PPQ of MIDI files exported from Pro Tools

[John_Toolbox]

Does anyone know what the ppq(pulses per quarter note) resolution of a MIDI file exported from pro tools will be saved at? Can't seem to find anything on this.

[DonaldM]

Wouldn't it be the standard 480? I can't imagine that PT would change that to some other value, as 480 is the standard (or rather 24 ppq is, but most professional midi sequencers go 20 times that, hence the 480.) I don't have the PT manual where I am right now, but I'm surprised if that info isn't given on a graph or chart somewhere in it.

[flommer]

For some reason the number 960 jumped into my head, but I'm not sure from where..

[John_Toolbox]

I know that internally, pro tools is 960,000 ppq, and the grid resolution for midi is 960.

What I've found with a lot of apps is that the internal resolution is different than the one they export to. Logic is 960 internally, but exports to 480.

I am assuming pro tools exports to 480, just haven't been able to find anything in writing that confirms this.

[DonaldM]

Logically you would think it is 480 because it would have to export to a standard midi file and thus meet the conventional midi standards and that would be importable to another program or midi device.
If that weren't the case, then exported midi files from Pro Tools wouldn't be much use on another system. So, my assumption would be 480 ppq unless proven otherwise.

[John_Toolbox]

480 is the most common, but by no means a standard.

Here's what I've found so far:

Logic - 480
DP - 480
Cubase - defaults to 480, but adjustable
Sibelius - defaults to 256, but adjustable from 96 to 960
Finale - 1024
Ableton Live - 96

Note that these are for exported MIDI files only, almost all of these programs run at a different internal resolution. I'm not sure if all of these numbers are 100% accurate, some of them were found on forum posts, not in manuals.

I'm really surprised at how difficult it is to find this information. I have a way to figure this out, but thought that searching the internet would be faster. Guess I was wrong. If no one confirms this I will post my findings here after I run some tests.

[DonaldM]

You're right...the standard isn't 480, but it is, as I understand it 24. Most DAWs use 20 times that, hence the 480. If you do find out what PT exports to, please let us know. I've always assumed 480ppq as it is so common an is, for most purposes a de facto standard even if not THE standard.

[John_Toolbox]

Well so far it looks like it's exporting at least 960ppq. Exporting a file with a note starting on each tick and re-importing it does not re-arrange the notes.

[DonaldM]

Hmmm...that is interesting.

[John_Toolbox]

I verified this with Logic too(Logic operates at 960ppq internally, and apparently imports at it as well, despite only exporting at 480ppq)

I just ran another test, both doubling and quadrupling the amount of notes in the same space(effectively 3840 ppq). Pro Tools still re-imports the MIDI file with these high resolution notes intact. This means that Pro Tools exports MIDI files at a very high ppq resolution(probably the same resolution as the sample rate you are using), and also that Pro Tools does not affect the ppq resolution of an imported MIDI file at all. I have a feeling that this will be the case all the way up to the sample rate. When opening the file in Logic, the notes are forced to the next tick for 960ppq(so the first 4 notes are all "snapped" to the first tick, the next 4 notes "snapped" to the second tick, etc.)