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ToolAbleton Move

MidiToMove

OnjLouis/MidiToMove · ★ 2

Accessible Windows utility for converting MIDI files into Ableton Move and Note bundles.

README from GitHub, MIT

MidiToMove

Accessible Windows utility for converting standard MIDI files into Ableton Move and Ableton Note .ablbundle sets.

Current version: 1.4.

Project page: https://github.com/OnjLouis/MidiToMove

Companion tool

If you want to go the other way, MoveToMidi converts Ableton Move and Ableton Note .ablbundle sets to standard MIDI files.

Upgrading from 1.0

MidiToMove 1.0 has a known updater bug that can show Ambiguous match found when checking for updates. If you are on 1.0, download and install 1.1 manually once. Future update checks work from 1.1 onward.

Build

.\Build.ps1

The build script writes beneath the current user's temporary folder by default. Pass -OutputPath to choose another destination:

.\Build.ps1 -OutputPath "C:\Tools\MidiToMove\MidiToMove.exe"

The build script does not create an INI file by default. Use -CreateDefaultIni when you want a starter MidiToMove.ini beside the executable.

Behavior

  • Opens one or more .mid or .midi files, or a folder of MIDI files.
  • Writes Ableton Move and Ableton Note .ablbundle files containing Song.abl.
  • Uses Move-compatible four-track and eight-scene limits.
  • Preserves the start-of-song tempo and time signature, track names, notes, note lengths, and velocities.
  • Reports later tempo or time-signature changes that cannot be represented because a Move set has one global value for each.
  • Writes Move 2.1 beta-compatible timeSignature metadata for non-4/4 MIDI files.
  • Uses 16 bars of the source time signature as each Move clip scene span.
  • Converts CC64 sustain pedal messages into longer note lengths so sustained notes are not truncated on Move.
  • Splits long MIDI files into Move scenes and reports when the source is longer than eight scenes.
  • Rounds each clip loop length to the next bar instead of always using a full 16-bar clip.
  • Normalizes overlapping notes on the same pitch so Move accepts older or messy MIDI files.
  • Merges split MIDI tracks that share the same name and channel before applying Move's four-track limit.
  • Lets users select MIDI parts and assign several parts to the same Move track when merging is needed.
  • Can prefer MIDI channel 10 drum parts on Move track 1.
  • Source MIDI files are never overwritten.
  • Existing output bundles are never overwritten; a number is added when needed.
  • Output bundles preserve their source MIDI files' modified dates by default. This can be changed under Output Defaults.
  • Settings are stored in MidiToMove.ini beside the executable.
  • Automatic installation verifies a cryptographic signature before replacing the current program.
  • Help > Check for Updates... checks GitHub Releases.
  • Help > Version History... shows the latest GitHub release notes.
  • Help > Donate... opens https://onj.me/donate for optional support.

Command line

MidiToMove.exe --output "C:\Output\Bundles" "C:\Music\song.mid"
MidiToMove.exe --output "C:\Output\Bundles" "C:\Music\MIDI Folder"
MidiToMove.exe --no-drum-preference "C:\Music\song.mid"
MidiToMove.exe --no-preserve-date "C:\Music\song.mid"

--scenes is intentionally not supported. Move sets always use up to eight scenes. Use --preserve-date or --no-preserve-date to override the saved source-date preference.