![]() ![]() ![]() When you load a Format 1 MIDI File, there are likely to be a few irregularities. ![]() If you use the latter, you'll be 'exporting' the song on saving, and 'importing' it on loading. Most computer‑based sequencers give you the option of saving a song in either their own proprietary format or as a MIDI File. In essence, this has almost no limitation to the number of tracks that can be saved - unless around 64,000 can be termed a limitation. Until the appearance of General MIDI (GM), the most commonly used type was Format 1. Format 2 saves a song as a series of patterns - though this is very rarely supported.Format 1 keeps sequencer tracks separate within a song.Format 0 saves the entire song as a single track.This led to the Standard MIDI File Specification which is now used by almost every sequencer writer, irrespective of the computer or sequencing program, so leading to a high degree of compatibility in the transfer of songs. In 1987, a number of software companies decided that it was essential to have a common file format for the saving of songs on a sequencer. ![]() The situation became even more awkward once other computer platforms started to become involved. For, while sequencing programs on the ST used the disk drive to save data to disk, you could not take a song recorded on one sequencer and simply load it into a different one, as the format of the stored data differed. This led to a situation wherein you often found a different sequencing package in each pre‑production studio you went to - and almost no way to transfer your songs between them. Many sequencing programs followed in Pro 24's footsteps, including, in the early days, C‑Lab's Creator and Dr. The Atari ST was the perfect computer platform for two reasons: the in‑built MIDI ports, and a floppy disk drive for data storage. The combination of MIDI, the Atari ST and Steinberg's Pro 24 brought the affordable creation of music to the masses. Years ago, many synths had their own on‑board sequencers and the scenario of needing to move a sequence from one synth to another simply did not occur. Sequencers have come a long way from the days when they really were sequencers - a set of simple steps of 16 or 32 notes with no change in level or note length. Need to transfer songs between an old sequencer and your new computer? Or between a sequencer at home and a MIDI File player for live work? Vic Lennard explains the procedure. ![]()
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