Importing and exporting Standard MIDI Files

Reason Essentials can import and export Standard MIDI Files (SMF). This allows you to transfer MIDI data between Reason Essentials and other applications.

Importing Standard MIDI Files

To import a Standard MIDI File to the Reason Essentials sequencer, follow these steps:

1.	Create a new, empty Song document.

2.	Select “Import MIDI FIle...” from the File menu.

The Browser appears (if it was hidden).

3.	Select a Standard MIDI File (.mid) in the browser and click “Import”.

A number of new tracks are created in the Reason Essentials sequencer. The tracks will have their original name, with their original MIDI channel added. Each track will be assigned an ID8 device, loaded with a sound that resembles the original sound. These assignments will only serve as a starting point to be able to play back the imported MIDI file. You may want to change sound, or replace the ID8 with another device if you have Reason installed.

•	The Note events in the MIDI file will be imported into one or several Note Clips on a Note Lane on each Track.

•	If the imported MIDI file is a Type 1 MIDI file, there will be one sequencer track for each track in the MIDI file.

•	If the imported MIDI file is a Type 0 MIDI file (that is, it contains one track with MIDI events on multiple channels), there will be one sequencer track for each used MIDI channel.

•	The Tempo setting, any Tempo Automation and any Time Signature automation in the MIDI file will be recognized.

•	All controller data in the MIDI file is included.

This means that standard performance controllers (Pitch Bend, Mod Wheel etc.) are preserved properly and will be included in the note clip, just as when recording in Reason Essentials. If there are separate MIDI Controllers in the imported MIDI file, these will be imported to separate Automation Lanes on the Instrument Tracks. There is a chance that some controller data may be imported to alien clips, due to different interpretations of a controller by a device in the rack and the MIDI instrument used to create the MIDI file (see “About alien clips”).

Green frames will appear for automated parameters on the ID8 device panels. This helps you locate any unwanted controller automation.

Exporting Standard MIDI Files

To export all Instrument Tracks and Automation Tracks from the Reason Essentials sequencer as a Standard MIDI File (SMF), do like this:

1.	Set the End Marker in the sequencer to where you want your song to end.

The MIDI file will contain all MIDI events on all tracks from the start of the song to the End marker.

2.	Select “Export MIDI FIle...” from the File menu.

The standard file browser appears.

3.	Type in a new file name (if desired) and select location for the file to be exported. Then, click “Save”.

The default name for the MIDI File will be the Song’s name followed by the “.mid” extension.

MIDI files exported by Reason Essentials will have the following properties:

•	The MIDI file will be of Type 1, with one MIDI track for each track in the Reason Essentials sequencer.

The tracks will have the same names as in the Reason Essentials sequencer.

•	Since the Reason Essentials sequencer doesn’t use MIDI channels as such, all tracks will be set to MIDI channel 1.

•	The sequencer Tempo, and any Tempo Automation and/or Time Signature Automation, is included in the MIDI file.

Since an Instrument Track in Reason Essentials could consist of different types of devices (plus FX etc.), there is no information about the actual sound in the exported MIDI File. The exported MIDI File only contains information about each instrument track and its MIDI Notes and/or MIDI Controller data laid out on the track. You will have to manually assign appropriate sounds to each track in the importing application.