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NAME

       midi2abc - program to convert MIDI format files to abc notation

SYNOPSIS

       midi2abc  -f  infile [-xa] [-ga] [-a acbeats] [-m time signature] [-ppu
       parts per unit] [-aul denominator of unit length] [-gu] [-b  bars]  [-Q
       tempo]  [-u  pulses]  [-k  key]  [-c channel] [-obpl] [-bpl bars] [-bps
       bars]  [-o  filename]  [-s]  [-sr  units]  [-sum]  [-nt]   [-splitbars]
       [-splitvoices] [-midigram] [-mftext] [-nogr]

DESCRIPTION

       midi2abc takes a MIDI format file and converts it to something as close
       as possible to abc text format. The user then has to  add  text  fields
       not  present  in  the  MIDI  header  and  possibly tidy up the abc note
       output.

       The output of midi2abc is printed to the screen. To save it to a  file,
       use the redirection operator, (e.g. midi2abc -f file.mid > file.abc) or
       specify the output file using the -o option.

       Use only one or none of  the  options  -u  -gu,  -b  and  -Q.  Midi2abc
       normally  converts  the  MIDI  time  units  into quantum units normally
       corresponding to the abc 1/16th note or 1/32nd note.  If none of  these
       is  present,  the  program  will  use  the PPQN information in the MIDI
       header to compute the suitable conversion factor. For most  MIDI  files
       on  the  web,  it is recommended to rely on the MIDI header information
       and not use any of the options other than the formatting options.

       The program will extract the time signature infromation from  the  MIDI
       file  if  it  is  present.  Otherwise  it  will assume 4/4 or you could
       specify it with -m. option.

       If the tune has an anacrusis, you can use either the -ga or -xa  option
       to  estimate  the  its length. Alternatively, you can specify its value
       using the -a option. The anacrusis is specified in half  unit  lengths,
       where  the  unit  length  is defined by the L: field. For example if L:
       1/8, then a quarter note would be indicated by the  value  4,  (4  1/16
       units).

   OPTIONS
       -a acbeats
              where acbeats specifies the anacrusis in half unit lengths.

       -xa    extract the anacrusis from file by finding the first strong note

       -ga    guess the anacrusis by minimizing the number of ties across bars

       -m time signature
              time signature

       -b bars
              number of bars wanted in output

       -Q tempo
              tempo in quarter-notes per minute

       -u pulses
              Allows you to specify directly the number of midi pulses per abc
              time unit.

       -ppu parts per abc unit length
              Normally, the smallest note unit that midi2abc  can  extract  is
              half  the  L: unit length.This is called the quantum unit.  Thus
              for L: 1/8, midi2abc can extract 1/16 notes but not 1/32  notes.
              You can change this by specifying -ppu 4 for example. The number
              of parts should be a power of 2.

       -aul denominator of abc unit length
              Normally midi2abc chooses a unit length of 1/8 or 1/16 depending
              upon  the  time  signature. For time signatures smaller than 3/4
              the L: 1/16 is used and for larger time  signatures  L:  1/8  is
              used.  You  can  specify  the  unit length to be used using this
              parameter. Thus -aul 32 will cause midi2abc to use a unit length
              of 1/32 nd note.

       -gu    Tells  midi2abc  to  estimate  the number of midi pulses per abc
              time unit from the note duration or spacing in the MIDI file.

       -gk    Tells midi2abc to guess the  key  signature  by  minimizing  the
              number  of  accidentals  even  if  the  key signature is already
              specified in the MIDI file. By default the key signature is  the
              one  specified  in  the MIDI file.  If it is not specified, then
              the program guesses the key signature by minimizing accidentals.

       -k key key signature: -6 to 6 sharps.

       -c channel
              select only this midi channel.

       -f infile
              input file in midi format

       -o output file
              specifies the output abc file name.

       -s     do not discard very short notes.

       -sr quantum units
              do not notate a short rest smaller than the specified size after
              a note. If the size (in quantum units) is zero, nothing is done.
              For larger values, the rest is absorbed into the preceding note.
              In other words, the preceding note is lengthened to include that
              rest.

       -sum   print a short summary of the input midi file.

