Maestro MIDI to ABC converter for LOTRO

[Calhil]

The tempo change support is amazing, thank you!

*wanders off to search previously abandoned punk midis*

[SpiritusLOTRO]

Digero,

Thank you very much for continuing to enhance the Maestro program. It is my transcribing tool of choice and this update has certainly made much needed improvements in certain areas.

However, I have run into a hiccup. I tend to do a lot of layering with my drum tracks, moving parts from one drum kit to another, doubling, etc. Whenever I attempt this, I seem to cause a bug that either wipes the drum data entirely, or more often, all data in the .abc.

Let me know if you need a more specific description or any data to isolate whatever new code in 2.0 has spawned this behavior.

Thanks again!

EDIT: This error also seems to be occurring with the following steps:

(1) Open Midi in Maestro.
(2) Create an instrument (Instrument A1) and bind it Track X.
(3) Create another of the same instrument (Instrument A2), bind it to track X and transpose it down one octave.
(4) Assign instruments to other tracks for other data.
(5) Export as an ABC.
(6) Open newly exported ABC in Maestro.
(7) Select Instrument A1 and bind it to Instrument A2's track.
(8) Delete Instrument A2.
(9) Instrument A1 should now be playing former Track X on two octaves.
(10) Export ABC again.
--------------------------------
Now at this point prior to 2.0, you could reopen the newest ABC export and Instrument A1 would be bound to one track, neatly playing the midi's Track X on two octaves and all merged together on one ABC track.

However, something with merging those ABC tracks together is causing all data to be erased.

I hope this helps you better identify the bug. It's something with merging ABC tracks together.

============================== ============================== ========

Update: Ok, so I'm pretty certain this is connected. In old ABC files, when I open them up in Maestro, the 'options' function can be used. However, in abcs I've created with Maestro post 2.0, 'options' is not usable. Or more accurately, pressing the gear icon or selecting options from the dropdown menu does not bring up the options window.

It seems I can merge ABC tracks together, but it takes a cumbersome "leapfrog" process where I open the midi in Maestro, arrange the parts, save MSX1, export ABC1, save MSX1 again, open ABC1 in Maestro, do the merge, save as MSX2, export as ABC2, save MSX2 again, repeat.

I don't know if that is intended to be the new method for merging ABC tracks -- a byproduct of the MSX saving functionality -- or if something isn't proper.

============================== ============================== ========

2nd Update: Opening an ABC created post 2.0, making a change to that abc file, and saving the change as an MSX seems to wipe the drum mapping on the MSX for some reason. Unsure if this is related, but it occurs when trying the "leapfrog" approach above.

[Linawillow]

Grand conversion results, aye, so thanks for yer hard work!

There seems to be some quirks and bugs, though, related to saving and exporting files. I heard of various things so far. One thing I have seen myself is related to editing old .abc files. That was very useful in the previous version, where you could go in and update track information directly through Maestro, or play with volumes, without using a text editor.

However, if you edit an old .abc file in Maestro 2.0 (for instance, files created by Fireferns or LOTRO Midi Player), the exported file may end up almost empty of information. For the few files I have tested on, only the song title header remained in the exported file. Which is a bit sad if you just overwrote the old version.

So keep a backup of your files before you try editing old files. And fingers crossed that this is fixed in an update, it really is a grand converter.

[Digero]

If you're having problems editing existing abc files, could you log a bug here:
https://code.google.com/p/lotro-maestro/issues/entry

Please be sure to:

• List the steps needed to reproduce it. Please be specific (e.g. rather than "select a track", say "select track 1").
• Important: attach the ABC, MIDI, and/or MSX file(s) where you saw the problem -- this includes the input MIDI/ABC file you opened and the output ABC file that has the issue (if applicable).
• Include what you expected to happen vs. what actually happened, even if it seems obvious.

For what it's worth, I just opening an existing ABC file, combining tracks, and re-exporting the ABC file, and it worked ok. So I'll definitely need a sample file to be able to repro the problem.


--

Update: Ok, so I'm pretty certain this is connected. In old ABC files, when I open them up in Maestro, the 'options' function can be used. However, in abcs I've created with Maestro post 2.0, 'options' is not usable. Or more accurately, pressing the gear icon or selecting options from the dropdown menu does not bring up the options window.

I can't reproduce this myself, could you log a bug with detailed repro steps and a file that causes the problem?


