MIDI recording is unnecessarily complicated
I wonder why the logic for starting MIDI input has been made so complicated. In particular, the need for creating a new score is incomprehensible. I cannot create compositions by recording everything at one time. I may even want to re-record parts of a composition without having to create a dozen mini scores and copy-pasting from them.
My suggestion is this:
1. Make the MIDI button default to inactive. I press the button. Recording will start as soon as a MIDI note is detected in the input. Recording will stop when a pre-configured note is detected, or when a silence of a few seconds is detected. The MIDI button thereby goes inactive.
2. Also the need to first power on the MIDI device and then starting MuseScore should be removed, if technically possible - for example my MIDI keyboard goes off line by itself after some time of inactivity, and again I need to create a new score and copy/paste in order to continue.
Comments
I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean. If you don't create a new score, where do you expect the notes you play to go? How will MuseScore know what instruments your score will contain, what key or time signature it is in, etc?
If you already have a completed MIDI file created in a sequencer, you don't need to create a score for it - just read it in, and the MIDI file itself contains all the necessary information to allow MuseScore to set the score up for you.
It also sounds like you are wanting to record MIDI in real time - not just use the step time input provided. Presumably you realize by now this isn't supported in the current version, but a partial form of it will be included in 2.1, for which you can download nightly builds to test, by following the "Download" link in the menu at right of this page.
The notes from the MIDI instrument would go to where the cursor is. If there are notes in the score already, nothing would change, MIDI input completely corresponds to typing by hand. And in fact, the same is true even if the score is empty when starting the input - you can do that with the PC keyboard or mouse today.
Using MIDI files as input is an unnecessary intermediate step. My creativity won't wait :-).
As an addition to my proposal, it is ok to require pressing first the Note Input button (in addition to pressing then MIDI button) to start MIDI recording.
In reply to The notes from the MIDI by Hannu Pohjanpalo
"Where the cursor is" - this implies you need to create a score, obviously. No score, no cursor. So it sounds like what you are really asking for is real time MIDI input. As I said, you can already have a partial version of this right now, by downloading and testing a nightly build of 2.1.
For what it's worth...
MuseScore is NOT a MIDI sequencer. It is a sheet music typesetter. If you're looking to compose by sequencing MIDI, you've come to the wrong place.
I tried MIDI input today with the new version 2.1. I was astonished to find that MuseScore recorded all notes with the same duration. Then I understood that this duration is that selected by the buttons. As it is today, the MIDI input is just useless. Who wants to compose music one note at a time with a MIDI instrument and before playing each note pre-select its duration? Why not read the duration from the MIDI input stream - and really make MuseScore useful as a MIDI sequencer/composer?
In reply to I tried MIDI input today with by Hannu Pohjanpalo
You must be using the step time input mode. Change to one of the new real time modes using the drop-in next to the note input button.
But do realize, MuseScore is a notation program, not a sequencer, so its features are prioritized accordingly. The real-time capabilities are not what you'd expect of a sequencer, but nor are a sequencer's notation capabilities anywhere near those of MuseScore.
In reply to You must be using the step by Marc Sabatella
Also in version 3 musescore don"t allow to record in real time like a sequencer?
For me this feature it would be a great improvement!
Thanks!
In reply to Also in version 3 musescore… by dalo
MuseScore is indeed not a sequencer, but MuseScore 3 supports the same two real-time MIDI input modes (Automatic and Manual) that the current version 2.3.2 does - just select one of the modes from the dropdown menu next to the note input icon on the toolbar, and see the Handbook under "Note input" to learn how to use them.