The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #125652   Message #2784003
Posted By: JohnInKansas
08-Dec-09 - 03:30 PM
Thread Name: Good notation-to-midi software?
Subject: RE: Good notation-to-midi software?
Many "trial version downloads" of programs disable saving of what you produce. You have to pay for the program to get the "key" to unlock saving and other functions.

I'm not sure that's the problem here, but suspect you got a trial version download that doesn't permit you to save your work.

Even worse, the trial CDs for Sibelius that you can pick up from your local music shop disable the Help files (or did a while back, the last time I got one) to prevent you from actually learning anything about what the program can do before you pay for it.

Almost any program that lets you print notation should be able to export a midi, although there are a few exceptions among free/cheap programs so you need to check the specs. Any program that can export (save as) midi should be able to import a midi and produce notation.

The problem with importing midis to notation is in the timing.

If the midi was exported from notation, the time intervals should be in "note values" and even a simple program will know what notes to print. If the midi is "recorded from play" you need enough sophistication for the program to "guess" what note time-values to use so that you don't print lots of "itty bitties" that trash the score and require lots of manual editing.

The simplest notation programs don't typically "play repeats" (or D.S., D.C., Codas etc) so if you're wanting to produce "full performance" midis from notation you'll want one that does. None of the reasonably priced programs I've looked at will put the road maps back in when you import the midi back to notation, so you get one long score with everything written out in line.

If you use them, you may also want a program that can "play grace notes."

It may be of concern for you to look at the "number of voices" the program can handle, e.g. if you want to be able to separate melody line(s) from chord parts, etc. Some simple programs require that each "voice" be on a separate staff, while others will let you overlay multiple "parts" on a single staff. This doesn't matter much if the midi is the only object, but can make a big difference in how neat the printed scores look.

John