Introduction

In this "midi2style - Getting Started Guide" we will convert a MIDI file to a Yamaha style file.

This process will give you the basic understanding of the conversion process.

Step 1. Preparations

In this Step-by-Step how-to we will use the MIDI file 'amazgrace.mid' for conversion.

This file is here. Right click the link and select "Save Target As...".

Save the file and follow the instructions below.

Step 2. Open the midi2style program from Start | Programs.

You will during the operation get messages in the Status Line in the bottom of the Main Window.

If the message background is green everything is fine.
A yellow background indicates a warning message. Normally this means you have to be careful here - or you have to wait...
A red background indicates an error messages. You are probably trying to perform an illegal operation. Normally the process just terminates.

For further information read the online help.

Pressing the F1 key will open the help topic related to the focused window in the Help window.

Step 3. Select menu File and click Open MIDI File.

Locate the file amazgrace.mid you just have downloaded and click "Open" in the File Dialog window.

Program will now load, read and analyze this MIDI file.

When ready a message will be shown in the status line, like this:

Set (or reset) Keyboard Model in menu Options | Setup.

This has to be done to avoid selection of not supported voices in the keyboard model you intend to use the style in.

Step 4. Select menu File and click MIDI File Properties.

Now we will examine the file content, mostly the note activity in channels.

We notice that most activity is in channel 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10.

Normally the channels having the most activity are preferable to the style; but no rules without exceptions. (Well, channel 10 has to have "drum and percussion".)

But what about selecting the other voices ?

We only have 2 drum channels and 6 "normal" instrument channels in a style file.
In this MIDI file we have 1 drum voice and 9 "normal" voice channels.
This means that 3 "normal" voice channels must be omitted.

Let us listen to the MIDI file to get some ideas about what to do.

First close the MIDI File Properties window.

Step 5. Select menu Settings and click Player & Part Selector

When the window is open click the button "Play" to play the MIDI file.

We have a nice organ intro in the MIDI file. Actually we have two organs in the intro: Hammond Organ in channel 1 and Church Organ in channel 2.
These could be good intro parts in the style.

But these two channels play the melody line, and melody lines will normally not be used in Main and Fill parts. In these parts you are supposed to play the melody line yourself !

Now we have a dilemma:
- If we want to use melody line channels (1 and 2) in the style we have to omit channel 7, 8 and 9 or some other more active channels.
- We could forget the melody lines in intros and endings and use 2 of the 3 channels omitted in the first place (channel 7, 8 and 9).

I decide to use the channel 1 and channel 2 as melody lines in intros and endings (or at least some of these). (A conversion not using melody lines can be found at the page Sample Conversions).

Now we will find blocks of measures for style parts.
First I mute channel 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 by clicking the channels in the left column and checking the Mute checkbox.
The first two channels are dedicated to play melody, and the later three being the least active channels.

Now start to play blocks of measures to find good loopable main parts. This is try and error!
Note that the actual measure number playing is shown in the Status Line in the Main Window.

After some testing with the player I think 4 measures from measure 18 could be used as the Main A part. This looks like this:

Now select "Main A" below the heading "Use measures as" and click the OK button.
This selection is transferred to the lower part of the Main Window like this:

Continue with the other parts using the same method.
This is the core work in style creation - and it takes time. Be patient...

I end up with these selections:

Note that I only have selected two Intros and two Endings.
It is a problem to get more than one of these parts as there is only one of each present in the source MIDI file!

Note that these selections can be done in the Main Window too.

When all is done close the Player & Part Selector window.

Step 6. Back to the Main Window.

In the previous step we decided to use channel 10 as the drum channel.
Besides this we decided to use channel 1 and channel 2 as melody lines in intros and endings (we will return to this later) and channel 3, 4, 5 and 6.

These latest 6 channels can be assigned to any of the "normal" instrument channels in the style.
I decide to use:
- Channel 10 as Rhythm Main (has to be this way)
- Channel 5 Elec Bass Picked as Bass
- Channel 3 Acou Grand Piano as Chord 1
- Channel 6 Acou Steel Guitar as Chord 2
- Channel 2 Church Organ as Pad
- Channel 1 Hammond Organ as Phrase 1
- Channel 4 String Ensemble as Phrase 2

These settings are done be selecting the channel below heading "MIDI Channel & Patch".

When selecting a channel the channel parameters are transferred to the rest of the columns in the upper part of the Main window.

Step 7. Select menu Settings and click Basic Settings.

I add:
- Count In to Intro A.
- Copyright text (this will be saved after first use and used as a default setting).

All other settings are default, no need to experiment with these at this moment!

Close this window.

Step 8. Select menu Settings and click Tempo Settings.

Notice that I add Ritardando to Ending A and Ending B. Both over 2 measures and ending at half tempo (50%).

Close this window.

Step 9. Select menu Settings and click Melodic Part Settings.

Now we have to select Pad (channel 2: Church Organ) and Phrase 1 (channel 1: Hammond Organ) to play melody lines and to apply these settings to Intro B, Ending A and Ending B parts.

Note that in the lower part of the Main Window the Pad and Phrase 1 channels are deselected in all other parts than the three parts selected above.

Close this window.

Step 10. Select menu Process and click Convert.

The MIDI file will be converted according to your selections. Please wait...

Step 11. Select menu Process and click Style Player.

Test the style parts and find out what to change.

Close the Style Player window.

Step 12. Back to the Main Window.

I make some changes:
- I adjust some of the volume settings in the upper part of the Main Window.

- I mute Chord 1 (Acou Grand Piano) in Main A and Intro A parts in the lower part of the Main Window.

The resulting Main Window looks like this:

Step 13. Select menu Process and click Convert.

The MIDI file will be converted according to your revised selections. Please wait...

Now go 2 steps backwards and test the style in the Style Player again.

Step 14. Select menu File and click Save Style File.

Save your style to disc (HD or floppy).

Test the style at your PSR keyboard.

If convenient reset parameters in any of the previous steps and do a new conversion like just done above.

The MIDI File remains in computer memory until "Open MIDI File" is clicked next time.

Step 15. Select menu File and click Export Conversion Data.

Export your conversion data in a file.

You can import the exported (saved) conversion data if you want to correct anything in this conversion some day.

This data import is done by Import Conversion Data under the File menu.

Only matching Conversion Data and MIDI files will succeed.

Now you can exit the midi2style program.

Step 16. Congratulations!

You are through!

If you want to modify the style then:
- Open midi2style
- Open the MIDI File
- Import Conversion Data
- Modify your settings
- Convert
- Test the style
- Save the style
- Export Conversion Data