MIDI channel matrix mapping doesn't work as expected

[ldx63]

Hi,
When using Fluida with only MIDI channel 1, everything works fine.
When using multi-channel MIDI files, channel matrix should come into play to associate a sound with each channel, as far as I understood. For example, to channel 10 is generally associated a drum set.

But it seems that this mapping is applied only when the GUI is loaded or updated, otherwise a default sound is played (i.e., the default channel 1).

I recorded a short video that shows this behavior (for simplicity, I muted all MIDI channels other than 10):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OVb76Hsy1FFxPNpa4zHf-WhTYqeE-b8R/view?usp=sharing

The same happens in both versions of Fluida: Windows and Linux.

I guess that this isn't the intended behavior, correct?

Thank you
Aldo

[brummer10]

Yes. That's a Bug. I'll investigate.

[brummer10]

I've forgotten to update the internal channel list, when receive a MIDI program change message. Should be fixed now.

[ldx63]

Hi, I recompiled with the new fluida.cpp but the behavior didn't change: I have to manually change the instrument while playing to get its sound. As soon as I stop and restart play, the selected instrument is gone and the default piano is played.

Moreover, it seems that it "forgets" the channel matrix from time to time:

1. I select an instrument in channel 10.
2. I close the GUI.
3. I reopen the GUI: sometimes (not always) the channel matrix doesn't have the instrument I selected for channel 10.

Anyway, even if the GUI shows the chosen sounds in channels, the sound produced is always wrong unless the instrument is changed while playing.

I have no idea about what to try to fix this, since I have no experience at all in programming for multimedia. :-\

Regards
Aldo

[brummer10]

Could it be that your MIDI file comes with MIDI CC messages at the beginning, or have you recorded it by yourself?
Most MIDI files set the program to use for channel at the beginning of the file by send a MIDI program change message. That will overwrite the instrument selected by you in the GUI.

[ldx63]

I am no expert in MIDI file format. Anyway, the file I am playing wasn't made by me, and it sounds fine with other players (i.e., timidity, VLC) or plugins (i.e. BassMIDI for windows): channel 10 plays drums, even if I stop/restart.

This is a screenshot of the table of MIDI events of this channel, it seems that all events are sent to channel 10, but the selected instrument (standard drums) doesn't play until I change it manually while playing:

What else can I do to help? May I send you a copy of the MIDI file that I am trying to play?

Regards
Aldo

[brummer10]

Yes please, if you could send me a copy of the file I would check what goes wrong.

[ldx63]

Here is a MIDI file with only channel 10 (drums) isolated. Playing it with timidity produces correctly drum rythm.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s4ZhefshL0zuHjoBX8nchh2dCjmEygtA/view?usp=sharing

I can send the complete MIDI file if needed.

Regards
Aldo

[brummer10]

Thanks, that helps.
This shows several bugs in Fluida which I hopefully solved now. At first, the MIDI CC/PC handling for bank/program change messages was buggy, then the general setup was misaligned.
I going to solve this within the last commit. Still, I noticed that the file you share missing the bank select message, so, to get the fixes working you must open a new project in reaper as the saved one already have saved the wrong program for channel (for Fluida settings) and that will overwrite the one from general midi settings.
Thanks for bringing this Bug to my attention, let me know if the latest revision works now as you expected (in a new project of-course).

regards
hermann

[ldx63]

Yes it works!
Sorry for having shared an improper MIDI file: it was only an extract from a complete file of a commercial song that I didn't share as-is to avoid possible copyright issues.

Anyway, all sounds of the complete MIDI file play correctly now.

Thank you and regards
Aldo