Working with complex imported MIDI data

[d.vyd]

I'm returning to Rapid Composer after a few months away from music. I need to relearn how to navigate the interface and am also working with some complex MIDI data that are causing problems. I'd welcome some advice!

1. On Rapid Composer's MIDI import page, I see the message "chords are too complex. Remove tracks from analysis." Is this affecting the file import?

2. How is an imported MIDI file segmented into PHRASES? Does the algorithm look at space between notes? Repetition of notes in the same order? MIDI CC data are not attached to phrases, correct?

3. Both imported tracks use Kontakt instruments with articulations triggered by specific notes. Even though there are phrases with two notes playing at once, the bottom note (usually in the C0 octave) does not make a sound but controls how the top note will be played. Therefore, the bottom notes should usually not respond to transposition (up or down), but should move in time (left and right). Is there any way to set this up in Rapid Composer? For example, can I split the phrases horizontally and then make the bottom phrases immovable?

4. After importing, the MIDI data looks different, though the piece sounds similar. I think I've forgotten how to see the note level in Rapid Composer. There are hundreds of notes--how can I see them in Rapid Composer?

5. When playing this file in Rapid Composer, my computer runs at between 58% and 70% CPU usage with some crackling and breaking. In MuLab, this same file runs at between 9% and 18% CPU usage with no crackling or breaking. Is there way for me to improve the VST performance in Rapid Composer?

6. I previously used Rapid Composer on an i7 desktop with a graphics card. I am currently using it on an i5 desktop without a graphics card. There is a noticable interface delay of perhaps 2 seconds. What is the cause of this delay and is there a way to make the interface more responsive?

[musicdevelopments]

Hi d.vyd,

I will try to answer.

1. On Rapid Composer's MIDI import page, I see the message "chords are too complex. Remove tracks from analysis." Is this affecting the file import?

No, it should not affect file import, but it is your best interest to exclude tracks from analysis that do not contribute to harmony (e.g. monophonic solo tracks) to have the right chords on the master track. The chord preview helps you, but for a MIDI file that you don't know it may be an iterative process. Feel free to change the import options and re-import the MIDI file.

2. How is an imported MIDI file segmented into PHRASES? Does the algorithm look at space between notes? Repetition of notes in the same order? MIDI CC data are not attached to phrases, correct?

The program tries to find similar sections by matching notes. You can change some settings for this process under Settings / Miscellaneous / MIDI Import, like Preferred Phrase Size, Minimum Note Count In A Phrase, Minimum Phrase Length, Maximum Phrase Length, Use Ghost Phrases.

No, at the moment MIDI CC data is not attached to the phrases, but this will change shortly.

... Is there any way to set this up in Rapid Composer? For example, can I split the phrases horizontally and then make the bottom phrases immovable?

Good question. The preferred way for importing tracks containing articulations:
1. Import the tracks without conversion to chord-relative notes (set "Convert" to "No" in MIDI Import)
RC is smart to find the articulations in phrases and making them an articulation but it needs to know which articulations are used. So the next step is
2. Set the articulation for the track or phrase that you want to convert to relative mode. This means you need to have an articulations definition file .rcCTRL in the RapidComposerV3/DB folder. It is easy to create such file which is a plain text file.
3. Select the phrase(s) to convert and press "Convert To Relative Form" but please check "Convert Articulations In Phrase":

4. After importing, the MIDI data looks different, though the piece sounds similar. I think I've forgotten how to see the note level in Rapid Composer. There are hundreds of notes--how can I see them in Rapid Composer?

You can see and edit "Note On" velocities in Note Editing mode (press F2, or click on the 4th icon over the tracks and select Note Editing)

5. When playing this file in Rapid Composer, my computer runs at between 58% and 70% CPU usage with some crackling and breaking. In MuLab, this same file runs at between 9% and 18% CPU usage with no crackling or breaking. Is there way for me to improve the VST performance in Rapid Composer?

Please note that in RapidComposer lots of processing is needed to render a single MIDI note. So in this sense it is not fair to compare CPU usage with a DAW that stores a track as a simple list of MIDI notes.
However I am aware of this problem, and further optimizations will be done very shortly.

6. I previously used Rapid Composer on an i7 desktop with a graphics card. I am currently using it on an i5 desktop without a graphics card. There is a noticable interface delay of perhaps 2 seconds. What is the cause of this delay and is there a way to make the interface more responsive?

This is interesting. This is the first time I see such slowdown reported. I am using a macbook pro with i5, although with an internal graphics card. RC does a lot of alpha compositing and displaying bitmaps so it is memory and graphics intensive. I have some ideas to make this faster on slower machines. It would help a lot if the FPS value could be decreased when the timeline is moving, and lots of graphics rendering is needed. I will insert such setting after releasing v3.4 next week.

I hope I could help.
Attila

[d.vyd]

Thanks Attila. Just to be clear, the CPU usage comparison was not a criticism. I already had a DAW when I bought Rapid Composer. I'm very aware of the need it fills!

Your detailed answers are very helpful. I'll try your suggestions over the weekend and early next week.


-d. vyd

[BluGenes]

Also check other software that may be running. I found a situation were a virus scanner was affecting RC the same as you described. (Not a virus, but, software to prevent a virus attack, like Norton, but, wasn't Norton). Once I disabled it, RC worked fine.

[ghettosynth]

No, at the moment MIDI CC data is not attached to the phrases, but this will change shortly.

Sorry to bump an old thread, but, this hasn't changed as of the latest version, no?

[musicdevelopments]

No, sorry, this was delayed a bit due to implementing other features for v3.6, but this is the next, highest priority task. I will start working on it in January, and I expect a working beta version for the end of January. I'll post updates in the beta topic. MIDI CC will be assigned to not just phrases but also to notes.

Thanks,
Attila

[ghettosynth]

No, sorry, this was delayed a bit due to implementing other features for v3.6, but this is the next, highest priority task. I will start working on it in January, and I expect a working beta version for the end of January. I'll post updates in the beta topic. MIDI CC will be assigned to not just phrases but also to notes.

Thanks,
Attila

Thanks, looking forward to it!

[d.vyd]

Attila, thanks for continuing to improve MIDI import and processing!

[musicdevelopments]

Hi d.vyd,
thanks for your kind words! I am doing my best to constantly improve RC and listen to user feedback.
Thanks,
Attila