Midi Compatability

[Jeff C]

Hey all.   I'm probably missing something here, but how would I make midi files fairly compatible with piano booster?   I'm a complete beginner learning from scratch, but I'd like to progressively move forward.   Practice makes perfect, but after a while I tend to get bored with the same song.   Transposing is an option to keep challenged.  

I've tried different midi files in PB, but it tends to get confusing to look at - as opposed to the included music.

Personally, if I could choose any learning software, PB is my preference.   I have synthesia, and the video game aspect of it is really more annoying than anything else.

It always seems people who use open source tend to make the most useful software, while the paid solutions tend to be much more gimmicky, when in reality all I want to actually do is learn piano.   Enough of the rant, though.

Is there a FAQ or instructions on making midi more newbie friendly for PB?   I've edited some in midi editor, but I really seem to be missing something.   Inexperience?   I suck at music?   I don't know.

Cheers.
Jeff.

[Louis B.]

Hello Jeff,

I am glad you find PB useful. PB is always intended to work by just listening to the audio output -- no need to look at the computer screen -- instead you can read the sheet music for a printed musical score. I presume you found pdf sheet music that comes with PB.

Regarding software to create the music I thoroughly recommend  musescore see https://musescore.org/en. It does everything you want and is not too techie but there is a bit of a learning curve to it but well worth while. Are you using Windows or Linux or MAC?? If you are on linux rosegarden is probably the best sequencer although it is quite techie. I recommend musescore just export the piece you want as a MIDI file and that should work with PB although.

There is a lot more MIDI files that I am considering including with future version of PB please see PossibleBoosterMusic.zip and the form post here: http://piano-booster.2625608.n2.nabble.com/Preview-of-the-new-piano-booster-metronome-build-td7572912.html

I would be interested to get your feed back on these pieces in PossibleBoosterMusic.zip I think some of them are much too hard and I need to reduce the tempo and simplify some of the complicated bits. What is your skill level? can you play those pieces.

[Jeff C]

Thank you for your reply.

I don't mind using PB to practice notes.   I find following the display and not staring at my piano keys very useful in realizing where my fingers should be.   It also helps to dumb down sheet music I've printed off.   I won't lie; I'm basically just starting to learn and I'm very new at it.

There's very much a learning curve to all of this.

I can try and give feedback to your new files.   I'm not sure I can learn them very quickly, but I'm more than willing to try.  

I'll be honest, I'm not sure what I've been looking at when taking midi songs from various sites.   I've tried taking instruments and converting them, deleting parts of the songs and gotten very close to having a workable piece, but there's always some missing notes or "greyed" out notes.   Again, probably user error.

I'm using a Windows 10 laptop, which is likely part of my problem.  

Lastly, I want to thank you for PianoBooster.  I practice with it exclusively, and it's very good.   I think as a beginner it's a powerful teaching tool.  

Cheers,
Jeff.

[Louis B.]

Jeff C wrote

I'll be honest, I'm not sure what I've been looking at when taking midi songs from various sites.   I've tried taking instruments and converting them, deleting parts of the songs and gotten very close to having a workable piece, but there's always some missing notes or "greyed" out notes.   Again, probably user error.

The "greyed" out notes are those beyond the range of your piano keyboard. Go to Setup/piano keyboard settings. It is slightly odd because when you connect your MIDI piano keyboard it should be set to the maximum range  unless you have accidently changed these settings. I take it you do have a MIDI piano keyboard connected because some greyed" out notes will show when the MIDI keyboard is not connected. Other than that I don't know what you mean by "greyed" out notes.

If you do get a workable piece I would be interested to know what it is.

I'm using a Windows 10 laptop, which is likely part of my problem.

No it should work very well on a Windows 10 laptop. I dual but my laptop between Windows and Linux and it works well on both of them.

I've tried different midi files in PB, but it tends to get confusing to look at - as opposed to the included music.

 
PianoBooster works best with MIDI files that have separate left and right piano parts using MIDI channels 3 and 4. A lot of MIDI files on the web are not intend to be used as playing along and so won't have the separate left and right hand piano parts instead PB just splits the two parts at middle C.
 
If you do try those PossibleBoosterMusic.zip pieces you really need the Metronome preview. Also I presume you have found all the included Beginner Course and Booster Music music because if you can play all those and transpose them into different keys then I would not call you "a complete beginner". Also did those two courses work well for you?

[Jeff C]

Out of my keyboard range makes sense considering I'm just grabbing various midi and trying to make them work.   The instruments are probably playing things my piano (or my hands) can't.   I had no idea this would even be an issue.   My bad.

I prefer windows 7 to windows 10.   Your software works fine for both my computers, but the laptop is currently my music shelf.   I'm not sure why exactly, but I have a worse time seeing things on 10 than I do windows 7.  

Both the included courses worked well for me.  I intended to cycle through each one (from start to finish) as the next goal.   I also read the documentation you wrote about transposing them.   I did that to some of the (random) midi songs to get them in playable range.   You're right - most midi are not meant to be played back to - and now it makes perfect sense.   I guess you really need to know what you're doing to get it right.

I thought it might be fun to learn some pop songs for my family to sing along to in the future.   Hopefully after a few months, I might be able to do that.

I've downloaded the musescore software you suggested and I can already see it's as easy as you said it was.   Thanks for that.   I'll hopefully invest more time into that once I'm more confident in my skills.

So ultimately, this isn't really an issue with your software.   As I suspected - user error and lack of understanding how it works.   And thank you for the compliment about not being a complete beginner.   I started this on roughly January 23rd, when I bought the piano.  

Cheers.

Jeff.

[Louis B.]

I still don't know if you are using an acoustic piano or an electronic MIDI piano keyboard?

[Jeff C]

Yamaha NP12.   I don't think acoustic would work very well with your program.   Sorry, I assumed everyone would be using a midi capable keyboard with the software.  

In my youth I had limited lessons on acoustic.  These days I'm not sure it's very practical unless you're a recording studio.

Jeff.