Midi import into parts?
The handbook entry for Voices says:
Voices allow you to have notes on a single staff which start at the same time yet have different durations.
By default when importing a midi file, all the notes for a single polyphonic instrument (such as a piano) are assigned to a single voice. The result is ugly for the common case where notes of varying durations are started simultaneously.
Questions:
1) Is there a midi import setting that would force an additional voice to be created when any note is released while another is still sounding?
2) Is there a plan to remove the bizarre restriction that simultaneous notes of different durations must be assigned to different voices in order to be displayed properly?
3) Is there a midi import setting that would create a grand staff instead of putting all notes on a single treble staff with huge numbers of ledger lines for the lower notes?
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Comments
1) Multi-voice interpretation of MIDI files is not yet possible in MuseScore. Where are your MIDI files coming from? If they are coming from another software application, then MusicXML is the best format for this (see [[nodetitle:Export]] in the handbook for the relative merits of MIDI and MusicXML)
2) Support of multiple voices voices allows for simultaneous notes of different durations to be displayed properly. How else would you do this in software?
3) After the music is imported you can right-click on an empty part of a staff and choose "Split Staff..."
In reply to 1) Multi-voice interpretation by David Bolton
1) The midi files are posted on the web without corresponding XML files. MuseScore does do multi-voice interpretation - if the MIDI file contains two instruments, the score will have a separate staff for each instrument. What it doesn't do, because there should be no reason to do it, is split a single instrument into multiple voices.
For 2), I don't see the connection between voices and proper note display. A half-note "C" and two sequential quarter-notes "E" and "G" (where the E and C start at the same time) are unambiguously represented in a midi file as 3 On and 3 Off events, not 4. There is no reason for display software to split the C into two tied quarter notes, and there is no reason for a performer to need 2 different instruments (pianos) to play 2 notes of a single chord as implied by assigning the notes to different voices.
3) Thanks! - I'll try the Split Staff command.
In reply to Multi-voice interpretation by kartania
Is there a terminology issue, perhaps? you seem to read "voice" as meaning "staff" ("two instruments", and so on). In this contexts, "voice" means rather, uh, "track"? "sequence"?, i.e. a single sequence of chord where all the events are synchronous.
You can have multiple "voices" in the same staff (MuseScore allows up to 4 of them for each staff), exactly to avoid splitting a note in two tied 'semi-notes' or separating non-synchronous sequences in different staves.
Any clear(er)?
M.
In reply to Terminology? by Miwarre
There are two points of confusion - terminology is the easy one. Voice probably isn't the best term to use as a synonym for "track" or "sequence", but since it is used that way, so be it.
The real confusion is why software would be designed to have a "track" object with the property that two notes starting at the same time could not end at different times. That is arbitrary and counter-intuitive. MuseScore's demo score (Promenade) provides a good example - one might expect Track 1 to be a melody and Track 2 to be harmony. But instead, while all of the notes in measure 1 are Track 1 melody, the identical notes switch from Track 1 to Track 2 at the 4th chord of measure 3. That is a ridiculous way to implement a track - there is no point in muting a track, playing just a track, transposing a track, etc because notes are assigned to tracks (voices) in a way that has no musical significance.
Which was the point of my original question - is there any plan to redesign the implementation of "voice" so that it could have some utility as a manipulable musical object?
I would like to open a piano midi file in Musescore. It is normally notated on a Grand staff e.g. Bass and Treble staff.
Is there a procedure for doing this? I tried the split staff function but it gives me two Bass Clefs.
Any suggestions?
In reply to I would like to open a piano by jpumphandle
From MuseScore go to File > Open and choose your MIDI file.
In reply to From MuseScore go to File > by David Bolton
Exactly. You have found the problem.
When you open a midi file for Piano this is what you get .... (see sttached)
In reply to Opening a Midi file by jpumphandle
You can split a staff into two by right-clicking on an empty part of a measure and choosing "Split Staff". As far as the rhythms, you should expect very good results unless you play the piece perfectly. Generally it is easier to write it out manually.
In reply to You can split a staff into by David Bolton
I believe that David meant, "... should NOT expect very good results unless you play...".
Regards,
In reply to I believe that David meant by xavierjazz
Yes, thank you Xavierjazz.
In reply to You can split a staff into by David Bolton
The topic is trying to address how to import a piano midi file into musescore and notating as a Grand staff.
The Spli staff function creates two bass clef. I have never seen a Grand staff configured this way.
see attached
In reply to Split staff function by jpumphandle
Have you tried dragging a Treble Clef sign to the upper stave from the pallet menu?
Regards,
In reply to Have you by xavierjazz
Hey Xavierjazz!
After splitting the staff, it ends up with two bass clefs. However, dragging the Treble Clef onto the top staff makes it a Treble clef and all notes are adjusted to the correct position. Amazing.
Thanks for the help. This suggestion was right on.
To recap in bringing in a piano midi ...
1. Open the midi file.
2. Split the staff.
3. Change the clef to suit.
In reply to Treble Clef works! by jpumphandle
And on we go.
Happy New Year.
Regards,