by Dr. John Kuzmich, Jr.

In the field of high technology, there are computer hardware products that have opened up new areas of software instructional applications. In 1983, the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) revolution opened up new areas of computer music applications that have reached out to music educators. When "Finale" by Coda Music was first released in 1989, there was great excitement about the expectations of its real-time entry capabilities. Since then, there have been many other new, sophisticated notation products offering real-time entry at bargain prices.

In this article, I am pleased to announce the release of the very first music reading software product, "MIDISCAN for Windows," for the IBM platform that automatically converts scanned images of printed music into multitrack standard MIDI files. Once in the standard MIDI file format, playback, printing and/or editing options are available to you with your favorite sequencing/notation programs. "MIDISCAN" recognizes note pitches, note and rest durations, chords, accidentals, bar lines, ties, clefs, key and time signatures. "MIDISCAN" automatically locates staves and systems and corrects skewed images while ignoring non-note objects such as smudges, titles, guitar tablature, lyrics, fingerings which do not translate into MIDI. Considering the vast amount of published music library available, there are a multitude of instructional uses for a product of this kind beyond archival purposes. No longer is it necessary to input the music by MIDI (real-time, step-time, etc.) to be able to incorporate it into your notation/sequencer software. The imputing time is saved over real-time or step-time entry which can be considerable. Imagine using "MIDISCAN" to input the vocal/instrument music score and be able to have it efficiently performed by your multitimbral MIDI system and put individual students parts on cassette tape for them to study and practice with. Or the "MIDISCAN" could convert sheet music into your sequencer or notation program for new compositional ideas, converting music into MIDI files and then importing it to your notation program to have it edited and/or transposed to another key and printed out in minutes or to create instant vocal accompaniments. General music teachers or Karaoke fans can output sequencer accompaniments directly to audio cassettes.

Naturally, there are copyright laws which educators need to follow when dealing with a product that has duplicating capabilities for teaching applications. Likewise, consider similar copyright considerations when using the tape recorder, video camcorder and copy machine in your regular teaching situations. Without question, music reading software is a very powerful product and educators will need to adhere to a code of ethics in dealing with copyright issues.

Music reading software has three distinct steps for converting print music to a standard MIDI file. The first step uses a scanner with an image editing software package that can produce a TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) image file of the sheet music. It can be used with either a black and white or color scanner. A TIFF file is literally a photographic image of the original music that can not be edited, much like a duplicated copy from a copy machine.

The second step uses "MIDISCAN" to convert the TIFF file to a MNOD file (Music Notation Object Description, which is "MIDISCAN's" own internal file format for easy editing before converting the file to a MIDI file). You can edit the converted music to resemble the original music as necessary. The third step converts the MNOD file to a Type 1 (multi-track) standard MIDI file that can be imputed to your favorite notation/sequencing software for further applications enhancement. Basically, "MIDISCAN" is a file convertor: TIFF in and MIDI out. Although it is possible to make unlimited alterations using the MNOD editor, "MIDISCAN" is not intended to function purely as a notation application. Playback and further manipulation of the MIDI file is to be done by using your own existing sequencer or notation application.

"MIDISCAN" requires an IBM or compatible clone computer with a 80286, 80386, 80486 or faster CPU processor using Microsoft Windows, version 3.1 or later with 4 megabytes of RAM and Windows-compatible video card and mouse. In addition, it requires a scanner that can scan a full-page. The scanner can be either a hand-scanner, flatfield, overhead, sheetfed. The scanner music must output a black-and-white (1 bit-plane) image with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch) along with a scanner controller card in the PC computer and an imaging software product that can output and save a TIFF image to disk. A sampling of image editing products are: "PhotoShop" by Adobe, "OFOTO" by Light Source, "PhotoStyler" by Aldus, "Image Assistant" by Caere Corp., and "Coreldraw" by Corel Corp. A minimum recommended system is a 16 MHz 80386 PC with 4 Megabytes of RAM and a black-and-white hand-scanner with imaging software capable of "auto-stitching." It is suggested that you have adequate free hard disk drive space. A rule of thumb is to allocate 1 MB for "MIDISCAN" and 1 MB for each TIFF-page scanned.

After you have scanned the sheet music with an image editing software product, you should to move the TIFF file to your "MIDISCAN" directory. "MIDISCAN" is menu-driven and can easily be used right away without any musical training. The Windows environment is user-friendly for even the novice computer user. After loading "MIDISCAN," you may want to open up the TIFF file and view it. It should be identical to the original music. Next, select "Recognition" from the main menu bar. You'll be ask to identify the music as either an ensemble score or a part along with the recognition region (vertical height of the staves) as normal, wide or narrow. There are several simple menus that will guide you through the conversion process of a MNOD (.MND) file. With a 386DX computer, it will take about 4 to 5 minutes to convert the file to a MNOD file. A 486 computer can further cut down the conversion time depending on which CPU processor it has. You can then view the music at actual size or down to 1/4 size to see more staves along with both the TIFF and MNOD files to check for possible mistakes. You also have an option of editing the MNOD files before converting to a MIDI file. This process goes easily because the MNOD editor is both powerful and intuitive, and the actual conversion process from MNOD to MIDI file takes only a few seconds. If you need to use a notation editor, I find "MusicPrinter Plus" by Temporal Acuity Products to be both a fast and powerful notation editor for the IBM platform. Note: there is no undue feature in "MIDISCAN" and I suggest that you back up your editing periodically to avoid having to correct editing mistakes you might make.

For a version 1.0 product, I found the conversion note accuracy amazing at 98% or higher. Naturally, higher quality manuscripts will generate higher accuracy with "MIDISCAN." Note: you can not use hand manuscripts with "MIDISCAN," only published manuscripts. If the original manuscript is too light, set your scanning software for a higher intensity much like you would do on a copy machine. If the original is too small, consider enlarging it on a copy machine first to enhance the accuracy rate. Follow the same procedure if the original copy can have its contrast improved on a copy machine before scanning it.

"MIDISCAN" recognizes note pitches, note and rest durations, chords, accidentals, bar lines, ties, clefs, key and time signatures. Do not expect slurs, articulations and text to be a part of the conversion process. You can add these components in the MNOD editor or in your notation program. For manuscripts that need to be scanned in sideways, MIDISCAN can easily rotate a TIFF file in 90 degree increments. It will even allow you to edit TIFF files before converting to the MNOD file format.

"MIDISCAN" works as advertised and without any special computer expertise. Its power comes not only from its accuracy but especially from its ease of use. The 74 page manual is clearly written and well organized. Installation is very simple. At $375, "MIDISCAN" is an attractive product for music educators to seek new experiences with printed music and MIDI editing, printing and performance applications.

"MIDISCAN" has been well thought out for the market place. Being the first music reading software product out gives it prestige. It is interesting to note that the product was designed by two individuals that are 7,000 miles a part(California and Poland). Look for at least two other similar music reading software products to be released in 1994. I will be giving a music reading software clinic at the 1994 IAJE International Convention in Boston. Music reading software is becoming an important innovation in computer music education technology. If you should need more information about "MIDISCAN," please contact: