Playback missing tones; File|Parts nothing; MIDI conversion problems

• Mar 22, 2009 - 00:56

I'm a new user (started an hour ago), testing if I can import my existing compositions via MIDI. It read the MIDI ok (not the prettiest, but didn't expect it to be like a real score because of missing info from MIDI track). However, upon playback, it wasn't able to handle "stacked entry of notes". e.g. in 1st beat, the piano plays C for 4 beats, on 2nd beat, play E for 3 beats, on 3rd beat, play G for 2 beats. MuseScore only plays the 1st C for 4 beats, and skipped the E and G!

Also, this was a piece for 5 instruments written without key signature (you may say it is C major if you like). The 4th instrument is a piano. When converted via MIDI, it shows the instruments correctly, but the piano score now has a key signature with 3 sharps, and another instrument has 2 flats, while others have no accidentals. The piano is non-transposing instrument, so it is not correct. (The notes are correct though, when read together with the key signature, but as a result it'd have double-sharps and other wierdness.)

Also, I wasn't able to see anything active on File|Parts. I'm assuming that's where I can display only one or more parts? It shows the names of the instruments on the right side, but nothing on the left, and all are inactive (can't click). Didn't check if this is only a MIDI conversion problem.

I'm using r1667. Thanks for your attention.

Comments

• Mar 22, 2009 - 01:29

Regarding the missing tones during playback, please attach the MIDI file you were working with.

As far the key signature, the MIDI files do not contain any information about key signatures so MuseScore tries to guess. If MuseScore makes a mistake it is easy to fix (look up key signature in the handbook if you don't know how).

The File > Parts dialog is not documented yet. Click on "New" to define a new part.

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• Mar 22, 2009 - 14:35

Definitely, if it wasn't out of desperation, I won't import using MIDI. In fact recently I suggested a friend to use MusicXML instead of MIDI. Because it contained more info (original intent) than MIDI, it'll render much MUCH closer than MIDI ever could... Unfortunately, my version of Sibelius is old, and don't have MusicXML export... But thanks for the kind advice! That's why I like this community.

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• Mar 22, 2009 - 16:43

@newsong4life: Just click "new" and experiment a little. You'll see what we mean. Clicking "new" in the parts dialog doesn't add a new part to the score, it allows you to define what instruments appear on each printout part (for example you can have several percussion instruments on one "part")

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• Mar 22, 2009 - 19:36

Thanks to Xavierjazz and David Bolton for being so kind and patient to a newbie. I did click the "new" and after clicking the parts I want, "create", and then click the new parts tab. And voila, the new parts... The new parts have correct instruments assigned.

The problem though is -- before I did that:
- there were no clicks available on the default parts (right side).
- the instruments were all mapped to piano.

Also, after I've created the new parts that have the correct instruments assigned, then when I click back the default parts tab, I can then hear the correct instruments! (So I can understand why some people complained that all they hear was piano, even after they have loaded soundfonts. At least in my case with MIDI import, and I think under some circumstances, the default parts weren't assigned correctly to instruments...)

Hope our dialogs help clear up the bug report... Again thanks for actively seeking to help users and create a great product!

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• Mar 22, 2009 - 20:18

If I click the violin part and create the part, then I got the correct violin sound. All other sounds are still using piano. Then if I click trombone and flute and create another part, I got all 3 correct sounds. Other parts still piano. In other words, I have to click all parts (e.g. create one part that have all instruments clicked) at least once before I can hear true sounds from all. Sounds like initialization issue. Hope this info helps.

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• Mar 23, 2009 - 21:12

After several days acquainted with the excellent program, I conclude that:
1. Import of sample (attached earlier) displays OK, but did not create internal data structures correctly (because of the ties), which explains why a) playback with missing tones, and b) when saved will show only what was parseable on the internal structure (or what was played back).
2. During import, it appears that the instruments were not set up/initialized correctly, which explains why a) specified instruments were not used during playback, instead piano was default, b) have to manually work around by using File > Parts (which did not show the instruments selected either) to initialize the instruments manually, c) when I save this version with work around, it loaded with instruments correctly -- in other words, it's MIDI import that caused the instruments problem and the File > Parts problem, not the core program.
Hope this clarifies the observations thus far...

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