I have two MIDI files which others created. There is a guitar track on each one.

File #1, I add an Ample Guitar with TH-U Amp. I add exactly the same guitar plus the exactly same configuration to the second MiDI file, the range of notes for both are similar.

To my mind, both guitars should have the same tone / effects. They don't.

The only way to really describe the difference is that its the same as a real guitar sounds with brand new E, A, D strings on File #1 and on File #2, the lower notes sound like strings that have been on for years and are clogged with grease! That dead, flat, lifeless sound, more like thuds than notes.

Am I correct in thinking that one or more of the MIDI CC are different. There are so many of them.

The MIDI CC in use are :-

Velocity
Note Controller
Key Switches
Modulation
After Touch
CC 07 (Volume)
cc10 (Pan)

The only two having any settings are CC07 and CC010 - CC7 = 0 and CC10 = max

What am I missing here? Who is a MIDI expert?

 

Hello, have you checked if the note velocities of both midi files are similar? Perhaps that's where the difference is.

 

There's probably just a neutral CC value missing (like aftertouch or mod wheel not set back to 0).

You can send me the files in PM, so I try myself (with Ample git) and have a look at them.

 

Thanks, past my bedtime - tomorrow I'll contact you.

 

Been using it since it began in the '80s. Wouldn't call myself an expert though.
This may be a stupid question from me, especially if you already know that the 2 MIDI files are meant for seperate guitar instruments, but someone once sent me 2 MIDI files and they were meant to be layered on the same track! Whatever their daw was, they had done a seperate run of some automation. So is this possible?
Also, keyswitches are just notes that trigger. They aren't CC. Unless you are working with old Spitfire Audio libs.

Yes, or the MIDI doesn't contain the correct keyswitch setting at the start. In which case Willy would have to ask his MIDI provider what the original keyswitch was.
I KNOW Noa will sort it for you, but I offer my services too if he is too busy!

 

Last edited: Feb 13, 2021

Check out if some notes are string select keyswitches just in case.

 

It isn't a big problem. I downloaded the MIDI. I setup all the orchestra parts, and I want to play my guitar for the melody part.

I'm getting old and I setup the melody part with an AS guitar, print out the Notation, and then practice the part by playing along (slowing if necessary) until I'm happy. Then I can setup record on a new track and play along with the melody track that I created and just keep doing takes and pieces until I get a result.

I find that most MIDI files out there (in this genre anyhow) are very badly done, almost every track, Velocity Note ON are 127, as well as velocity Note Off also 127, no humanization, and lots of MIDI CC's which don't seem to be in use. There doesn't SEEM to be keyswitches, but I'm sure there are. I tried the following :

Set the playhead to the start bar of the portion that sound like mud mixed with molasses and loaded an AS guitar with a rig, sounds OK, then there is a part where the orchestra comes along and after that we get a repeat of the first part and the tone is now dreadful. I checked all the AS guitar keyswitches, can't see any. I'm not sure which DAW the original file was created on. I tried it in Logic and looked for event changes but don't see any

It isn't important, it's just my curiosity. WHY? I keep asking myself. Why can't I find it, but alas, I'm purely self taught from the first day I got a guitar in my hand in 1955, the WWW has helped me with mixing and mastering, but I only play for my own pleasure and a few friends, no one is interested in my kind of music other than them. MIDI is still a bit of a mystery when it starts using all these CC's.

Bottom line, I would love to be able to know what to look for and how, but if you guys are busy it isn't something that will cause me any loss of income (unfortunately). I will send the track in question to NOA and you a little later in the day.

 

Hey! I listened to Janine that you sent me! I dig where you are coming from. Real music.

Ah! We are of the same daw. Yeah, you should be able to see the culprit in the event list. Make sure all options are checked to be viewable. They probably are by default anyway.
Did you see any change in the gui of the AS guitar at the critical mud and molasses moment?

That would be cool, as I'm intrigued!
Although I reckon that Noa will instantly find the problem anyway! As would Xupito.
I'm guessing it was either a modwheel thing or a keyswitch thing.
But of course, if it wasn't recorded with an AS instrument we might be looking for any number of random, irrelevant MIDI information! haha.

 

Okay, so it plays totally fine on piano as well as the AS Tele.
There are no keyswitches at all, as per the AS instruments.
I have not encountered the mud and molasses.
Nothing but note information.
There is the normal GM stuff at the start of the MIDI file regards CC for Bank MSB, Programme Change for Grand Piano, CC for volume, and CC for pan.
Not sure why you encountered what you describe...

Which would just mean the same note on a different string. Not the mud and molasses described.
None of the notes are keyswitches or string select anyway.

 

Last edited: Feb 14, 2021

NoA solved my problem. I did as he suggested and it worked perfectly, no more changes in the sound of the guitar.

Thank you everyone who tried to help.