), and you decide that different transcription rules should be applied to the open score from now on
Command Location: Score Menu / Score Options / Transcription Options Tab
Note: The behaviour of this command changes when a score has been 'edited'. See below: When Can I Change Transcription Options for a Score?
Choosing Transcription Options for Importing MIDI Files
When converting MIDI into notation MidiIllustrator can automatically make all the decisions necessary to present the musical content in the most honest and readable way. The Score Transcription Wizard automatically opens when you open a MIDI file and you can specify different transcription options for each new score. MidiIllustrator will convert the file into a score using the transcription options of your choice.
Presentation Modes
Using the slide control you can choose from the following settings:
A description of each mode is given in the table below. Each presentation mode consists of a particular configuration of the Conversion Rules.
| PRESENTATION MODE | DESCRIPTION |
| Normal | The default setting. Best compromise between accuracy and readability. |
| Much Easier to Read | Significant simplification. Useful for presenting more complex pieces or 'live performance recordings' in a more readable format. |
| Easier to Read | Some simplification of the notation to improve readability. |
| Strict | Adhere closely to standard notation rules. A very accurate representation of the midi content. |
| User Defined | You choose your own combination of presentation rules. |
Conversion Rules
As the Transcription settings are selected using the slide control the Conversion Rules that apply to that particular setting will be checked automatically by MidiIllustrator.
However, if you choose the User Defined option, you can decide which (if any) of the conversion rules should be applied to your score.
| CONVERSION RULES | DESCRIPTION |
| Minimize Rests | MidiIllustrator can generally improve the readability of a score by minimizing the number of small rests on the staff. Where possible, notes of moderate length which are followed by small rests (such as 64th rests) will be extended to fill the gap, thereby reducing clutter on the page. This will apply only to notes which can be extended to a ‘clean’ duration without the need to create tie notes. Notes will not be extended outside their original beat or measure. |
| Prevent Overlapping Notes (within each Voice) | Preventing notes of the same voice from overlapping can improve the readability of the score in instances where more than one musical idea exists in a single staff. For example, notes or groups of notes in a staff may be held as they are arpeggiated. This can result in rather blurred notation when transcribed accurately.
As an alternative MidiIllustrator can insist that notes in a given voice do not overlap, rendering a clearer score in certain cases. Note: With or without this option enabled, MidiIllustrator will only ever allow notes in the score to overlap when not doing so would be a misrepresentation of the music. |
| Contain Notes in Measure | With this option MidiIllustrator can ensure that notes which begin in a given measure conclude in that same measure. Preventing notes from tying into subsequent measures can improve the readability of certain styles of music. |
| Voicing is Low Priority | By default, MidiIllustrator will use different voices when notating, in order to clearly illustrate multiple musical ideas on a single staff. Where more than one musical idea is notated on a single staff, it is common for the notes in each idea to be rhythmically independent and to overlap one another as a result. As a result these notes may have difficult fingerings.
Using this command you can discourage MidiIllustrator from using multiple voices in the score. This will result in less accurate notation but will often have the benefit of presenting music which is easier to read and play. |
| Force Single Voice | This option has exactly the same effect as the ‘Voicing is Low Priority’ option. In this case, however, the entire score will be notated using a single voice. |
| Force Chords | MidiIllustrator automatically tries to identify chords i.e. groups of notes which begin and end together. In some MIDI files, groups of notes which are intended to be represented as chords may not have been sequenced with very similar durations. This is especially common in MIDI recordings of live performances. This can result in complex looking note groups. You can improve the readability of such note groups in the score by encouraging MidiIllustrator to make accurate chords out of notes which begin together but which may vary in duration. |
| Prevent Tie Notes Altogether | Enabling this option prevents the use of any tie notes in the score. This can make the score less ‘honest’ but has the benefit of rendering certain styles of music substantially easier to read. If you are especially interested in the note pitches of a piece rather than the note durations this can make live or unquantised MIDI recordings much more accessible. |
When Can I Change Transcription Options for a Score?
Depending on how you want to use a particular kind of score you may wish to present the notation in a particular way. In order to facilitate this, MidiIllustrator provides a list of custom presentation modes. Depending on the style of the music this can have a dramatic effect on readability and playability.
Transcription options can be applied to a score at several different times:
), and you decide that different transcription rules should be applied to the open score from now on
In cases (1) and (2), after you have chosen a set of transcription rules, MidiIllustrator will automatically try to apply these rules every time you manually change the score in any way (for instance if you delete a note or group of notes). In case (3) the rules are applied only once when they have been changed, and never automatically by MidiIllustrator (see the reasons for this below).
Note: Changing the presentation style of the score does not impact the playback of the score in any way. When you play the score you will always hear it as it was originally sequenced. Note timings and durations may appear differently in the score but the actual time and duration of the note sounds never changes.
Choosing Transcription Options AFTER a Score has been Created
After a score has been created from a MIDI file or using the
New Score program functions
, you
may decide to retranscribe your score with new options to make sight reading a
little easier, for example. You can do this at any time via the
Transcription Options tab in Score Options.
Choosing Transcription Options AFTER a Score has Entered Edit Mode
After you have begun editing the score using Edit Mode, transcription rules are no longer applied automatically, in order that you may keep complete control over the score, and not have you editing decisions overridden by MidiIllustrator.
You can still apply "one off" conversions to the score to apply new transcription rules whenever you wish, however these new options will be only be applied to the score when you hit the OK button or APPLY button, and will not be applied automatically by MidiIllustrator at any time (this also means that each time you reopen the Transcription Options Dialog after a Score has Entered Edit Mode, the "Strict" setting is always selected automatically, even if you change it for a "one off" conversion).
Read more about editing a score for the first time.
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