Window Reference
Export RMF from Multiple Samples dialog box
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Note: This command produces a single RMF file containing all the selected Samples, not one RMF file per selected Sample.

When exporting an RMF file from multiple Samples, you have three questions to answer:
  • Do you want the Beatnik Editor to generate a Song and include it in the RMF file?
  • To make the Samples available to be played, the Beatnik Editor will have to create at least one Instrument for them, and there a lot of possible ways to do that. Do you want the Samples to appear as separate Instruments, or do you want them combined into one multi-zoned Instrument? Either way, there are additional questions to answer about how to set up the Keymap Zones.
  • What Bank and what Instrument number (or numbers) do you want to use for the created Instrument(s)?
The Export RMF from Multiple Samples dialog box asks for your answers to these questions:


Topics:

Working with the Export RMF from Multiple Samples dialog box
Should You Include a Song in Your RMF File? (RMF or RMFX?)
What Kind of Instrument(s) Should You Create?
What Bank and Instrument Number Should You Use?

Working with the Export RMF from Multiple Samples dialog box

See the following three headings for guidance on how to answer the three questions.
When you're happy with your choices, click on the OK button to close the dialog box. Finally, use the Save RMF File dialog box to pick a folder and provide a filename for your exported RMF file:

Notes for Mac OS Users:

  • In some versions of Mac OS, an erroneous item may appear in the Format: menu. Be sure not to select the option `Beatnik Editor document'.
  • The Beatnik Editor will automatically add .rmf to the filename.
  • The Mac OS file creator code will be `MPL2'.

Should You Include a Song in Your RMF File? (RMF or RMFX?)

Here's how to decide whether you should include a Song in your RMF file:
  • The Include song data in file (creates playable song file) option automatically generates a Song that plays one note on the selected Instrument, and adds it to the exported RMF file. If you're exporting a single Instrument, and you want to hear the Instrument's default Sample when the RMF file is played, then you should select this option.

An RMF file with a Song is considered a `normal' playable file - in a Web page it can be `autostarted,' and will respond to Music Object JavaScript commands like play() and stop(). If you have multiple Instruments selected, you get a chord with one note for each Instrument, with each note on a separate MIDI file track.

  • The Do not include song data option creates an RMF file without any Song - what we call an RMFX file, because one of its main uses is for sound FX. If you're exporting multiple Instruments, you should probably select this option. (The Song that the Beatnik Editor would generate for you would cause all the Instruments to play at once - which in most cases won't be what you want.)

Note: You can't `autostart' an RMFX file in a Web page because there's no Song data to play, and it won't respond to Music Object JavaScript commands like play() and stop(). However, you can trigger specific sounds at any time by selecting Instruments with the command setProgramBank() and then using noteOn() and noteOff(), or playNote().

Note: The filename of an RMFX file will end in .rmf, not .rmfx.

What Kind of Instrument(s) Should You Create?

If you want to create a single new Instrument from your selected Samples, the Combine Samples Into One Instrument option spreads the Samples across one Instrument's keyboard layout. These sounds can be distributed in two ways. The first is Split into equal zones, which results in multiple pitches being available for each Sample. The second option, One per key... is typically used for Percussion Instruments where different untransposable sounds reside on adjacent keys. The starting at field lets you choose the keyboard note your individual Samples will start on, and each subsequent Sample will be placed on the next available higher key.
If you prefer to split each Sample out into a separate Instrument, choose the Separate into Multiple Instruments option. All of the Instruments will use the same Root Key, which you can set.

Note: If you have more than 15 Samples selected, only the first 15 will produce new Instruments. This is because MIDI channel 10 is reserved for percussion, leaving only 15 available MIDI channels for triggering the Instruments.

What Bank and Instrument Number Should You Use?

Custom Instruments always appear in Bank 2, but you can place the created Instrument(s) in either the Melodic side of Bank 2, or the Percussion side of Bank 2. Select Bank 2 Custom - Melodic unless you are certain that you need to create a Percussion Bank Instrument (which is rare).
You can use any of the 128 available Instrument numbers (0-127) in either side.

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