Playing midi(SMF) files on Korg M50

[Yatrix]

When you load GM midi files taken from internet to M50 or playback such files from computer player(sequencer) you almost always find that programs were set in a wrong way and instead of drums you hear piano and etc.
There are several ways to prepare midi files for being palyed by M50:
1. You can load file to DAW and reassign sounds track by track manually based on instrument definition file and save it. That works but time consuming.
2. You can revoice your midi files in a batch using special utilities but that will require to lean utility manual and creating revoicing map which could be a complex issue.
But, there is an easy way to apply build-in logic of M50 by switching to GM2 bank map.
Below are extracts from Parameter Guide where explained how to set M50 properly for playing back GM midi files. The information in the Guide is spread over the several chapters which makes if quite hard to figure out the workflow, so, I put it on one page for you.
This info will allow you to recognize proper GM sounds by channels(parts) for any midi file.
Later when you see in M50 SEQ that the channel is played for example by GM Bass it is easy to reassign it manually to better sound from banks A..E if needed:

Parameter Guide
Page 401 Appendices MIDI applications
About GM (General MIDI)
The M50 supports the GM standard. It also supports the GM2 sound map (including bank select) with 256 programs and 9 drum programs provided in ROM banks GM, g(1)– g(9), and g(d). (Banks g(1)–g(9) are GM2 variation programs, and g(d) contains drum programs.)
GM is a standard that ensures basic compatibility of sounds and controllers between GM-compatible instruments made by different manufacturers.
When using GM with M50, be aware of the following.
• GM System On is supported in Sequencer mode. For more information, please see “GM Initialize” on page 193.
• When you wish to play a GM sequence, or load GM data into a song, set Bank Map (Global 0–2a) to GM(2).

About standard MIDI files
Standard MIDI files (SMF) make it possible for different computer programs or musical instruments made by different manufacturers to exchange time-based MIDI data.
Each standard MIDI file contains one song.
The M50 supports format 0 (type 0) in which all of the MIDI data is combined into one track, and format 1 (type 1) in which the
data is separated by track.
When a SMF is loaded into a song in Media mode, the program bank that is selected will differ depending on the Bank Map (Global 0–2a) setting.
When playing/loading SMF data that conforms to the GM specifications, set “Bank Map” to GM(2).

Sequencer mode
In Media mode when you convert a song into a Standard MIDI File and save it, you can choose either format 0 or format 1.
• If M50 song data that was saved as a format 1 SMF file is loaded into another device, the track configuration may be different than it was before being saved. This is because MIDI tracks that contain no musical data are omitted, and the remaining tracks are moved into the unused tracks. This will not affect the playback itself.
• If song data that was saved by another device as a format 1 SMF file is loaded into the M50, the track configuration may be different than it was before being saved. This is because tracks that contain no musical data are omitted, and the remaining tracks are moved into the unused tracks. This will not affect the playback itself.
When exchanging sequence data between two M50, we recommend that you save the sequence data in the M50’s native format (“Save SEQ”).
When sequence data is saved in the M50’s native format, all of the settings and patterns unique to the M50 will be saved, which will ensure a higher level of reproducibility than when the data is saved as a Standard MIDI File (“Save to Std MIDI File”).
Parameter changes and other recorded data is included In the song data as System Exclusive events, so it can be saved to or loaded from media as usual. Exclusive messages can also be loaded or saved as SMF (Standard MIDI File) data (“Load Standard MIDI File,” “Save Song as Standard MIDI File”).
This allows recorded System Exclusive events to be saved as SMF data, or exclusive messages included in SMF data to be converted into song data.
During playback, this data can be transmitted to an external MIDI device, or used to control track parameters or effect parameters of the song.

Page 193 Sequencer: Menu Command
GM Initialize
This command transmits a GM System On message to the Sequencer mode, resetting all tracks to the GM settings.
For more information, please see “GM Initialize List” on page 193.
In Sequencer mode, when a GM System On message is received from an external device, or if a GM System On
message is recorded in the sequence data, the M50 will be reset to settings appropriate for GM just as if you had executed this command. However, in these cases, the various P9: MFX/TFX parameters will not be reset.

Page 398 Appendices
MIDI applications Messages transmitted and received by the M50
Universal system exclusive
GM system on [F0, 7E, nn, 09, 01, F7]
When this message is received in Sequencer mode, the M50 will be initialized for GM playback.
3rd byte nn : Channel = 0 - F : Global Channel = 7F : Any Channel
So message resulting message for all channels should be: F0 7E 7F 09 01 F7

Page 218 Global mode 0–2a: System Preference
Bank Map [KORG, GM(2)]
This specifies the mapping of programs and combinations relative to Bank Select control change messages (CC#0
upper byte and CC#32 lower byte).
The bank select messages shown in the table below will be received (R) and transmitted (T) for Program banks A–E,
GM, g(1)…g(9), g(d) and Combination banks A–D.

