Trouble with tempo

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Mattdellmusic
Posts: 2

Post by Mattdellmusic »

I just started using Synthesia and I'm feeling a bit frustrated. I've exported a midi file from Ableton Live and imported it into Synthesia. The midi file has a set tempo of 100BPM. The issue is that Synthesia does not seem to recognize the set BPM from the midi file and instead sets the default tempo to 120BPM and only allows me to adjust the tempo by percentage instead of adjusting the BPM itself. When I look up tutorial videos it looks like the versions in the video identify the BPM from the midi file, but I cannot find how to do this and I am at a loss. I just bought the full version thinking that this could create a nice visual aid to go along with piano scales I've created for my voice lessons. So, it would be great if there was a resolve to this issue. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everyone,
Nicholas
Posts: 13132

Post by Nicholas »

It may be that Ableton isn't actually exporting the tempo event. (I vaguely recall one editor in the past that didn't and it seemed very strange at the time, too. It might have been Ableton.)

If you play the same MIDI file in a different app or player, does it run at 100 BPM or 120 BPM? Even just closing the song in Ableton and loading the newly exported MIDI could confirm whether the tempo was being exported correctly.

In the meantime, you're right that the tempo can only be controlled by the percentage, but it doesn't have to be in 10% steps: if you hold your Control key while using the arrow keys or clicking the +/- speed buttons, it will change by 1% at a time.
Mattdellmusic
Posts: 2

Post by Mattdellmusic »

Well, it turns out that you are on the money with this issue. Indeed, Ableton is not exporting the tempo event when exporting to midi. I played it in a different app and had the same issue. I imported that midi file into FL Studio, fixed the tempo, exported the midi file, and imported FL Studios midi file in Synthesia and it all worked without a hitch. Bit of an annoying thing on Ableton's part, but at least there is an answer to my issue. Thank you so much I greatly appreciate the help :D
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