"Mini Guide": Tips for getting great sheets from "found" MIDI files

[dj]

Thanks, Sherry. May I also add:

• Re-order the staves in accepted order.

For some reason, Band-In-A-Box and other programs, as well as a lot of "found" midi files, order the instruments upside-down, starting with drums and moving down through melodies and soloists. An "accepted" (because nothing is carved in stone) order for orchestral work is:

• Woodwinds: flutes, then reeds starting with English horn and oboe down through bassoons.
• Brass: French horns, then trumpets through tubas
• Pitched Percussion: bells down through tympani
• Unpitched Percussion: claves through bass drum
• Vocals: SATB
• Keyboards: Piano/harpsichord, organ, celeste
• Harp
• Strings: violins through double bass

For stage (jazz) bands:

• Woodwinds: flutes, then reeds down by size
• Saxophones: by size
• Brass: French horns, if needed, then trumpets, etc. down by size
• Vocals: SATB
• Rhythm section: piano, organ, guitar, string/electric bass
• Pitched percussion
• Unpitched percussion (trap set here)

For musique concrete, ambient, trip-hop, trance, dance, etc:

• You're on your own.

David

(And maybe that's all a little long for placing in your "concise" tips thread.)