Importing MIDI merges channels and loses control messages

[otherjon]

Hello LMMS people,

Platform: Ubuntu 16.04, LMMS AppImage 1.2.1

I'm having trouble importing MIDI: I've exported MIDI from Rosegarden, and used a separate tool (midicsv) to verify that it exported each track on a separate channel and included the MIDI control messages such as damper pedal up/down. The MIDI file looks good. But when I try to import it into LMMS, it imports as a single track with no control messages.

Are there MIDI import settings that I'm failing to see?

Thanks,
otherjon

[musikbear]

I'm having trouble importing MIDI: I've exported MIDI from Rosegarden, and used a separate tool (midicsv) to verify that it exported each track on a separate channel and included the MIDI control messages such as damper pedal up/down. The MIDI file looks good. But when I try to import it into LMMS, it imports as a single track with no control messages.
Are there MIDI import settings that I'm failing to see?

Up to now i was only aware that MIDI-files exported from Musescore had issues, but maybe that problem also involve Rosegarden exports. (?)

We have heard from other users, that ripped game-cd's midi-files do not load, too

Well..
MIDI is not MIDI there are many different types of midi, and some are deliberated made for only being used inside a usage or type of hardware. The Header make this possible.
What you could try, is to import your Rosegarden midi in a generic midi program, like Anvil-studio (free), and make some edits in all channels, like add one more note... just something that will force Anvil to resave all channels, in Anvil-format, and then try to import that file in lmms
I would like to know if that hack works, so please Let us know the outcome :)

[holdenhk]

The same thing (merging tracks and channels) happened to me regardless of which software I'd exported the midi files from (just to mention two very different ones, such as Cakewalk and OpenMPT), but ONLY in the case of the instruments that originally used plugins (i.e other than standard MIDI instruments). Some programs ask you how you want to map the plugin instruments before exporting (OpenMPT), and some do it for you (Cakewalk), but it doesn't seem to matter to LMMS, i.e. it doesn't work. The only way that worked for me was to make sure ALL instruments were set to standard MIDI library instruments (no plugin instruments whatsoever) before exporting. You have to change the instruments back to VSTi's anyway every time you import a midi file in LMMS (or any other program), so it's not a big deal. The only issue is that if you really use many instruments (i.e. many tracks), it will take you a while to figure which one is which, since in my case, LMMS distinguishes only between TWO kinds of midi instruments:
- drums - it always uses the first percussive instrument that appears in the midi file as the name of the track, e.g. 'bass drum' or 'crash cymbal'
- the first instrument that comes next after the first percussive one - ALL other instruments are named this way, plus there are a few empty midi tracks (also named this way), whose number probably depends on the number of instruments/plugins you used in the original file before exporting, so some cleanup will be required.

[musikbear]

The only way that worked for me was to make sure ALL instruments were set to standard MIDI library instruments (no plugin instruments whatsoever) before exporting.

That one i believe i can fix
You get this issue because you do not have a general-midi-instrument to import to.
If you download General-midi and set that stub as your default-midi-instrument in Settings, then i believe you will be able to import most MIDI- However, all tracks will be assigned to Grand-piano. That is a midi-issue, afaik
General Midi: http://www.schristiancollins.com/generaluser.php
Settings: https://lmms.io/wiki/index.php?title=LMMS_Settings

Besides that, since you are new in Forum
Welcome holdenhk !
Here are all important links:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4740
-A few rules and useful forum instructions
If you like to introduce yourself, to the community, go here:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4480