--

2nd Update: Opening an ABC created post 2.0, making a change to that abc file, and saving the change as an MSX seems to wipe the drum mapping on the MSX for some reason. Unsure if this is related, but it occurs when trying the "leapfrog" approach above.

When you open an ABC file, that is a different project from the one you originally created by opening a MIDI file. The ABC file is just another source file -- there's no connection between it and the original MIDI file. If you save over the MSX file you created from the MIDI file, you'll lose the project that was based off the MIDI.

Projects created from a MIDI file use a drum map (because LOTRO's drums don't line up with MIDI drums). Projects created from an ABC file just use the drum sounds as-is without doing any mapping, because the mapping was done when the ABC file was first created -- mapping a second time would produce the wrong sounds. You can still manually re-map the drum sounds if you open an ABC file, though.

[SchorschiSchrumpf]

That is very nice improvements overall, congratulations - with that version 2.0 you bypassed Fireferns converter by far now.

The timings are just a little bit off now if too much stuff is mixed - this is much better than before ( especially because now the tempo changes happen where they are supposed to happen ).

Thanks for putting in the project files, that'll help a lot.

You could think about putting in volume dynamics matching next ( midi volume/velocity vs game-loudnes ) to help getting the midi volumes into the abc file.


p.s.:

the TSO is still hoping for more than 14 part ABC files, as well as a measure for the sample load of the music
(which maybe a good idea also for smaller arrangements with a lot of lutes/harps to prevent them from cutting out tones when songs are played ingame).

p.p.s:
To all the Maestro Users: Consider redoing all the pre-2.0-Maestro songs you arranged, it makes a huge difference!

[SpiritusLOTRO]

If you're having problems editing existing abc files, could you log a bug here:
https://code.google.com/p/lotro-maestro/issues/entry

Please be sure to:

• List the steps needed to reproduce it. Please be specific (e.g. rather than "select a track", say "select track 1").
• Important: attach the ABC, MIDI, and/or MSX file(s) where you saw the problem -- this includes the input MIDI/ABC file you opened and the output ABC file that has the issue (if applicable).
• Include what you expected to happen vs. what actually happened, even if it seems obvious.

For what it's worth, I just opening an existing ABC file, combining tracks, and re-exporting the ABC file, and it worked ok. So I'll definitely need a sample file to be able to repro the problem.

Will do as soon as possible.

[Fratonia]

However, I have run into a hiccup. I tend to do a lot of layering with my drum tracks, moving parts from one drum kit to another, doubling, etc. Whenever I attempt this, I seem to cause a bug that either wipes the drum data entirely, or more often, all data in the .abc.

I have the same issue here and I think I was able figure out what is causing it. The issue occurs when there is no Composer tag in the abc file.

To reproduce:

• Create a new abc file without entering something in the "C:" field
• Load that abc in Maestro 2.0
• Export the abc to a new file
• The new file will look like this:
  

  %abc-2.1
  %%song-title       Stille Nacht

The key for this issue is the missing "C:" tag in the abc file. As long as there is at least one "C:" tag the file the issue doesn't occur. It looks like the exporter function crashes internally while trying to write the new abc.
What I also noticed is that when you load such file you cannot set a composer. Everything you enter in the "C:" field of Maestro is garbled.

I hope this information helps you fix the bug. In the meantime users should always enter something in the composer field when transcribing the midi to abc. If they load an old abc which doesn't have a "C:" field they need to add at least one manually or use Maestro 1.4.1 which doesn't have this issue.

[SpiritusLOTRO]

I have the same issue here and I think I was able figure out what is causing it. The issue occurs when there is no Composer tag in the abc file.

Yup. That's the failure point for sure. I would have never figured this out as I always manually enter in the C tag directly into the ABC after export. Thank you very much for the troubleshoot!

Did you shoot a message over to Digero?

[Fratonia]

Yup. That's the failure point for sure. I would have never figured this out as I always manually enter in the C tag directly into the ABC after export. Thank you very much for the troubleshoot!

Did you shoot a message over to Digero?

No, I didn't. I thought he would check his thread from time to time.

[SpiritusLOTRO]

No, I didn't. I thought he would check his thread from time to time.

I posted your discovery on my issue ticket on the Maestro code.google site, as well as on the two issue tickets others submitted that seem to address the same failure point. That should be good enough.

[Digero]

Hey all! Sorry I haven't had much time to work on Maestro lately, but I just finished version 2.1.0.

New Features

• Updated the LOTRO instrument audio samples with the new tuned instrument sounds from the game.
• Updated the Maestro configuration for Horn, Clarinet, and Pibgorn so it will now output notes in the full 3-octave range, now that they no longer have breath sounds.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug where you could not edit or export a song that was loaded from an ABC file that didn't have a "C:" or "Z:" field.
• Editing a song from an ABC file now correctly loads the time signature rather than defaulting to 4/4.

You can download it here:
https://code.google.com/p/lotro-maestro/

Thanks Fratonia for tracking down the bug to the missing "C:" field.

[palantorio]

Hey all! Sorry I haven't had much time to work on Maestro lately, but I just finished version 2.1.0.

New Features

• Updated the LOTRO instrument audio samples with the new tuned instrument sounds from the game.
• Updated the Maestro configuration for Horn, Clarinet, and Pibgorn so it will now output notes in the full 3-octave range, now that they no longer have breath sounds.

You know there was a rollback of the Music System in U15.1 today to pre U15?

[Digero]

Ok then. Version 2.1.1 has the old instrument sounds again.

[Fratonia]

Thanks Fratonia for tracking down the bug to the missing "C:" field.

You're welcome. Unfortunately I only know how to code C++. Otherwise I would have provided a proper patch file.

Thanks for the updated version!

[Banaticus]

Ah, so this is what the Maestro program does. Are you the creator/designer/maintainer for the Maestro and ABC Player programs?

[Digero]

Ah, so this is what the Maestro program does. Are you the creator/designer/maintainer for the Maestro and ABC Player programs?

Yup.

_______

[Orlor]

Having a problem with 2.1.1. It won't load ABC files. It will load midis but no ABC's. I wen't back to 2.0 and it works perfectly.

[Fratonia]

Having a problem with 2.1.1. It won't load ABC files. It will load midis but no ABC's. I wen't back to 2.0 and it works perfectly.

You should provide the ABC file(s) to Digero so he can debug and find the problem. I have no problem with ABC files in version 2.1.1.

[Banaticus]

Yup.

Did you change your name? I thought the ABC player program was created by someone named Fredolas or something like that -- that's the name my brain is tossing up. Maybe that was someone who first told me about it or something.

[Digero]

Having a problem with 2.1.1. It won't load ABC files. It will load midis but no ABC's. I wen't back to 2.0 and it works perfectly.

Yes, like Fratonia said, please give me example ABC files that aren't loading for you. You can log an Issue and attach the .abc file here: http://code.google.com/p/lotro-maestro/issues/entry

[Digero]

Did you change your name? I thought the ABC player program was created by someone named Fredolas or something like that -- that's the name my brain is tossing up. Maybe that was someone who first told me about it or something.

Nope, I've been Digero since before LOTRO, and I created ABC Player myself from scratch.

You might be thinking of Fredelas, who uses ABC Player and has posted a few times in the ABC Player thread. There are also other MIDI to ABC converter programs besides Maestro, such as the one created by Firefern.

[palantorio]

2 Suggestions for Maestro.

1.) Mark a part of a track for transposing parts.
2.) Fading at the end of a track. Maybe by marking with a mouse or a button. Like : Fading from /2.45/min to /2.59/min Volume : from /+fff+/ to /+p/ .... or something like this. and a Little button for /Whole song/ or /this track/. ( If possible). But adding a Fading would be very useful for many of us.

[Urwendil]

Just posting to thank you for Maestro I wish this thread were stickied though...

[Orlor]

Yes, like Fratonia said, please give me example ABC files that aren't loading for you. You can log an Issue and attach the .abc file here: http://code.google.com/p/lotro-maestro/issues/entry

Another player and myself have confirmed that the newest Maestro does not like ABC's created by Firefern.

And sorry, I don't do google except as a search engine.

[Fratonia]

Another player and myself have confirmed that the newest Maestro does not like ABC's created by Firefern.

That's a very good hint. I quickly checked what may be wrong with one of your songs from the "Requests Thread".

It seems that Maestro 2.1.1 stumbles upon the missing M: field in Fireferns files. I have almost no clue about abc notation but as far as I understand Firefern uses the L: parameter to set the basic note length whereas Maestro uses the M: parameter.
From what I understand from the abc notation blog the M: field is optional. If it's not present the software (in this case Maestro) should asume M:C.

Maestro 1.4.1 and 2.0.0 didn't have this issue.