I hope that if another newbie comes along, wondering how to do this, that they can read about it here and try the same method. It's working for me, so it might work for someone else.

Procedure step-by-step: 1/ Start with new arrangement in normal mode. 2/ Place a pre-made clip into the grid that has the tempo (BPM) that you want the whole arrangement to be in. 3/ Right click to open options dialogue box and take Make New MIDI Object - choose the 8 Bars option ONLY, unless you plan to work in 120 BPM. 4/ Go into the MIDI Editor using the little arrow on the new object (or by using the shortcut "Y"). 5/ Do all your composing in the Editor, then when finished, choose OK at the bottom right. 6/ Make sure that your new MIDI Object is the only thing between the start and end markers (should be 8 bars, of course). 7/ Go up to File and choose Export - Save as WAVE. 8/ Make sure that you name your new object and have it end up in the folder of your choice, make sure that you have "Normalize" and "Save only between start and end markers" checked off, then accept. 9/ You can now use File Manager (next to Soundpools) to navigate to your new WAVE object. Drag and drop it into your piece. You shouldn't have to use Remix Agent, but you can if you want. (Good luck getting it to work right - I couldn't do better than what the program guessed that the tempo should be.)

I hope this helps anyone using an uncommon tempo (BPM) like I do. Best of luck!

nihon94 wrote on 6/29/2012, 5:44 AM

 

Hi again - last comment on this, I promise.

I found the answer to my problem. It works every time as long as I use Make New MIDI Object - 8 Bars. Use anything less than 8 bars long and it completely fails. I don't even have to use the Remix Agent (as recommended by tech support).

I hope that if another newbie comes along, wondering how to do this, that they can read about it here and try the same method. It's working for me, so it might work for someone else.

Procedure step-by-step: 1/ Start with new arrangement in normal mode. 2/ Place a pre-made clip into the grid that has the tempo (BPM) that you want the whole arrangement to be in. 3/ Right click to open options dialogue box and take Make New MIDI Object - choose the 8 Bars option ONLY, unless you plan to work in 120 BPM. 4/ Go into the MIDI Editor using the little arrow on the new object (or by using the shortcut "Y"). 5/ Do all your composing in the Editor, then when finished, choose OK at the bottom right. 6/ Make sure that your new MIDI Object is the only thing between the start and end markers (should be 8 bars, of course). 7/ Go up to File and choose Export - Save as WAVE. 8/ Make sure that you name your new object and have it end up in the folder of your choice, make sure that you have "Normalize" and "Save only between start and end markers" checked off, then accept. 9/ You can now use File Manager (next to Soundpools) to navigate to your new WAVE object. Drag and drop it into your piece. You shouldn't have to use Remix Agent, but you can if you want. (Good luck getting it to work right - I couldn't do better than what the program guessed that the tempo should be.)

I hope this helps anyone using an uncommon tempo (BPM) like I do. Best of luck!

So nice of you to share what you have learned.