8 replies to this topic

[Mirar]

A while ago I needed something better than the LoTRO ABC Player and various MIDI tools to convert MIDIs to ABCs, for my band-playing hobbit Firefern. I wrote a script that ran on my Linux computer and took a very hard to grasp config file to sort out a MIDI into several ABCs for the band to play. This seemed useful for others too, but the script wasn't portable.
Instead I wrote a web interface with an ABC database, so others could use it.

The converter is here: http://fefeconv.mirar.org/

You will first be presented with all the songs that are open to use for anyone. To convert something, create an account and upload a MIDI (the MIDI itself will not be published or downloadable!). Use the Help function to see what you should do.

What it can handle that might be useful:
- splitting a MIDI into channels (track/channel/instrument and if you want tone range)
- combining them back into ABC parts,
- and combining those parts back into band sizes and instrument variations (I call it "ensembles")
- (and it has a function to figure out who in your band will play which part too)
and
- octave shifting of the ingoing channels
- handle tempo changes by over- and resampling
- intensity (and intensity changes) from MIDI instrument and volume levels to ABC +ff+ etc
- intensity change of the ingoing channels
- fadeout (more silent at the end for a nicer ending)
- preview with MIDI download so you can work or pick a song without being in the game
- decent drum conversion per default with optional custom drum conversions

You don't have to use it. But since I made it anyway, I thought I'd present it in case someone might find it useful.
Feel free to use the songs, too.

[Lina]

I previously used LOTRO midi player for my musical need. For the last couple months or so, though, Firefern's converter has been my first weapon of choice when it comes to converting ABC's from midi files.

It takes a little time to get used to all the options, but once you start mastering it, it produces very good results. I find it often syncs better to the original midi speed than I manage with LOTRO midi player, so I have often gone back and "reconverted" problematic tunes. Having the drum converter as part of the package is also great.

If you have an interest in ABC music, I recommend you try it out!

*offers a biscuit to Firefern*

[Thorebane]

I just use the straight forward lotro abc converter.

drag the midi into the program or >Open the file then click convert and bam done.

I also have a program for when I play instruments real life called Guitar Pro. Which you can get a more acurate midi as if you'd like to play a song say ... fear of the dark - iron madian you can midi out specific instrument parts which when tried in game sounds better than any full abc of a midi and any uploaded on lotro abc.com or falute.com because it's specifically captured the bass or the guitar or the drums so !!!

[Spheric]

Thanks for sharing this. That's very nice of you. I'll give it a try once I get around to implementing some of my songs into the game.

[nimlith]

I can also highly recommend this tool. I love the fadeout utility, tempo changes and the possibility of shifting around the intensity (volume) of the channels.
It makes for a much truer to the original conversion than the Lotro abc converter.

Big hugs to Fefe for creating this!



PS: Do try out the ensemble/band utility! It is a lifesaver for assigning instruments to players when playing with friends.
You just plug in player names and check the instruments they own and it will present you with solutions for instrument and line to play like this:
Song: Concerning Hobbits Tanes:theorbo/fconcerning:9 - nimlith:harp/fconcerning:8 - Miji:flute/fconcerning:3

[Mirar]

Thanks! *noms biscuit*

Of course, if there's questions or problems or wishes, feel free to post them! I might be able to do something.

[Bovso Oakengates]

I've been using this fefe's ABC converter for months now and I've just loved it. I've not used any other programs for converting, because I've not have a reason to do it. This is how I usually make songs with fefeconv:

• First find the MIDI with google or what you prefer
  
• Upload the MIDI file you downloaded to fefeconv.mirar.org
  
• Listen the MIDI tracks with fefeconv and choose the instruments you will use
  
• I usually give one instrument to play various MIDI tracks at the same time, especially lute
  
• When instruments have been picked and MIDI tracks chosen for every instrument, I make an ensemble(parts of the song)
  
• After listening the song with current ensemble I change the amplify and octave shift settings
  
• Amplify, like I've understood, means how loud the MIDI track will play in-game, +45 is max and -45 min
  
• I usually set the theorbo MIDI track to +45 and raise up the other instruments volume as well (but not so much as theorbo)
  
• Listen again and change these two settings if needed
  
• Sometimes I make a custom drum conversion if drums doesn't sound right in-game
  
• Then I make a link from the song and copy-paste it to members of my band

Only other program I use for making songs to LotRO is the ABC player. At the moment the fefeconv doesn't play the ABC file as good as the ABC player does. So, after making the ABC file with fefeconv I listen it with this program.

This is a song I've made with fefeconv In this song the theorbo is +45, as you can hear. I didn't make the custom drum conversion to this, so it doesn't sound like it should be. Here is the song in fefeconv: Flying Taters Song

[Mirar]

Bovso Oakengates, on 01 June 2011 - 21:31, said:

Only other program I use for making songs to LotRO is the ABC player. At the moment the fefeconv doesn't play the ABC file as good as the ABC player does. So, after making the ABC file with fefeconv I listen it with this program

I didn't know about this program. It seems to do a fairly good job.

I added the possibility to download and preview parts and ensembles as ABC now. It's using a different MIME type (audio/x-abc), so it should be possible to set up so that the preview plays automatically and the ABC download doesn't. (At least I managed.)

[Hoppa_Joel]

I have just started using your program it is really nice.
I do have one suggestion I'd love to see added in though.

Would it be possible to add in an edit, to allow us to input the X: line's number in manually?
It would save  many minutes and many  long scrolled searches through big songs to find the line to edit hehe

Very nice work on this.
The drums are really good too.