diff --git a/lily/audio-item.cc b/lily/audio-item.cc
index a8a78199c7..57c1fa025c 100644
--- a/lily/audio-item.cc
+++ b/lily/audio-item.cc
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ moment_to_real (Moment m)
 int
 moment_to_ticks (Moment m)
 {
-  return int (moment_to_real (m) * 384 * 4);
+  return int (moment_to_real (m) * Midi_ticks * 4);
 }
 
 void Audio_span_dynamic::set_end_moment (Moment mom)
diff --git a/lily/include/midi-item.hh b/lily/include/midi-item.hh
index 57bb2d4da2..22de679cda 100644
--- a/lily/include/midi-item.hh
+++ b/lily/include/midi-item.hh
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 #include "audio-item.hh"
 #include "std-vector.hh"
 
+int16_t Midi_ticks;
+
 string int2midi_varint_string (int i);
 
 /**
diff --git a/lily/midi-item.cc b/lily/midi-item.cc
index ba29ba0ba5..4af3f16d6c 100644
--- a/lily/midi-item.cc
+++ b/lily/midi-item.cc
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 #define PITCH_WHEEL_CENTER 0x2000
 #define PITCH_WHEEL_SEMITONE 0X1000
 
+int16_t Midi_ticks = 960; /* negative value is SMPTE time format */
+
 Midi_item *
 Midi_item::get_midi (Audio_item *a)
 {
diff --git a/lily/midi-walker.cc b/lily/midi-walker.cc
index d9765c6814..4411206c2d 100644
--- a/lily/midi-walker.cc
+++ b/lily/midi-walker.cc
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ Midi_walker::do_start_note (Midi_note *note)
   assert (note->audio_ == ptr);
   int now_ticks = ptr->audio_column_->ticks ();
   int stop_ticks = int (moment_to_real (note->audio_->length_mom_) *
-                        Real (384 * 4)) + now_ticks;
+                        Real (Midi_ticks * 4)) + now_ticks;
   for (vsize i = 0; i < stop_note_queue.size (); i++)
     {
       /* if this pitch already in queue, and is not already ignored */
diff --git a/lily/performance.cc b/lily/performance.cc
index 9f840efd25..bd6a91d9cb 100644
--- a/lily/performance.cc
+++ b/lily/performance.cc
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ Performance::output (Midi_stream &midi_stream,
 {
   int tracks_ = audio_staffs_.size ();
 
-  midi_stream.write (Midi_header (1, tracks_, 384));
+  midi_stream.write (Midi_header (1, tracks_, Midi_ticks));
   debug_output (_ ("Track...") + " ", false);
 
   //Find the first Audio_item in the performance, so all staves start