Acoustica User Forums

I rarely use MIDI because my keyboard skills just aren't up to it. My natural inclination would be to write out what I want in notation (as I'm fully au fait with notation) and have MC interpret it. However, I can't get on with MC's own notation feature (I've moaned about it in the past on the forum so won't go on about it now) and writing in an external score editor, exporting as MIDI and then importing into MC only really works with simple stuff as a MIDI file just doesn't seem to be able to carry all of the detail that can be expressed in a score.

So, I'm looking for the easiest and most flexible way of creating MIDI data, ideally within MC itself, but as a total MIDI novice I don't really know what options might be available to me other than the piano roll. Can anybody help me here? I'm more than willing to invest some time in a learning curve but don't really know where to start

My MIDI input is a mix of keyboard input and drawing on the piano roll. I quite like using the piano roll for the reason that it forces me to think in relative pitches rather than Western notation. Is there something you don't like or understand about the piano roll?

Thanks Chibear.

No, I've never used the piano roll. It's the only alternative to keyboard input or importing MIDI files that I'm aware of but I was wondering if there might be a better alternative that I've never come across before I invest a lot of time trying to get to grips with it.

Hi,

If you haven't already done so, you might check out the tutorial videos on editing MIDI: Mixcraft 7 MIDI Editing.

Greg

A suggestion has been made from time to time to be able to "input" midi into the piano roll via a midi keyboard (as opposed to point and click

In my mind it would work something like this - in the piano roll, you select a default note (quarter, eighth etc) and you are sitting at a particular place in the clip. Then - rather than pointing and clicking, I can use my midi keyboard. What ever note or note I press shows on the piano roll. Sort of like I am playing it, but I obviously it's not recording in real time so I don't have to worry about timing.

What would make it even better is some (computer) keyboard shortcuts to select a different note (quarter etc) and to move to a different point in the clip (so many beats forward or backward).

So those of us that can play but not well can hone our skills somewhat. It sure seems a lot more musical than point and click.

BillW wrote: In my mind it would work something like this - in the piano roll, you select a default note (quarter, eighth etc) and you are sitting at a particular place in the clip. Then - rather than pointing and clicking, I can use my midi keyboard. What ever note or note I press shows on the piano roll. Sort of like I am playing it, but I obviously it's not recording in real time so I don't have to worry about timing.

What would make it even better is some (computer) keyboard shortcuts to select a different note (quarter etc) and to move to a different point in the clip (so many beats forward or backward).

This. Maybe click where in the clip's timeline or grid you want the note and then tap a key your MIDI controller? Something other than trying to line up with the piano keyboard on the left and hoping I get it right.

There is a new feature in MC8 that I have not tried yet, automatic quantization, that may be closer to what I want. Don't know yet.

BillW wrote:In my mind it would work something like this - in the piano roll, you select a default note (quarter, eighth etc) and you are sitting at a particular place in the clip. Then - rather than pointing and clicking, I can use my midi keyboard. What ever note or note I press shows on the piano roll. Sort of like I am playing it, but I obviously it's not recording in real time so I don't have to worry about timing.

What would make it even better is some (computer) keyboard shortcuts to select a different note (quarter etc) and to move to a different point in the clip (so many beats forward or backward).

+1

MuseScore can be used that way and it's really nice. I think the most intuitive way to do the keyboard shortcuts would be to use numbers: "1" for whole notes, "2" for half, "4" for quarter, "8" for eighth, "6" for sixteenth. The period key could be used for dotted notes.

I did a whole song using nothing but the piano roll ...

https://soundcloud.com/gary-leishman/st ... n-stockton

I found it not too bad. There was a great deal of copy and pasting but it was a great, fun experiment.
Making it sound realistic is the VERY hard part

Go for it

Problem solved!

After listening to Gary's "Stockton" composition once again the best is to get Gary to do it !

Maybe you could try playing in real time at a slow tempo then make any corrections with the mouse and correct the tempo to finish. sorry its all I got apart from using the mouse and making use of copy/paste for inserting chords and stuff you've already written.

Midi input on the piano roll via a midi keyboard seems to have some interest here.

elaw says MuseScore can do it. Are there any DAWs that can?

(I may look into MuseScore - I assume you can save as midi and then input into MX?)

Mixcraft staff - any appetite for this? Is this on an enhancement list but didn't make the cut for MX8? Or is this way down the list? Is it even on the list?


(EDIT - just realized it's MUSE-score, not MusicScore. Corrected.)

OK - looks like Muse can export to midi. While I'd much rather have this function in MX itself - maybe this is a workable option in cases where there is a lot to do and point/click gets tedious.

There are free scores available too, so I could test this theory out.

Need to add this to my "remember to check this out" list. Thanks elaw!

(Actually the midi quantize feature is a BIG addition. I often play in short bursts (a few bars at most) and then fix my timing.)

BillW wrote:(I may look into MuseScore - I assume you can save as midi and then input into MX?)

Yep! That's exactly what I do.

I'd definitely recommend MuseScore, not only because of it's attractive $0 price point but because it's actually good software!

Acoustica Greg wrote:Hi,

If you haven't already done so, you might check out the tutorial videos on editing MIDI: Mixcraft 7 MIDI Editing.

Greg

Greg,
Thanks. I've checked them out. Looks like the piano roll is the way to go - and maybe getting some piano lessons

Later posts mention writing in Musescore then exporting as MIDI for subsequent import in MC. That's the method I've been using but I've found it to be very frustrating as once you've got the data into MC there's usually a lot of tidying up needed because a lot gets lost or confused "in translation". Don't let that put you off though. Give it a go and see if it works for you

I'd like to check out the videos when I have time - but quick question before I do:

It's all point and click, right? I'm not missing any other method for entering in the piano roll other than that, am I? Not even using the computer keyboard? (I know you can use the computer keyboard to play real time)

Hi,

Yes, but there are some handy keyboard shortcuts:



Greg