Problem with drums midi files import

• Apr 3, 2020 - 11:14

Hello,
I have a problem when I try to import my drum midi files into Musescore.
When I import a drum midi file, the score shows all the instruments in two separate staves (treble clef and bass clef). When, in the mixer, I select the "drums" box, it shows the notes in two separate staves (bass clef).
So, I created my percussion map "mirroring" the position of the notes in the midi file, but when I copy and paste all the notes into a new file with the preset of the "drumset" score and with my percussion map, the notes don't look like as I expect: the sounds are right, but not the positions of the notes in the staff, the heads of the notes and the stems. Furthermore, the group is not correct, and for example, a snare note that I set to be displayed on the second space of the staff and in group B does not appear there..... sometimes in group A with stem up, and sometimes in group B with stem down.

Can someone help me? These are all the steps I have done (see files attached):
1- record a midi file in Ableton Live 10
2- export of the midi file
3- open the midi file with musescore / create a new score
4- copy all the notes
5- create a new score with drum presets
6- upload my custom percussion map
7- paste all the notes of the previous score

As you can see, I'm trying to create my own preset and workflow for record midi files in my daw and then import as correct as possible into Musescore.

I miss something? Is there any way to import my midi files directly into a preset drum score with my percussion map loaded? It is a step I'm missing?

Thank you in advance for all the help you want to give me. Have a nice day.
Alessio


Comments

The problem seems to be that Msc. isn't recognizing a drumset upon import. That may be why you have pitched instrument clefs when you open it and it never looks right (but sounds right) It may be that you cannot expect a loaded drm file to correct this. Rather, you need to have the correct instruments xml definitions and file. I work exactly the opposite, writing in notation and sending midi out, dialing in all the hits with external samplers. Going from notation to midi is, I believe, much more developed.

In reply to by ramblinj

Hi ramblinj,
Thanks for your reply. I just tried to do the opposite: I wrote a drum score from a blank Drumset preset, then I exported the midi file and re-imported. It simply doesn't work :))) It seems all correct (midi channel 10, same drum map, ecc. ecc.) but in fact when I reimport the midi file exported from the score I wrote in Musescore something goes wrong.
Please check the files attached:
File 1 - Hand written drums
Drums 1 midi file (generated from the hand written drums)
File 2 - Midi file of the handwritten drums imported in Musescore

In reply to by Alessio Sbarzella

That's amazing and its exactly what I want to do. I write my drum parts in Ableton but I want to export them to make them scores in MuseScore. I tried to follow your notes but I'm still not getting the desired results. can you elaborate on exactly how you got this to work? I guess specifically, how you did your "Mapping".

Thank you so much!

In reply to by bishop100

If you post your MIDI file and explain which MIDI pitches you intend to represent which drums, then someone should be able to help. But in the future, probably best to just stick with the General MIDI standard - use channel 10 for percussion, and the pitch assignments defined by that standard. Then everything works right out of the box.

Hi Alessio,
I don't know if I can help you but we have a similar request, also discussed in another post :

  https://musescore.org/en/node/306528

In our case, it concerns also the import of MIDI drum file (Toontrack files) under Musescore.

We all have similar results with import operation; like you : false positions of notes in 2 staves, even with MDL Drumset installed.

I recently succeed to obtain a well drum-formatted score following this method :

https://bernhard.hensler.net/drum-notation-in-musescore

Maybe, this can be treated further with a home-made plugin !

In the meantime, I'm very happy to have found this trick.
Thanks to helpful members like ramblinj,...
Have a nice day !

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

this site is down, but I got the text with the step by step.

  • export MIDI clip in Ableton
  • open MIDI file in MuseScore
  • In Mixer set to Drumset and Sound to MDL_DrumSet
  • Select first stave
  • Tools > Voices > Exchange Voice 1 – 2
  • Select second stave and Copy
  • Select first stave and Paste
  • Tools > Voices > Exchange Voice 1 – 2
  • Edit > Instruments and remove second stave

In reply to by isaacjames

That link doesn't work for me. Anyhow, if the MIDi file in question follows General MIDI standard, then nothing special should be needed to import it - just open it normally and you should be good to go, other than the usual cleanup always required when attempting to make readable notation out of performance data. If it's not compatible with General MIDI, though, you'll need to fix up the instrument and pitch assignments manually, and probably do a fair amount of revoicing as well. The details will depend on the specific MIDI file. So if you have a question about a particular MIDI file, best to start a new thread, attach the MIDI file in question, and explain the question in more detail.

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