sheet music

I'm a computer programmer.  So whenever I run into something as complex as
sheet music, well, I =have= to try and simplify it.

I prefer piano roll notation.
   But, you can only get that from a midi file.
   So I wrote a program to turn a text file of sheet music info into a midi file

You see, the advantage of a midi file is that
   - the computer can play the song so you can ACTUALLY HEAR =exactly= how the
     rhythms go.

   - I can have a full drum track with soft hihat 16th notes
     instead of an annoying metronome going
                           DING click click click   DING click click click   ...
   - I can have the other hand's track played for me when I'm practicing
     in the hands seperate stage

   - PianoCheater shows piano roll format so I can
     EASILY see where my fingers go by
     feeeling the 2 vs 3 black keys for where my hands are now.

   - midi is a great format to RECORD YOUR PRACTICE in.
     Teeny little files that sound better with time
     (as your sound modules improve).

The big drawback, of course, is if I don't have a midi file.
   I have to type the sheet music into a text file :(
   But it's only a little worse than reading the song the first time through.


In the end, though, you'll NEED to learn to read standard sheet music.
   There's NO getting around it.
   So I also fixed up PianoCheater to turn (scroll) scanned sheet music
   pages for you (at least).

   There are just lots of songs that are ONLY available in sheet music format.
      Sheet music format songs often are a better arrangement
      than the lame version you may find in a midi file.

I'd really like to help you learn standard sheet music format, pal.
   But, well, there are a ton of music theory websites that already do that...
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Why midi files SUUUCK...

   Notice how you tend to play NOT exactly at even tempo?
   It's because the song sounds better that way.

   Once your brain really understands EVERY nuance of the "as written" song,
   it can play with tempo and make the listener wait or surprise the listener.

   There's a big difference between a human "performance" of a song and
                                   a computer playing JUST straight sheet music.
   That's why people say "midi files SUUUUCK".
      Because most are typed in from sheet music rather than
      ACTUALLY BEING PLAYED by a human being !!

   However, they are a GREAT source of sheet music.
      And of how to arrange a song in parts with different instruments.

   Sometimes, a human actually recorded the midi file
      and you can see the nuances of what they did to really PUNCH that song.
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Next up,
   Fingering can be tricky...