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Topic: Encoding a song (Read 3615 times) previous topic - next topic

Encoding a song

"The song has to be encoded for it if you want the lyrics to be displayed when you play a midi-file."
Now I have a song written in NoteWorthy and the staff-lyrics (Ctrl+L) is entered quite "by the book" but I don't know what more I have to do to make the song "encoded".
Kind regards
Steffen Appelquist

Re: Encoding a song

Reply #1 –
...sounds like something I wrote.

I was referring to karaoke. A NWC with lyrics is ... a NWC file with lyrics. MIDI exported from NWC is ... a MIDI file with lyrics.

That's not the same thing as a karaoke file (extension *.kar) which is a special kind of MIDI file with lyrics. Changing the *.nwc or *.mid extension to *.kar does not make it a karaoke file. I recall that a few months ago, NWC added the capability to recognize and import a *.kar file. But the imported file loses its karaoke identity, and is not exported as karaoke. This was explained by NWC in one of its user notes.

It may be the case that software exists that can convert a MIDI file with lyrics into a karaoke file. Maybe even free software, if it's just a matter of routine file massaging. But I believe that it's more complicated than that. Would a better-informed NWC user care to explain this further?

Now, let's suppose that you do have a karaoke file, extension *.kar. If you have karaoke player software (readily available; e.g. Van Basco, Quicktime, maybe even Windows Media player), then it can play the MIDI and simultaneously show the lyrics, animated so that you can sing along. The method of lyrics animation may be user-definable.

My Quicktime 6 player (I have the registered version, so I don't know if this works for the free version) can also act as a karaoke player. But it won't show and animate lyrics unless you tell it to do that.

If you want to record MIDI to WAV, then make an MP3 of your music, search this forum and the user tips for methods (requires additional software, but there are some free methods). An MP3 file can contain lyrics, or record album art. But you need suitable software to insert the lyrics or artwork into the MP3 file. The MP3 player will show the lyrics and artwork, or not, depending on user preferences.

Re: Encoding a song

Reply #2 –
I also have the registered version of Quicktime 6!! I would be glad if you could tell me how I make it act as a karaoke player.
Sincerely
Steffen Appelquist

Re: Encoding a song

Reply #3 –
While a midi file with embedded lyrics is technically not a karaoke file, most decent karaoke players will act "as if" a midi-with-lyrics is indeed a karaoke file. VanBasco's Karaoke Player is one such, it's an excellent freeware player with lots if interesting and useful features. I like it so much I've even written a skin for it, called "Mahogany Pastel".

The extension is basically a convenience for the user. Just as simply changing .mid to .kar does not magically create a karaoke file, so also changing .kar to .mid does not "kill" a valid karaoke file.

Essentially, the difference is in how the lyrics are embedded. IIRC, in a .kar file they are as Meta Text entries, and in a midi with lyrics they are Meta Lyric entries.

You can create "real" Karaoke files using the freeware Karakan program. Before NWC natively included lyrics into exported lyrics, it was the most viable way of doing so. You can copy tye lyrics from the NWC lyric editor window, paste into Karakan's editor, and fine-tune it from there. This is how I created the karaoke files on my site. But now I don't bother, especially since VanBasco doesn't care that they're not "real" karaoke files, playing/displaying them just fine.

There was even a karaoke plug-in available for the original Mplayer, but I can't seem to find it now. I also understand that Mplayer 9.0 includes a codec for karaoke support, though I haven't verified it (too chicken to install it until it's proven itself...)

Re: Encoding a song

Reply #4 –
I have also tried VanBasco but it couldn't display the lyrics I have written. Maybe because I haven't chosen the right options when I exported my NWC-file to a midi-file.
(I would also be glad to hear how I make my Quicktime 6 pro playing a karaoke-file).
Kind regards
Steffen Appelquist
 

Re: Encoding a song

Reply #5 –
Inj Quicktime 6 Pro: You can't "Open" a karaoke file, nor can you "open" a MIDI file or any of a variety of other file types.

Instead, "Import" the file. Choose file type "Audio." When you import the karaoke file, Quicktime will ask you to save it as a Quicktime "movie" with extension *.mov. Now that it's in Quicktime format, it will play and show lyrics.

But Van Basco's player is better. Quicktime shows the lyrics grouped, maybe a stanza at a time. Van Basco's player lets you highlight the words as they are played.