Bank KORG Map:
A 00. 00 R/T
B 00. 01 R/T
C 00. 02 R/T
D 00. 03 R/T
E 00. 04 R/T
GM 121. 00 R/T, 56. 00 R
g(1..9) 121. 01...09 R/T
g(d) 120. 00 R/T, 62. 00 R

Bank Map: GM(2)
A 63. 00 R/T
B 63. 01 R/T
C 63. 02 R/T
D 63. 03 R/T
E 63. 04 R/T
GM 121. 00 R/T, 56. 00 R, 00. 00 R
g(1..9) 121. 01...09 R/T
g(d) 120. 00 R/T, 62. 00 R

So, what is the cost of switching to GM2 bank map?

If you are not sharing your songs with friends then there are no consequences and it is much more appropriate to live with selected GM2 bank map.
Then, if you would like to play back files from DAW using M50 as sound module, you need adjusted instrument definition file for your DAW and that’s it.
Have not checked how M50 Editor plug-in works if GM2 banks map selected at M50 but theoretically it should work same fine as with Korg bank map.

A bit later I’ll place below Sonar adjusted instrument definition file for GM2 bank map.

[rajarshi_sl]

awesome theoretical analysis.....

but could you tell me what i should do when a midi file is loaded from sdcard and sounds horrible.....pls keep in mind i intend to do everything from my m50 , without using computer or softwares like sonar/other applications to modify m50 via usb-port.(basically i dont have thorough knowledge of these softwares )

last time
i reset bank map to gm2(did write global setting after bank map change) .....but hadnot had complete success....in one song the drum track got changed to piano and i had to figure out tr.9 was actually drums but was playing back with piano!!!!just u imagine!!!!and doing a gm initialize in seq mode at this stage rendered all16 ch.revert to piano!!!!!!!!!!!
i dont want to go manually setting 16 ch(s) of timbres everytime....this is absolutely frustrating to do on a machine that has been claimed to be midi compatible.

another thing is that while loading midi file there is a field called exclusive....does this mean that songs will sound better depending upon whether that field is marked or not.

the midi files i was using were dnloaded from electrofresh.com and they did sound pretty well on my pc (realtek audio drivers based sys.intel pentium core2 duo, win7)and old yamaha psr

i think m50 can also handle midi ....since it is at least 10 times more expensive than the computer soundcard(realtek)and 5 times as much as the yamaha psr.....but for that i think i need to know about some technical operations......that might render the machine into a marvellous midi player as well


thanks mr yatrix for ur explanations but will be greatly benefitted if u kindly throw some light on the persisting problems.

[Yatrix]

Hi rajarshi_sl,
Think in general you did everything properly. I actually did the same with my M50.
Summary (may be not for you but for other guys):
1. Switch to GM2 bank map in Global and save these new settings
2. Goto SEQ,
- load very first template "Pop" . That is just to set IFX/MFX/TFX sections with generally applicable effects. Later you can change it at your taste.
- give more readable name to song, for example "GM TEMPLATE"
- from menu command select "GM Initialize" to set all track to refer to basic GM sounds ( drums on channel 10 and piano on other channels)
- In IFX section route drum track 10 to D/K
- and save this new template to user templates under the given above name. So, next time you can select it before playing midi files.

Then load midi file and have fun...in about 80% of cases.

Well.. on those crazy drums:
Your PC recognise everything properly because it has only one option GENERAL MIDI which is default and that's it.
In case drum track of midi file was stated as default and does not have exact definition of bank(MSB+LSB)+patch then M50 tryies to apply something closer and the closest is (0+0+0 which is piano).
So, in general, recognition of GM drums seriously depends upon SMF format.
From my experience well prepared midi files of SMF 1 format (and most of modern karaoke files) will be played without any issues.
In addition, there could be troubles if drums were recorded separately on different tracks (like Toms on one track, HiHats on another, etc).
In these cases can't propose anything better then to reassing faulty tracks manually to drums and resave midi file at SMF1 format for future use.

Can't recommend anything definite on Sysexclusive messages.These messages depending upon the synth where the file was created.
Theoretically, you can allow these messages because the rule is that any midi device (and M50 too) must just ignore unknow Sysexes.
If these files were done on old Yamahas or Rolands then, think, M50 knows how to apply it.

Hope helps

[rajarshi_sl]

many thanks for ur explanations.....i will give it a try.....


and let u know later about how it went.....