Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: More on MIDI to NWC Conversion (Read 4438 times) previous topic - next topic

More on MIDI to NWC Conversion

Past discussion has aired the triplets problem concerning MIDI to NWC conversion, with no apparent solution other than manual rewrite. I have found that this anomaly extends beyond triplets to what should be homogeneous arpeggiated eighth or sixteenth notes. For example, the PRS (Pierre R Schwob) CMA (Classical MIDI Archives)files perform nicely via Windows' MIDI player, but translate poorly in *.nwc. Specifically, the Rachmaninoff 2nd Piano Concerto score, beginning at measure 9 of the 1st movement, should be scripted as all eighth or sixteenth notes, but shows up as mixtures of sixteenths, thirtyseconds, dotteds and ties.
If NoteWorthy cannot find a practical remedy, perhaps some of us users could team up to speed up the rewrite process. There's a lot of good MIDI stuff out there... anyone interested?

Re: More on MIDI to NWC Conversion

Reply #1 –
I think that what you're running into is midi files in which the creator intentionally made the file hard to import into /any/ sequencer. The trick is: precede your file with a short rest... double-dotted 32nds are great, they make a heck of a mess of any importation. The reason is that sequencers (including NoteWorthy) assume that the event at time=0 corresponds to the downbeat. Adding that short pause slides everything over, making the importation illegible. I've done it myself on several occasions where I didn't want the midi file to be messed with.

True midi fanatics don't let this stop them, of course; but it is an effective deterrent to the casual would-be importer.

Re: More on MIDI to NWC Conversion

Reply #2 –
It's also possible that some of these files (particularly the piano parts) were created by someone directly recording the output of a MIDI keyboard. This gives a more "humanised" performance, depending of course on the ability of the player, but the result when translated strictly in notation terms (since computers have to follow rules) is as you describe.

You may get better results by altering the "shortest note/rest settings, though this can distort trills and other ornaments.

Re: More on MIDI to NWC Conversion

Reply #3 –
I've run into another problem concerning MIDI >> NWC conversion, only with MIDI files *created* with NWC. Specificly, NWC seems unable to import staccato, tenuto, accents, slurs, volume settings, multi-point controls, etc. in its own MIDI exports. This means that either I have to keep a NWC copy of every MIDI I make, or go in and insert these components back into the MIDI manually.

I think it would be great if NWC could detect these things when importing from MIDI, if only from its own MIDI exports.

Re: More on MIDI to NWC Conversion

Reply #4 –
Perhaps you should add this to the wish list on the home page.

Re: More on MIDI to NWC Conversion

Reply #5 –
Fred,
How do you fix a midi file that has been skewed a 32nd, so that you can import it correctly?
Son of a pitch™

Re: More on MIDI to NWC Conversion

Reply #6 –
If a 1/32 has been added to the beginning, you'll see the downbeat starting with a 1/32 rest... at least on some staves. Delete that rest on each of the staves. (On some staves, you may have a 1/16 rest, or longer; you'll have to break up the longer rest in a way that results in a 1/32 rest being the first item on the staff; then delete it). When you've done that, check to see that the thing still plays properly. Yes? OK, export it back to midi, and re-import. Should be fine now.

Fred™