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#504400 - 12/01/21 01:13 PM Troubles playing BK9 midi files from a laptop/iPad
timtrax Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 10/27/21
Posts: 4
I'm running into many problems running BK9 midi files on a iPad (using the app Sweet Midi)or Laptop (using QMidi). Here's a simple example.
Playing Blue Christmas. Drums on channel 10 are BK9 make up tool StudioX Kit2 and I have the file saved and I have 'frozen' the file after I saved it. In Qmidi the drums play fine. I also have a fake vocal part which is supposed to play BK9 Jazz Scat (0655). But Qmidi plays it as GM 82 Sawtooth on midi channel 2. So...it is translating the drums fine but not the Jazz Scat. ( or mc10 but not 2). bass on mc1 is fine.

This is just 1 example.........

Some times SOME files played in Qmidi silence the Upper 1 on the BK9.

Sometimes, when I first play a file, a properly frozen BK9 file plays nonsense - like it's not 'initialized' Drums are thud thud instead of tick tick!

I must add that all these files play fine on the BK9, itself. smile. I have a feeling this has something to do with BK9 Midi sets ......

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#504402 - 12/02/21 02:24 PM Re: Troubles playing BK9 midi files from a laptop/iPad [Re: timtrax]
Diki Offline


Registered: 04/25/05
Posts: 14182
Loc: NW Florida
On the whole, it is better to fix things in the BK9’s sequencer than in the make up tools if you are planning on using an external player.

There is some weirdness going on with the sysex and the way the makeup tools address the parts. I’ve never really tracked it down too carefully, because I only use the BK9 to play my Files, so everything works out. But on the whole, ‘freeze’ only goes so far, it can’t translate everything that the make up tools is doing into regular MIDI.

But if you make your corrections to the sounds each part addresses with the sequencer, the file plays fine on anything. A lot depends on how deeply you are using the make up tools, as there are some very deep drum kit editing possibilities there, plus EQ and MFX Changes you can make that really need a ton of sysex to express.

However, it strikes me that there is a workaround you might try… Each performance can be called up with a MIDI code. Perhaps if you get the external player to send the code that calls up the performance, it might be worth checking if the part now plays the correct sound.
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An arranger is just a tool. What matters is what you build with it..!

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#504468 - 12/12/21 06:15 PM Re: Troubles playing BK9 midi files from a laptop/iPad [Re: timtrax]
Diki Offline


Registered: 04/25/05
Posts: 14182
Loc: NW Florida
A little more testing, and I have found that if you can get your external player to call up the performance with the edited make up tools file cued up, you hit play in the BK9 and that’s it… everything the way that it should be, and now when you hit play in the external player it ought to play correctly.

Give that a try, see if it works out for you…

The problem boils down to two different sysex addresses, one for the internal player addressing the SMF section, and another for external gear doing the same. Or at least, I think that’s what it is. It’s all a bit strange. Anyway, bottom line, if you set up the file with the Internal player setting the sysex changes, the external data seems to play it as expected.

I know it’s a PITA to have to do it in this two step process, but at least it can be done (afaik).

All in all, if you are using the laptop for lyric display in QMIDI, in fairness, it works fine using either one of the BK9’s screens (this is what I do), or you can get a small cheap TV LCD screen and hook it to the BK9’s video out if you need a larger display.

Seems like a lot of rigmarole to go through if all you want is lyric display while you play when the BK9 does it out of the box so well….
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An arranger is just a tool. What matters is what you build with it..!

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