Changing note values while changing meter - I'm stumped

[jrmintz]

I received a midi file in 4/4 with eighth notes quantized as triplets. I want to change it to 12/8 with the eighth notes quantized as eighth notes. I want the quarter note click in the old meter to equal the dotted quarter click in the new meter - the tempo should remain the same. I'm totally stumped. No matter what I do the absolute note values remain the same - the eighth notes are quantized as eighth-note triplets in the new meter. I can't make them conform to 12/8. Can anyone help?

Thanks!

[suicune]

You need to set your tracks to sample ref before you do this. Tick ref always refers to tempos in 1/4 notes, so when you try change it to dotted quarter tempo it's changing the note lengths. I know it's a bit stupid musically speaking but it's just one of those quirks. Try this:

1. Set all your tracks to sample ref
2. Set your meter to 12/8 with click to dotted 1/4s
3. Set your master tempo to dotted 1/4 resolution
4. Change your MIDI tracks back to tick ref

Now they should be on the 1/8s as expected.

To be honest I've largely given up using dotted 1/4 click resolution in triple time for this reason, I just change the meter, leave the master tempo in 1/4s (multiply by 2/3s if you need to work it out - 120bpm dotted = 80bpm 1/4s) and program clicks manually with MIDI loops. Melodyne and some other 3rd party apps won't work well with dotted clicks either.

[jrmintz]

Thank you very much, suicune. I stumbled into that solution very late last night - exactly as you describe. This was a midi file that was sent to me by my kid. She needed to transfer it to Sibelius for score and parts printing, but she started sequencing in 4/4. The great lesson is to start in 12/8 if you want to wind up 12/8.

Thanks again,

Seth

[sssonic]

Originally Posted by suicune

You need to set your tracks to sample ref before you do this. Tick ref always refers to tempos in 1/4 notes, so when you try change it to dotted quarter tempo it's changing the note lengths. I know it's a bit stupid musically speaking but it's just one of those quirks. Try this:

1. Set all your tracks to sample ref
2. Set your meter to 12/8 with click to dotted 1/4s
3. Set your master tempo to dotted 1/4 resolution
4. Change your MIDI tracks back to tick ref

Now they should be on the 1/8s as expected.

suicune, I'm trying to do the opposite procedure and haven't been able to make it work. I want to go from 12/16 to 4/4 using triplets. I followed your instructions setting the click to 1/4 instead of dotted 1/4. The Score Editor still shows me straight 1/16ths where I want 1/8 triplets. Any advice?

Thanks.

[sssonic]

Well, I found another way to accomplish this. I used the Time Compression/Expansion tool (TCE) to stretch everything by a factor of 1.333 and then changed the meter. (No need to change to sample based time.)