nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed

Subject: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 06:19 PM

On December 13th we are having our annual Christmas bring-your-instrument party. I'm supposed to collect the music in digital form, and people are going to provide a laptop and projector so that we can just read the music off a screen.

I've been looking for honest, straightforward MIDI's of Christmas favorites. Interesting, with a few parts, such as might be found in any hymnal.   Key doesn't matter, lyrics don't matter.

So far I have found MIDI's with ghostly gray notes that make the music hard to read. I have found old favorites with irritating twiddles added. (Until you've tried it, you have no idea how time-consuming it is to remove twiddles from an old favorite.)

I have also found songs that claim to be MIDI's but are actually HTML.

Does anybody know a site that has what I'm looking for?

The Cyberhymnal doesn't qualify, neither does 'Hymns and Carols of Christmas.'

I thought this would be so easy.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 10:25 PM

Well, Leeneia, part of your problem is that you're able to make MIDIs that are better than most that are available on the Internet.

This Google Search is what I'm working from. Donna's is pretty good, but limited. I'd give mixed reviews to the others on the list.

You can download most MIDI files from HTML pages, but it's a bit more difficult. I do a "view source" on the HTML page and find the URL/address of the MIDI files. Then I paste the link in a Mudcat message and make it into a "clue clicky" - but I use the "preview function" so my list of links doesn't post. Then I right-click each link and download ("save as"). There are other ways, but this is a relatively easy one.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: Genie
Date: 01 Dec 09 - 11:42 PM

I find that Finale NotePad - even the bargain-basement versions - can make great MIDI files.   But now that I've upgraded to Mac OS X Leopard, I don't think my old Finale programs work with it any more.

If I can figure out how to use the direct-from-audio-input-to-sheet-music-and-MIDI function on Finale, maybe I can post some MIDIs of well-known Christmas songs.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: open mike
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 01:48 AM

what is "normal"? i forget...
but j c tunefinder has music in several formats

'dots', abc, midi and jpeg among others

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 04:40 AM

I recently happened across a useful programme for finding MIDI files.
Notation Player is the free "viewer" related to a couple of commercial MIDI editing programmes.
"Player" does a number of useful things. It has a built in web browser which will automatically download MIDI files to your computer, or directly in the main part of the programme. The browser (via Notation's web site) has a large collection of links to MIDI collections and MIDI-finding web sites, which is worth checking out.
Once you have a MIDI file loaded into the programme, it allows you to display and print it as sheet music. If the midi contains more than one "Instrument" part, you can display them separately - giving dots for vocal / accompaniment on separate sheets.
Of course, it doesn't solve the problem of poorly scored MIDIs or annoying twiddles, but if you find a bunch of MIDI files, it allows you to rapidly look at them and discard the unsuitable ones.

The commercial big brothers allow you to edit the dots and save the results. They do a time limited Demo version of them, so you can try them out to see if you are interested in paying out cash for them.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 04:44 AM

And a direct link to Notation's web site - the MIDI search for "Christmas" files http://www.notation.com/MIDI-Christmas.php.

You don't need to install their free player, but it's automatic handling of the files you find is worth checking out.

Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 03:14 PM

Thanks for the tips, Joe.

As a matter of fact, Donna's was one of the sites with problems. For example, in her version of 'Angels we have heard on high,' there are running notes in the alto part which are made to look like part of the melody. Since we are trying to encourage people to get out those long neglected instruments, oddities like this are not good.

I will try the HTML method you describe.

Geoff, will the player you recommend work faster than Noteworthy Composer, which I have? With that, I right click on the song, save it, open NWC, open the file, and view it. Can Notation simply pop up the sticks and dots?

In a way I hesitate to load additional music software which might cross wires with my present setup.

Meanwhile, why don't I just check out their site? heh heh

Thanks

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:06 PM

If you use the built in browser in Notation Player, it downloads files to the programme's default "Tunes" directory and as soon as downloaded, automatically converts the midi information into the format it displays as a music score, which it displays.
I presume that makes it quicker than Noteworthy for you to see an image on screen.
I have just had a quick scan through the prog's "Help" file, and it seems that the inbuilt browser is actually a version of Internet Explorer, framed in the Player. It is set to download to it's own settings rather than the settings of the standard IE.
It doesn't seem to be a big programme, and I haven't noticed any clashes with software on my computer.
I personally think it isone worth having to give a quick preview of MIDI files as dots.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: open mike
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:12 PM

isn't a MIDI an audio file?
you sound like you are talking
about a printed format...

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 06:03 PM

MIDI is a format which describes what notes are played - pitch, duration and whatever else... in a way MIDI instruments can interpret.
Notation Player translates the information into a graphic representation as standard musical notation - Dots on a staff, which can then be printed (It isn't the only one which will do this). The other programmes from the same company will also allow you to edit the dots and save as a different MIDI and in other file formats, but they are not free.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 11:55 AM

So, Geoff, it seems that Notation Player does the same jobs my Noteworthy Composer does.

Open Mike, the big difference between a MIDI file and an audio file, such as an mp3, is that I can download a MIDI into my music software and change it. I can change the key, the instruments, the clefs, the timing, type in chord symbols, and more.

I can write new parts or change the original. Then I can save it or print it. All these things are nice to do when I get together with my friends to play music.

For example, I might change a melody in Ab to a guitar friendly key such as G. Flutes like to play high, so I might move a tune out of the vocal range into a higher one.

In my first post I asked for a source of Christmas MIDI's which are not messed up by something strange - such as pale gray notes left over from some previous version.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: Mysha
Date: 04 Dec 09 - 12:02 PM

Hi Leeneia,

How can there be pale grey notes if "MIDI is a format which describes what notes are played - pitch, duration and whatever else... in a way MIDI instruments can interpret."? It doesn't seem like midi instruments would have a denotation of "grey notes". Are you sure the problem is with those midi files?

Bye,
                                                                  Mysha

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: Tootler
Date: 04 Dec 09 - 07:02 PM

Mysha has a point and I wish I had thought of it.

If you are using Noteworthy Composer, go to the "View" menu and uncheck "Allow Layering" and see what you get.

If you are importing a MIDI that contains lyrics, Noteworthy puts the lyrics on a separate, hidden single line stave layered under the stave with the notation with notes matched to the duration of the lyric. The grey notes are the hidden notes from the lyric stave. They won't do any harm and shouldn't show in the printout - check print preview to be sure.

If you are wanting a purely instrumental arrangement, it is quite safe to delete the lyric staves.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 08:36 AM

Here is an old .midi program for PCs... It does a lot of things, and still works fine on WinXP...(This may be the only place you'll find it.)

MidiSoft's MusMagic

Shows notes, transposes, changes tempo...etc.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 07:24 PM

The gray notes are there, all right. I fooled about with the layering, Tootler, but I'll try what you suggest.

It doesn't matter that the gray notes don't print, because we want to use a projector and project the image itself. I believe PowerPoint comes into it.

This is a one-time deal - long story.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: Tootler
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 10:35 AM

It might be better to project the print preview rather than the raw score given the way Noteworthy is laid out.

If you do that, the grey notes will not be visible anyway but the lyrics will, should you need them.

You might need to "tweak" your score a little to insert page throws in more appropriate places than those decided on by the software.

Subject: RE: nice, normal Christmas MIDI's needed
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 09:58 AM

I tried unchecking the box under 'View' as you suggested, Tootler. It helped. I had been using F2 (Staff) to try to solve the problem.

I believe the Hymns and Carols of Christmas site will work for me know.

Thanks, all.