LMMS • Forums

Hi,
I am trying to use LMMS to retouch and modernize old videogame soundtracks in MIDI format. However, after importing the files, I notice that they have lost their percussion channel. Aside from that, sometimes the parameters are a bit off (e.g. all instruments being panned to the left, automatic volume and dynamic adjustments not happening, instruments sounding muffled). I figured it might be the old and not always professionally composed files' fault, however both MPC-HC and Synthesia seem to have no problem playing them. I did read something about converting between different MIDI formats, however as far as I understand it, that would not really work for tracks with multiple instruments.
I am using version 1.1.3 of LMMS on Windows 7 with a slightly modified version of the General User Soft Synth soundfont (using the original made no significant difference). For reference, here is one of the MIDIs I would like to work with.
Thanks in advance!

Yeah, it's a little bit iffy.
For percussion, look for a off-key oddly rhythmic (usually piano, bank 0 instrument 0) track in there, and change the bank-value of it to 128 to magically make the percussion appear. Whatever comes to any missing tracks, lack of automation, or a weird MIDI-format (like Hell Revealed 2 doom mod stuff, where I suspect there is automating of instruments in place), I'm afraid all you can do is roll up your sleeves and do stuff yourself. I don't think that's a huge problem in your case if covering that stuff is what you wanted to do in the first place, but it's not exactly ideal.

Yeah, the automation acting up is not too big of a deal, just figured I'd mention it.
It would be nice if it were that easy to fix, but sadly, there is no percussionist disguised as a piano. As far as I can tell (which should be rather well concerning how often I heard this BGM while playing), all tracks are more or less where they belong.

So I looked into the midi (weird that I didn't already). The good news, I found where the drum channel is supposed to be, it's bank 0 instrument 16 (organ). Bad news, it's empty. Go figure.
A possible workaround is taking any kind of MIDI editor and resaving the file. I can't remember what else you had to do to make magic happen in situations like this, maybe a format change? Whatever, I feel like that is your best bet. That, or rewriting the frums from scratch
You could maybe try to talk to the devs about it, but I wouldn't expect to see change any time soon, considering things

Percussion is crappy in midi.
The problem is as already mentioned, that the midi format has all percussion in only one track! So bottom line: Midi-track percussion sucks!
The only really working solution is to make proper percussion in the b&B-editor, and work through that, until you are satisfied. It is way to frustrating trying to 'extract' anything from the midi-track, especially because the precision in the midi percussion is low grained, and you will be facing 1001 node adjustments
If you still like to use midi-percussions, both the zasfx preset 'Drums', and the SF2 GeneralUser will 'work', but imo not work well..