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Topic: Importing MIDI Files (Read 3323 times) previous topic - next topic

Importing MIDI Files

hello,
I'm really new to this, and I've heard that you can take downloaded MIDI files of songs and import them into NWC to obtain a score.  I have no idea how to do this.  I've got alot of songs that I'd like to have scores for, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Importing MIDI Files

Reply #1 –
Welcome to the noteworthy group!

Just click on "file", "open", make sure "song files" shows up in the file types at the bottom and navigate to whereever the songs may be.

The lyrics may or may not (probably will not) be imported, depending upon whether they were saved in the midi file in some manner.

Under Tools, Options, Import, you can set some defaults. Otherwise the import wizard will take you through the steps for a particular piece.

Re: Importing MIDI Files

Reply #2 –
It's (almost) as easy as opening an NWC file. Just click on the File menu, then Open. If you don't see your MIDI files, select the "Files of type" drop-down, and select either "MIDI files" or "Song files" (the latter shows both *.NWC and *.MID files).
You will be presented with a series of options as to how the MIDI file should be interpreted. The simplest course is to accept the defaults initially, and if the score doesn't look right, try fiddling with them.
Be aware that many MIDI files are not written to be shown as scores, and that the recording is often not as accurate as a score-based program would like, so be prepared to fiddle with it. In particular, the way NWC splits MIDI channels with wide pitch ranges (e.g. piano music) is not always how the pianist left/right hand would play it (says he who has difficulty playing with two hands at the same time!)

RObin

Re: Importing MIDI Files

Reply #3 –
As you might have guessed, I took so long adding my reply that Steve beat me to it!

Re: Importing MIDI Files

Reply #4 –
Thanks alot,
That was very easy.  You were right.  I've noticed a few piano pieces are split into something like five to six parts...is there a way to condense these staves to the standard two, or will I just have to print alot more pages than I had anticipated? thanks again for the replies.

Re: Importing MIDI Files

Reply #5 –
Sounds as though you may have a choral piece or a piece for varying instruments.

One way of consolidating:

1. Open normally in Noteworthy.

2. If you know which staves are to be in the treble clef, right click the staff, choose properties, go to the midi tab and select, e.g. Channel 1 for each such staff.

3. Do the same for the staves that are to be in the bass clef, choosing Channel 2 for each of those.

4. Save as a Type O midi file. (To avoid overwriting your main midi file, be sure to choose a different name as well!)

5. Reimport your revised Type O midi file. You should now only see two staves. It may or may not be playable on a piano, but at least it will be two staves.

6. Note the various options on the import menus as well. If you want to split a consolidated single line staff into treble and bass, you can do it in a couple of steps by simply editing the track under the third step of the import to include a limited range (say, C4 to G10 for the treble cleff). Save the result under whatever name. Rebring up the same midi file and save the range appropriate for the bass clef, say C0 to B3). One can then cut and paste the notes of the bass cleff onto a second staff added to the first file.

Is am sure there are easier ways, but at least the foregoing is a start.

Re: Importing MIDI Files

Reply #6 –
That should be "Type 0" not "Type O" - or maybe that was just a typo...
 

Re: Importing MIDI Files

Reply #7 –
Cute.

Twas a typO

Who said composers aren't creative?