Composer 3 discrepancy with MuseScore 3 & Yamaha MOX

[sospiri]

Not quite sure where to put this as it could be a bug in Composer, but here goes.


Import the attached MIDI file into Yamaha MOX or MuseScore 3 and it comes up in the correct key of B Major. Import it into Composer 3 and it comes up in the Key of F# Major. Why?


A friend of mind obtained the file from the internet and it appears to be a re-orchestration of the Sinatra/Billy May version of "Come Fly With Me" omitting the vocal and is not complete, so could be a pirated version. But that doesn't explain the discrepancy. Can anyone?

[Sherry C]

Hi,

Originally Posted by sospiri

Import the attached MIDI file into Yamaha MOX or MuseScore 3 and it comes up in the correct key of B Major. Import it into Composer 3 and it comes up in the Key of F# Major. Why?

Basically because with MIDI files there is no field for "key", so any program that imports it makes a "best guess" as to what the proper key should be. Composer - while not perfect - tries to give the most easily readable sheet music. With a song like this where there are a lot of accidentals throughout, my best guess (no pun intended) is that the beginning F# in the String Ensemble is what Composer used to decide that F# was the key rather than B (a beginning note is often a strong indicator of key, just not necessarily in this particular case).


You can easily change the key signature just by (1) double-clicking the key signature in any staff (make sure that Staff/Show all instruments in same concert key is "on") and (2) changing the key signature in the dialog and make sure that "Apply key signature to all staves" is selected.

A friend of mind obtained the file from the internet and it appears to be a re-orchestration of the Sinatra/Billy May version of "Come Fly With Me" omitting the vocal and is not complete

It's a really nice performance file - someone did a great job with the pitch bends! I play bass in a big band, and we love this kind of stuff There are a lot of great big band arrangements out there in .mid form. I use them myself to help arrange for our band as well as to practice new or different songs just for fun.





Have fun!
Sherry

[sospiri]

Hi Sherry,
Thanks for your explanation. Whether this shortcoming is fixed in MIDI 2.0 or not is largely academic as is it unlikely to see the light of day in the current batch of instruments. And then we have Yamaha's oddball implementation of MIDI..... LOL! :-)

[Reinhold H.]

The MIDI-1.0 protocol contains the meta event "Key signature" (see page 10 of the MIDI-1.0 spec).

In our software we use the logic

• if the Meta Event "key signature" exits in the MIDI file then the software takes this event to become the key signature
• in case there is no "key signature" MIDI event present, the software does a best guess

The attached MIDI file "come fly pt.mid" contains the MIDI meta event key signature to be F#. This key is used when imported.

I have checked the 6 other major notation programs which we use for interface testing. MuseScore is the only one which goes with B sharp but everyone else chooses F# just like Composer.

Reinhold

[Sherry C]

Hi guys,


Well I sit corrected



Perhaps I was remembering the "recording into Composer" scenario.
Anyway, I appreciate Reinhold setting me (and the record) straight!


ttfn,
Sherry

[sospiri]

Reinhold,


I don't doubt what you say at all and perhaps we shall never get to the bottom of this. My friend in the UK found this on the internet and again it is incomplete:- https://www.ejazzlines.com/mc_files/2/jlp9551.pdf


Sospiri