change stem direction of hihat in drumset staff after midi import
Hi there,
Just downloaded MuseScore and looks great. However, I'm having some trouble and would love some help.
I have a large number of midi files which I'm wanting to score as drum-set (bass, snare, hihat). After uploading the midi and changing to Drumset staff, all the instruments' stems are in one direction, and I'd like the hihat to go up, and bass and snare to go down. Pressing 'X' just changes them all into either direction. Any tips?
Thanks!
Comments
In general, you need to define the drum set for your score to define how you want different drum notes to behave - right click the staff, Edit Drumset. You can select the notehead, line, stem direction, and default voice for each note. Changing the default voice will only affect newly entered notes, but changing any of the others will affect existing scores as well.
That's the general advice. For more specific help, it be useful if you would attach the score (either MIDI file or the resulting MSCZ or both). One thing isn't clear, what you mean by "changing to Drumset staff". If was a percussion track in the original MIDI, it should automatically be detected as such on MIDI import. However, do realzie MIDI is something of a "last resort" as far a method of exchanging scores between programs. When possible, it is much better to use MusicXML, although that isn't perfect either. But MIDI contains only the barest minimum information that a notation program would need.
In reply to In general, you need to by Marc Sabatella
Hi,
Thanks so much for your quick response.
I just tried defining the drumset like you said, by changing settings in Edit Drumset. However, it still doesn't seem to do this consistently: I still get some hihat notes with stems up and some with stems down. Same for my bass-drum. See attached MCZC file. I've also attached what I *want* my score to look like.
And no, the MIDI file wasn't automatically detected as percussion (because it's saved as something else in the MIDI file). I also have them as sibelius files, but don't have an active license anymore so not able to save them as MusicXML. Is there any other way to change the sibelius files to MusicXML without the Sibelius software? I basically have all the scores, but need to edit some of them, and was hoping Musescore would do the trick!
In reply to Hi, Thanks so much for your by mxwx
Maybe find a friend with a Sibelius license who can export them to MusicXML for you?
Your original file appears to use multiple voices; this is one of the many things MIDI has no way of representing. So you need to somehow convince MuseScore to represent it that way. Having the original MIDI file to look would be better, because then I might be able to suggest options to use in the import window that would help.
As it is, all stems are down in the file you sent. That's because all the notes are in the same voice. You could select all the notes you want moved into voice 2 (eg, everything *except* the hihat notes), then press the voice 2 button on the toolbar to move them there. This doesn't work perfectly, but does decently with this score.
In reply to Maybe find a friend with a by Marc Sabatella
Hi Marc,
Thanks again for your response and your help. Really appreciate it!
I don't know if it's my version of Musescore 1.2 (I have an older mac), but the solution of clicking notes and then clicking the voice 2 button doesn't work for me. First of all, if I want to select more than one note, it selects all the notes in that metrical position (including hihat etc.). I'm not able to select only the bass notes, or only the hihat notes. Second, nothing changes when I select a note and then click voice 2. It stays in voice 1.
I've attached the midi file. As you'll see it's completely different from what I want it to look like in the score. Changing to Drumset 5 lines gets it closer, but still have to change it a lot.
I will see if I can get a friend with Sibelius to export the files for me.
In reply to Hi Marc, Thanks again for by mxwx
Ah, you're right, 1.2 is much more limited. Not sure there will be an easy way of doing what you want without the MusicXML, and 1.2 isn't as good as 2.0 for that either.
But FWIW, you can select multiple notes same as multiple selections in most programs - Cmd+click them one by one.
In reply to Ah, you're right, 1.2 is much by Marc Sabatella
Ah ok. I will try to find another solution then. Thanks for your help.
I know about the cmd+click solution, and that's precisely what I've been trying to do: It selects all the notes on a stem, I can't select just the bass drums across different stems that also have hihats on them. It will select the hihat as well (if you see what I mean). But anyway, I'll move on to another option :)
In reply to Ah ok. I will try to find by mxwx
Cmd+click the notehead itself, that should select only that note. But unfortunately it won't help since there is no way to move that note to another voice in 1.2. You'd have to delete the selected notes, then re-enter them in voice 2 manually.