Entering Notes with from a MIDI file

Entering Notes from a Midi File

Set up an empty document with the number of staves needed to import your MIDI file.
Choose MIDI Recorder... from the Audio/Midi menu. Make sure that the quantization values are set to appropriate durations for the file you are reading (16th notes and 32nd rests are the default settings).
Click on the Read File Button and select the Midi file from the Open Panel.
Play the quantized version of the MIDI file to check that the music sounds correct -- alter the quantization values and click on the Re-quantize Midi Data if necessary.
Set how the tracks should transfer onto the staves and voices in your score.
Click the Transfer to Score button.

Example file: Importing Bach's C Major Prelude

The score Bach's C Major Prelude is included as one of the example files that comes with NoteAbility. To import this file:

Set up a standard piano score (4/4 in C Major). For this particular file, a slightly wider page (10 X 14) with 6 systems per page (3 measures per system) works well. The time signature is 4/4 and the key signature is C major.
Select MIDI Recorder... from the Audio/Midi menu or click on the MIDI Recorder button on the Toolbar.
Make sure that the quantization values are set to 16th notes and 16th rests.
Click on the Read File Button and select the Midi file (BachCMajorPrelude.mid). It is located in the /Library/Application Support/NoteAbilityPro/NoteAbilityExamples folder.
Click on the Re-quantize button.
Select the desired Playback device on the Midi Recorder panel and click on the Play Quantized Button to listen to the quantized score. If the piece does not sound correct, alter the quantization values and click on the Re-quantize button again.
Set the tracks so that track 1 is going to staff 1, track 2 to staff 2 with stems up and track 3 to staff 2 with stems down.
Check that the Starting Measure is 1 and the Starting Beat is 1.0. Click Transfer in Score.

Other properly formatted MIDI files should work. Currently, they shouldn't include any tempo changes. Remember to set up a score with the proper key signature, time signature and as many staves as are needed. If you know that the imported file has meter changes in it, it is better to create the meter changes in your empty scorethan to change the meter after all the notes have been entered. You can use the Meter Map Panel to create all the meter changes in the score before transfering the music to the score.

- The maximum number of tracks that the MIDI Recorder can accept is 16. To import more than 16 tracks, save your MIDI file in 16 track segments and import them into the MIDI Recorder one at a time.

- When quantizing MIDI files, you should check that both the rhythms (i.e. the starting beat positions) and the durations of the music are correct. If notes that should be separated have been formed into chords, then reduce the quantization duration. If the music is rhythmically inaccurate, increase the quantization duration. If the notes are too short during playback (ie. they sound staccato) increase the duration of the Remove Following Rests up to setting.