A. Yes, GOODFEEL can transcribe MIDI files. They should be Format 1 MIDI
files.
As you may know, MIDI files are not strictly notation files. MIDI (Musical
Instrument Digital Interface) is both a communications protocol and a
computer file format designed almost 30 years ago to facilitate the exchange
of data between computers and electronic, musical instruments. You can
think of a MIDI file as an electronic version of a paper piano roll. MIDI
files are meant to recreate a performance by recording which notes were
played relative to subdivisions of the beat, their duration and intensity.
There are two types of MIDI files: those that are designed to recreate the
full expression of a performance including rubato passages where a performer
may play a bit behind or in front of the beat. The second kind, the kind
you would want GOODFEEL to transcribe (or any other notation editor for that
matter) are the kind that have very regular, precise rhythms. They are very
boring to listen to but they notate well. If someone prepares a MIDI file
for you to braille with GOODFEEL, it is important for that person to
understand the explanation above. If you find a MIDI file created by
someone you don't know, you need to decide if it will be possible for you to
transcribe it as it is or whether you can use a sequencing package like
Cakewalk SONAR to prepare it for transcription without too much difficulty.
Here are some of the things to do that will improve the quality of the
braille notation. Many of them will also improve the quality of the printed
notation if you should decide to use a print notation program to create a
print edition.
Each part should be on a separate track and the tracks should be in the
order you would want to see on the score. For example, the right hand part
should be on track 1 followed by the left hand part on track 2. Each track
should have a meaningful name such as "Flute" or "Piano Left-hand". Names
like "Lead" or "Jam" are meaningless to GOODFEEL when it tries to determine
the instrument type for a particular track.
For best results, the MIDI file should be quantized. If need be, it should
have a key signature set so that GOODFEEL will braille it. Many MIDI files
are created to recreate a performance and not to be translated into
notation. Accordingly, their authors often do not set a key signature.
If a particular track has more than one rhythmic voice you must use
GOODFEEL's Process MIDI options to indicate that to GOODFEEL. For example,
the right-hand part of a piano piece might have a passage that shows 2 half
notes in the same measure with 4 quarter notes. This kind of passage is
said to have 2 voices.
You may want to insert rehearsal markers or cue points into the MIDI file
for reference in a rehearsal. MIDI files can store lyrics and GOODFEEL can
braille them.
GOODFEEL's manual has an entire section entitled: Preparing MIDI Files for
GOODFEEL to Transcribe, that gives more detail.
