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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:DYPSS1::SCHAFER
Created:Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2852
Total number of notes:33157

1855.0. "SMUS Files vs. MIDI Files - What's the Difference?" by DDIF::EIRIKUR () Wed Jan 11 1989 18:53

Question: What is an SMUS file?  I could have sworn that Deluxe Music
Construction Set (Macintosh, V2.5) was supposed to read MIDI files.  It
wouldn't read a MIDI file created by OvalTune (from Intelligent Music, by David
Zicarelli).

First step: Check type of created file.  Type was "Midi" and creator was
something like "SMoC".  Ok, I believe that I have a MIDI file here, even if I
don't recognize the creator field.

Next step: Read the DMCS documentation about importing sequencer files.  Said
files are to be in this SMUS format.  Said to be supported by the OpCode
Sequencer.  (Gee, this sounds like MIDI files, doesn't it.)

Step three: Living dangerously, I changed the file type to "SMUS".  Suddenly
DMCS can see (file type filtering) and read the file.  Bomb city.  "This file
is not a MIDI file or is hopelessly corrupt."

I'm stumped.  Any input before I call Software Arts (DMCS) and Intelligent
Music (Ovaltune)?

	Eirikur

The environment emerging on the Mac with a standard MIDI file format, and
multiple utilities that mung those files, appears promising.  Neat hack:
Zicarelli's bi-directional MIDI File to spreadsheet tabular ASCII.  The
constructivist in me wants to play with that....





    
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1855.1Lotus 1 and 2 and 3 and.....RT290::COTEWed Jan 11 1989 18:575
    MIDI to spreadsheet??
    
    Expand-o, please?
    
    Edd
1855.2Yep, Lotus "Symphony"DDIF::EIRIKURThu Jan 12 1989 15:2210
    You got it.  The current crop of products from Intelligent Music come
    with a converter (digression: don't say the word converter around me)
    that reads a standard MIDI file and writes a new file of tab-delimited
    ASCII.   It will also go back to MIDI file from the ASCII.  I don't
    know the format of the ASCII data, but it is in the manuals for
    Ovaltune and Jam Factory.   The stated purpose is for spreadsheet
    munging of your music.
    
    	Eirikur
    
1855.3@foolish?WEFXEM::COTEDon't let the door hit ya, Mike...Thu Jan 12 1989 15:3914
    I guess I must have taken my stupid pills, but for the life of me
    I can't see what the added value is of converting MIDI to spreadsheet.
    
    ...maybe to find the square root of the chorus? (@sqrt($B$1...$B$16))
    
    ...the monthly payment (in notes) if you borrow a song at 126
    BPM for 32 measures?   (@pay($S1...S128,$TEMPO,$LENGTH))
    
    I give up...
    
    ...although a Lotus-type UI for a sequencer would certainly catch
    my attention. 
    
    Edd