MIDI file tempo export/import broken?[solved]

Cubase
#1

You can’t export a MIDI file containing a tempo track and import it into a new Cubase project anymore? It used to work. If you open the MIDI file “from scratch” i.e. with no previously open project you get the tempo changes.
The problem is that Cubase has added a million extra nodes … and you don’t want to delete them by hand!!!

The real problem is you can’t get the Tempo Track out of one Cubase project and into the next with that method anymore? I just migrated a messy project by hand which was kinda quick after all but I’d rather do it the other way. :unamused:

Create a project.
Create a Tempo Track and some Tempo changes.
Create a big mess in the rest of the project until all you can do is to migrate the whole project to a new one.
Create Track Archives and yada yada yada.
Export a MIDI File (which will include the tempo changes by design).
Create a new project.
Import the MIDI file.
Create a Tempotrack.

No tempo changes visible.
Tried to restart Cubase as well as rebooting the whole computer.
Tried 32/64 bit versions.
Stable installation, works like a dream otherwise.

Anybody care to reproduce on C6.5 and maybe also previous version, pretty please with sugar on top? :laughing:
Quick and dirty repro:

  1. Add a MIDI Track with one Part with at least one MIDI note.
  2. Then a Tempo Track.
  3. Export to MIDI file.
  4. Import into a new project.

Tempo Track works?

I might be overlooking something … hopefully :confused:

#2

I hated that importing MIDI imposed its tempo on the project that I had otherwise already set up. Glad they fixed it.

Oh, there’s got to be a way around your problem. Must be a setting for the import, but I’m sure you’re already checking for that as you say.

Crazy wild a55ed guess that will most likely not work…can you select the tempo track, then go to file>export>track?

If it lets you, then you should be able to import that track archive on the new project reflecting the other project’s tempo.

Never tried it, and can’t right now as I’m not near my music puter.

#3

F_u_ck me with a silver spoon, batman !!! :astonished:

There is an “Export Tempo Track” feature available … since ??? :blush:

Never mind!

Let’s talk about something else! :blush: :blush: :laughing: :blush:

#4

Since a looooooong time ago!


#5

Say it ain’t so! :blush: That’s the way it goes when you think you know what you’re doing :blush: :laughing:

#6

Preferences -> MIDI import options -> Ignore Mastertrack on imprt…?

#7

huh? :confused:

yeah! :sunglasses:

#8

well, sort of.
A ramped tempo curve gets transformed into a stair of “Jumps”.
From a user perspective it’s indistinguishable from a bug, even if it’s by design.
Admittedly this is stretching what MIDI files are supposed to be used for.
However, that’s not what I drew/edited in the original project and that’s not what I want to edit.

But the real solution is the Export/Import Tempo Track.

#9

A Standard MIDI file has to be, by definition, cross-application, and a Cubase tempo ramp is not, in itself, a Standard MIDI event, so, yes, it has to be converted into discreet MIDI tempo events, in order to be included in the MIDI file.

So, as you have seen for yourself, that’s what the function “Export/Import Tempo Map” is there for (but can be used only within Cubase/Nuendo, obviously :wink: )

#10

Turned a few stones there, after all … :wink:

#11

Ok, bumping this older topic to ask a hopefully related question:

I want to export a tempo track from Cubase 6.5 into another DAW (in my case, Ableton 8). Obviously, I can’t use Cubase’s Export Tempo Track feature for this - as it’s only useful for tempo track export/import within Steinberg products.

So my question is - has anyone successfully transferred a Cubase session’s tempo information into another brand DAW (especially Ableton!) by exporting a simple MIDI track from Cubase and importing it into the other DAW? If so, how is this done?

Apologies for my MIDI newbieness. I am an old hand at audio-only stuff, but MIDI is still a bit of a foreign language. Especially when it relates to how tempo data is “carried” across standard platform independent MIDI files.

Aj

#12

Yes… you can export as a MIDI file. So long as it contains at least one MIDI note event, it will export, and include the tempo track. (you can always delete the imported “one MIDI note” afterwards :wink: )

#13

That’s a great tip… will try it soon. I’m assuming if I’ve got several tempo changes in my Cubase session, I’ll need to create a placeholder MIDI track (even if it has only one note in it) that’s as long as the song. And then export that… sound right?

#14

Probably safest, yes (but won’t make any difference unless you also put a note-on at the end of the part… a “part” itself not actually being a MIDI event :wink: ).
Although it should also work o.k. if you just set L and R Locators and choose to “Export between Locators” (so long as there is at least one note-on event).

#15

Terrific Vic… thanks. Will try it this week!

It will be interesting to see what Ableton does with the MIDI file - Ableton has it’s own graphical tempo track automation (like Cubase, but way more barebones), so we’ll see if Ableton actually creates a visible/editable tempo track upon import - or just uses the imported MIDI track as it’s “master” sync track (which is another way Ableton handles sync scenarios).

I hope the former, but either will work for my purposes. Editing tempo tracks in Ableton is a complete and total pain in the rear end, and I’ll be glad to do it all with Cubase before importing to Ableton for live stuff.

#16

Editing this reply to say… I finally got it working with Ableton!

If anyone’s following this thread, the trick is: Select the MIDI track in Cubase (it should be the length of the song to capture all the tune’s tempo changes), Export MIDI (doesn’t seem to matter if you do a Type 0 or 1 export, and I also exported using the between locators setting) and then drag and drop this exported .mid file from Ableton’s browser into a MIDI track in Live’s Arrangement View.

Success! Thanks one and all.

Aj