MIDIIllustrator

[hpeterh]

Hi,

I want to bring a very useful application to your attention:
http://www.midiillustrator.com/index.htm

It is a tool to create sheet music from midi's, but it can also be used for learning purposes and as a midi editor.
Especially those that have older Clavinovas or CLP's should find it useful.
While I dont know the MIDI- and score displaying features of the newer CVP models, I have the feeling that this is more powerful. Especially, because you can print the score and because you are not forced to look to the LED's and to the keys while playing by sight-reading.

I use it as a learning tool.

brgds,

Peter

[dbjorck]

Hi!

There are many such notation programs. I use one called Notation. It has one unique functionality which is extremely useful, it can automatically split a piano track that's in a single track to left and right hand tracks, by intelligently looking at where an actual performers hand would be for each note. (ie not using a crude split point method)

Brgds

Danny

[hpeterh]

Hi Danny,

Midiillustrator also has a feature to create piano scores from a multi-voice midi and it has extensive editing possibilities. It can also generate chord symbols automatically.

I am still using the trial version, I did not buy the program. So I am still open for other recommendations. However I got comfortable with it very quickly, I love it.

There is also "Homeconcert" that was used by Yamaha some time ago. I did not try it, because I didnt see a possibility to print the score.

Ideally such a programm should export the score as Music XML so that it can be imported into other programs, dont know if something like this exists.
Thanks for any proposals!

brgds,

Peter

[dbjorck]

Hi!

Notation can do those exact things too. From reading MIDIIllustrator, the only major difference it seemed to me was the ability to split a track into two hands; which I didn't see MIDIIllustrator could.

At www.notation.com you can get a free trial as well, so you can compare them side by side. The Notation Musician version costs exactly the same as MIDIIllustrator.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts after comparing the two.

Brgds

Danny

[hpeterh]

Hi Danny,

I gave notation a quick try. Without doubt it is superior in note editing.
It is on my radar to buy at alater time, when I need it.

However, Midiillustrator has a feature that I did not see in Notation:
http://www.hphsite.de/Testbilder/Midiillustrator.png

That is similar to the follow-the-lights and to the next-note functionality of the clavinova.

The blue patches denote the keys, that I actually pressed, and the green patch denotes the key that I should have pressed and the bright green patch denotes the key that should be pressed at the next count.

Edit:
It should also be noted, that the left hand part is displayed in different color (when activated), so complicated overlapping portions are more easier to follow than on the CVP.

What I still miss, is the possiblity to display the left hand part on the keys but only use the right hand match for stepping advance. This would allow for guided, but free improvisation for the accompaniment. Anyway, the clavinova cant do this either...
/End Edit


I love this feature. It enables me to play along and learn sightreading without looking to the physical keyboard, this learning effect is important for me.

This feature works with any midi-capable keyboard, thats an additional advantage.

brgds,

Peter

[dbjorck]

Hi!

Yes, that was a really good feature!

How would you compare general ease-of-use of the user interface? Ie, how intuitive is it to find the function you want, can you see on the screen what is happening, are changes easy to make, things like that?

Brgds

Danny

[hpeterh]

Thats difficult to compare.
I played around with Midiillustrator yesterday for 2 hours and Iwas up and running. It has quite good help, but I did not need it much.
It is a all in one tool,can transpose,create fake books and so fort, all the basic stuff. It cannot write literal annotations, pedal notation, dynamic signs and so fort. It cannot do advanced scores, but all the basic stuff is possible.
It is possible to create sheets from scratch, notation does this only in the more expensive "composer" edition.

Notation (I downloaded Notation composer) has much more features, but it misses the "next step" aka "next note" feature, that is a killer argument for me.
Ok, I did not try more than 15 minutes....

I dont know if I will really need this, because there is "Capella" which is not focussed to midi, but can import midi also http:\\www.capella.de and I already use this in a light version.


brgds,

Peter

[Carlo]

Hi!

This is a thread dating back one year

http://cvpug.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1798&highlight=editing+software

but can be still useful to consult about the topic (reported prices may require an updating, though).

Best regards,

[hpeterh]

Ok, thanks for all your hints.

Finally I decided to use Notation.
Midiillustrators by-step feature did finally not convince me, because it only plays the tracks that are "stepped" and not the accompaniment. Also different colors for LH and RH are only displayed when the file is definitely prepared for 2-hand piano. (Maybe I missed something, but I gave up trying)

Now I converted a midi performance of Fat Dominos "Blueberry hill" sucessfully into a play-along peace for the clavinova. So I will stay with Notation and try to explore and use all features and continue to use the clavinovas lights as help.
It was quite easy once I got used to it and so far I can see it has all midi-support and score features that I might need in future

Peter