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Can't save MIDI

CHET-NUN
Hi, new here.
I searched and searched the forum for a solution to a problem I am experiencing with NWC 1.75c. The only posts I found were somewhat old, and not precise.

So, if you please, recommend to me and advise me what I should do.

I am making some minor modifications to .nwc files, and need to have both a score and a midi file.

Unfortunately, the software is not saving my changes to the MIDI file, whether I select Type 1 or 2 (usually I choose 1).

What's up? Is there a fix for this?

Thanks in advance.
Salam, shalom, peace.
JB

Re: Can't save MIDI

Reply #1
Welcome to the Forum

NWC 1.75c's Save As... options are:
  • Standard NWC File
  • Type 1 Midi File
  • Type 0 Midi File
  • Uncompressed NWC File

For MIDI, you will almost always want 'Type 1 Midi File'
Don't use an extension on the filename, NWC will supply it.

I just tried this with Mozart.nwc from the Samples folder. It worked fine.
Registered user since 1996

Re: Can't save MIDI

Reply #2
JB, are you having trouble saving any MIDI at all? or just saving changes to the MIDI?

If you're just having trouble saving changes, have you tried moving your old MIDI file to a different directory before saving the changed file, so the changes go into a new file instead of overwriting the old one? Or saving the changed file under a new name (same reason as the previous suggestion)?

One other possibility: NWC may have been saving the changes, but in a different place than you have been looking for them. Try saving again, but check the name of the folder the MIDI file is being stored in before you hit the SAVE button.

Hope at least part of this helps -

Bill

Re: Can't save MIDI

Reply #3
CHET-NUN

Thanks for the replies.

I have tried all these suggestions, and it still is not working.

When I write to a new.unique.filename , it still does not reflect my change.

It writes the contents of the old MIDI file to new.unique.filename.mid, and ignores the fermata I inserted, or a correction to a misplaced note.

I believe this is a bug. Has anyone else encountered this situation? Does anyone have this problem in the newest version of NWC?

Look up "save midi" or "saving midi" in earlier posts at this forum and you see that some others may be writing about this.

Salam,
JB

Re: Can't save MIDI

Reply #4
Ahh - Fermatas do not export to midi.  You need to reflect them in some other way such as putting in an extra bar with the appropriate changes.  This is not an nwc problem - but a midi structure problem.

As far as the note chaneg is concerned, are you sure that you changed the note on a non muted staff ?

If you have a muted and a non muted one, the changes wouldn't be reflected if you only did it to the muted staff.

Rich.

Re: Can't save MIDI

Reply #5
CHET-NUN

Yes, that seems to be the trouble, thank you so very much.

I see now that a simple note change does write to MIDI, but the fermata insertions do not.

I read very little music, so if you please, interpret this statement:
>> You need to reflect them in some other way such as putting in an extra bar with the appropriate changes.

I tried putting several rest notations in these files, so that singers can have the same pauses that are in their usual Book. But I think these rests, especially when they are at the end of the song, also seem to be getting ignored.

Thanks in advance. Apologies for my ignorance, and I do so much appreciate your helps.

JB


 

Re: Can't save MIDI

Reply #6
I read very little music, so if you please, interpret this statement:
>> You need to reflect them in some other way such as putting in an extra bar with the appropriate changes.
Playing the attached file with NWC, measure 1 will sound like measures 2-4 and measure 6 will sound like measures 7-9.

If you save the file as a midi file, they won't.
Registered user since 1996

Re: Can't save MIDI

Reply #7
CHET-NUN

Gosh, thanks. That's a nice demonstration, and an opportunity for me to study music.

But it will take me awhile to decipher it. Seriously, I am a very slow beginner, so I beg your patience.

Are you saying I need to put in some bars, which means the same thing as making new measures? And in those measures I should put some rests?

But I tried doing that at the end of the song, and it did not get written to MIDI.

I see a fermata in the instructional file, and what looks like a big comma above one of the measures.  (What's that called, please?)

Peace,
JB



 

Re: Can't save MIDI

Reply #8
Hi JB:

What Rick's example is showing is the difference between what NWC sees and plays, and what MIDI sees and plays.

The fermata in m. 1 has been assigned a length of four sixteenth notes, which will make the dotted half note sound like a whole note in NWC. MIDI doesn't recognize fermatas, so it simply plays a dotted half note.

The "big comma" in m. 6 is called a breath mark, and is used in music primarily to show wind players or vocalists where in a phrase the composer wants them to breathe; but it also can be used to insert a small pause, so you may see it in piano music or string music as well. Like a fermata, it can be assigned a length in NWC, and Rick has given it a length of three sixteenth notes. He has then placed a 3/16 measure with a whole-measure rest in it in an equivalent place next to the following note. NWC plays the note in m. 6, pauses three sixteenth-note counts for the breath mark, then plays the note in m. 7 and pauses three sixteenth-note counts for the rest. MIDI doesn't recognize the breath mark, so it doesn't put a pause in m. 6, only in m. 8.

Also, if you check the playing times, the NWC example plays for 11 seconds and the MIDI only plays for six. That is because MIDI ignores the trailing rests.

I've attached a slight rewrite of Rick's example that may help clarify things. This one plays for 8 seconds in MIDI and 14 in NWC.

Hope this helps....

Bill

Re: Can't save MIDI

Reply #9
Are you saying I need to put in some bars, which means the same thing as making new measures? And in those measures I should put some rests?
One rest. A Whole rest.
Quote from: Rest Command online docs
The program attempts to determine if a whole rest stands alone in a measure so that it can assign a duration equivalent to an entire measure. This requires calculating the time signature associated with this measure.
See: Rest Command for the entire context.

So, you should insert a whole rest that stands alone in its own measure. (a Whole Measure Rest)
Precede this with a Time Signature whose value is the amount of delay you want. At a later point, insert the original Time Signature just before a Bar line.
For a fermata, you must tie the notes you want held across the rest.

But I tried doing that at the end of the song, and it did not get written to MIDI.
For a fermata, this method will work at the end of a song.
For a rest, you can put a Sustain Pedal Up after the final rest. See: Sustain Pedal Command

For my original attachment, if saved as MIDI, the MIDI playing time is: 8.375 seconds. If you insert a Sustain Pedal Up at the very end and save it as MIDI, the MIDI playing time is: 9.875 seconds
Registered user since 1996

Re: Can't save MIDI

Reply #10
CHET-NUN

Thanks so much for all the good advice; a little difficult for a beginner to understand at first, but now I have tried a few things and am getting the results I want.

Bless you and peace be unto you!
JB