How can I convert PDF file to Midi?

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Patrick Hasselbank

Post by Patrick Hasselbank »

Hi everyone! Is there any possibility to convert pdf file with score to use it in Synthesia? Does anyone knows? It will be a good practice for me for my piano skills.
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jimhenry
Posts: 1907

Post by jimhenry »

I believe that all of the PDF scores available from MuseScore.org can also be obtained as native MuseScore files which can then be used to produce MIDI files and MusicXML files, for when Synthesia supports them. That will be a MUCH better way to use those scores.

Other PDF files of music scores will be of one of two "flavors".

One "flavor" is just an image of the score, basically like a picture taken with a camera. Converting this "flavor" of PDF into MIDI isn't very successful. When I confront such a file, I just create a MIDI file from scratch using MuseScore by reading the PDF file myself.

The other "flavor" includes the music symbols and PDF instructions for placing them on the page. This "flavor" can be converted to MIDI very well with tools such as the Myriad PDFtoMusic Pro (https://www.myriad-online.com/en/produc ... sicpro.htm).

As you get familiar with PDF scores you can often recognize which "flavor" you have because the first will be larger than the second. The other way to tell is to enlarge the file as much as possible in your PDF viewer, at least to 800%. The first "flavor" will look jagged and the second will be smooth.
Jim Henry
Author of the Miditzer, a free virtual theatre pipe organ
http://www.Miditzer.org/
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