Very impressed with the new MIDI Importer and it was made so much easier than a third-party workaround.
Here's what i found with my testing:
1. When importing Tempo changes, everything was fine until the Tempo dropped below 32 BPM. The new MIDI importer faithfully assigned the Tempo commands to Txx to the given value, but of course T0x and T1x are Tempo Slides. I was definitely impressed that the new Importer assigned the Tempo changes to its own channel. If you're looking for an improvement, maybe the Importer could "smartly" assign the correct Tempo. I don't see how this can be done if the Txx cannot go below 32 BPM, so maybe it's time to consider a new "true tempo" command for MPTM. Maybe a txx volume command. Hmmm...
2. GREAT use of SCx to cut the notes and SDx to delay the notes. I didn't notice any errors in this department.
3. It was very helpful that the MIDI channels were imported to their own columns in the new file and named clearly so we could see how it was imported.
4. Still would have liked the chance to assign Instruments before the import. For example, when i imported my flute suites, i knew MIDI channel 1 was the piano and MIDI channel 2 was the flute. It can help the import if we can assign the MIDI instrument before it lays it down, so we don't have to go searching for it.
5. For some reason, the MIDI files i saved from my days of working with Pro-4 (from Master Tracks, but i believe GVox is now in control of that sequencing software), the instruments were not saved. I do know that some of my own MIDI files, when i bring them into another MIDI software like MuseScore, the track's instrument is apparently kept as a comment, probably because back then (we're talkin' early 90s), MIDI files only used external devices and it was up to the music producer to bring up the right program in his MIDI controller when he loaded the song in the software. In other words, if i open the MIDI score in Pro-4, it will create a track labeled "Piano" and another labeled "Flute." So obviously it's recorded in the original file. Perhaps if there is no MIDI Instrument found in the track, the MPT Importer can suggest one found in the comments of the track. When i downloaded a third-party MIDI file into MPT, the Instruments were assigned correctly and the Import played beautifully.
6. Impressed with the Pitch Bends (portamento). Those looked like they were accurately placed. (Damn, that's impressive!)
7. I noticed that some instruments (usually drums) had a mixture of MIDI instruments in a single channel, which i'm sure was in the original file. If i was to go in and edit it (which is really the only reason to import it into MPT, i'd want all instruments to be brought in to their own channel. Perhaps we can have that option available before importing.
I'm including a couple of examples to help with your testing and tweaking. I recommend importing them with amplified Velocities at least 200%.
The FC file is my own MIDI file created from a Mac using a sequencer software (Master Tracks Pro-4), with only two instruments, Piano and Flute. This file is from 1991 during my college days, and had been transferred from a Mac Double-Density floppy disk.
The second i believe came from an Alesis CD to demo the capabilities of this synth, using its GM specs, and the file properties shows it was from 1995. Importing this file does well, except for the pitch bends at the beginning, which i bet has to do with the Alesis' Pitch Range, which MPT wouldn't have any way of determining. But channels 38-41 hold the drum instruments.
Needless to say, the MIDI Import capabilities is LEAPS AND BOUNDS above what it was only a few months ago. I am very happy with the progress and except for unusual files, we can import any MIDI file with ease now.
