Chiff and Fipple Forums

Midi files can be separated into 2 types. Computer generated and Instrument generated.

Computer generated midi are programed by a piece of software and some type of score. Instrument generated are created by someone playing an instrument (often a key board) through a midi interface.

Melody Assistant translates both. The Computer generated stuff comes out almost perfect with very little, if any, clean up neccessary. The instrument generated stuff come out a little verbose. It translate what is played almost exactly, including little pauses and rests the player may be putting into his performance.

When I converted 'Gift of a Thistle' it was from an instrument generated midi. It gave me 5 or 6 melody lines 2 harmony lines and 2 percussion lines. It included a lot of minor rests where the person playing the midi instrument was not exactly on beat. But it did identify 2 bag pipe lines, a flute/whistle line, and 2 string lines.
The midi file I was using passed the melody between all these voices.

Clean up was easy because, after I made a change, I could alway replay the score by just pressing the play button. The play button, plays a midi (computer generated version) sound file of the score as it is now written. This feature is also good when trying to transcribe something by ear.

Another thing Myriad (makers of MA) is good at is upgrades. I've had my software for 3 months and gone through 2 upgrades. Each added or improved something on the product. The most recent upgrade allows you to not only print the score but you can now export the score in graphic format. It has always imported and exported in ABC format. The graphic format selection is limited to BMP but my Adobe Photoshop quickly converted the BMP to a GIF file so I could send it to a friend. Both upgrade were painless, no errors, no blow ups, not even any reboots required.

When I was looking for an inexpensive notation software package I looked at a number of software programs including Noteworthy Composer. At the time Melody Assistant was much better and gave me much more control. It's intutive and pretty well supported through the website.

I have been suprised how persistant Myriad has been about adding needed features. it was allready more robust than Noteworthy, and Myriad just keeps making it better.

Once I get my scanner fixed I plan to get their OSR (optical score recognition) package that will let me scan standard notation into the Melody assistant. ( OSR is Like an OCR but for music notes instead of test characters.) I can then add harmony lines, custom chord acompanyments, etc. with the result of have group arrangements of some of my favorite tunes.

I keep planning on writting a full blown review of this package to send to Dale to add to the sight. But I keep putting off and generateing these little mini reviews.

Hope this answers your question about MA and its midi conversion.

And no, I am not a Myriad representative, I just really like their software, I think for 15 bucks, It can't be beat.

Here's a link to their site <a href=http://www.myriad-online.com/>Myriad - Melody Assitant </a>