       -nt    do not look for triplets or broken rhythm

       -obpl  Print only one bar per line instead of 4. For complex music this
              improves the readability and avoids some problems with some  abc
              to postscript converters. This option is deprecated.

       -nogr  (No  note grouping.) Inserts a space between all notes. It makes
              a less pretty postscript file but it is easier to edit.

       -bpl nbars
              Print nbars of music on every line followed by a backslash.

       -bps nbars
              When nbars have been printed (including those lines joined by  a
              backslash continuation) go to a new line (with no backslash).

       -splitbars
              This  parameter  changes the way midi2abc prints chords composed
              of notes  of  unequal  length  (polyphonic  chords).   Normally,
              midi2abc  joins  the  longer notes to the notes in the following
              chord using ties. A more readable output, can be obtained if the
              measure  is  split  into separate parts using the ’&’ feature in
              abc  notation.  The  algorithm  for  dividing  the  notes  in  a
              polyphonic chord to separate voices (label_splits in midi2abc.c)
              needs some improvement. I welcome any assistance.

       -splitvoices
              This parameter like above handles polyphonic chords by splitting
              an entire voice into multi voices.

       -midigram
              When  this  option appears, all other options are ignored and no
              abc file is produced. Instead a list of all notes  in  the  MIDI
              file  are printed in a fixed format. Each line represents a pair
              of MIDI note on/off event. The line contains the on/off time  of
              the  note, its track number, channel number, midi pitch and midi
              velocity. The last record indicates the  duration  of  the  MIDI
              file  in  MIDI  pulse units. The output is designed to go into a
              graphical  user  interface  which  will  produce   a   graphical
              representation (piano roll).

       -mftext
              When  this  option appears, all other options are ignored and no
              abc file is produced. Instead a list of all  the  MIDI  commands
              are  printed. The output is designed to go into a graphical user
              interface provided by runabc.tcl.

   FEATURES
       * The key is chosen so  as  to  minimize  the  number  of  accidentals.
       Alternatively,  the  user  can  specify the key numerically (a positive
       number is the number of sharps, a negative number is minus  the  number
       of flats).

       * Note length can be set by specifiying the total number of bars or the
       tempo of the piece. Alternatively the note length can be read from  the
       file.  However, by default it is deduced in a heuristic manner from the
       inter-note distances.  This means that you do not have to use the  MIDI
       clock as a metronome when playing in a tune from a keyboard.

       * Barlines are automatically inserted. The user specifies the number of
       measures in the  anacrusis  before  the  first  barline  and  the  time
       signature.

       *  The  program  can  guess  how the length of the anacrusis, either by
       looking for the first strong note or minimizing  the  number  of  notes
       split by a tie across a barline.

       *  Where  a  note extends beyond a bar break, it is split into two tied
       notes.

       * The output has 4 bars per line.

       * Enough accidental signs are put in the music to ensure that no  pitch
       errors occur if a barline is added or deleted.

       * The program attempts to group notes sensibly in each bar.

       * Triplets and broken rhythm (a>b) are supported.

       * Chords are identified.

       * Text information from the original MIDI file is included as comments.

       * The -c option can be used to select only 1 MIDI  channel.  Events  on
       other channels are ignored.

   LIMITATIONS
       midi2abc does not ...

       *  Supply  tune  title, composer or any other field apart from X: , K:,
       Q:, M: and L: - these must be added by hand afterwards, though they may
       have been included in the text of the MIDI file.

       * Support duplets, quadruplets, other esoteric features.

       * Support mid-tune key or time signature changes.

       * Deduce repeats. The output is just the notes in the input file.

       *  Recover an abc tune as supplied to abc2midi. However, if you want to
       do this, "midi2abc  -xa -f file.mid" comes close.

SEE ALSO

       abc2ps(1), abc2midi(1), abc2abc(1)

AUTHOR

       James Allwright <J.R.Allwright@westminster.ac.uk>

SUPPORTED

       Seymour Shlien <seymour.shlien@crc.ca>

VERSION

       This man page describes midi2abc version 2.87 from July 09 2005.

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright 1999 James Allwright

       midi2abc is supplied "as is" without any warranty. It is free  software
       and can be used, copied, modified and distributed without fee under the
       terms of the GNU General Public License.

                                 09 July 2005