Saving Track Volume Changes In Sequencer

Bernie9 · Post by **Bernie9** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:28 am

When I change the volumes on the front panel of the sequencer, they are not saved when saved to original SMF . How should it be done?

pa4x_user · Post by **pa4x_user** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:50 am

This is probably because (if you are using a 3rd party midi track), the original midi contains volume control changes which kick in during playback of your saved midi sequence. It can be a bit of a pain - in my case, I use a DAW to delete or modify them from original file.

RC · Post by RC » Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:10 am

I go to the track I want to control , set to overdub, using the sliders control volume. This is in the sequence mode

Musicwithharry · Post by **Musicwithharry** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:14 am

pa4x_user wrote:This is probably because (if you are using a 3rd party midi track), the original midi contains volume control changes which kick in during playback of your saved midi sequence. It can be a bit of a pain - in my case, I use a DAW to delete or modify them from original file.

I find this to be the case very often as well. I have been using MIDI files for a long time and what I do now, unless I really like the volume swells that were pre-done in the MIDI file, I go into each track and delete the control information. I also usually delete the program changes, panning changes, and other things - so I can control them myself.

When one goes into the sequencer to edit on the track level, they can filter out the note information so all that is left is control information. This will make it easier to see the volume changes, and other control things and they can delete accordingly.

Another thing to look at while one is in there, is the Master Track (lists after Track 16). In there, you will find the tempo of the song, as well as the root chord for the song. You can edit these as well, if you need to change the tempo of the song. In just about every MIDI file I have run into, the root chord listing is wrong. While it does not affect the sequence playback, it is a rather OCD moment for me to be playing a song in G Major to find that in the Master Track, they are listing it as C minor....

To access the above information, you can go into the Event Edit page...

Grace,
Harry

Bernie9 · Post by **Bernie9** » Tue Oct 22, 2019 3:05 pm

Thank you everyone. It is a third party file, and I can now forget an easy fix. In my case, I can live with it as is.

Bernie

korg1 · Post by **korg1** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 9:03 pm

you can try to find out in which bars you need to increase volume,or put a fix volume level since the beggining of the song and re-save the song,it will keep the informations.
Also you can try adding a compressor insert fx on the track you might miss in the mix ,and re-save the song in order to keep the settings.
If you want to increese volume by itself during playback,then you have to use overdub function in record mode,and experiment with that till you have the result you want.then save the song.

Aripearlmusic · Post by **Aripearlmusic** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:01 am

Open the file in any DAW and view the automation lanes. Fixing the volume levels in a DAW should take no more than 5-10 minutes for a 5 minute 16 channel track

Bernie9 · Post by **Bernie9** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:12 am

Thank you both, it is the automation that is the problem. All I need to do is fix one track. I don't need to increase it during play.

Bernie

Aripearlmusic · Post by **Aripearlmusic** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:56 am

Delete control change (CC) 7 and 11 on that channel and then set the volume/expression

Bernie9 · Post by **Bernie9** » Sun Oct 27, 2019 9:11 am

Good tip, thanks

Korghelper · Post by **Korghelper** » Mon Oct 28, 2019 2:13 am

If you want volume changes through the track, swells, diminuendos, fades etc., I HIGHLY recommend you do these with Expression (CC11) not Volume (CC7).

This way, if you need an overall increase or decrease of the track (e.g. if you change the sound, or the insert effect, or add or remove other sounds), you only have to edit the one CC7 initial value at the start of the track.

If you use CC7, you'll have to edit them ALL...

Bernie9 · Post by **Bernie9** » Mon Oct 28, 2019 10:56 am

In this case, the volume of the tracks does not change, but it is good to know in the future.
Thanks

Bernie

Korghelper · Post by **Korghelper** » Mon Oct 28, 2019 7:24 pm

Even just a slight lift or cut at different sections of a song can help remove the lack of dynamics that arrangers tend to have. Pushing the second chorus from say 100 (CC11) to 103 (CC11) helps give the kind of dynamics that a real band would do. A real band will tend to build or drop a hair just because of emotion, sometimes because the singer is singing a bit stronger, or an instrument takes a solo...

Putting subtle track volume (expression!) changes in a song helps regain that sense of live players playing rather than a machine..!

By the way, tiny tempo changes can help do the same thing. If you listen to music from before the dark days of the rigid click track, you'll often find a subtle (1-2bpm) increase going into a chorus or solo and a similar drag going back to the verse. It helped create excitement or calming and can be VERY effective in humanizing an arranger or sequence. Getting away from the rigidity of tempo and volume all the way through a song is one way to return to the humanity that music used to have!