tidal-midi.md

TidalMIDI

This project allows to create midi files based on TidalCycles patterns. You need to import it with import Sound.Tidal.MIDI first.

Requirements

You simply need to install this corresponding cabal package with cabal v2-install --lib

How To use it

First note based pattern with default settings:

 toFile "/path/to/file/name.mid" (midiFile midiScore
   [
     midiNoteTrack AcousticGrandPiano (s "superpiano" <| note "[c6'maj7, c3 e3 g3 b3]") midiScore
   ])

Here we set the instrument to AcoustigGrandPiano . A list of all available instruments can be found when executing instruments form Sound.MIDI . This will create a midi file with 120 bpm and 4/4 time signature.

To create a midi track with drums you can use this:

toFile "/path/to/file/name.mid" (midiFile midiScore [
     midiDrumTrack (s "[bd(3,8), cr, hh*8, ~ sn]") midiScore
   ])

This will map the sample names to general midi drum values.

To change the bpm and add time signatures to your midi file, you need to adjust the midiScore record like this:

do
let midiScore' = midiScore {bpm = 138
	  , timeSignatures = [(1 % 1, 3, 2),(2 % 1, 7, 2), (3 % 1, 9 , 3), (4 % 1, 5 , 2)]}
toFile "/Users/mrreason/Documents/MidiExample/1.mid" (midiFile midiScore' [
    midiNoteTrack ElectricGuitarClean
    	(struct "<[t*3] ~! [t*5] >" $  s "piano" <| note "<a b c d e f>") midiScore'
  ] )

This will change the bpm to 138 and add the time signature as followed:

• Till the end of bar 1: 6/8 time signature
• Till the end of bar 2: 7/4 time signature
• Till the end of bar 3: 9/8 time signature
• Till the end of bar 4: 5/4 time signature

To prove that everything is calculated correctly, the second and third cycle is a rest.

The current midiScore definition looks like this:

midiScore = TidalMIDIScore {
  timeSignatures = [(1 % 1, 4, 2)],
  bpm = 120,
  duration = 4
}

The time signature calculation is implemented by the MIDI standard.

To create a larger midi file you need to adapt the duration value as well.